Getting Started with Chromebooks, Margaret Rux, Librarian, Pasteur Elementary School

Recently, Louis Pasteur Elementary School Library received 19 Chromebooks from a REVITAL (RE-enVision to Integrate Technology and Libraries) Grant through the Chicago Public Schools Department of Libraries. Receiving these iPads has made it possible to plan long-term lessons utilizing technology.

Along the way, I have learned some lessons on integrating this technology in the library. First, it is important to have the students understand that the acceptable use policy that they signed at the beginning of the year applies to the use ALL technology including the Chromebooks. Second, I found it easier to keep track of the Chromebooks by labeling them with a number. To keep track of who is using what; one of the students’ jobs at each table is that of task manager, and among their responsibilities is to manage the devises at their table (iPads and Chromebrooks). The task manager completes the sign-out sheet and turns it in. That way if there is a problem, I know who the last student was using that devise. Finally, it was important to take the time to demonstrate the proper use and care of Chromebooks (they are quite fragile).

There are several websites that I want all my students to be familiar with. I include the address for these on a task card and place that card in the toolbox. A toolbox is a plastic container that contains task cards (assignments, graphic organizers, websites, etc.) I find this a great way for students to be self sufficient! One of the things I like about the Chromebooks is that there is no desktop for students to “play” with. I like that students have to put in the address for every sight they want to go to. In addition, I have my students log in as guest to avoid having sign-in icons on the desktop. Students are required to go to Google and log in. So far this seems to be working out well.

Now that the students are comfortable using the Chromebooks I am having the fifth grade students begin working on a project using Google Docs. Since I am now teaching health class in addition to my other responsibilities, I decided to blend research with health. Students will create a publication on healthy living. Items students could include in the publication are articles, charts, graphs, checklist, editorials, interviews and comics. We are just at the beginning stages of this project so I will keep you posted as to success and challenges.

Thank Goodness for Chromebooks during the Science Fair, Viviane Kraus, Franklin Fine Arts

The Franklin Fine Arts Center upper grades has been extremely busy with Science Fair…

I have worked with students on Science Fair for many years in the library.  I can’t tell you how much more time the students had to actually conduct research because they did not have to log into the computers and wait (sometimes it would take 1-2 minutes with our old laptops).  But, not with the Chromebooks.  The simple log-on as guest is so fabulous and then the internet and Google CPS is right at the student's fingertips.  

First, we created a Science Fair folder in their Google Drive where students were to keep all of their documents regarding Science Fair.  It was so simple for the students to start conducting research and work in Google Docs simultaneously on the Chromebooks.

Second, students were also able to share their Review of Literature and their Reference List with me prior to turning in their final copy to their teacher for a grade.  This helped the classroom teacher tremendously and the teachers were so impressed and appreciative.  

Another time the Chromebooks impressed me during Science Fair is when I modeled the EasyBib Add-On for the student and then all the students  had to do was log into their Google CPS mail and add the Add-On and there the EasyBib was right at their fingertips.  Again, within seconds, the student could be creating a Reference List citation.

Last, my favorite bonus about using the Chromebooks would be that I would give a quick tutorial on a Database and then student could be practicing and using that database in a matter of seconds.  This is truly amazing, this way the student wouldn’t forget the tutorial and could apply what they learned almost instantly.

This will truly make our students career and college ready.

Nightingale Library: Chromebooks, Drive and Mackin Via, Erin McDonald, Librarian, Nightingale Elementary

Our students were so excited to see Chromebooks in the library.  I started rolling them out with the fourth graders.  They used our Library email address so that we were all sharing the same drive.  The students practiced typing a simple document about themselves and shared it with everyone.  Next, we moved to using Chrome to search the internet for images that they could add to a file with the class.  This was unexpectedly easy and they loved it.  

For the next few classes, the third and fourth grade students used the Chromebooks to access ebooks and databases through Mackin Via.  The students used Fact Cite Biograhpy for Beginnners to read about an author.  They collected information in a graphic organizer and then used Slides to make a presentation that we shared with their teacher via Google Drive.

Teaching Google Drive is so much easier with the Chromebooks.  The devices are extremely user friendly and the simplistic, small and lightweight design are great for younger students.  

My first and second grade students use the Chromebooks as a Guest user which is a lot easier than the traditional log in of our laptops or desktops.  I have been working with these grade levels on some basic technology skills since the beginning of the year.  They seem to have picked up the most skills in these past few weeks of using the Chromebooks.  They have a better sense of how to open the internet and perform a search or type an address in the address bar.  There are fewer buttons on the keyboard of a Chromebook and I think this even helps with their keyboarding skills.

Overall, the Chromebooks have been a welcome and wonderful addition to our library.  I let the teachers know the types of digital artifacts the students can now share with them during our collaborative units and they are more willing to work together than ever.

Pirie Citizenship in the Digital Age, Stacie Bell, Librarian, Pirie Elementary School

As my students gain more access to technology, I have become more concerned with how they interact with that technology. Many of the programs I envision using with students will allow them to interact with each other and the rest of the world. In the past, when I talked to my students about online safety, most of the concepts tended to be abstract. With the addition of 19 Chromebooks to my Library, I have made more of an effort to include these topics in my curriculum.

Using  lessons from both BrainPop and Common Sense’s Digital Passport, I have begun a unit with my 4th-6th graders on digital citizenship. While using Digital Passport, we are discussing how technology can be a distraction, respecting privacy, cyberbullying, copyright issues, and keyword searches. Each unit has a game, questions to answer and an extension activity. The activities are very engaging and let students work at their own pace. The online version is free and allows teachers to create and track classes. I have found however, that in order to use this program with the iPad, you need to purchase an app for $3.99.

My students have also been furthering these discussions using BrainPop. This online program is based on a subscription, which I am very fortunate to have at my school. BrainPop offers short, animated videos on many topics, including digital citizenship. As a class, we watch and discuss the videos. BrainPop also provides quizzes, articles, and enables students to create mind maps based on what they learned.

By utilizing these programs, I am hopeful that my students will become better acclimated in how to behave in the digital world they often spend so much time in. I expect to see my students be more respectful and courteous even when they are only virtually interacting with someone. I am also looking to see students be mindful of their own security by protecting passwords and their online identity, and monitoring what personal information and photos they post. These real life skills will allow my students to navigate through the 21st Century and more comfortably access the vast amounts of knowledge offered.

Phillips Anime/Manga Club, KC Boyd, Librarian, Phillips High School

When the Chromebooks arrived in my Library Media Center, the students were extremely excited.  Many of the students had persuaded their family members to purchase these devices instead of the more pricier iPad over the last year.  In addition, some of the students also had the experience of using the devices in Music and AP History classes so this made the introduction to the device easy.  

The first group I used the Chromebooks with was not a traditional class, it was actually an after school club.  The Phillips Anime/Manga Club began earlier this year and I agreed to sponsor the 14 students that are in the club.  Their first assignment:  Google Slideshow describing the club.  When students want to begin a new club at Phillips, they must secure a sponsor and then give a formal presentation to the principal justifying the need/interest.  Once the principal approved the club, the students expanded the slideshow and created the ‘Action Plan’ that was presented to all of the students in the club.   

There were many lunch period meetings in the Library Media Center and they developed the content and language for the presentation on their own.  You can view the slideshow here:  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Oq3ubrRFG5I9MTGeEsumGAlS4h_4WvWQhYv8XVbUQZU/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000.  The Vice-President surprised me and  revised the slideshow and flipped it into a Prezi using the Chromebooks.  His explaination was he wanted to attract more students and using Prezi was more visually stimulating than slides and he could include the music that is associated with the genre.  Also, he felt that using Google Slides was easier for the ‘old people’ (my principal and I) to read and understand as opposed to using a Prezi.

The next order of business was to create a Anime/Manga Club website.  The students used the Chromebooks and created a free Weebly site.  Once again, students came to the Library Media Center during lunch periods and after school to work on the website.  Here’s a sampling of their work, it’s not quite finished but they are almost there:   http://phillipsanimemangaclub.weebly.com/ .  The students developed the website on their own and received approval from me as they moved through each step.  One main area that I wanted to see present on the website is a portal for recommended reads.  The students complained that I don’t have many of the books in my collection that they are interested in.  My attitude is I can use this as a platform to advocate for funding for the books from my administration.  Stay tuned…..we’ll see!

Overall, the initial rollout was good.  The only snag was when students didn’t log out of their account.  This is why numbering the Chromebooks are important, it helps maintain order and track down the last student in the building that used that particular device.  The beauty of this is I’m seeing a different side to students that I have know for the last three years.  Anime/Manga is their life and passion.  This group is my loudest group in the Library Media Center during lunch periods because they debate the content of the various AMV’s that are on the web.   Have I had to put them out of the Library Media Center for their behavior, you bet but they keep coming back!  Moreover, the Chromebooks are excellent devices for them to use.  They are easy to handle, portable, small and can be used in their laps or at the tables.  I’ve even seen students curled up in corners and laying on the floor using the devices.  My challenge is to identify a good app that will give them the flexibility of creating their own AMV’s and drawings.  The ultimate goal is these AMV’s will appear in episodes of ‘Behind the Paws’ and during monthly assemblies.

See the video here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xiy18_0jLes

Animal Research with Chromebooks, Eric Currie, Librarian, Hitch Elementary School

I have taken Connie Amon’s iPad Lesson and tweaked it. Students in grades 2-4 have been
using the chromebooks to access eBooks on SOAR. We started out looking at an unlimited access book about polar bears to ask and answer questions about the animal. Students were
then given guided questions to answer about an animal of their choice using SOAR eBooks.

Next, I gave the grade 2-3 students a modified Cornell Note handout. This handout has the format of a Cornell Note, but the questions are already created. The added to their knowledge of the animal (or narrowed down their topic) by using the Kids Infobits database.  I was able to up the ante on technology use with 4th grade students. They have their Google Accounts so I was able to send an email to the 4th grade list of the view-only digital version of the Cornell Note. The students then went to “File” and “Make a Copy”so that they could take their notes right on the Chromebook.

We are wrapping up the research component of this project. Unlike Connie’s use of Puppet
Pals, we’re going to use Green Screen by DoInk. Students will create puppets of their
animals and scripts where they will talk about facts with the animal. We’re going to use green
construction paper as the “screen” for the green screen app.

Researching with Chromebooks, Marcia Mariscal, Librarian, Goethe Elementary School

The Chromebooks have been a wonderful window of opportunity for me to increase the use of technology in my classroom.  I began by introducing the new Chromebooks to 3rd through 5th grade and 7th grade.  Our students in 6th and 8th grade travel with their own Chromebooks, thanks to an effort by the school to introduce technology into those grade cycles.  Our school is slowly adding technology into the classrooms. After explaining the grant and the purpose for having the chromebooks in the library, students were excited about the future projects we would work on in the library.  The transition into using them was easy since the students were familiar with Chromebooks and its key features, thanks to our Technology teachers.  

The first project I decided to work on with my 3-5th graders was learning to conduct research using a CPS database.  As a whole class we created research grids.  The research grids had questions students had generated about their topic.  The grids helped steer their research in the right direction as they browsed Kids InfoBits for information.  My students loved the new modern look and user friendly graphic interface Kids InfoBits was sporting.  It is more appealing to my 5th graders than the previous version.  I had one day dedicated to discovering all the new features of Kids InfoBits by my students using the Chromebooks.  Since some of my class sizes range from 24 to 30, I had to use the iPads as well, alternating them among students so everyone had a chance to work on a Chromebook.  After attending a PARCC Assessment Workshop given by CPS department of Literacy, I decided to have the students look for images about their topic in kids InfoBits writing all the information they could extract from a single image.  The students scrolled the images with ease on the Chromebooks. My bilingual students used headphones to listen to all the information on the image being read to them. They analyzed their pictures and wrote their information.

With the technology now in the library I taught a lesson to my 6th-8th graders on “In-Text Citation”.  My 6th-8th Grade students watched a 3 minute video on “In-Text Citation” in Vimeo. After watching the video, I reinforced it with a 5 minute mini-lesson, then the students practiced adding in-text citation to 10 quotes from the website noredink.com.  The website is free and it tracks the student’s progress as they practice using the MLA format for in-text citation. What’s wonderful about the website is the explanation it gives the students if they incorrectly cite a quote.  Before the Chromebooks, I would have had the students practice citation in their notebooks. This would not have allowed me to personalize instruction for 30 students in a 45 minute time-slot.  Finding programs that tutor students and help them correct their mistakes on site, improves their citation skills. It also allowed me the time to work with small groups of students on certain skills, as others worked on the Chromebooks.

I love how easy it is to use a Chromebook in the classroom.  Downloaded images or information is not stored in the memory of the Chromebooks, a great feature when multiple students are using the Chromebooks throughout the day.  I have my students login under guest. That’s just my preference.  The only setback for me currently is the inability to download google apps to familiarize myself with these features for teaching.  The Tech teacher has requested I be added to the Admin console but as of Today, I still have no access to these features. Other than being able to manage google apps, the technology in my classroom has added to the richness of my daily lessons.  

Use of Chromebooks with GAFE, Jeanette Simenson, Technology Coordinator, Goethe Elementary

I am the technology coordinator at Goethe Elementary and I am looking forward to working more with the Chromebooks. The area of expertise that I see is how seamless it is to use GAFE and Google Classroom, which is rolling out sometime this year. Using these tools helps keep my computer lab assignments organized and helps the students know what is expected of them. I have created folders for each student in grades 4th-8th and I have them turn in their work in the shared folder. This helps them learn valuable online organization skills and also helps me locate student work. Students in the lab have been hard at work learning Digital Citizenship, Money Values, and STEM/coding through a program called Everfi. They have taken what they have learned and turned it into a presentation with an attached Google form for other students to complete.

See attached example for Radius.

See attached example for Ignition.

Pleased to Print, Regina Berg, Librarian, Brooks College Prep High School

My Tech Coordinator and I finally solved the problem of printing from wireless devices in the Library! This was a real issue for us because both classes and lunch students heavily use the two iPad and two Chromebook carts housed in the Library, but they couldn’t print. So students would email their work to me to be printed at the circ desk or I would let them use the computer in the workroom to print from their email. Either way it was a cumbersome work-around.

We acquired two air printers last year, one for the library and one for the lab in the rear, hoping to solve the problem. But the printers wouldn’t show up on our devices.  It turns out that the network was the culprit!

The trick is that the printer must be completely wireless. If the printer is connected to the network the Chromebook will not find it. So here is how it works:

I set up a dummy Gmail account, then used that to create a new user on the Chromebooks. I posted signs around the library with the Gmail username and password and directions for using the printer.

Students: 

• must first log on to the chromebook with the email account you create then
• open chrome and 
• login to their CPS account.
• open their document on the drive and click print
• change the destination to your wireless printer then
• click print

Right now I still have to do a lot of one-on-one as they learn how to loon correctly and find the printer, but the kids are ecstatic and so am I. The iPads also print to the wireless printer. They just have to be in range so the iPad will recognize the printer.

So I now have one networked printer for the Macs and one wireless printer for the iPads and Chromebooks at the circulation desk. We put an older networked printer in the lab at the rear of the library. Now everybody can print!

Corkery Chromebooks: Home at Last, Amy Chiu, Librarian, Corkery Elementary School

I received my Chromebooks on October 2, 2014.  Right away I labeled them with numbers as was recommended by many veteran librarian Chromebook users.  My next task was to find them a home.  My library is very limited in space and funds so a Chromebook charging station wasn’t an option.  I put on my creative thinking cap.  As I looked around the room, I considered my closet but came to the question of how would I charge them?  I kept looking and considered our little nook by the electoral outlet, but came the question of how would I lock them?

My eyes continued to roam the room looking for possible homes for my new babies and landed on my desk.  My desk?  Could that work?  It locks...  It’s by an electrical outlet….  Those bottom drawers are pretty large…  But will the Chromebooks fit?  There was only one way to find out.  I took one of those little guys in my hands and placed it horizontally in the drawer and it fit in like a glove.  The sky broke open and the angels sang for my Chromebooks had found their home.

I proceeded to place all 19 Chromebooks in my bottom desk drawer but was presented with a new concern.  My desk is made of metal.  Metal is not the kind of soft material that I want my precious Chromebooks hitting against every time they are put away.  I put on my thinking cap again.

Looking around the room I saw the mound of Chromebook boxes and Chromebook packing material that was ready for the trash.  My mind gears started to move.  Maybe I can line my desk with this foam? I proceeded to measure the foam to my desk drawer and then lined my desk with the Styrofoam to pad the Chromebooks from the drawer’s metal.  Now they fit in a snuggly padded drawer that locks and are charged six at a time on a rotation system.

Combining Chromebooks with iPads in the Library, Janice Wellborn , Librarian, Hernandez Middle School

This year I have a schedule where I teach nine different classes a week with all but three classes being seen twice a week.  I have been trying to keep each class doing pretty much the same work assignment, mainly to maintain my own sanity.  Since I only teach seventh and eighth grade right now, it has been working out pretty well.

We started a project on Ebola approximately one month ago.  At the outset students did research on Ebola independently on desktop computers.  After doing their initial research and responding to five questions I designed, the students then made Bitstrip comics showing off their information.

Now that all students have a basic grasp of the virus, I assigned students to work in groups of 2-4 kids. Using Chromebooks, each group was given the task of deciding on a message they wanted to impart to the public in a PSA.  This was a bit of a challenge as many students wanted to inform people about all the facts that they knew about the virus.  Instead, I wanted them to aim to inform about one discrete piece of information such as how the virus is transmitted. Once they had determined a message they wrote out their scripts.  Using Google Docs, they shared their scripts with me and I printed them out for use in making their movies.

With scripts in hand, and parts assigned to each student, the classes began practicing making iMovies on their iPads. There was some grumbling at first coming from people who did not want to see themselves on film, but when it was done everyone seemed to really enjoy the project.  

The kids took to the Chromebooks very quickly even though most shortcuts were unknown to them.  Likewise, as we use more and different technology, I have seen a lot of growth and confidence in problem solving with the students.  They seem to enjoy the fact that I often do not have the answer to a “How do I do X?” question and I tell them to let me know when they figure it out.  Since we do not have a technology teacher anymore, I feel that the use of these technologies in the library is a real asset to the school.

Creating and Collaborating with Chromebooks, by Katherine Hlousek, Librarian, Emiliano Zapata Academy

Zapata Academy students have been excited to use Chromebooks in the library this year! This additional technology has allowed students to take their research, hands-on learning, and technology skills further without the limitations of a slow device or a shortage of devices.

Students have made a smooth transition to using the Chromebooks. When Chromebook questions arise, for example how to save an image, students swiftly problem-solve and assist each other to find the solution. It has been wonderful to see students working together, taking ownership of the technology, and further developing their confidence with technology.

Google Apps for Education (GAFE) have been integrated into library instruction and used by students during the past three years at Zapata Academy. Since I am part of the CPS Google Classroom Pilot, students in grades five through eight are using Google Classroom, a new GAFE, in the library this year. Classroom has eliminated the students’ hectic, mad-dash to name and share Docs, Slides, or Forms at the end of class and has organized my Drive. Students have also been using Classroom to participate in virtual discussions via the Stream. I am looking forward to sharing how I am using Classroom in the library with fellow teachers at Zapata.

The fifth grade students have been the most enthusiastic about the Chromebooks since they just received access to their Google@CPS email accounts and are now ready to dive into all the Google apps. Currently fifth grade students are working in teams to research an environmental issue. This is a long-term project that involves gathering, analyzing, and synthesizing research information, writing a script, and ultimately creating a video using a green screen. During the course of this project students will “layer” or “smash” the work they created with various Google apps or iPad apps to then create the final video.

Fifth grade students are using the Chromebooks to conduct research using the Gale research databases and Encyclopedia Britannica, as well as various websites from the EPA. I used Classroom to share a Google Doc research graphic organizer with student teams. Students are able to use this Doc as a collaborative tool to share resources, ideas, and notes with each other. Once student teams have completed their research, students will collaboratively write a script for their informational video using a shared Doc. Students will use a shared Drive folder and Google Drawings to share and create visuals for the final video. Ultimately, students will use the Green Screen by Do Ink iPad app, a tabletop green screen, and additional props to record the informational video. Students are eager to layer their work and create the green screen video.

It has been rewarding to introduce students to an accessible technology device. The price of a Chromebook is appealing to my students and their families who would like to make an investment and bring technology into their homes. I continue to receive enthusiastic feedback from students about the Chromebooks in the library and I am looking forward to expanding my students’ technology toolbox of Chrome apps.

SOAR At Our Fingertips thanks to the CHROMEBOOK, Emily Porter, Librarian, Smyser Elementary School

The greatest advantage of the Chromebooks at Smyser is the flexibility we have when conducting research and doing group projects. We started using the web to browse SOAR for topics of particular interest to 3rd grade. Using a graphic organizer that I designed, students took notes from the screen quietly at the tables. I put the timer on for 5 minutes and each person took turns searching for books within their Lexile Range within SOAR and chose the titles based on individual interests. When 5 minutes passed, the students powered down the Chromebooks and placed them in the middle of the table. They take the papers to the shelf location and ACTUALLY find the book they took notes about on SOAR. They are so excited about the connection between what they see on the screen and how it applies to real, physical information retrieval.

In 5th grade classes, we took SOAR further. We have been answering a Big Idea Question all semester, “How are your SOURCES related?” Our 5th graders have studied the American Revolution and its historical figures in their homerooms. During our weekly library class, we find resources using the Chromebooks on SOAR. We have examined Britannica, eBooks, and Newsbank in depth. Students take notes in their journals and compare many different kinds of media - print, primary sources, and web. It has been wonderful to use the Chromebooks to help us access PARCC specific content related to classroom units. Our culminating activity will be a short PARCC-style assessment where the students will be asked to compare two different sources, choose the correct one, and defend their answer choice in a short essay. Pretty cool stuff, huh?!

Chromebooks @ Volta Library! Caryn Mikkelsen, Librarian, Volta Elementary School

The students at Volta have access to technology in the library with laptops, iPads and computers.  Now with the addition of the Chromebooks acquired through the REVITAL grant we have enough devices for 1:1 technology in the library!  Yeah!

I have been using the Chromebooks with all my classes in first grade through eighth.  All of the students browse as guests, then access their Google accounts or websites depending on what we are working on.  The Chromebooks are numbered for easy storage, yet I am not requiring the students to use the same chromebook each time.

Working in collaboration with a fourth grade teacher on a state project, students’ researched a state assigned by their classroom teacher, used Google Apps to create their documents while in the library and shared the document with both the classroom teacher and myself.  This really facilitates collaboration between not only the students but teachers as well.  On this project, students used not only web sources, but CPS Databases, ebooks and library materials for their research.

The Chromebooks have been a great addition to our library learning environment.  They are easy to log in and power up in seconds.  Chromebooks have a long battery life and don’t need to be charged every day.  Students are engaged and working collaboratively!

New Outlook, Rosalie Buenrostro, Librarian, Taylor Elementary School

My name is Rosalie Buenrostro and I am the librarian at Taylor Elementary School.

I have a different perspective on the Chromebooks than I did on the iPads.  Both are wonderful tools for the library but I seem to have a hard time getting started with the Chromebooks.  Part of the reason is I am at a different school this year and the technology advancement is not the same as my last school.  

My student’s did not know what a Chromebook might be, so we discussed it and compared the Chromebook to an iPad.  We created rules for the use of the Chromebooks and each student created a contract and signed it before they were allowed to touch our Chromebooks.

My new students have used a Dell or an iPad but have never had access to a Chromebook.  I recommend you start off with something they can grasp easily so they can get comfortable with using the technology and build their confidence.

I chose to start by introducing them to SOAR through www.CPS.edu/library as they had no knowledge that CPS has so many wonderful tools at their fingertips.  I’ll save this discussion for another time.

The biggest problem I have at this time is I no longer have access to a charging cart.  I had to become innovative as most of us teachers do.  The picture displayed is what I came up with.  I will try to rectify this problem later but at this time it is more important to get Taylor School children using the technology, specifically the Chromebooks.

Partners in Technology, Juan Fernandez-Saines, Librarian, Pickard Elementary School

The excitement had been building up for many weeks.  Whenever they had a chance to, Pickard school students would ask the librarian, Mr. Fernandez, “When are the Chromebooks going to come?” In anticipation, and to prepare them for their arrival the students watched two short videos that introduced the use of the Chromebooks.  Once the devices arrived, the students eagerly explored all the capabilities of the 19 newly acquired machines.

After the dust had settled---so to speak, some students began to ask, “What more can we do?”  When the students learned that Pickard had begun a new initiative to inform parents about the CPS Parent Portal, they asked the librarian to consider making a Student Tech Club.  But this tech club would be different from others.  This tech club would be one where students would share with the school community their newly acquired knowledge.  

On November 6, seven, upper class students willingly volunteer to form this group.  On this date, with the counseling of the librarian and some of their classroom teachers, the students diligently trained on how to use the Parent Portal so that they would in turn teach the parents.  On November 12, during the Parent and Teacher Conference, the students taught over 40 parents how to create an account and use the parent portal.  Each student was assigned to one of 9 Chromebook stations. The students were so patient and welcoming to each of the parents that came.  The students sat with each parent and explained the steps in both English and Spanish.

All of the parents that came expressed great gratitude in receiving such direct help.  One parent commented, “My son attends a high school, and in that high school parents have never received this kind of help like here at Pickard Elementary School.”  The students felt very proud of their work.

Saving to Google Drive, Lindsey Mangurten, Librarian, Lincoln Park High School

I am working with the Honors US History team to create documentaries with chromebooks and ipads for Chicago Metro History Fair. I have done this project for four years but have never used either of these tools to create the documentary. The students will be researching on the chromebooks and finding their images to create the documentary. Once they have compiled all of the photos they will be creating the documentary using the ipads and imovie.

So far I have been in the preparation stages. I am working on an instruction guide for how to save images using the chromebooks and ipads. I have found when using google images and the students right click the image it takes them to the website. I have been instructing the students to click VIEW IMAGE on the right hand side of the picture to open the picture file and not the web file. Once they have the image isolated they can save the image.

This is where things got interesting. My initial thought was so save the image to the chromebook desktop and upload the file into google drive. I was worried this was an unnecessary step and reached out to my fellow grant winners for better suggestions. Eric Currie suggested I add the app Google Drive Extension. This led to me researching and found the google app “Save to Google Drive”.

I was able to install it onto my account and it works great. Now a student can search the image, isolate the image, click ALT right click and save directly to google drive. The only downside I see here is the images will not be directly saved to the folder like they would have been if they were uploaded. I plan on having the kids move the images at the end of each day into the proper folder to help them stay organized. Step one of the project should go smoothly and Step two is taking the images from google drive and populating them into the ipad camera roll so imovie can access all of the pictures.

Troubleshooting

When the students were installing the save to google drive app there were a few complications. I few students did not click the add button and the accept button and the google drive app didn’t install properly. For those students I found the most helpful thing was to uninstall the app restart and reinstall. Once I figured out that step it went a lot smoother. I had about 2 students in each class who had to troubleshoot.

Getting Started with Chromebooks, Nicole Guevara, Librarian, Washington High School

The George Washington High School library received 19 Chromebooks and they were ready to use ten minutes later. After they were connected to the wireless network, they were numbered, and ready to go. It was really that easy! I quickly decided how I would start using them in the library and began the process.

Washington recently made a huge investment in technology including 90 Chromebooks available for classroom use after teachers complete an agreement form. Teachers have seized the opportunity to bring their lessons to life by utilizing Schoology, podcasts, video creation, and various online programs. More and more students are now being asked to review materials online on their own time coming into the classroom already prepared. Because of the REVITAL grant, the GW library is able to better support this initiative.

The GW library houses 19 Chromebooks that students are able to checkout before and after school as well as during their lunch periods. This guarantees that everyone has equal access to the resources they need to learn while equalizing the classroom. Everyone gets to work at their own pace. Student feedback shows that they enjoy being treated like college students in this way especially since post-secondary education is our mission and goal for every student.

In addition to supporting classroom efforts, the GW Library Council has also begun to use the library Chromebooks. This team of students creates and implements library programming from book displays to evening events for the school community. Students recently used Google Drawing to create flyers for our upcoming Holiday Film Festival. I first created a folder consisting of 5 Google Drawing files. I created an example with the all the information they needed to know to be able to complete their own. The other four Google Drawings were each titled with a specific student’s name. I shared it with all of them so that when they finished I would already own them and easily be able to make copies to display. So far Chromebooks for educational use has been a smooth and exciting process.