Techy Teacher's Toolbox

Today I'm passing along some tips I have shared at a Google Conference, as well as our district faculty.  Originally shared as the Spring Break Toolbox to new subscribers to this site, it has been renamed the Techy Teacher's Toolbox. In this li'l download, you'll find tips such as:

• Chrome Browser Tips
• Classroom Apps 
• Chrome Extensions

Each of the tips are tools, apps and extensions that I use on a daily basis.  I hope you enjoy the information in this guide as much as I do.  

Download Here!

Boomerang - Email Now or Later

Sometimes in my busy week, I get bogged down by the amount of emails I have to send.  With one specific aspect of my job, I have to send out daily reminders by email to students.  This usually consists of a message reminding students of organizational meetings, or messages stating that they missed a meeting.  As a result, it is a daily occurrence, and usually takes up some of my time each morning to send them out.  

Now don't get me wrong, I already do several things to pare down this task, such as sending mass emails using Google Groups, or Canned Responses (A lab in Gmail that allows you to create pre-formatted responses or messages).  I also use Remind to send out mass Text Messages.  But sometimes, it is still necessary to send out a daily email.  

My solution, and one of the best extensions I have found recently, is Boomerang for Gmail.  This service allows users to send any message later, or remind you of any message in your inbox by returning it to the top of your inbox at a later date.

Send Later

Once you install Boomerang,  you get an extra button on your Compose screen.  This Send Later button allows you to choose a date and time for which you can send  your email message.  This means I can compose all my reminders for the week, and send them out at different times of the week all at once.  This frees me up to do other tasks Tuesday through Friday, because all my reminder work has been done up front!

Return to Inbox

Got a message that you just don't have time to read or respond to, but its still important?  You can use Boomerang to return it to the top of your inbox later!  Just open the message and click the Boomerang Icon at the top of the message window.

You can then choose when you want your message to return.  Hours, Days, Weeks, or Months - the choice is yours.  This option has proven handy when a message comes through on a Friday afternoon, or when I'm in the middle of a big project and need to redirect my attention to the message later.  Its been a big lifesaver.

Give it a try in the Chrome Webstore and see if it helps you!

Save to Google - A Launch Page for your Favorite Sites

This week, Google released the Save to Google Chrome Extension.  This handy tool allows users to save their favorite websites to Google Chrome.  

How is this any different than creating Bookmarks?  If you're like me, I'm a visual person.  I avoided bookmarks like the plague for so long, because having a  list of bookmarked webpages didn't do anything for me.  I wanted to see a thumbnail view of the site, or at least some large icon representing what that site is about.  That way, I would have a visual reminder.

So now it's Save to Google to Save the Day!  

 

If you have a Website you want to save, just click the Star Icon for the Save to Google Extension.  That's all you have to do.   One click does it.  When you want to view your saved sites, go to http://www.google.com/save

You can also Tag your Saved Sites so they can be categorized.  To do this, you can add Tags as you save sites, or just visit your saved sites page, click on a tile and add the tag.  To view tags by category, just click the Tag at the upper left side of the page.

Finally, if you can't remember what your saved site is about, you can click on it and open the description.  Don't like the default description?  Change it!  Just highlight the description and type a new one in.  Then click Enter. It's saved!

There are other programs online that do the same thing such as Pocket or Symbaloo, but like all things Google, this has a clean and simple look, and an easy interface, so anyone can do it.  Plus you don't have to create a new account for another service.  It is part of the every growing number of Google Services available to GAFE and Gmail users.

The Techy Coach Chrome Extension

Techy Coach Video Tutorials are now available to users as a Chrome Extension.  Now you can access tutorials through a popup window, allowing you to work while you learn.  

Topics available through the extension include:

• Google Drive
• Google Docs
• Google Sheets
• Google Forms
• Google Slides
• Google Drawings
• Google Classroom
• Gmail
• Google Calendar

Just go to the Chrome Web Store and search for Techy Coach.  You can also use this direct link.

Google Apps, AddOns, and Extensions

Google Chrome is a powerful tool for browsing the web, but did you know you can super charge your browsing experience by adding Apps and Extensions?  What are apps and extensions?  

• Chrome Apps - these are web based applications that can be added to your Chrome Apps Page or Chrome App Launcher.
• Chrome Extensions - These are tools that can be added to your Chrome Browser

Also, if you are a Google Drive user, you may know that there are AddOns that you can install in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms to beef up your productivity and document creation.   

You can easily add these tools to your browser by visiting the Chrome Web Store (http://chrome.google.com/webstore).  Some AddOns may not be viewable in the store, but you can find them in the AddOns menu of whatever Google App you are using.

Now that you know what is possible, below is a list of tools you can't do without!  Just providing enough to make you dangerous, then you can set yourself loose on the webstore to really start exploring.

Apps

• Pocket - This app allows you to save and archive websites/articles for viewing later.  You can use your Google Account to set up your Pocket account. Great for those times that you simply can't read every article or site that you run across.  Just pocket it for later.
• Socrative - This student response app allows teachers to create, edit and deploy assessments.  Students can respond on any web connected mobile device or computer.  And its FREE!
• Remind - this tool is a free, safe way for teachers to interact with students and parents.  Sent out notifications to participants via text or email - whatever format users wish to receive.  Plus you can also setup the Chat feature so that students and parents can respond or reply.
• NewsELA - This tool provides a large library of articles that can be used to engage students in nonfiction and news articles.  Articles can be scaled to the students needs across 5 reading levels.  Plus, teachers can also administer quizzes and discussion questions related to the articles students read, for a great reading comprehension exercise.
• HootSuite - Very simply put, this app allows you to connect all your social media accounts so you can access them in one place.  Wonderful tool if you have social media accounts for the classroom.

AddOns 

• Autocrat - This add on for sheets allows you to merge Sheet data with a Google Doc.  Great for Mail Merges.
• Draftback - Allows users to playback the revision history of a document.  Sort of like watching the document be created all over again. Great as a plagiarism checker, as you can see large pieces of text dropped in at once instead of being typed....
• EasyBib - This add on for Google Docs allows users to search for and add citations to their documents - in MLA, Chicago, APA and more....
• Flubaroo - This add on for a Google Form Response Sheet allows you to grade assessments automatically as they are submitted, and inform students of their grade and responses.  Great time-saver for teachers.
• Merge Values - This add on for sheets allows you to merge values in a google sheet.  Great when paired with Power Tools.
• Power Tools - This add on allows Sheets users to perform many of the functions found in Excel, including capitalization, split (text to columns), data merge, etc...
• Site Maestro - This add on for Google Sheets allows you to create and manage ePortfolio sites for students using a Google Site template you have previously created.  This description will not do justice to the actual add on - you have to watch the video tutorial to see how powerful this tool is!

Extensions

• ColorZilla - This extension allows you to pick a color from anything on your screen and get the RGB values for the color so you can use them in Photoshop or any other program.  More useful than you would know!
• Crafty Text - This extension allows users to display large text on a banner over an existing webpage.  Great for lectures, presentations, or bellringer activities.
• OneTab - Reduces tabs on your browser down to a  list on one tab.  Tab can be shared with others using a link.  Great way to share a list of links for projects and research, with students.
• Save to Pocket - This extension for Chrome allows you to Save articles and sites to your Pocket Account directly from your browser.
• SnagIt - This chrome extension from TechSmith allows you to capture images and screen casts from your browser and save them in Google Drive.  Great screen cast and image tool!
• Tab Resize - Need to view two tabs side by side?  Tired of having to reduce/restore and resize on your own?  Turn your chrome browser into a split screen. Let this extension do the work for you.  Love it!