Category: Uncategorized
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A Smarter Way to Build Your AI Classroom Assistants
Use AI to write your AI prompts: Ask a general tool (like Gemini or ChatGPT) to draft the detailed instructions for your custom AI assistant. Describe the role simply: Provide the core functions and rules (what to do, what not to do) for the custom tool in your own words. Create controlled learning tools: This…
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Beyond the Spelling List: Coaching Thought Partnership and AI
Problem: A reading intervention teacher needed to create customized spelling lists that were time-consuming to make manually. Solution: An instructional coach and the teacher used AI to build a custom prompt that automatically formats spelling lists. Outcome: The new process saves the teacher significant time, highlighting instructional coaching as a thought partnership. Educators are constantly…
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Streamline Your Workflow with NotebookLM’s Source Refresh
Originally, sources like Google Docs in NotebookLM were static and did not reflect live edits. A new refresh option now allows you to instantly sync a source with its most current version. This update enables you to work seamlessly with living documents without having to re-upload them. As educators, we know that our plans and…
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New Storybook Creator in Gemini
Create custom, illustrated storybooks for your classroom using simple text prompts in Google Gemini. Enhance the reading experience with features like read-aloud audio, page-turning animations, and direct printing. Personalize educational content to engage students and make learning more accessible and dynamic. As educators, we know the magic that unfolds when a good story is shared…
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Learning at the Intersection of Computer Science and College Football
Analyzing football game film provides a simple analogy for teaching fundamental computer science. Abstract concepts like variables and AI training are made concrete by linking them to actions like naming players and labeling plays. Educators can adapt this method for any content-specific video, allowing students to actively analyze content and learn complex tech concepts. At…
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Unplugged Algorithms: A Pencil and Paper Path to Computational Thinking
Teach algorithmic thinking without technology by having students create precise, sequential instructions for a task. In a back-to-back partner game, one student verbally instructs the other on how to replicate a secret drawing. The exercise demonstrates the importance of precise communication and is easily adapted for any subject area. While algorithmic thinking is a cornerstone…
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Embracing Inquiry and Computational Thinking in Your Classroom
Integrate Computer Science: Activities that build computational thinking skills like decomposition and algorithmic thinking across all subjects. Spark Inquiry: Get students actively dissecting topics and asking questions, serving as powerful “pre-work” for deeper learning. Adaptable for Any Subject: Versatile strategies in ELA, History, or STEM to foster curiosity and analytical understanding. In today’s educational landscape,…
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Integrating Micro:bits into Core Subjects: A Teacher’s New Assistant
Bridging CS and core subjects with AI. Micro:bit integration made easy for teachers. Personal journey from history to EdTech innovation. As a tech coach, my journey into the world of computer science has been driven by a deep fascination rather than formal training. My background is actually in history, and I’ve never written a line…
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Gold Rush Meets Wi-Fi: Teaching History Through Computer Science
Students learned about packets, routers, and receivers through a Gold Rush-themed activity. Groups created, delivered, and decoded messages using school maps and Internet protocols. The lesson boosted engagement and connected history with computer science. What do the California Gold Rush and computer science have in common? In Mrs. Garges’ 4th grade class, quite a lot!…
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El Monte Middle School’s Google HQ Adventure
El Monte Middle School students from rural Orosi, CA had a life-changing field trip to Google HQ and Stanford University. The Google CodeNext program helped fund this trip, exposing underserved students to tech careers and college. The experience provided many students with significant “firsts,” broadening their worldviews. Orosi, California, is a small, rural community tucked…
