Chrome Everywhere

Imagine opening a web browser, signing in and accessing all your bookmarks, settings and apps/extensions on any computer and any device.  Well, let me introduce you to Chrome.

You might be thinking, "So what's the big deal about that?"  Picture this.  You've bookmarked some of your favorite sites to use at work, but then lightening strikes and fries your computer.  You hope the tech department can revive the poor machine and at least recover your bookmarks.  Sadly, your computer cannot be resuscitated and the funeral will held right after school today.  Now you have to hope your memory holds up and you can remember all those websites you had bookmarked.  Good luck with that.

Now let's imagine that you have been using Chrome as your browser.  You sign in, save your bookmarks and add your apps.  Then lightening strikes.  But you don't care because even if the tech department can't revive your computer, they will just get you a replacement.  You'll open up Chrome, sign yourself in and all your bookmarks and apps will be available to you again.  No problem.  The other benefit in using Chrome is you can access your bookmarks from any computer or device once you sign in on Chrome.

Flowcharts are like a maze

Via Teach.com and USC Rossier Online

As a visual learner, I love looking at infographics and the wealth of information contained in a simple image. So after looking through this visual flowchart, I was reminded of my first computer class in JR High (yes, I'm from the pre-middle school generation). I was in ninth grade and excited about taking my first computer class. I had seen the cool pictures my friends were making in their computer class like the Christmas Tree and this bunny.

Naturally, I never thought about the time or process involved in getting these "cool" images. So, when I started my computer class and found out that I had to learn programming. I was bummed. I just wanted to go in, type a few lines and create some awesome pictures. I really didn't care about typing numbers and coordinates to create the image I wanted. I did stay in the class, but the only thing I really remember was learning the history of the computer and creating flowcharts. Flowcharts - those wonderful cause and effect visuals that made you feel like you were wandering through a maze with the hope of finding the end. If you were successful in your flowchart creation, it was suppose to help you with computer programming. Personally, I never did comprehend that whole process, but we had a special flowchart template (that was kind of cool) to draw the various box shapes and lines.

After that first computer class, I veered away from the world of technology until it became a little more user-friendly. Today, I can create cool graphics and comics with a simple drag and drop feature built in to the program. I know my fun drag & drop programs have hidden complex coding that make them function and I admire the people who do that kind of work. Luckily, we don't all have to know programming to produce some cool projects.

What I like about Google Drive

If you've used Google Docs recently, you may have noticed the following message:

Google Docs will be switching to Google Drive soon, but you can click on the get started link now.  There are a few differences between the look of Google Drive and Docs, but not much.  Below is a video explaining those differences:

I just made the switch myself today and here is what I like so far (they are not in order of importance):

1.  Docs shared with me, show me a picture of the owner on the document.
2.  I can upload files from my computer through the Google Drive icon on my computer and I don't have to open up the internet.
3.  When I'm working on a document, I can add or change the folder location right in the document.
4.  I can look at my docs and collections in a visual layout rather than a list.
5.  I can search for documents by their file type.
6.  Under the create options, I have a more section that lets me choose from SlideRocket and Lucidchart Diagram (2 new apps added this year that associated with our Google accounts).
7.  They changed the name from Collections to Folders!!!!!

Finally, for those of you who like shortcuts, here are the keyboard shortcuts for Google Drive:

Give me the fast route

http://cognitivedesigner.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/point-a-b.jpg

Most people like to find fastest route to get from point A to point B.  Whenever I search driving directions on Google Map, I always try alternate routes to see if I can shave off any driving time.  (Sadly, there are no shorter routes from Larned to Emporia unless you drive faster.)

Well, the same is true when it comes to working on the computer.  Time is important, so most of us are looking for ways to eliminate a few extra clicks to get the job done.  The website MakeUseOf has developed a series of downloadable "cheat sheets" showing the keyboard shortcuts available in various programs.  There are cheat sheets for programs like Dropbox, Firefox, Gmail, iTunes, Skype, YouTube and more.

Here's a sample:

Another great shortcut tool is Alfred.  Alfred is a free productivity app designed to save you time in searching your computer and the web.  You simply launch Alfred and type in the application or program you want to access.  A list comes up for to you choose from.   Looking for a file?  Simply type "find" and then the beginning name of the file.  Again, Alfred will give you a list to choose from and with a single click the file will open.  No more digging through your multiple layers of folders (unless you can't remember the file name, which happened to me today) to access a file.  To learn more about Alfred, check out the video below or go to
Alfred Support for tutorials, getting started documents and more.

Knowledge Graph by Google

In the next few days, Google will be rolling out Knowledge Graph as part of Google search.  This tool will help you refine your search and present more relevant search results.  For example, it you search for lion, it will help you narrow your search to the animal or the Mac operating system.

Check out the video below for a closer look or go to http://www.google.com/insidesearch/features/search/knowledge.html for more information.

Website Wednesday

• Non-Fiction Text Structures!
  Article focusing on non-fiction text structures in relation to the Common Core Standards. Provides an understanding of the text structure and resources for teaching text structures to students.
  tags: reading text structures nonfiction commoncore
• Butterfly Life Cycle
  Provides an article with several close-up photos and video you could use in the classroom. Also has a coloring pages for students.
  tags: science life_cycles butterfly
• MapMaker Page Maps
  Create customized one-page maps of the world, continents and countries. Maps can be downloaded, emailed or printed. This beta site was created by National Geographic Education.
  tags: maps geography interactive SocialStudies
• Sailing Challenge
  Students can practice their work on measure and estimate with angles through this sailing gaming. It gives them practice in placing and reading a protractor. Appropriate for elementary students.
  tags: Interactive math web2.0 angles measurement
• JeopardyLabs
  Create you own Jeopardy game from a template or by creating your own template.
  tags: Interactive web2.0
• Oxford Dictionaries Spelling Challenge
  Practice your spelling and audio skills with this resource from Oxford English Dictionary. Listen to words and try to spell them from one of 3 difficulty levels. Choose between British and American English. Appropriate for 6-12 grade students.
  tags: spelling interactive game
• Children's Poetry Archive
  Listen and follow along as author's read their children's poems. Search poems by themes, forms or poets OR checkout the "Ask the Poet" section to learn more about poetry writing.
  tags: poetry audio literacy reading
• Maths Charts
  Select your topic and chart name. Then print a poster of that chart to display in the classroom OR save it as a pdf & display the chart via your computer project for a class lesson. You could even link this site to your webpage or wiki as a reference tools for parents and students at home.
  tags: math charts
• SteveSpanglerScience
  A YouTube channel featuring over 400 science experiments that you can use in class. Instructions are easy to follow.
  tags: science Video experiments lessons
• SoundBible.com
  Free sound clips that can be imported into Garageband to ehance your project. When you find the sound you want, click the MP3 file for downloading. You can simply drag and drop the file into Garageband; however, don't through the download away until you have finalized your project and shared it with iTunes.
  tags: audio sound effects music
• Your Paintings
  This BBC site offers 200,000 digitized paintings from various artists including Degas, Warhol, Bacon, Picasso and more. When completed, the site will show the enter UK national collection of oil paintings and the stories behind the paintings. If you scroll down on the main page, you will find a section for teachers which offers lesson plans and ideas for utilizing these paintings in art, history and more.
  tags: paintings artists
• Zimmer Twins
  Encourage digital storytelling with the Zimmer Twins movie making site for kids (suitable for elementary students). The site is monitored on a daily basis for content appropriateness. Students will need to create a free account if they want to save their movies. (A parent or guardian email is required for creating an account, but students could use their school email address if they have one.)
  tags: animation digitalstorytelling web2.0
• 11 Tech Tools to Teach the Common Core Standards | Catlin Tucker, Honors English Teacher
  Article listing and describing some tools for helping tech with the Common Core Standards.
  tags: common core technology tools
• K I D S I N C O Free Playscripts for Kids!
  A collection of over 100 play scripts for elementary children. A great resource for engaging students in reading. The plays are short and may be used and performed, but you may not modify or adapt the plays without written consent.
  tags: scripts drama plays

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.