Here is a great Tech tidbit!

Need to download and convert a YouTube video for a project? There is a very user-friendly way to do that. Forget KeepVid.com or ClipGrab.org. Instead, use Savefrom.net

This is surprisingly easy. Just follow these steps.

1. Find your YouTube video!

2. In that YouTube URL, delete the https://www. before your video web address.

3. Enter the letters ss before the y in youtube.

4. A new window, Savefrom.net, will automatically open.

5. On the left side of the screen click on "download" and choose one of the MP4 formats.

6. Your video will automatically open in QuickTime.

7. Save the video to your desktop and import/drag into your project.

The video will remain in your downloads, so if you need it again, just drag it from your downloads right on to your desktop.

See, I told you it was easy!

LET'S GET ORGANIZED!

Managing and Organizing Google Drive Files

Google Drive has many features to help manage and organize files. You can search for files by name, you can narrow or filter a search, and you can sort your files. Additionally you can create folders and then color code the folders to help keep things organized.

Searching For Files

Use the search box at the top of the Google Drive screen to enter a file name. Files that match the search name will be listed. Click the file name to open the document.

Narrow or Filter Your Search
If you get too many results from your search, click the down arrow at the right end of the Google Drive search box to open a list of search options. Pick one of the options, or a combination of options to use to search Google Drive. If you still don't find the file you want or there are still too many results, you can add a word after your search options to further narrow your results.

Sort Your Files

Click the sort options icon in the upper right corner of your Google Drive screen. A drop down menu of choices lists: Last modified, Last edited by me, Last opened by me, and Name. The default sort for Google Drive files is A to Z by file name.  Chose one of the other options to see if it makes it easier to find your files.

Organize Your Files

Use folders to help organize your files. In the upper left corner of the Google Drive screen, click on the red box labeled 'NEW' and then select 'Folder'. A dialog box will appear asking you to name your new folder. Type in the name and click the blue 'CREATE' button and your new folder will be created. 

Move Google Drive Files to Your Folders

To add files to your folder, just drag and drop the files that you would like to add to the folder. 

Organize Your Folders By Color

On the left side of the Google Drive screen under 'My Drive,' click on one of the folders you'd like to have a color other than the default color of gray. Click the down arrow next to your folder name for a list of options and then scroll down and click on 'Change color.' A palette of color choices will appear.  Click on your choice of color.

For More Information...

There are several great 'how to' videos on Youtube. You can go to Youtube and do a search, or check out one of my favorites at: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8rYmt-C9VY

Getting the Most out of Tasks in Gmail

Did you know you can keep a "to-do" list within your Gmail with the task feature? To get started, click the down arrow next to Gmail in the top left corner of your Gmail page, then choose Tasks. To enter tasks, click in the Tasks window and start typing. Once you've typed in a task, press 'Enter' to create another task, or use the + button at the bottom of your list. Simply check off each item as you finish them, and/or press the trashcan icon to delete that task.

There are many ways to customize and organize your task list. You can add more information for each task, such as a due date or more notes, and you can create multiple lists for different categories of tasks.

One of the best features of tasks is that you can add items directly from an email. When you are looking at an email, click on the More button at the top of your email. One of the options is "Add to Tasks." When you click that, Gmail will add the title of that email to your task list. Then, when you look back at your task list later, you can click on the link and it will bring you right back to the email.

I made a quick (under two minute) tutorial video demonstrating these features. Take a look!

Fabulous Fonts

A few tips for making the most of Apple fonts. In Pages, select the Format drop down menu, then select Font and slide over to choose Show Fonts.  This will bring up the fonts window below that you have seen before. If you look under the action menu (it looks like a gear sprocket) you will find the option to Show Preview.  That opens a window that will show what the fonts actually look like.

Another option under the action menu is Characters. Selecting that will give you many screens of characters that you can insert into your document by clicking on your choice.  If you switch to the larger version of the character window, glyphs are shown in your current font but you can see how the glyph appears in other fonts in the lower left under font variations.  If you use a particular glyph frequently, it can be added to your favorites.

Images: Photos for Class

Are you looking for a safe place for students to search for images to use in their academic work?

After Britannica Image Quest, check out Photos for Class! This is a great free resource for safe images that are licensed for school use. Best of all, each image comes with a built-in citation! Yes, the citation is literally part of the image when you download it. Look at the bottom of this image!

See more at: http://www.photosforclass.com. 

Images: Britannica Image Quest

Looking for a reliable source of high-quality images for students to use in academic work? Your first choice should be Britannica Images, a district-paid resource full of millions of beautiful professional-quality images.

Give it a try by typing a keyword into this search box.

• If you are asked to log in, ask your MRC Director for the username and password (they are the same as for the Encyclopedia Britannica and World Book Web).
• You can access Britannica Image Quest through your schools' Alexandria Researcher web page (or Classjump at CHMS).

Take a tour of the database to learn more. 

Tips for using Britannica Image Quest with students:

1. Counsel students not to use the thumbnail images in their projects. Thumbnail images will pixelate and lose quality when enlarged in a project. If students click on the text below the thumbnail image, they will get the option to download the image.  

2. When students download an image, it will come with a .txt file with the caption and credit information. Students can simply copy the caption and credit information from the database screen as well.

Kahoot!

                                             

    

                                               

Kahoot! is a free game-based classroom response system that allows you to introduce topics and create a formative assessment with real-time feedback. The student (player) can join  the experience by going to kahoot.it  and entering an assigned game-pin number. The teacher has an account but the student doesn’t need one, they just respond to the game prompts and enter the pin.  It is easy and fun to use.

There is a drag and drop feature that allows you to build quizzes and surveys based on educational content.  Users may browse public access quizzes as well.  Kahoot is an easy and engaging way to work with students in real time  Quizzes and/or surveys can be projected  and the students can respond without needing an account,

Go to the following site and take a look at the tutorials … https://getkahoot.com/tutorials/Kahoot_Tutorials.pdf

Go to https://getkahoot.com to open a free teacher account.
To open a Kahoot account follow these easy steps:
•Select the button that says “free account”
•Select ‘Teacher’ from this list of roles
•Type the name of your school

• Username: Create a username
• Type the email address you will be using

•  Create a password

• Press the purple Create Account button and you will have instant access and email account
cconfirmation.