SDPC TechSavvy Bits & Bytes
December 2022
Tis the Season
December brings many holidays, feasts, and happenings. From National Cookie Cutter Day on the first to New Year's Eve, with Hanukkah, St. Nicholas Day, Winter Solstice, Christmas, and Kwanza in between... this month is busy. Remember to grab a cup of cocoa and relax when you can!
Be sure to look skyward on the night of Wednesday December 7th to see the Full Cold Moon. Then, for a chance to catch a glimpse of the Geminid meteors... the most active shower of the year... look up on December 13 after 9 P.M.
We hope that you'll find this early release of our monthly newsletter is a helpful resource for all of your instructional technology needs for this month! Our team is here to serve you and your students, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Wishing you all the very best of this season!
R.I.S.E Technology Challenge
Judging will take place on Wednesday, December 14th and prizes will be awarded on Thursday, December 15th.
Tech Time Lesson of the Month
Britton's Tech Time Focus
Nelson's December Tech Tool Focus
Are you new to SDPC? I would love to meet you and show you our great resources available. Please let me know how I can help you.
Streamable Learning- Virtual Field Trip
Check out Streamable Learning Virtual Field Trips for the month of December!
Upcoming Events:
- PK, K-2: Author Visit: "Reindeer: On the Move!" by Author Ginjer Clarke- Dec. 15, 2022 at 12:10 PM
- Gr. 3-6: Arizona Sonora Desert Museum presents Discover the Desert- Dec. 6, 2022 at 1:10 PM
- Gr. 4-7: Living Math Presents Math Brain Busters- Dec. 9, 2022 at 1:10PM
- Gr. 3-6: International Music Foundation presents Fifth Wave Collective- Dec. 13, 2022 at 1:10PM
Flip.com Virtual Field Trip: Mary Pope Osborne
Join Magic Tree House author Mary Pope Osborne for a 30th-anniversary celebration of her #1 bestselling series. Hear the life lessons she’s learned through writing about Jack and Annie’s adventures. Mary will answer student questions and inspire a love for reading in your young readers.
When: December 01, 2022 10:00 AM
Spotlight on Discovery Education
Hot off the presses…here is the Discovery Education December Newsletter
Monthly Calendar Activities:The Activity Calendars are LIVE. These ready-to-use activities will help teachers plan their lessons while providing engaging experiences for students. View the Activity Calendars (K-2, 3-5) or see all past calendars in the Activity Center.
Discovery Ed is now in Schoology
Teachers can now pull content from Discovery Ed into Schoology for students. Here is a quick video on how to do this. Please contact Kimber or Katie if you would like some training on using Discovery Ed.
Spotlight on Strategies-Gamification
1. Quizizz
If you haven't used Quizizz in a while, it might be worth a visit again. This online gaming tool has instructor-paced quizzes, student-paced quizzes, the ability to create lessons in a quiz format, millions of premade quizzes, game power-ups, leader board, and lots of new question types like drawing, audio, and video!
2. Quizlet Live
Quizlet takes information and converts it into flashcards, quizzes, and games so that users can study the same information in a variety of forms. Let's take it to the next level with Quizlet Live!!! Quizlet Live is a collaborative way to bring quizzes to the classroom. Teams work together to find the term that matches the definition. Students have to communicate and work together to answer each question!
3. Flippity
Flippity takes a Google Spreadsheet into a set of online flashcards, games, and other cool things. Check out an easy way to create breakout room locks, bingo, jeopardy games, connect four, and more!
4. Game Show Templates
Credit: Ditch that Textbook
We share TechSavvy Teacher Tips to communicate important updates, new features, and/or information about troubleshooting regularly used tech tools. You can find links to our most recent TST below along with the link to the TechSavvy Tips Index where we house all the tips, troubleshooting, and training presentations. To receive TST as they are shared, join our Schoology TechSavvy group by using the Group Access code of TX5TP-CWQSM. You do not need to be tech savvy to join!
LANSCHOOL UPDATE FOR GRADES 3-5
Teachers in grades 3-5 (updated 11/7/22) and 6-12, there has been an update to LanSchool! You will now access LanSchool Air through Launchpad. Your classes should be automatically rostered. This new update includes easier navigation and the ability to transfer classes easily. Read this TeachSavvy Tip to learn more about using Lanschool Air. Reach out to Kimber or Katie if you need any additional support! Teachers in K-2, you will continue to use LanSchool Classic on your desktop.
Grades 3-12 teachers without classes scheduled in PowerSchool should continue using LanSchool classic.
Bits & Bytes Quiz Time(Prizes Awarded)
Meet Our Team
Katie Britton
This is my 9th year in education. My background is in Special Education- Multicategorical and Elementary Education. I most recently taught in a 2nd Grade classroom and taught virtual school. I am excited to be a member of the Pickens family and have loved meeting so many wonderful educators. I am passionate about combining strong instructional practices with collaborative technology tools. Please feel free to reach out if you need assistance with tech, want to introduce a new tool to students, or want support planning technology integration into your lessons.
Email: katiebritton@pickens.k12.sc.us
Phone: 864-397-1121
Twitter: @KatieBrittonITC
Kimber Nelson
I have been in education for 26 years. For the past 4 years, I have been in this current role. I love working with our SDPC staff and students in helping them with any and all instructional technology needs. Please feel free to reach out to me if you need assistance in any way. I look forward to hearing from you.
Email: kimbernelson@pickens.k12.sc.us
Phone: 864-397-1108
Twitter: @knelsonteach
Jessica Preisig
Assistant Superintendent for Technology Services
This is my 19th year in public education and 6th year here in SDPC. After ten amazing years teaching 6th graders Math and Science, I served as an Instructional Technology Coach for K-12 teachers in ASD1. In that role, I discovered a passion for working with adults to make magic happen in the classroom. My journey led me to RC Edwards Middle to serve as Assistant Principal among the most amazing faculty and staff. Though I miss my #RCEfamily, hugs, high fives, and Spirit Week, I'm very excited to be a part of the magic-making team here at AITS.
Email: jessicapreisig@pickens.k12.sc.us
Phone: 864-397-1104
Twitter: @PreisigJessica