Auschwitz on Google Earth

I found an old bookmark in my Evernote notebooks that started a huge rabbit trail today and I found myself in Google Earth and searching for content associated with the Auschwitz Consentration Camp.  Well, save the search.  Google Earth has a great display of Auschwitz in 3-D as current today; showing 3-D buildings.

Below is a quick video of my exploration of Google Earth's Auschwitz.

This feature is already on Google Earth.  Search for Oswiecim, Poland and follow the train tracks.  Or, better yet, here is a .kml file that will take you right there (simply download and open the file).

This just one example of thousands of great features that Google Earth offers.

Simple Tech Integration Plan

I found this great little helper from Brunswick City Schools, Ohio.  This is a great tool to have by your side at all time when integrating technology into your curriculum.  It's simple and very achievable.  It's the goal outline for pretty much everything in life... if you want to change.

Tech Integration Planner by Ben Nason

SMART Note

SMART Note is a SMART Technologies product that is readily available on our MLTI laptops in our school district.  Review this video for the details.

If for any reason you have attempted to use this option, but are having difficulties with it operating for you, please contact me.

Local SMART Technologies Professional Development

At our Mid-year point, I want to make sure that all teaching faculty from my district understand that they can take advantage of some local SMART professional development for any of your SMART Technologies products.  Please contact me at anytime, and I would love to sit down with you during a planning period and help you utilize and make the most your SMART Board or any SMART product you are using in your classroom.  I, also, love doing some low-profile class visits just to see your teaching style to help me understand how I can help you better implement your SMART product in your classroom.

nasonb@sad1.org

PIHS Color Copier

Our high school now has a color copier with which any of our teachers can print to in color.

First of all, if you are interested in being set up for this, please contact me via email and I will stop by.

I want to explain how this printing process works for those who already have this set up for them.


The color printer works two ways:

With the Lock Print that I set up for you, the printer will NOT print until you select the job on the printer and put in your PIN.  In this case you have to make sure you select the "Color PIN" preset I set up before you print (as indicated below).  This will require a PIN entered inorder to retrieve the print.  You could potentially print several color print jobs and collect them at a later time.

The other way is keeping the default "Standard" preset when you print.  In this case the printer will just print.

The problem with this option is we have had a few teachers forget to select the "Color PIN" preset and go to collect their print to find that it had already printed and someone had either placed it in their mailbox or accidentally taken it with their copies.

Let me know if you have any questions or issues with printing.

Tech Idea for the Art Classroom

I found this idea from a popular Edublog that I follow, Edudemic.

In this article, they were suggesting a great way for student to learn about color and pixellated work using an PhotoShop image filter.

Since our MLTI laptops do not have PhotoShop, I checked Acorn, a light-weight photo editing application on all MLTI issued laptops.  Acorn, which is similar to Photoshop in its language, workflow and terminologies, does this feature as well.

A student could take an image of a famous work, like the Mona Lisa, or their own images and pixellate them to study color relationships, tints and shades.

Users can adjust the filter amount applied

Example from Edudemic

MLTI has a video feature of Acorn from their MLTI Minute site (highly recommended as a frequent visit).  MLTI's Anna-Marie explains how users can use Acorn to paint, however this introductory video will help demo the use of Acorn.

MLTI Workshop Date Corrections

After talking with a rep from MLTI, there was a scheduling error that should now be fixed.

Both Houlton sessions, Shift Happens! Common Core, ELA and Digital Literacy and Connecting the Humanities Jigsaw using Geographic Tools are NOT on the same date.

• Shift Happens! - Feb 28
• Connecting the Humanities - Feb 27