IHMS Tech Tips

Previously on the blog , I discussed how to use the Chrome Extension, Kami, to edit PDFs.  Today we will discuss how to use Preview to do the same thing. Preview comes pre-installed on all student and staff Macs.  Its primary function is for browsing and viewing PDF files, but it has so much more potential.  To mark up a PDF, first open the document.  It should default to open with Preview, but you can always start in Preview, select "Open" and find your document.   Once the PDF has opened in Preview , go to Tools, then Annotate .  You will see options to mark-up your PDF including highlighting, strike through, and inserting shapes. You can also use the Edit and Mark Up buttons in the Preview toolbar. There are many more fancy options to edit your documents.  Click here to see the possibilities.

Continuing with my love for Google this week is an activity your students can do using Google Slides.  I know many are using this concept in your classrooms already. Using Slides will take it one step further on the SAMR scale. Many of you are familiar with jigsaw: you divide up a chapter or unit into separate parts and assign those sub parts to student groups.  For example, you divide up Chapter 5 into the different subheadings.  Each group is assigned one section and are to become the experts on that section.  They are then responsible for teaching the rest of the class their section.  Individual sections as opposed to group is also a possibility. Using Google Slides for this activity will ensure accountability as well as make the jigsaw/chapter/unit come back together as a whole. To assign this activity, make a copy of this template and assign it to your Google Classrooms as "students can edit."  It's incredibly basic, so you can always modify it to look the way

Google Forms is a great tool for surveys, exit tickets, and quizzes, but now it actually has a quiz feature where you can grade, score, and give feedback. To create a quiz you can choose "Blank Quiz" from the template chooser or open a blank form and choose the settings in the upper-right hand corner: Then choose the Quizzes option: Toggle to "Make this a quiz" and choose what type of feedback your student will receive if answered incorrectly. This feature works to create new quizzes or to turn your previous forms into one with points associated with each question.   Watch here for a 3 minute tutorial on how to create a form/quiz.

"HyperDocs are digital lessons that you give to students for engaging, inquiry-based learning..."  They may look/sound like a digital worksheet, but they are so much more than that.  Hyperdocs are very similar to web quests if you are at all familiar with those and are a great example of app-smashing . Click  here  for some samples of Hyperdocs by subject area.  Below is a math example: There is no set formula for making one, but there is some basic criteria and a link to templates . Hyperdocs should have: Links to additional sources: Ex. YouTube, Google Forms/Slides, other websites Tasks: Ex. Watch this video and create a Google Doc/QuickTime video reteaching the lesson in your own words Having a Hyperdoc posted in Google Classroom is a great tool to leave for substitutes or to use in your flipped classroom.