Year: 2015

Today we Honor Veterans

In the USA, Veterans Day annually falls on November 11. This day is the anniversary of the signing of the armistice, which ended the World War I hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany in 1918. Veterans are thanked for their services to the United States on Veterans Day.

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxipGYkYuy8&w=420&h=315]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s8Z4DspcO0&w=420&h=315]

tech tips

Tech Tip #121: Chromebooks Caps Lock

As a working technology teacher, I get hundreds of questions from parents about their home computers, how to do stuff, how to solve problems. Each Tuesday, I’ll share one of those with you. They’re always brief and always focused. Enjoy!

Q: Where’s the caps lock on Chromebooks? There’s a ‘search’ button where that key is on my normal keyboard.

On Chromebooks, caps lock is a shortkey: Alt+Search. Search is the magnifying glass located where the the caps lock is on other keyboards. To turn it off, tap Shift.

If you’re like me and never plan to use that Search key, you can remap the Search key by visiting the Settings > Device > Keyboard settings.

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coding

58 Hour of Code Suggestions by Grade Level

Here are ideas of apps and websites that teachers in my PLN used successfully in the past during Hour of Code:

hour of codeKindergarten

Start kindergartners with problem solving. If they love Legos, they’ll love coding

  1. BotLogic–great for Kindergarten and youngers
  2. Code–learn to code, for students
  3. Daisy the Dinosaur—intro to programming via iPad
  4. How to train your robot–a lesson plan from Dr. Techniko
  5. Kodable--great for youngers–learn to code before you can read
  6. Move the Turtle–programming via iPad for middle schoolhour of code
  7. Primo–a wooden game, for ages 4-7
  8. Program a human robot (unplugged)
  9. Scratch Jr.

1st Grade

  1. Code–learn to code, for students
  2. Hopscotch–programming on the iPad
  3. Primo–a wooden game, for ages 4-7
  4. Scratch Jr.
  5. Tynker

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coding

Hour of Code–the Series

Coding–that mystical geeky subject that confounds students and teachers alike. Confess, when you think of coding, you see:

coding

 

…when you should see

coding

December 7-13, Computer Science Education will host the Hour Of Code–a one hour introduction to coding, programming, and why students should love it. It’s designed to demystify “code” and show that anyone can learn the basics to be a maker, a creator, and an innovator.

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Tech Tip #120: Why Use Airplane Mode?

As a working technology teacher, I get hundreds of questions from parents about their home computers, how to do stuff, how to solve problems. Each Tuesday, I’ll share one of those with you. They’re always brief and always focused. Enjoy!

Q: Why would I use airplane mode when I’m not flying?

Airplane mode stops your phone from searching for an internet connection. If you don’t use it on a long flight, you’ll find your battery drained by the time you land because your phone ran through its power searching constantly for a signal that didn’t exist.

If you know you aren’t using the internet for a period of time, switch your phone to airplane mode. It’ll save your battery.

Why else?

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5 Best Typing Tutors for Everyone

keyboardingKeyboarding is always a concern with educators, and one of the most questions is–how do you teach it? Adam  Fort, an education strategist at Ratatype, has five ideas:

Typing tutors are aids that enable users to increase their own typing speed, skills and touch typing techniques. There are different types of typing tutors including online typing tutors, typing tutor programs and typing tutor software. These can help you to improve typing as well as other aspects of life like salary increases, job satisfaction, improved posture and many other things which will come as a result of mastering the art of typing. Here is a list of 5 best typing tutors for everyone.

There are a number of free typing tutors on the web which are most useful when it comes to typing lessons, typing practice and typing tests. Most of these sites are free online sites which are useful to both learners and teachers. Among the most notable typing sites include TypingWeb and Ratatype.

TypingWeb Online Typing Tutor

TypingWeb is a renowned free typing tutor on the web that consists of a teacher’s portal which acts as a classroom aid for teaching the appropriate touch typing skills. It is a free typing platform although ads are enabled but can always be removed when the need arises and this does not cost a lot of money.

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