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Thursday, April 18, 2019

Schedule Gmail

One of the most requested features for Gmail is finally here! You can now schedule when an email will be sent. This is HUGE! I can’t tell you how many emails I have composed in my Drafts label ready to be sent, and I forget to send them or recreate them because I forgot they were already written. Scheduling is super easy. Head to your inbox and start being proactive and get those emails scheduled!


Schedule Gmail
  1. Head to Gmail.
  2. Compose your fantastic piece of communication.
  3. Click the arrow next to the “Send” button.
  4. Click “Schedule Send”.
  5. Choose a pre-selected option or choose a custom day and time by clicking “Pick date & time”.    
  6. Sit back and know that you look like a punctual rock star and your emails will be delivered whenever you want, even if you are not near your computer!




Start scheduling all your communication to be delivered even when you are not at your device!


If you want these directions in a document click HERE!


Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Interactive Lessons with ClassKick

Are you looking for a web tool that allows ease of use, activities with manipulative movement, instant feedback, audio comments, peer interaction, and so much more (oh, and that works on ANY device?)? Of course, you are! ClassKick is a great web or app-based tool that does this at ALL levels! Yes, 4-year-olds to high school students can use ClassKick! It is really a cool activity creator! Teachers can create interactive activities and watch students work on the screen and interact with them (no, I do not encourage just sitting at your desk drinking coffee while watching kids digitally, but ClassKick does allow teachers to view students’ work in real time on their screen). There is live feedback, availability of peer help, audio notes and responses, sharing created assignments with peer teachers to copy, and so much more. Head over to ClassKick (on the web or iOS app) and check it out! You will become a fan, too!


Set Up Your Class:
  1. Sign in (or create) your account.
  2. Click on “Roster” on the left and the “+” button on the right and choose “New Roster”.
  3. Name your class, chose a color, and add students (you really don’t need to add students as they will sign in each time they go to an activity).

  • More Assignment info HERE!



Create Assignments:
  1. Click on “Assignments” on the left and then the “+” button on the right and choose one of the following (there will be some premade ones on your screen already. You can click the trash can to the right to remove them if you want them gone):
    -New Blank Assignment: blank slides for you to create on your own -Create from FIle: upload image of PDF as an assignment
    -Browse Assignment Library: use already created assignments
  2. Once you choose your assignment type you will name it, write a description, choose a subject, and grade. You can be as basic or detailed as you wish.
  3. Then you can edit the slides your students will interact with. This is where it gets AWESOME! Here are your options (I am not explaining the PRO options, only FREE):
    -Pen: draw squiggly lines or anything on the screen
    -Eraser: delete all those pesky mistakes we all make
    -Text Box: type text (captions, instructions, details, anything)
    -Line: draw straight lines
    -Web Link: insert a link to a web page
    -Image: insert an image or PDF already on your device
    -Audio: record your voice and drag to any location on the screen
    -Manipulative: upload images to be moved around by students
    -Fill in the Blank: insert a box that has “acceptable answers” to self-grade
    -Sticker: add a sticker with preset comments
    -Background: choose a color or pattern for the slide background
  4. Create as many slides as you want. Think of slides as individual questions and workspacess for your students to draw, type, create, or annotate.

  • More Assignment info HERE!


Assign Assignment:
  1. You have created your activity and now you need to get it to your students. Click on the assignment you want to send and the 3 dots to the right. Then choose “Assign”.
  2. You will be asked to choose a roster (class) to assign this to.
  3. You can also do this while editing the assignment at the bottom.
  4. You will get a class code. All you have to do is share this with you students (or post the link in Google Classroom).
  5. They will go to the link and sign in with their name.
  6. You can watch their activity, give feedback, and answer live questions by clicking on “Assignment” and then “View Student Work”. Here you will see live activity and what students are actively doing. They can “Raise their hand” for questions and add any of the items you choose when you created the assignment (text box, audio, lines, etc.).
  7. You can score individual slides and give feedback in the form or audio, text, or even stickers. Students will see this in their slides as you do it! This is Super COOL!

  • More Assign Assignment info HERE!




Take some time and explore ClassKick. Create some interactive activities and let your students have fun! Give it a try!



If you want these directions in a document click HERE!


Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Drawing with Chrome Canvas

The challenge of finding just the right whiteboard drawing app or image annotation tool is real. There are so many options out there and it can be tough to find just the right one to work on the device you are using (iOS, Android, Chrome OS, PC, Mac). Even more important, if you are a multi-device user, is finding one that syncs to any device you log into at any moment. If there was just one that would work on all devices, live sync without having to click save or download, and be basic and easy to use. If you already live in a Google Chrome world then I might have the app for you! Chrome Canvas is a basic annotation style whiteboard app that is easy to use and 100% web-based (yep, works on all platforms, even outside Chrome!) and syncs to your Google Account. You can start with just a plain white canvas or import an image and annotate on that. Head over to canvas.apps.chrome and give it a try!


Start with a Blank Canvas:
  1. Head over to canvas.apps.chrome.
  2. Choose “New Drawing”.


  3. Choose the pen style you want:




  4. Choose the size and opacity of the line  you wish to draw.


  5. Choose the color you wish to draw with.

    There are default colors.


    You can also choose a custom color or use the HEX#.



  6. Create away!






Start with an Image:
  1. Head over to canvas.apps.chrome.
  2. Choose “New from image”.
  3. Browse to the image you wish to annotate.
  4. The canvas will now be the size and shape of the image.

  5. Annotate away!






Download Your Creation:

  1. This is real easy. Just click the 3 dots in the upper left corner.
  2. Choose “Export Drawing”.



  3. DONE! 

Go and give Chrome Canvas a try.  See what you can create!

If you want these directions in a Doc click HERE!