Read, Write, Think & Investigate

Google is not a verb nor a library but can help you investigate,
find information, and now even collaborate online. Google Certified
Teachers will help you get set up with Google collaboration tools
and share simple tips to inspire investigation. Come away with
strategies that promote comprehension with digital text, a Google
Personalized Homepage and sample uses of Google Docs and
Spreadsheets for online collaboration.

The purpose of this workshop is to:

• gain technology skills to learn to use Google writing
  and search tools for educators
• learn how using Google tools in the curriculum meets
  a number of English language arts standards for reading
  and writing.
• explore and examine a sample poetry lesson,
  Race In Me, that integrates several technology
  resources that utilizes Google collaborative reading,
  investigation, and writing tools.
  Click here to view the entire poetry lesson for students.

Workshop Activities for Teachers

Pre-Workshop Activity

Things you can do before the workshop starts

1. Infinite Thinking Machine ...read, listen, watch and view the archived materials too.
2. Use your cell phone and text messaging to search.
Learn more about how to text Google for quick results.
3. Google for Educators is a website designed to support the classroom.

------------------------------------------

Activity 1- Overview Of The Digital Landscape and Education

Introduction to the new web collaboration tools and how they are
being used

1. Who are you? In today's digital landscape what group do you
identify with?
2. What is Web 2.0? How will these new tools change the way
we think about teaching and learning?
3. The bridge to 21st century learning What will students need to
know and be able to do to be 21st century literate?
4. Presentation slides for this workshop

Materials

------------------------------------------

Activity 2 - Get a Google personalized homepage and services

Get started using Google tools right now

1. Create a google account
2. Add tools. Learn to use Google Docs and Spreadsheets.

(Learn more: http://services.google.com/apps/resources/
overviews_breeze/DocsSpreadsheets/index.html)
3. Share your account name and get invited to Docs
4. Teams introduce yourselves in a shared document

Materials

------------------------------------------

Activity 3 - Hidden Treasures In A Box

Search the "killer" application

1. What treasures await you when you look into the Google
search box? Learn more by reading and practicing searching for answers to life's greatest questions.
2. Librarian Central is your blog source for official tips, news,
updates
3. Learn how to unlock the Google search box and discover
the hidden treasures. Tips can be found at Google Search - the Essentials
4. Reading digital text strategies for students. Making Sense of
Online Text by Julie Coiro. Published in Educational Leadership,
October 2005
5. Digital note taking

Materials

------------------------------------------

Activity 4 - Search The World with Google Earth

Explore the earth via satellite imagery and the unlimited potential
this application has for the classroom

1. Find your house and your school. Calculate the distance.
2. Google LitTrips is a project by Jerome Burg. Using Google Earth, students discover where in the world the greatest road trip stories of all time took place. Use this guide to make place markers for your Google earth.

Materials

------------------------------------------

Activity 5 - Final Reflections

------------------------------------------

Homework!

1. SketchUp - online 3D modeling
2. Blogger - online web writing
3. Google Calendar - get organized
4. Google Groups Beta - connect people and ideas
5. Google Video - search for visual content
6. Picasa - web based and/or desktop photo management
7. Google Librarian Central - stay up to date with Google