Digital Editing for Pen Pals

Third grade students in Mrs. Rapp's classroom have been working on pen pal letters utilizing the features in Google Docs that allow for digital review, editing, and sharing. Students began by writing their rough draft of their pen pal letter in their writing journal. From there they Rainbow Edit their letter, and then they log into their Google accounts to begin writing their final draft. While they're working, they will email and correspond back and forth with their teacher if they have questions. When they are ready to conference with their teacher about their writing, they use Google's share function which allows the teacher and student to interact with each other directly on the document and easily make corrections and/or additions. Upon completion, students are printing their letters, adding colorful illustrations, and sending them off.

Both classrooms are are planning a Google Hangout so the kiddos can meet each other and continue to share their learning. They are really excited for that! 

Join Our G+ Community

As part of our Google initiative, we continue to explore how we can use Google products to create impact in the classroom. Teachers have been introduced to Google+ which is a social networking site that we use to create online communities centered around education. Teachers have joined our campus G+ Community to share educational research and best practice. We also have a G+ Community called MegaByte Mondays where we share and comment on new technology tools. There are also several district level communities that teachers participate in, professional development being the most prominent, where they can access resources and materials from trainings, ask follow up questions, begin conversations, etc. Google+ Communities have allowed us to create wonderfully collaborative online environments where teachers can share with teachers, both on campus and from around the district.

The Students are Going Google

Word is spreading like wildfire! We have Google accounts?! They have Google accounts?! Yes! The newest batch of students to explore their Google accounts were fourth graders in Mrs. Scott's and Mrs. Vidal's classrooms. Fourth graders focus on writing to a great extent so after the learned how to log in, they began learning about their Google Drive and all of its functionalities. They were surprised at how easy it was to get started, that they no longer have to "save" their documents, and how easy it was to share their work with their teacher. We can't wait to see their writing pieces.

Google Forms

Mrs. Ondrey, first grade teacher loves Google! She has found a way to utilized Google Forms to help streamline several processes and make her more efficient as a teacher. Recently, she used a Google Form to communicate with parents regarding materials for a Thanksgiving Break project. She is also using the Forms for running records in her guided reading groups.

Google Apps Accounts for Students

A very exciting initiative this year involves Google Apps accounts for students in grades two through five! Wow, that means Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and various other apps for 7 - 10 year olds! Yes! Mrs. Rapp's third graders were so excited to log in to their Gmail accounts for the first time. Students are learning the "art" of logging in and navigating their new world. The excitement was contagious and they thoroughly enjoyed sending their test emails to their teacher!

Your Teachers are Google Ninjas!

Several Voigt teachers attended the First Annual Round Rock ISD Google Ninja Academy on Saturday, November 1st. Mrs. Rapp, Mrs. Chen, and Mrs. Hester attended the all day event at Round Rock High School, exploring new and exciting uses for Google, honing their They came back excited and energized to begin using Google with their students.

Teachers Join a Circle

Voigt classroom teachers are joining Circles and Communities, further developing their Google knowledge. Google+ is enabling teachers to connect both locally at their own campus as well as across the entire district, joining teachers together in their knowledge and love of teaching. Teachers join other teachers' circles and invite others to join theirs with one click of the mouse. They discover new communities that support their interests both personally and professionally. Voigt teachers are Going Google!

Our Staff Has Gone Google

Teachers at Voigt Elementary have Gone Google! The transition began late last spring but this school year began with lots of excitement about the opportunities now available in the Google suite of apps. Teachers attended summer training on various aspects of the Google suite including Drive, Sites, and Calendar. We also have a Campus Leadership Team that comes together once a month to further extend their learning as well as explore more of the advanced capabilites. Going Google is Great!

Vikings Gone Google ~ The Amazing Race

As part of their beginning of the year staff development, teachers participated in a pseudo-Amazing Race style adventure as a way to learn a little bit more about Google Apps. Eight stations spread throughout the school, teachers had one hour to complete each task with their grade level team. At each station there was a 'virtual teacher' instructing them on how to complete the task. Challenges included creating groups in Contacts, adding campus and district calendars, and creating labels and applying filters, to name a few.