Digital Notes: Teacher Appreciation Week Edition

This Friday’s Digital Notes topic is all about you— Teachers! As Teacher Appreciation Week flew by.., you could follow or go check out two twitter hashtags, #thankateacher and #teacherappreciationweek  for lots of positive messages!

Google is also thanking teachers with new features in Google Classroom app.

Teachers can now:

• Create, edit and delete assignments on the go using the Google Classroom app for iOS
• View, grade and return students’ completed assignments
• Exchange comments privately with students about their work to provide constructive criticism and other helpful feedback.
• Read More 

For some free Professional Development, Google Education on Air is hosting an online event that is actually happening as we speak -live all today and tomorrow. Check it out if you get a chance.
Teachers can also earn PDPs for watching- Here's how!

Apple has a list of apps that are discounted by 50%. So, Blake is going to #thankateacher by taking advantage of the sale and purchase the Book Creator App for all teachers and students! You’ll be able to create your own digital books on the iPad. Stay tuned for more info. *If you already have the app, please reply to this email.

Nearpod is also celebrating teachers by offering 10 lessons free for downloading. 

Making Connections: It’s a First!

This coming Monday, a few of our 6th grade students are participating in a Google Hangout discussion with 6th graders from Wellesley Middle School. They’ll talk and share their thoughts about learning with the iPad in the first year! We’re going to try to broadcast it as a live event which also enables us to record it to watch later. Blake teachers, you'll probably receive an email on Monday with a link to watch it.  Scheduled for Monday, May 11 @11:45-12:06 (during 6th grade advisory)- tune in if you have a chance!

Technovation Team Update

Last Friday, our two Technovation Teams, Appily Ever After and Totally Apptastic competed in the final Pitch Night at the Microsoft NERD Center. Each team had to presubmit a Pitch video, Demo video, Business Plan, Logo, and screenshots and code of their app Prototype. Six teams were selected by judges to pitch and two more teams were voted in by the audience.  As they announced the teams… both of ours were thrilled to be the two voted in— meaning they had to give their business pitch in front of 200+ people. While they did not win the event itself, our teams placed in the top 9 of 40 MS/HS Teams! We left feeling truly proud of the teamwork, determination and enthusiasm that went into the app development over a course of 3 months! Thanks to those who followed and cheered us on! And…every girl on the team asked if we can do it again next year.

** Breaking News:  Yesterday Technovation announced its Semi- Finalist! OpportuniTEENS was selected in the Middle School US/Canada Division! I believe they move to the Finalist round to select the team who will compete in San Francisco on the Global Stage! This means there is another round of judging to select 6 HS teams and 4 MS teams to head to San Francisco for the World Pitch Event where 1 HS and 1 MS team will win $10k!