Google Apps Summit...way cool!

I had a great time at the Google Summit today. Thanks to Dr. Roland Rios from St. Sam Houston ISD for creating a great conference.

Here are some of my fun tech tidbits that I learned today.

Fun Tech Tidbit #1: Never grade a paper again! Ok...maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but well on it's way to being true. If you use Google Apps, this is for you!

Everyone was talking about Flubaroo.

Flubaroo allows teachers to grade a quiz created from a Google form by simply answering the questions first as the teacher.  Loving this!

Here are a few tutorials for Flubaroo.
The Innovative Educator
Flubaroo Tutorial

Fun Tech Tidbit #2: I attended a session by Amy Mayar.

She showed us how to search Google templates. There were some great resources on the site.
What I really liked, was a post on her blog where she shows how to make a video comment on a student's Google doc using Jing!
Way cool! Check out her posting.
She also talked about using (district account) Google Sites as a student portfolio that follows a student through 12th grade.

Last Fun Tech Tidbit: Interactive Google Presentations
Now, this one was a bit more involved. Do you remember, the old Choose Your Adventure books? Helpful session, since I had done these last year with my students. We used PowerPoint. We also used Student Response Clickers to have participants vote on the path. It had some glitches!

The session today gave me some helpful hints on how to start the process and make it a bit easier to start with students. I also got to mesh my process  with my new learning. There were some great tips for making it easier. We will do these again...only this time through Google Presentation.

I really enjoyed the day. Hope you can use some of the ideas.

I Got Boo~ed!

 It couldn't have come at a better time! What a crazy month! I was super excited to find my surprise hanging on my door early this morning. Which means, someone got there earlier than I did! Wow!
 If you aren't familiar with "Getting Boo-ed" just Google it or look on Pinterest. Totally different from being virtually boo~ed. I got a super cute gift waiting by my classroom door.
Two other teachers and I were going to start it, but someone beat us to it! Even better! What a great way to boost the spirit around school! It's the little stuff.
After school, I went to Target, to find my cute stuff to pass on the BOO!
Final products...

All from Target! So many cute things!

Had to add this...Monster Trail Mix...Really?!!! How perfect is that for Halloween?

Tomorrow, is our school carnival. The fifth grade team will dress as Mad Scientists! Every grade level will parade down the halls of the school showing off their costumes. Right after school, we hold the biggest fundraiser ever! The Fall Carnival! Ahh, the tricks that I will have up my sleeve to maintain control! Actually, I have some really fun stuff planned. Stay tuned. If they work, I'll share.

Side note ~~~ I'm really excited to attend the TCEA Region 20 Google Summit this weekend. If you live in the San Antonio, or surrounding area, you should attend. It is FREE! Here is the information.
Google Summit
Can't wait to share what I have learned.

Back to being Boo~ed...have you done any fun things right before Christmas? Looking for ideas.