YouTube Restricted Message

Some changes to YouTube have been causing some of you to get an error message when you try to play a video. Here is how to fix it!

Created by Scott Aten, September 20, 2018

If you have recently tried to play a video or watch a live YouTube stream and gotten a message similar to the one above. I created a short video that shows you how you can avoid getting this message (see below). Remember
You should always be logged into YouTube with your Google account to be able to watch videos as a staff member. Once logged in you have the ability to see ANY YouTube video and can "Approve" videos. Students can watch any "Approved" video. If you forget how to approve videos, refer to this video I created awhile back.

[YouTube Video Unavailable Fix September 2018]

[Approve YouTube Videos for Students]

For more helpful information and the archive of previous posts, look for items in the menu to the left.

Green Local Schools

Tech Integration Team

Add Classwork to Google Classroom

Add "Classwork" to Classroom

If you created your Google Classroom in the Summer before school started, you can now add the "Course Work" section to your existing Classroom.  

Created by Scott Aten, September 19, 2018

For those of you that are Google Classroom users, you know that it has undergone many changes for the start of the school year. If you created your Classroom prior to the start of school you will notice that your Classroom is missing the new "Classwork" section. Google has made a way for you to add this section in your existing Classroom without starting all over. See below for visuals...

1. Open your the Google Classroom in which you want to add "Classwork". 
2. Look in the lower left corner for the ? and click it.
   
3. Once you Click "Add Classwork page", this message will appear.
   
4. Be sure to notice that any content in the "About" section will have to be added again.  The About section doesn't work the same way in the new Google Classroom as it did in the old.  See my earlier blog post on ways to deal with this change.
5. You will now see that "Classwork" has been added and any assignments that were in the Stream are now moved into this section.

You are now ready to continue with adding content in your Google Classroom and it has been updated to the newer version.

For more helpful information and the archive of previous posts, look for items in the menu to the left.

Green Local Schools

Tech Integration Team

Book Creator

Create eBooks with Book Creator

Looking for an engaging way for your students to practice their writing?  

Created by Scott Aten, September 14, 2018

Last Spring I attended the ITIP Ohio Summit and went to a session on Book Creator. I had seen this App/Site before, but had forgotten about it. The session was very interesting and the teacher had many examples of students using Book Creator as a part of his class. Basically what it will do is allow you or your students to create your own eBooks. Once created the books can be shared via a link for others to "read". One awesome feature of the published book is the "Read to me" option which will read the text that was added to the book.

Students will be able to add images, text, backgrounds, stickers and more to the pages of their eBooks. Books can be standard books or comic books complete with comic cells. There are many really neat features of this app that makes creating books a creative and fun experience.

Here are a couple books that I created:

Pets! - Basic Book with images, backgrounds and text boxes.
You've Got a Friend in Me - Comic style book with images, stickers, and speech bubbles

There is also a feature that allows the book creator to record their voice onto the page as well as a camera option to access the web cam on their device to take pictures for the book.

When using sites like this, it is important to verify that the data they are collecting isn't being used in some way
that violates FERPA or other student protection laws. Even though this site has a free component it is important
to verify how the data is used, especially if you are allowing your students to create accounts. The Book Creator site makes the privacy information easy to find (read their privacy statements).

The free version of this site allow you to create 1 library and store up to 40 books. Students can connect to your
library as well, making this a great resource to share between students as well as going home to parents.

How could I use this?

• Science - have the students make a review book of the concepts covered in your unit
• Math - a book that explains the process for solving a particular type of problem
• Foreign Language - Take an existing book and translate it into a new language with students recording their voice reading sections.
• Social Studies - create a book that illustrates the sequential series of events of a particular event in history.
• Health - a book of nutritional facts around various food groups
• Language Arts - Too numerous to mention

There can be application for any content area at really any grade level. Look for PD opportunities coming in the near future.

For more helpful information and the archive of previous posts, look for items in the menu to the left.

Green Local Schools

Tech Integration Team