Fresh Takes 4 Teachers
gotFeedback – An AI Tool for Providing Feedback on Writing
gotFeedback is a new tool for providing your students with feedback on their writing. As the title of this post stated, gotFeedback uses artificial intelligence
Two Ed Tech Guys Take Questions – April Edition
Yesterday, Rushton Hurley and I recorded the latest installment of our Two EdTech Guys Take Questions series. In the episode we answered questions about screencasting,
Bird Migration Map
We’re starting to hear and see more birds returning to the feeders around our yard. It’s one of the welcome signs that spring is on
40 Free Financial Literacy Lessons for High School Students
Besides being National Poetry Month April is also National Financial Capability Month. On that note, Discovery Education and Discover offer a great resource called Pathway
2023 Summer Workshops – Booking Now
It might seem like it’s a long way off right now, but summer will be here soon (for those of us in the northern hemisphere).
Seven Good Activities for National Poetry Month
Over the weekend I watched two baseball games on television while the rain and wind howled outside my window. I watched because I love baseball
Searching With ChatGPT in Bing
Last week I got access to the new version of Bing. The new version of Bing includes a chat function that is powered by ChatGPT.
Big and Small Contest
As I’ve shared in the past, Instructables is one of my favorite places to find inspiration for fun, hands-on STEM projects. On Instructables you’ll find
Magic Eraser – Quickly Clean Images in Canva
One of the many new features that Canva has released in the last week or so is a new image editing tool called Magic Eraser.
Weather, Explorers, and Designs – The Week in Review
Good morning from Maine where it’s a cold and rainy start to the month of April. Normally, we’d be heading outside to play today. The
Apps and Sites for Learning About Fresh Water
Earlier this week I was looking through a list of augmented reality apps that I’ve tried over the years when I was reminded of the
Puppy and Classes – The Month in Review
Good evening from Maine where the sun has set on the month of March. The month for me can be summarized by “puppy” and “classes.”
New! Freehand Drawings in Canva
Last week Canva hosted a big event to announce a bunch of new features. One of those features is something that I’ve thought they should
Pacing Group Activities With Focusable
A few weeks ago I ran a workshop in which I changed up the way that I paced the session. What I’ve almost always done
Math, Science, and Search Baseball Lessons
Today is the home opener for my beloved Boston Red Sox. Hope springs eternal for a great season. So until at least the first pitch
An Interactive Simulation of Greenhouse Effect
PhET was one of the resource that I featured in this week’s Practical Ed Tech newsletter. Shortly after hitting send on that newsletter I learned
Have a Chat With Hundreds of Historical Figures
Hello History is a new AI app that I wrote about last week. Almost immediately after I published my blog post about Hello History I
How to Use Microsoft Designer
Microsoft Designer is a new AI-powered tool that enables users to quickly generate many variations of a graphic design with just a few clicks. The
How to Add Audio to Google Slides
Last week I was looking through my YouTube Studio analytics when I noticed that one of the most-searched phrases was “add audio to Google Slides.”
Seven Tips for Good Infographic Design
Last week Canva made waves on social media with all of their announcements about their new AI-powered design tools. While those tools look great and
All About Explorers – It’s Still a Great Site
All About Explorers is a site that Russel Tarr told me about many years ago. I was recently going through my archives to remove links to
Science, Slides, and History – The Week in Review
Good morning from Connecticut where we’re visiting family this weekend. Yesterday, we had a great time exploring the Connecticut Science Center. We saw big snakes,
Students Can Learn About Weather Patterns and Make Forecasts in the Smithsonian Weather Lab
The Smithsonian Science Education Center’s Weather Lab is a simple online activity designed to help elementary and middle school students learn about weather patterns. In
How to Use the Latest Version of Focusable
Focusable was one of my favorite new tools in 2022. In 2023 it has continued to evolve to help teachers and students learn how to
Projection Wizard – See How Maps Distort the World
Projection Wizard is an interesting tool developed by Bojan Šavrič at Oregon State University. The purpose of Projection Wizard is to help cartographers select the
Hello History – An AI App for Chatting With Historical Figures
Hello History is a new iPhone and Android app that lets you chat with historical figures. The list of characters with whom you can chat
Signs of Spring Bingo
My daughters are obsessed with Humphrey the Hamster books written by Betty Birney. We’re currently reading Spring According to Humphrey. In the book the class
Four Methods for Distraction-free YouTube Viewing
This morning I answered an email from a reader who was looking for some suggestions on how to display YouTube videos in her classroom without
Teacher and Student Views of Reading Progress and Reading Coach in Microsoft Teams
Last year Microsoft added actionable insights to Reading Progress in Microsoft Teams. This year there is even more information and there are more actions that
Get Inspired by These Videos Made by Students
The C-SPAN StudentCam contest winners were announced last week. The annual competition asks middle school and high school students to produce short videos addressing a
Hear Me on the International Teacher Podcast
A few weeks ago Greg Lemoine invited me to be a guest on the International Teacher Podcast. I had a great time chatting with Greg
How to Add Q&A to Your Google Slides Presentations
There are plenty of ways to gather questions and feedback from students in a digital format. But one of the ways that is often overlooked
Pi, Puppy, and AI – The Week in Review
Good morning from Maine where the sun is shining and it is going to be a beautiful late winter day. It’s going to be perfect
The Birds Are Returning – A Short Lesson on Migration
When I took my dogs out this morning I heard some birds chirping that I hadn’t heard in a few months. That’s a sure sign
Fun Games for Learning About Space
NASA Kids’ Club is a collection games, interactive activities, and images for students in Kindergarten through fourth grade. At the center of the NASA Kids’
Short Lessons on Rome and Life as a Roman Teenager
National Geographic has a great series of YouTube videos called National Geographic 101 which include videos like Ancient Rome 101. The video provides an excellent introduction
An Overview of Using and Detecting Artificial Intelligence
This week’s news that Google Workspace will have new artificial intelligence tools added to it throughout the year was not unexpected. It was another sign
The Microphone I Recommend for Video and Audio Recordings
The podcasting platform that I recommend the most recently changed names. The screencasting tool that I use the most also recently changed names. One thing
1759 Art Lesson Plans
The playroom in our house has lots of Crayola products in it because my daughters love to make pictures to hang on our refrigerator and
Annotate Videos With Text and Pictures
Timelinely is a neat tool for annotating videos that you find on YouTube to share with your students. To get started simply paste a YouTube
AI Tools are Coming to Google Workspace Tools
It was only a matter of time until Google made a big announcement regarding artificial intelligence in their productivity tools. That announcement came today. All
How to Record a Google Earth Tour
The Amazing Race is the only reality game show that I’ve watched with interest for as long as it has been on television. Years ago
Whimsical – An AI Concept Map Generator
For the last handful of months whenever I scroll through Product Hunt and just about every other new product is an AI-powered product. Or at
15 Microsoft Forms Tutorials for Teachers
Despite the fact that I’ve been using Google Forms for as long as it has existed and that it is my default tool for creating
A New Answer to the Questions I’m Asked the Most
For many years now the question that I am asked more than any other is about the videos that appear on my YouTube channel. Specifically,
A Round-up of Pi Day Resources
Pi Day is on Tuesday. Last week I shared a few resources for teaching and learning about pi. This post is a summary of those
The Nationwide Legal DMCA Scam Returns – There’s a Lesson Here
On a few occasions last year I wrote about a scam in which someone who pretends to be an attorney from a law firm called
Pi, Myths, and Daylight – The Week in Review
Good morning from Maine where the sun is shining and we’re all ready to go out and play in the snow. It’s going to be
Anchor is Now Spotify for Podcasters
For the last five or so years I’ve been using and recommending Anchor for creating podcasts on your desktop and mobile devices. In fact, at
A Great PD Opportunity for Civics Teachers in the U.S.
Summer might feel like it is a long way right now. But now is the time to start thinking about and planning for professional development
Two Options Explained
A few weeks ago I published a short video that I produced as an introductory explanation of stock options. Dabbling in options trading is a
How to Create Your Own Online Connecto Game
Connecto is one of the many online game creation templates that Flippity offers. Flippity calls it Connecto, but the style of game is exactly like
How to Start Using Plickers in Your Classroom
Last week I led a workshop for a group of special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and consultants. One of the elements of the workshop was about
Short Lessons and Activities for the Start of Spring
The snow in our yard is at least two feet deep right now. This was concerning to my youngest daughter who asked me on the
Pi Day Printable Art Activity from Drawings Of…
Yesterday morning I shared some physical education activities for Pi Day along with some video lessons for Pi Day. Today, I have another Pi Day
Changes are Coming to Your Favorite Google Workspace Tools
If you opened a new Google Document today you might have seen a new little clock icon appearing in the upper-right corner of the screen.
Physical Education Activities for Pi Day
Pi Day is just one week away (as is the start of my new course). In recent years I’ve shared some video lessons about Pi
All About Maple Syrup
The change to Daylight Saving Time coincides with the saving grace of the end of winter, the start maple syrup season! The days are getting a
Five FAQs About Five Video Projects for Almost Every Classroom
Over the weekend I got a bunch of questions about my new Practical Ed Tech course, Five Video Projects for Almost Every Classroom. Perhaps you’ve
“But It’s Still Sunny Outside!” – Short Lessons on Daylight Saving Time
Last night my daughters said, “but it’s still sunny outside” when we told them it was time for dinner. It was then that I remembered
A Lesson in Writing Myths
The Hero’s Journey is a free writing template from Read Write Think that I originally reviewed ten years ago. Like all of the RWT templates
Paper Notebooks Don’t Have New Browser Windows
Last week I was a guest on the International Teacher Podcast (episode to be released soon). In the course of the conversation the topic of
In Case You’re Curious…
It has been a few years since I’ve written a post like this one. But since there has been a bit of an uptick in
Math, Chromebooks, and Chemistry – The Week in Review
Good morning from the O’Hare Airport Hilton where I’m hoping to be able to fly home today. Yesterday, after a great day of presenting at
Another Tool for Detecting Writing Created by AI
Artificial Intelligence was the theme of February in the educational technology world. That theme is continuing as we begin the month of March. On that
How to Measure in 2D and 3D in Google Earth
More than a decade ago Tom Barrett’s Maths Maps inspired me to start thinking about how Google Maps and Google Earth can be used in
How to Create Custom Google Slides Guidelines
One of the many “hidden” features of Google Slides is found in the view menu. It’s there that you’ll find the option to turn on
Three Tips for Math Teachers & Students Using Google Docs
Last weekend a reader reached out to me for advice on helping her students write equations in Google Docs. The add-ons she had tried were
How to Use Street View Imagery in Canva Presentations
Earlier this week I published a tutorial for making your first presentation in Canva. After you and or your students feel comfortable with the basics,
45,000 People Get Their Educational Technology Tips This Way
Yesterday morning when I checked my YouTube Studio account I noticed that my little channel had passed the 45,000 subscriber mark. Despite publishing videos on
New Month, New Course – Five Video Projects for Almost Every Classroom
Creating videos with students is one of my favorite things to do with students. Over the years I’ve helped students and their teachers create animated
Three Ways to Share Google Maps Views in Google Classroom
Google Maps is one of the tools that I always list as a must-have for history and geography teachers. It provides an easy way to
Once More With Feeling…Two EdTech Guys Take Questions
In my newsletter on Sunday evening I mentioned that Rushton Hurley and I would be recording a new installment of our Two EdTech Guys Take
AI, AI, and AI – The Month in Review
Good evening from Maine where the sun has set on the shortest month of the year. It also seemed to be the coldest month of
Great Art Explained
Despite the efforts of my friend Maggie, I don’t always understand what makes one work of art great and a similar-looking one fit for display
Chromebook Keyboard Considerations for Kindergarten
My oldest daughter is in Kindergarten this year. Recently, she started using a Chromebook in her classroom. The Chromebook that she uses at school is
How to Create Your First Canva Presentation
Over the years I’ve published a lot of Canva tutorials. But until last week I had never created one specifically for students and teachers making
167 Math In “Real Life” Lessons
Math in Real Life is a series of 167 TED-Ed lessons and TED Talks. The “real life” context in these lessons isn’t things like “how
Chem Collective Virtual Labs
Chem Collective is a project designed and maintained by Carnegie Mellon University’s chemistry department and the National Science Digital Library. On Chem Collective you will find
AI, Brainstorming, and Authentication – The Week in Review
Good morning from Maine where the wind is howling and the wind chill makes it feel as though it’s -15F right now. It’s no wonder
“Why Does He Do So Much Sniffing?” – Another Question from My Daughters
If you read this blog regularly, you’ve probably picked up that I love dogs. So of course I was excited years ago when TED-Ed
Why That Image Link Won’t Work in a Flippity Template
Earlier this week I wrote about and published a video about making memory games with Flippity. Almost every time I write about Flippity I get
A Good Series on How Computers Work
We use computers every day. But how many of us actually know how they work? Sure we know how to use the software, but I’m
My Updated Guide to Media for Classroom Projects
Over the last year some of my old favorite sources of media for classroom projects changed or completely disappeared. They’ve been replaced by some new
The Google Docs Features Starter Pack
I recently published a playlist of 76 Google Docs tutorials. But you certainly don’t need to use all of the features of Google Docs demonstrated
Three Ways to Quickly Map Spreadsheet Data
I recently came across an older Towards Data Science article about ten ways to represent data on maps. Reading the article reminded me of something that I’ve
How to Create Your Own Online Memory Games
A few years ago one of my students created a memory game app with the MIT App Inventor. It was a great exercise through which
How to Blur Objects and Faces In Your Videos
Yesterday I published a post about using two-factor authentication on Twitter. In that post I included a video demonstration. In that video I blurred the
Stocks, Bonds, Options, and Economics
A couple of days ago I published a short video that I made to explain stock options. In planning to make that video I went
How to Make a Mini Course
The Internet is not lacking for tools to create online courses. I’ve tried a lot of them over the years. The bad ones force you
How to Use the Google Authenticator App With Twitter
In what appears to be an on-going quest to drive users away, late last week Elon Musk Twitter announced that it would soon start charging for two
Warm-up Activities for Group Brainstorming Sessions
Last week I published a blog post about tools for recording brainstorming sessions. That ended up being one of the most popular things I’ve published this
A Brief Explanation of Options
As kind of a hobby I dabble in options trading (I made $6 last week). I mentioned this to a friend of mine last Friday
Brainstorms, Pictures, and Videos – The Week in Review
Good morning from Maine where winter weather has returned after a brief respite on Thursday. It was sunny, dry, and warm enough to ride my
Free Course on ChatGPT and AI in Education
Do you have questions and concerns about artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and their potential impact on schools? Have you heard of ChatGPT, but haven’t
An Overview of Microsoft’s Search Coach
Last summer Microsoft announced a new Teams product that would be rolling to education users over the coming school year. That product is called Search
Q&A With Two Ed Tech Guys
Three years ago Rushton Hurley and I started a series of live Q&A webinars titled Two EdTech Guys Take Questions and Share Cool Stuff. While
Three Good Tools for Recording Brainstorming Sessions
Earlier this week on Practical Ed Tech I published an article about using the Nominal Group Technique for classroom brainstorming sessions. What follows is an