Weekly Tech Tips and News for January 19, 2018

The holidays are over, and we are now in the hum drum of winter, when lots of learning happens. Students aren't the only learners, of course, learning never really stops. These winter months are the perfect time to learn a new tech skill to try with students, or just to improve tech skills in general.  Remember, when trying new tech - it may not work the first time, but every time you try again, you'll learn what not to do and why. It's not failure, it's just part of the learning process. Scroll through the articles in this post, or look through previous posts for ideas and new skills to learn. At the very least, you may want to take a look at the new Google Calendar changes that will be coming in February.

• G Suite Updates:  More Menu Improvements in Google Docs and Slides
• Google Calendar is Changing
• How to Create an Interactive Diagram in Google Slides
• 7 Ways for Students to Use Google Drawings
• Using Google Drawings for Creative Content Projects
• EDU in 90:  Differentiation with Google Classroom
• USGS Multimedia Gallery - Excellent Public Domain Images and Videos
• 5 Ways to Use Comics in Social Studies Lessons

G Suite Updates:  More Menu Improvements in Google Docs and Slides

The G Suite Updates blog outlines changes to some of the menus in Google Docs and Slides so you'll know where to find these features. Some features are moving out of the menus and will only be available in the right-click context menus. Those that are being relocated in the menus include adding a line, inserting page or column breaks, adding Alt Test to shapes, changing shapes, and HTML view.

Google Calendar is Changing

You may have already seen a prompt to update Google Calendar. If not, your Google Calendar will automatically update in mid-Februrary. The change is so the desktop version of Calendar, which is what we use on our computers, matches the mobile version of Calendar, which is what we use on our phones and tablets. So if you've been using Google Calendar on your phone, the new desktop version will look very familiar. If not, don't worry, all the functions are still there, it will just look a little different. Here is a preview of the new Calendar, as well as the differences between the new and old versions by Richard Byrne.

How to Create an Interactive Diagram in Google Slides

How to Create an Interactive Diagram in Google Slides, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Did you know you do not have to watch Google Slides in order, like a slide show? It's possible to create a diagram on page one, and link other slides to each element. When a view clicks on those elements, they are taken to the coinciding slide for more info. Watch the video in the blog post for full instructions.

7 Ways for Students to Use Google Drawings

7 Ways for Students to Use Google Drawings, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Do your students never use Google Drawings because you aren't sure what to do with it? How about creating mind maps, labeling or marking up images, image cropping/filtering, or creating hyperlinked images instead of using Thinglink? There are embedded video tutorials in this post.

Using Google Drawings for Creative Content Projects

Using Google Drawings for Creative Content Projects, from Teaching Little Techies by Robin Limpert
If you can use Google Slides, you already know how to use Google Drawings. It's a great format for posters, annotating maps, mind maps, game boards, and lots more.

EDU in 90:  Differentiation with Google Classroom

USGS Multimedia Gallery - Excellent Public Domain Images and Videos

USGS Multimedia Gallery - Excellent Public Domain Images and Videos, from Free Tech for Teachers by Richard Byrne
There are numerous images, videos, animations and podcasts available from USGS Multimedia Gallery (US Department of the Interior. This looks like a great science and geography resource.

5 Ways to Use Comics in Social Studies Lessons

5 Ways to Use Comics in Social Studies Lessons, from Free Tech for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Here are some ways to add fun lessons to your Social Studies class.