Three PD Courses Starting This Week

This week will kick-off a fun final month of 2017 for me and, I hope, for you too. This week I am starting three Practical Ed Tech courses.

Tomorrow night at 7pm ET How to Teach With Video begins. This three night event is being taught by Keith Hughes, Tom Richey, and me. We'll cover everything you need to know to feel confident creating and publishing instructional videos in a variety of styles. Learn more and register here.

To Geography and Beyond With Google Earth & Maps begins at 4pm ET on Thursday. In this three week course you'll learn how to use Google Earth and Google Maps in multiple subject areas including language arts, science, math, physical education, and social studies. Learn more and register here.

On Thursday evening at 7pm ET Getting Going With G Suite begins. This five week course is designed for those who are new to using G Suite for Education. This course will cover everything you need to know to integrate Google Drive, Google Classroom, Google Calendar, and Google Sites into your practice. Learn more and register here.

A Fun Game About Ecosystems

Feed the Dingo is a fun game that teaches students about the importance of maintaining balanced ecosystems. In the game students have to build and maintain a desert ecosystem. The game begins with a blank slate to which students have to add plants and animals. The game plays out over twelve virtual days. Each day students have to add more elements in order to maintain balance in the ecosystem. At the end of each day students are given feedback as to which plants and animals are healthy, which are in danger, and which have died.

Applications for Education
Feed the Dingo is a PBS Learning Media game. To support teachers' use of the game PBS offers some suggested activities including building a small terrarium and playing a series of food web games. PBS Learning Media lists the national science standards this game addresses on the same page that you find the game and teaching suggestions.

Go To Sleep or Cram? - The Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep

With two children under 16 months old, in my house we're well aware of the value of a good night's sleep. That's why I favor getting up early before the kids to work on projects than to try work late after they go to bed. As this TED-Ed lesson explains, students could benefit from adopting the same pattern of getting up early instead of cramming. In The Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep embedded below, students can learn how sleep "resets" the brain. The video also explains how memories are formed and retained by our brains.

A Health and Science Lesson - What Is Fat?

Now that we're into the holiday season, many of us may be concerned about our intake of fats through our favorite holiday treats. But, as students can learn in What is Fat? not all fats are the same. What is Fat? is a TED-Ed lesson that explores the differences between the types of fats that we find in food. The video lesson goes on to explain how hydrogenated fats are created, what the term "partially hydrogenated" means when it is on a nutrition label, and how different fats affect our health. Overall, it's a nice little lesson to use as a flipped lesson in a health class.

5 FAQs About How to Teach With Video

This coming Monday night is the first night of How To Teach With Video hosted by me with special guests Tom Richey and Keith Hughes. I've answered a lot of emails about the course. Here are the most frequently asked questions and their answers.

1. What is the format of the course?
This is a live course delivered through GoToWebinar. Each webinar will run from 7pm to 8pm Eastern Time (or later if there are a lot of questions). The webinars will be recorded for folks who cannot attend all of the live sessions. You'll have unlimited access to the recordings. You can ask questions throughout the live webinars, via email, and through a Facebook group.

2. Do I need prior experience or special equipment?
No, you do not need to have any prior experience making videos. Likewise, you don't need any special equipment in order to participate.

3. Can I earn graduate credits?
Unfortunately, I can’t grant graduate credits for this course. However, I will give you a certificate for three hours of professional development time.

4. Who is Tom Richey? Who is Keith Hughes?
Tom and Keith are teachers who have created massively popular YouTube channels that teach all kinds of history and government lessons. Through their respective channels they have helped hundreds of thousands of students and teachers. See Keith here and Tom here.

5. What does it cost?
The price for this course is $97. That includes the live sessions, unlimited access to recordings, and a professional development certificate.

Register here for How to Teach With Video.