Spelling Lists You Can Do

I've have used and shared about Flippity numerous times. [Check out my posts about Flippity - they are listed at the bottom.] Today I am sharing it for another very specific purpose. "Spelling Words". Spelling is something students need to learn and with access to technology, Flippity will allow some independence during this learning. I have even used it very successfully with my own daughters!

Flippity is created from a Google Sheet. The template for each type of Flippity you want is included on the website (along with instructions and a demo). Flippity.net provides at least 25 activities you can customize for your students. Everything from a digital breakout, to a name spinner, to mad libs, a leaderboard, and even printable bingo cards! I could share about all of these - and I encourage you to check them out - but, let me get back to spelling.

Here's how Flippity has impacted me personally -- all three of my girls brought home the standard list of 20 or so spelling words and we struggled to study. I randomized the order and included a sentence and they hated that. I explained they needed to master the spelling, not memorize the order. The didn't like that I did it different from their teacher. So when I found Flippity's Spelling Words, the arguing stopped. They were in control!

Here are several ways you might use Flippity in your classroom to help students master spelling and save yourself time in the long run!

• Create 1 Flippity for your entire class - this would be if all students learned all the same words at the same speed; each week 
• Create 1 Flippity for each student - this is a perfect way to differentiate and give each student the "right" words at the right speed for that child
• Have students create their own - definitely a step up, but again allows students to have a very differentiated learning experience.

There ARE additional bonuses:

• it's FREE!
• easily duplicate the template
• sharing is super easy - make sure you share it with parents!
• sentences can be included for context, but not required
• will speak the words (& sentences)
• 3 ways to study - List ... Practice ... Quiz
• possibility of getting very basic results via email

Here is a quick overview of Flippity's Spelling words in action:

Other posts about Flippity you might be interested in - clearly I love sharing about Flippity!:

• Google Sheets in the Classroom You Can Do
• Study Habits Your Students Can Do
• 5 Tech Infused St. Patrick's Day Activities You Can Do
• Division Your Students Can Do
• Valentine's Activities You Can Do
• Reading Around the World You Can Do
• Multiplication Your Students Can Do
• Digital Flashcards You Can Do

Have a question? Reach out! I'd be happy to help. 

How can YOU use Flippity in your class?

PDF to Google Doc You Can Do (& why you should!)

Teachers use a wide variety of tools and resources on a daily basis. It never ceases to amaze me when I talk to teachers what, how, and why they use all of them. My absolute favorite conversations are when our conversations move to the pain points and I learn through all of the tools in their tool belt, they still have more to learn and I can help with the pain point. PDFs are one of these pain points.

Let me be clear - PDFs are great! They have a very important place. But inside a classroom ... with students? I think our goal needs to be to use fewer PDFs. For all the reasons they are great, they limit the interactivity and accessibility for our students. Here are just a couple of reasons why PDFs are great ... and problematic in the classroom:

• "locked" ➣  GREAT - retain the shape shared in; TROUBLE - students can't manipulate/interact with
• easy to open ➣ GREAT - PDFs really can be opened regardless of program, software, or device; TROUBLE - depending on the type of PDF, may not retain accessibility for screen readers

For the first reason, yes, 3rd party software and tools can allow for annotation and accessibility, but WHY use a 3rd party when you can provide that without forcing students to use one more set of tools? This is a specific pain point I've witnessed over the past 2 years, both at work and with my own daughters.

Pause and look at all the tools and programs YOUR students use on a daily basis. It's truly amazing ... and you might find it is a spot you can ease up. There IS value in using fewer tools and programs and getting REALLY good at them before adding one more.

Sound familiar? As a teacher, don't we ALL feel that way? "Please do not give us "one more" thing/tool/ program/requirement ..."? Your students are on the receiving end of this, too.

Ok! Get to the point! Here's my point:

We ARE in control and we CAN choose differently for ourselves and our students.

Let's turn more of our PDFs into tools that our students are already familiar with and can interact with and have the accessibility they need. Let's turn those PDFs into Google Docs (or Slides, if you prefer)!!! And, it's super easy! After 4 simple steps and a little bit of formatting clean up, you can take any PDF and turn it into an editable Google Doc that you can share and/or manipulate. To better demonstrate, here's a Slide deck you can reference and share out to others.

Check it out ... I promise it IS easy and you can do it! And I promise you WON'T regret it.

*UPDATE - Dec. 10* Here's a video of the process in action! 

Questions? Need or want some help? Be sure to reach out on the socials - all my links are below my photo. I really do think you will find value in making this shift.

2 more Sheets Skills You Can Do

I'm back with two more skills you can master with Google Sheets! 

I am confident that you've been in a situation where you've been given a list of names. I'm going to guess you've felt the frustration of the list having the names in a single cell (probably lastname, firstname OR firstname lastname) but you really wanted them in separate cells. Or what about the reverse ... the list you've been given has the names in separate cells but you want them in the same (maybe separated by a comma?). Ugh. No need to retype the list! You can make your list be exactly what you want ... with very little effort!

I've made a video to demonstrate. It's right at 5 minutes. (Play it in 1.5 speed and will only take about 3 minutes). I've also tucked in a little *bonus* tip at the end ... did you know you can now specify the number of pixels tall you want your rows? Yep! I sneak that in, too! 

As much as I love Google Sheets, I am NOT a Sheets expert. I have a lot to learn. I hope you take these nuggets and add to your learning adventure, too. Sheets really is a very versatile tool. Is there something you wish you knew how to do? Comment below or reach out on social media. All my links are just below my photo near the top right. I'd love to hear from you!

Looking to do more with Google Sheets? Check out:

• Google Sheets Wakelet
  
  
• Google Sheets: Ready-to-go Activities
  
  
• Level Up with Google Sheets (Summer 2021 webinar)

2 Sheets Skills You Can Do

Sheets are one of those tools that I get a lot of questions about and most of the time, teachers don't feel confident in their use of Sheets. I haven't always used Google Sheets, but when I began heavily using Google Forms, I had to learn Sheets. And once I started learning Sheets, I found so many easy ways to make Sheets work for me. (And I actually enjoyed learning it!)

Today, I want to help you become more comfortable with Sheets. I am not an expert - I still have so much to learn. I don't do fancy formulas or complicated graphs. But I do use Google Sheets on a very regular basis ... and I love using them.

Learning a skill - or two - at a time, will pay off. 

Today, I'm sharing two of my favorite tips: freezing and sorting. Freezing is quite possibly the best skill to learn in Sheets. Freezing allows you to keep the rows and columns of your choice in view while moving through your data. Knowing how to sort your data is another crucial skill to master. Being able to organize and reorganize your data is incredibly powerful. Interested? Here's a short how to video demonstrating both! And I've tucked some Sheets resources below.

Would it help to have a copy of Sheet I used in the video? Here you go: "2 Sheets Skills You Can Do (public copy)." Click on the "Use Template" button in the upper right corner to make your own copy to play with and try out sorting and freezing. 

Google Sheets Wakelet

Google Sheets: Ready-to-go Activities

Level Up with Google Sheets (Summer 2021 webinar)

Stay tuned! Next week I'll return with a couple more skills to master in Google Sheets. But in the meantime ... what is your favorite way to use Google Sheets? Reach out and let me know in the comments below or reach out on social media!

Chrome Remote Desktop Discoveries You Can Do

I make it no secret that working with teachers and students is my dream job. When I shared Freedom from Your Desk You Can Do two weeks ago, I wasn't sure where it would go. After all, it's an extension that has been around for awhile - but I had not used it until recently. After setting it up with one teacher, I also shared it out to all of the teachers in my district. Thanks to them, I am following up to share what they discovered and shared back to me! I think it makes this extension "that" much better.

I knew this extension would be helpful to a lot of teachers but what I didn't expect was that after I shared it, that I would continue to learn more. And these are super helpful things to know about what this extension can do! 

Here's what I've learned about this extension:

• Jessica shared how she was able to print items from her desktop ... while she was in the copier room! That's right! Being able to trigger a print job from items on her desktop via her chromebook - wow! 
• Guess who'll never "lose" another print job ... or have to make several trips back and forth to the copy room?

• Leah shared how she uses the non-mirroring ability on her desktop (so her projector acts as a second screen) and with this extension she can see BOTH "screens" on her desktop.
• It's kind of small, but possible. 
• Think how many screens she has now? Unlimited on her chromebook and unlimited on her dual screens on her desktop! 

• Amy shared how she was able to control her desktop from off campus!
• She said she even printed remotely.
• At home sick? Want to set your desktop up for your sub? Just needs to be powered on, right?

Anyone else's mind blown right now? No one goes into teaching thinking they know everything ... but this unexpected learning is always so fun!

If you want additional freedom from your desktop, I highly recommend the Chrome Remote Desktop extension. What will YOU discover? Please be sure to share back so we can all learn.

And with all of the shortages, is there anything YOU can share? It doesn't have to be a full lesson. It's doesn't have to be a big package or tool. Do you have tips or tricks or ways of doing things that make your teaching life easier? Can you share something ... even if you think it's silly or too small ... it might be "the thing" that helps one other teacher. 

Additional Resources to help:

* Google support page: Access another computer with Chrome Remote Desktop

* Google Extensions & Add Ons Wakelet

* Google Chrome Wakelet