Thing 14: Google Forms and Spreadsheets

Love all things Google!  Have I said lately that I would so love to attend a Google Academy?

For Thing 14...here are are few ways in which I have utilized forms and spreadsheets:

1. My students check out books from our class library via a form:  Cafe 16 Library.
2. Please check here for forms requesting student emails and such.

Once the students complete the forms, the data enters into a spreadsheet...all gathered in one place.  Very nice.  Very organized.

As for spreadsheets...here's my latest use of those:  just this week, I uploaded two Excel spreadsheets containing yearbook info and shared them with a peer is helping me with the bookkeeping of raising, thus far, over $24,000 to pay for this historical collection that we call a yearbook. 

Thank you, Ms. Nina, and thank you, Google, for de-stressing my life so much!

Thing 13: Presenting Google-Style!

An invaluable tool, Google consistently decreases stress within my classroom as my students now realize the power of the tool.

For my classes, I have utilized Google Docs and Google Presentation:

• Groups share documents with each other, writing one essay as a group.
• The whole class contributes to a Google Presentation as each adds his/her assigned vocabulary for all to view.

Until this post, though, I had never embedded a Presentation.  I like!

Hopefully, others within our PLN will add to this Presentation.  How will we know?  Right now the Presentation consists of two slides.  Check the number below the box...




This represents why I appreciate being a part of this group.  I just learned/self-taught myself something that will enhance my classes and, hopefully, assist my students.  Yes, I like!

Thing 20: My Friend Twitter

Twitter is a very powerful tool...if one has the time. Often I Twitter for just a few minutes, always accessing interesting links.

For example tonight, I clicked this link Think Before You Speak, posted by author Jodi Picoult and immediately began contemplating how I might use this sight when we journey through my next unit on anti-bullying.

As a result of Twitter, our 21 CLC group "met" author Suzie Boss via Skype due to our initial contact through Twitter last summer when I posted about our group and she responded.  Cool!  (I blogged here on my personal blog Treasure Chest of Thoughts about that experience.)

My Twitter account equates to a very reliable PLN, but to have that, I only "friend" those who will enhance the professional growth I experience there.  I currently follow 171 people, most of whom are directly involved in education, technology, writing, hobbies.  Please feel free to browse those I follow and add them to your list.

Not until you develop your list will you truly appreciate the value of this PLN that we call Twitter. Enjoy!