AACPS OIT Byte

This year Computer Science Education week runs from Friday, December 6th through the 12th. Hour of Code, one of their main events, kicks off Monday, the 9th. Hour of code encourages students to code for an hour to hone their skills, but it also allows teachers to discuss careers in coding and computer science how students can explore their interests and plan their path to achieve their goals. Below are several suggestions for how you can get your students involved in CS week or Hour of Code. Hour of Code Activities for PreK through high school. No coding experience necessary! Filter topics by grade level band and then by content to find something that works for your classroom. Topics include Art, Music, AI, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and more! Explore the Hour of Code library directly from Classlink. Minecraft Hour Of Code The 2024 theme is The Show Must Go On! Minecraft invites students to step into the theater to find the show’s missing star, unlock hidden gags, s...

by Tracey Brown Instructional Technology Academic Specialist Did you know that October 14th through the 18th is Digital Citizenship week? While it can be difficult to find time to add more content to your already packed curriculum, in today's digital age, it's essential for students to understand and practice responsible online behavior. Teaching digital citizenship in K-12 schools prepares students for the challenges and opportunities of the digital world including the permanence of your digital footprint, and critical thinking to evaluate the quality and accuracy of online information. If you can find some time during indoor recess, after school clubs, advisory period, or other flex-time, here are some ideas for what to do with students to boost their digital citizenship knowledge: Adobe Express Adobe Express contains multiple templates for students to create a Digital Citizenship pledge or to share what they know. Templates include posters, infographics and web pages. One en...

Ready to discover a game-changer that turns video editing into a breeze for both students and teachers? Enter WeVideo- your ticket to hassle-free and creative project making.  If WeVideo is a Classlink app you have not yet explored with students, I highly encourage you to give it a whirl. Or if you have dabbled in WeVideo, I want to make you aware of some new ready-made lesson plans that can be used in LITERALLY any classroom.  We are all about no prep/ low prep activities because we know teachers are busy, but we also know the value of high-quality projects that allow students to have choice and showcase their voice. Below is a collection of my TOP 5 easy, minimal prep, MD digital learning standards aligned ways to use WeVideo with students. Note: Open WeVideo from Classlink before clicking on any of the links below. 1.   Me in 3 : This project helps build classroom community while students learn how to use WeVideo. Students create a 3-clip video to tell about themselves...

 By: Koralina McKenna, 7th grade Science Teacher  A long time ago, I dreamed of a day when my students' quarter long project based learning assignment would be presented and collected in a video presentation. It took 5 years to make this dream a reality and I'm going to tell you how it went and what I'll do differently next time.  5 years ago, I had the project figured out but I didn't have reliable access to technology for my classes to create video projects 4 years ago, I continued to perfect the project and had technology access but lost access to Windows Movie Maker, the video editing software I planned to use 3 years ago, I had everything I needed, I taught myself WeVideo and was ready to roll out this video option to my students but then the pandemic hit just before I planned to start  2 years ago, I decided to heavily modify the project to be more suitable to hybrid instruction and did not use the video option  Present day, IT FINALLY HAPPENED  This ...

by Kerri Lambert, Instructional Technology Teacher Specialist In OIT, we are often asked how we learn “all this stuff” and how do we keep up with all the changes across our platforms. There are several ways, but one of our favorite ways is to peruse Twitter when we have a moment. This allows us to get information from one place and in the small snippets of time- and it doesn’t fill up our inboxes! If you are on Twitter and looking for people to follow, here are a few that we recommend. It’s no secret that OIT supports a variety of instructional applications and yes, sometimes it can feel overwhelming! But, many of the programs we subscribe to are active on Twitter. Not only do they tweet out updates or upcoming features, but also showcase ways educators across the country are using their products with students. This is also a great way to find out about learning opportunities such as webinars or conferences. Following the companies gives you the best of both worlds- updates and inspir...

By Kerri Lambert, Teacher Specialist, Office of Instructional Technology ‘Tis the season for thinking about ways to keep students engaged in learning as the holiday season begins. Traditionally, this has meant cutting out turkey feathers with the things we are thankful for, writing persuasive letters on alternatives for the turkey dinner, and taking a ride on the Polar Express. Those are all classic, enjoyable activities, but this year consider taking your holiday activities up a notch with these digital options: Researching Holidays Around the World Now, I know what you’re thinking. We do this already! This type of activity is one that many teachers implement in their classroom, and for good reason. It brings in the opportunity to discuss the diverse cultures in our classrooms and around the world, but it’s easy to get stuck in a rut using the same books and paper packets to learn about the same cultures and traditions year after year. Shake things up by substituting or supplementing...

By Dan Fitzgerald, eCoach and STEM Teacher @ North Glen Elementary School Hello everyone! My name is Daniel Fitzgerald, and I'm the STEM Teacher and E-Coach at North Glen Elementary School. Over the past two years, we've been using WeVideo as a tool to build our morning announcements from a brief, over-the-loudspeaker statement, to a full production with students, staff, and community members getting involved, and our student engagement and excitement has never been higher! I'm someone who loves making videos for our students and staff, and I've always tried to use that in my teaching and position at the school. I've found that editing software can often be overwhelming, and people who are new to the idea can be turned away by some of the more complex programs out there. Luckily, WeVideo has been so welcoming to teach and jump in on, giving both students and teachers an easy entry point to video creation and editing, yet with deeper opportunities to grow your skills...