Classic Sites at End-of-Life

 Make the Switch to the New Google Sites if You haven't Already!

In 2018 and 2019, pre-pandemic era, we ran several professional development training session on the New Google Sites and encouraged everyone that had an older style Classic Site to begin transitioning to the new format, as soon as possible.  We even offered 24-12 Summer sessions to help make the transitions easier with some support in the room. We helped hundreds of staff members make the move over the past few years.  The New Sites is much easier to work with too!  Now it is crunch time.  Google had announced that as of December 1, 2021, nobody would be able to edit their existing Classic Site and as of January 1, 2022, the Classic Sites will begin to automatically be removed.  We relayed this information to everyone that still had an active Classic Site earlier this year.  It is time to make that transition.

For the procrastinators out there, Google just announced, they are moving the deadlines back a little, giving everyone a little more time! 

From Google:

Updates to the transition timeline for Classic Google Sites

What’s changing

In 2017, we announced that we would replace classic Google Sites with new Google Sites. We’re extending the previously announced timeline to make the migration process easier for Google Workspace customers. The new timeline is: 

• Starting June 1, 2022 (previously December 1, 2021): You will no longer be able to edit any remaining classic Sites in your domain.  
• Starting July 1, 2022 (previously January 1, 2022): Classic Sites will no longer be viewable unless they are converted to new Google Sites.

Additionally, the bulk conversion tool in the Classic Sites Manager will be temporarily unavailable as we make improvements to conversion fidelity for sites settings. We will update the Google Workspace Known Issues page when the feature is re-enabled. 

In the meantime, end-users and admins can still convert individual classic Sites to new Google Sites and use other tools in the Classic Sites Manager to make progress on migration. 

Note: This timeline change does not impact the transition for users with personal Google accounts. 

New Features in Google Meet

 New Google Meet Host Controls

While we are sure everyone, including us, is hoping we never go to back to remote or hybrid instruction, we want to keep you up-to-date with some of the improvements made to Google Meet.

You now have the ability to have some control over student Chat, Microphones, and Videos. 

In the Host Controls, there are slider buttons that allow you, or any other teacher or TA in the Meet, to turn on/off the ability for students to type in the chat.  Hosts can still enter items into the Chat but students and non-hosts will not be able to respond or enter their own text in the chat.

You can also turn on or off the ability for students to control their microphone and cameras.

5 Tech Tips to Try with YouTube

5 Tech Tips to Try with

Tip To Try #1: Picture in Picture

Tip To Try #2: Pull the Video Full Screen without Ads (37 sec)

Tip To Try #3: Show a Specific Portion of a Video

Tip To Try #4: Edit Start and End  Time by Slide  in a Slides Presentation

Tip To Try #5: Edit with EDpuzzle Right in YouTube

 

Making Social Studies More Social with Pear Deck

Social studies helps students understand both the world they live in and how the past shapes our present and future. Here’s how Pear Deck can help educators in teaching this crucial subject.

HERE ARE FOUR TIPS FOR USING PEAR DECK IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOM

Pear Deck Social Studies Templates

Virtual Field Trips: Bringing Cultural Experiences to the Classroom Through Virtual Field Trips

 

Ride the Roller Coaster 

Ride the roller coaster to get a field trip experience! Don't forget to make it fullscreen and turn up the audio for an authentic experience.  While you are at it, put your hands up! and sway with the coaster!

These types of experiences are fantastic as motivation, break times, refousing, engagement and more!

What are Virtual Field Trips?

Ways of Incorporating Virtual Field Trips

Live Stream Virtual Field Trips 

Google Earth and Voyager Virtual Trips

• Google Earth
• Google Earth Quick Guide 
• Voyager in Google Earth

Google Earth and Voyager Virtual Trips

• Smithsonian Learning Lab  
• Google Arts and Culture 
• Take a Museum Trip!
• Field Trips for School and Camp

Theme Park Field Trips

Video Conference with an Expert 

How to Create Your Own Virtual Field Trip 
Cross-curricular Virtual Field Trip 

How to Build Virtual Field Trip Using Google Slides

Recommended Field Trip Sites

• Taj Mahal - India 
• Roman Colosseum - Italy
• Victoria Falls - The Biggest Waterfall in Africa  
• Sahara Desert
• Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt 
• Everyday Earth 
• Maritime Aquarium, at Norwalk
• National Aquarium in Baltimore
• England 
• The Webcams of Colonial Williamsburg 
• 25 Amazing Virtual Field Trips

Having Issues with Shared Folders on Your Website?

Why are my folders on my websites restricted?

Have you had requests for access to folders you have on your website but when you check, they are already shared with "anone with a link"?  If this is happening to you, you are not alone!  There was a major update to settings and securities for Google Drive to comply with new regulations and in the process some files seem to be having sharing issues.

The solution is simple - delete the file or folder (we are seeing this mainly with folders) on your website and then add it back to your website.  When you publish your updated website, the problem seems to eliminated.  If you still have the issue please reach out to Greg or Christina for assistance.

You may also see this issue occurring in your email.  If you have "badges" or graphics in your email signature, they are stored in your Google Drive and may be impacted.  You will know you are having an issue if you go to send an email and you constantly get a pop-up asking you to share items with the recipients.  If this is happening, go into your email signature, remove the batches and graphics then add then back in.  Remember to save your changes.  This is should resolve the issue.

Computer Science Education Week: Hour of Code

 Hour of Code 

DECEMBER 6-12, 2021

COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION WEEK

CCSD IS PROUD TO PARTICIPATE

ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER STUDENTS WORLDWIDE,

IN THE LARGEST LEARNING EVENT IN HISTORY!

Coding provides students with skills that transfer to all disciplines!

• It helps kids learn in a meaningful context

• It teaches them that learning is a process and not a product

• It teaches them how to take complex ideas and break them down into simpler parts

• It teaches them how to collaborate with others 

• It also teaches them how to keep persistent and persevere in the face of frustration when things are not working well

• it teaches determination and risk-taking

• It helps them become fluent with technologies and enable them to open up and express their ideas.

• It helps them be creative 

• It helps them interact with the world around them

The materials we will be using are available online for FREE at any time. 

JOIN THE HOUR OF CODE 2021

Letter to Families 

New Assistive Tech Page

 

Check out our new look!

The Technology Facilitators Assistive Technology page contains all the resources needed for learning about and how to use each piece of software.

We also have an Assistive Technology Parent Page containing resources to support students and families at home!

@Tagging in Google Docs

Using @Tagging in Google Docs

Google Docs has a new feature that can be a huge time saver.  By using the @ symbols you can quickly add content to your document.  You can add everything from other Google files, to Meeting notes directly from a Calendar Events, to formatting items such as bullets, checkboxes, dividers, headers, footers and so much more.

To check it out, open a Google Doc and type the @ symbol then scroll through the possibilities.  This is a great way to create hyperdocs!

Check Boxes in Docs

 

How to Create And Run a Checklists In a Google Doc

1. Open Google Docs and click on Blank (+) to create a new document.
   
2. When you’re ready to type in your checkbox list, click on Format in the top menu.
   
3. Now, hover over Bullets & numbering.
   
4. Then, hover over the Bulleted list.
   
5. Next, click on the checkbox option on the upper right side. This is the one with the clear box bulleting.
   
6. Type in the items on your list one by one. Pressing the enter or return key will automatically generate another checkbox.
   
7. After finishing your list, save your document.
8. from: https://www.alphr.com/how-to-add-a-checkbox-to-a-google-doc/ 

How to Insert a single Checkbox in a Google Doc

• In the top navigation of Google Docs select Insert.
• Then select Special Characters.
• Then search for Check. There are several icons for checkboxes both checked and not checked.

Google Meet Caption Translate Feature

 Have you struggled while trying to communicate with ELL students or parents that don't speak English well?  Google has been working on some tools to help with that.  Clarkstown requested to be part of the Beta testing and Google has accepted us into the program.

Using Google Meet captions, you can speak in English and watch as the close captioning translates automatically into French, Spanish, German, or Portuguese at this time.  Additional languages will be added as the program progresses.  While we know that Google translate is not perfect, neither are most other translation programs, it is certainly a great feature to help bridge the communication gap.

How would you use this?  Here are a few scenarios that you might want to give this a try:

• You are emailing parents about a project or an upcoming event and you need to communicate this information to everyone.  Record a short message on Meet and have the translate feature turned on so the recording captures the translated captions as well as the spoken English.  Then share that recording in a link in your email.

• At meet the teacher, have Google Meet open on your board without the camera running if you prefer, just having the mic turned on is all you need.  As you go through your presentation, your words will be translated in the closed captioning section of the screen for any parents that are in the room and struggling with understanding the language.

How do I try it?

You’ll be able to see captions in languages different from the spoken language. This Beta currently supports meetings in English with live captions translated to Spanish, Portuguese, French and German. Additional language support will be added in the future. You will be able to use these captions in the Meet application on Web. iOS and Android will be supported later this year.

You can enable Translated Captions in your meetings on Google Meet, by following the steps below.

1. Click the 3 dots at the bottom of the Meet screen
2. Click on Settings 
3. Click Captions
4. Turn on Captions
5. Turn on Translate Captions (it should turn on automatically)
6. Select one of the languages for the translation

For additional information, visit the Help Center