Welcome to Our Google Session Building Connections to Background Knowledge

10 Things I Want You to Know About Google Tools

But first, two other things to know: I've included information from a PowerPoint presentation created by Patrick Crispen, a true PowerPoint and Google guru. I've added 'pc' where I've used some of his information. I've used the Google Docs presentation tool to become more accustomed with the tools available to us as holders of a Google account. (Note: a GMail account is not the same thing.)

1. Some strategies for building background knowledge Taken from: Cindy Simmons, Bureau Director Office of Academic Education Mississippi Department of Education September 2007 Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement (Robert Marzano)

Connecting to an “I” event, one in which the student is directly involved, helps build background knowledge.

Students need minimally four exposures to new content, no more than two days apart, but the four exposures cannot be mere repetition. (How can Google contribute to varied exposures to content?)

Through “academic” notebooks, students reveal thoughts, ideas, reservations, etc. The connection between what is read and what is written helps establish and support the acquisition of background knowledge. (use Google Docs for an academic notebook?)

2. Google Sets is a tool that tries to predict other items in a set you introduce.

3. Let's consider iGoogle to create a page for each of our classes. google.com/ig

4. Google Earth can be used from a browser without you having to download the full application. Just download and install the Google Earth plugin. code.google.com/apis/earth/

5. Need your whole class to have access to Google? Teacher-controlled accounts. You can then use these addresses to create a free set of classroom Google accounts.

6. Google has its own version of Wikipedia. knol.google.com

7. There's always Google for Educators.

8. Do you want 200 years of news archives? Just go to news.google.com and click the “News Archive Search” link.news.google.com Make sure you use the 'timeline' view.

9. Google Docs 1.You can open your own Word and Excel files. 2.You can upload your PowerPoint presentations. 3.You can edit online. 4.You can invite others to edit along with you. 5.You can backtrack to previous versions of your documents. 6.There are over 300 templates you and your students can use as starting points.

10. You can also create your own custom search engine.

I almost forgot Google Notebook. Patrick Crispen calls it a set of Google's 3x5 index cards for research. Like Google Earth, it can work through a browser extension.

Okay, there's more. To learn more about Google: