Giving students feedback through Google is a powerful way to provide individual feedback and maximize instructional time. One common complaint from teachers is the limits of text formatting within a comment. By surrounding your text with different symbols, you can format the text of a comment to include bolded text, italics, or a strikethrough. For detailed instructions and a gif on the steps, visit Jake Miller’s Font Formatting in Google Comments.
Effective Vocabulary Instruction
Vocabulary is a key component of instruction. One place to learn about effective vocabulary strategies is Michael Kennedy’s Introduction to Special Education Podcasts Vimeo channel. This channel includes strategies for vocabulary instruction across disciplines. Another fantastic resource, also produced by Kennedy and his team, is Vocab Support. The resources linked on the Vocab Support website are designed for teachers to use directly with students. Visit the upper right-hand corner of the website, select CAP-Teacher Resources and visit the slideshows of vocabulary that include student friendly definitions, evidence-based practices for teaching vocabulary, and questions to check for understanding.
One way to effectively teach vocabulary is through the Frayer Model graphic organizer. This website provides an overview of the Frayer Model and how the strategy can be used with Google drawing. Here is a template you can share with your students through Google Classroom to open in Google Drawing. Here is another template that can also be used in Google Drawing.
Effective Vocabulary Instruction: Examples & Non-Examples from Michael Kennedy on Vimeo.
Stop, Think & Breathe
Last week, we featured Calm as a tool to practice mindfulness with students. For students across grade levels, educators can apply for a free premium membership to Stop, Think & Breathe. There are hundreds of sessions grouped by topic and labeled with the amount of time for each activity. These sessions are only available through the app, there is not a web version. If you are using this with a group of students, consider projecting your mobile device so that all students can view the session. Be sure to checkout the educator guide on the Stop, Think & Breathe website for ideas of how you might incorporate mindfulness into your lessons.
Another mindfulness tools for students and adults is Mindyeti. The free version includes 15 sessions. While this beta version is designed for students in the elementary levels, the exercises can be modified and used with older learners.
Working with secondary students? This blog post highlights how to use mindfulness with older learners.
PicFont
Finding creative ways to use text in graphic organizers, infographics, and slides, can at times be a challenge. PicFront gives users a platform to design custom graphics with images and text that is curved. Tony Vincent’s Instagram post gives te by step instructions on how to curve text. Keep in mind that if you want to design the rest of the content in Keynote or Google Draw, you can design the curved text using the features in PicFont and then disable the background when you export the design to be transparent.
Below is an example of a post created fully in PicFont with curved text and shadows.
StoryWeaver
This quarter we are focused on students as creators of content published in books for an authentic audience. StoryWeaver is one tool your students can use to publish content. Another benefit of Story Weaver is students can read hundreds of stories created by other students. There is a section of the website, Readalong, that has books students can listen to aloud and follow along as each word that is spoken is highlighted on the page.
If your students are secondary learners, they may enjoy creating a book for a class of younger learners. Consider partnering your secondary class with a primary class, having each older student interview a younger student about their likes, career goals, and interests. After this interview, the secondary learners can author a book that is designed to meet their peer partner’s interests.