Books

Let’s have some fun with Winter Magnetic Poetry with Google Slides!   Winter is coming! Well, at least for some of you. Things are still pretty warm here in Texas! This is the third installment of magnetic poetry templates that I have shared. The first one was Collaborative Magnetic Poetry with Google Drawings. The second one was the Halloween version: Halloween Magnetic Poetry with Google Drawings. I had a lot fun creating these, but even more fun when I see them used! I love seeing pictures of these being used in the classroom. It warms my heart in the cold,Continue Reading

The Hour of Code is coming! Are you ready? This post and podcast episode will give you everything you need to get ready to participate in the Hour of Code and Computer Science Education Week in 2022 (Dec. 5-11). In case you haven’t been paying attention, computer science skills are vastly becoming some of the most in-demand skills of the twenty-first century. In fact, some call it a new “superpower.” But we have a big problem. There more computer science jobs than the U.S. can fill with qualified candidates. Computer Science has become part of every industry. Technology is everywhereContinue Reading

Voice Typing in Google Docs is a Game-Changer! As a former ELA teacher, I am naturally drawn to technology that supports reading and writing. Google Docs is fully-loaded with some features that can save us time in and out of the classroom, and oftentimes can even save us a little heartache when it comes to supporting students. One tiny little feature that packs an amazing punch is Voice Typing in Google Docs. [ctt template=”1″ link=”4Q2fT” via=”yes” ]7 Reasons You Need to Try Voice Typing in Google Docs[/ctt] Listen to this article. 7 Reasons You Need to Try Voice Typing inContinue Reading

Help Students Get Organized, Track Progress, Take Notes, and more with Google Keep! Google Keep is a robust Googlr tool that can help teachers and students create and share notes, lists, and reminders. There are so many possibilities that I decided to put together this post and infographic with ideas for how Google Keep can be used in the classroom: 15 Ways for Students to Use Google Keep! Using Google Keep in the Classroom I love to think of all of the possibilities that Google Keep creates for the classroom. Google Keep is part of Google Workspace for Education andContinue Reading

Google just made some HUGE announcements about your favorite Google products, including Google Classroom and officially renaming G Suite as Google Workspace for Education. I’m breaking it all down so you understand what’s coming, and how it affects you and your students. During “Learning with Google,” a free online learning event for educators, Google shared a lot of updates to our favorite Google products. We have updates to Google Classroom, Google Meet, Chromebooks, and even Google Forms! Some of these updates are here, and many are coming later in 2021. Details are in the podcast and the blog post below.Continue Reading

Google Keep is a fantastic and robust tool for teachers and students. In this blog post and podcast episode, I will share 25+ awesome ways to use Google Keep! Find out how to use this tool for notes, labeling, annotation, speech to text, feedback, and more! If you have never experienced the wonder that is Google Keep, go to keep.google.com to check it out. Google Keep automatically syncs with your Google account and is a part of G Suite for Education. Let’s dig in to all the features! And grab your FREE Bonus: The Google Keep Cheat Sheet! [ctt template=”1″Continue Reading

Ready to rock the school year with some Google Classroom tips? Today, I am sharing 10 Google Classroom tips you didn’t know! In this blog post and podcast episode, you will learn insider Google Classroom tips that most teachers don’t know, as well as, a closer look at important Google Classroom updates to help you make the most of this robust tool! Google Classroom is a must-have tool for any teacher who uses G Suite with their students. If you are new to Google Classroom, it’s best to think of this tool as an assignment manager and communication hub forContinue Reading

Google Classroom + Meaningful Feedback = Winning Combination! In this post, we will explore ways to give meaningful feedback in Google Classroom. Feedback is an essential piece of the learning process that often gets overlooked or watered down. As teachers, it can be difficult to find ways to not only give feedback to every student, but to make it meaningful to students and something that is actionable. Susan M. Brookhart, author of How to Give Effective Feedback to Your Students, says, “Good feedback contains information a student can use. That means, first, that the student has to be able toContinue Reading

The Hour of Code is coming! Are you ready? Here’s your Beginner’s Guide to the Hour of Code! (This post was originally published on Edsurge.com.) In case you haven’t been paying attention, computer science skills are vastly becoming some of the most in-demand skills of the twenty-first century. In fact, some call it a new “superpower.” But there’s a problem. There are approximately 587,000 computing jobs nationwide, which is growing at 2x the national average, but only about 38,000 computer science students graduated into the workforce this year. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by the year 2020,Continue Reading

5 Augmented and Virtual Reality Creation Tools for Students This guest post was written by Brian and Jennifer Cauthers. Inside this post are 5 augmented and virtual reality creation tools for students! Imagine holding the solar system in your hand and being able to walk around the planets. Would that have helped you to develop a true feel for what you were learning? What if you could bring any content to life for your students and view it as if you were part of that world? Now imagine your students creating a virtual world for others to experience in orderContinue Reading

Gone App Fishing! Finding the Best iOS Apps for Your Classroom! The App Store is NOT the best place to find apps for your classroom. The best way to find apps is to connect and learn from other teachers using apps in their classroom. There are many sites that curate and review apps just for teachers. Check out my list of websites, databases, app lists and more in the post below. Let’s go App Fishing and find some great apps for the classroom! I have also included a list of hashtags, as well as a fantastic list of educators toContinue Reading

Google Apps for iOS The following is a list of Google Apps for iOS (from Google, Inc.). This list is exhaustive and includes several apps that are not on the infographic Guide to Google Apps for the iPad. Some of these have natural classroom integration, and some are more for personal or business use. Some are optimized for both iPad and iPhone, some are only optimized for iPhone. Each app title is linked directly to the App Store so you can click directly from your device to download each app. Updated 5/31/17 Productivity Apps Google  Gmail Inbox by Gmail Google CalendarContinue Reading

Google Expeditions Goes AR! Whaattt??!! Google Expeditions is super cool and allows us to take our students on virtual treks across the globe. But Google Expeditions is about to get a whole lot better! Google Expeditions with Augmented Reality is coming in the Fall of 2017. We don’t know a lot yet, but I got so excited I had to blog about it. Here’s what I have learned so far from the Google Expeditions AR web page and the Google I/O announcement. “Expeditions AR uses Google’s Tango technology to map the physical classroom and placed 3D objects. Students can walkContinue Reading

Google Apps for the iPad and iOS The following is a list of Google Apps for iOS (from Google, Inc.). This list is exhaustive and includes several apps that are not on the infographic Guide to Google Apps for the iPad. Some of these have natural classroom integration, and some are more for personal or business use. Some are optimized for both iPad and iPhone, some are only optimized for iPhone. Each app title is linked directly to the App Store so you can click directly from your device to download each app. [Tweet “The Complete List of Google Apps forContinue Reading

Communication Skills are a Building Block Communication is one of the most essential twenty-first-century skills, but teaching these skills is not an easy task for teachers. Communication is a building block. Cultivating a culture of communication in the classroom creates a foundation for building the other, ‘C’s:’ collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. But what does this look like in the classroom? How do we cultivate these skills in our students? A few weeks ago, I was given an advanced copy of Lisa Johnson’s new book, Cultivating Communication in the Classroom: Future-Ready Skills for Secondary Students. You may know Lisa as TechChef4U,Continue Reading

The Best Google Cardboard and Google Expeditions Resources for Teachers! I’ve been curating everything I can find to help teachers learn about Google Expeditions and Google Cardboard, and I have created the Ultimate Google Cardboard and Expeditions Resource Guide for Teachers. I am not an expert on virtual reality or Google Cardboard and Expeditions, but I am a connected educator and I have found some amazing resources to help you learn more about these amazing tools. This guide contains the basics, how to get started, resources for buying devices and headsets, as well as troubleshooting help, YouTube tutorials, blog posts,Continue Reading

Using G Suite in the Primary Grades, Yes They Can! In this episode, Matt and I interview Christine Pinto, a Kindergarten teacher, who shares how she uses Google with her littles. Christine explains how she uses G Suite, including Google Classroom in Kinder. She also shares an awesome lesson plan for models and equations that can be used at several grade levels! There are great tips in this episode for any grade level. We also have some Google news and updates and some other great resources to share. You can play the first episode using the player below, or subscribeContinue Reading

Episode 2: Make Their Learning Go Viral with Karly Moura In this episode, you will hear from an inspiring teacher, Karly Moura. Karly shares her Google “spark,” her favorite tricks, and not one but TWO LESSON PLANS!!! We also have some Google news and updates to share, and some great resources from our blogs. You can play the first episode using the player below, or subscribe on iOS, Android, Stitcher or RSS. Show Notes and additional resources and links are below. Download Episode [Tweet “Listen to Episode 2 of the Google Teacher Tribe Podcast with @KarlyMoura! #gttribe #googleedu #edtech”] SubscribeContinue Reading

Virtual Reality in the Classroom – Part 2 *This post is sponsored by Samsung. All thoughts and opinions are my own.* Virtual Reality has the power to transform the future of learning. By giving students an interactive, three-dimensional learning environment, we have the potential to reach learners in ways previously never conceived. For a closer look at the future of virtual reality in education, dive into this article from the Samsung Insights blog: Immersive Virtual Reality: The Next Frontier in Education. The article explores the growth of virtual reality and the implications in both K-12 and higher education. Imagine forContinue Reading

Bring Google Expeditions and Virtual Reality into Your Classroom – Part 1 *This post is sponsored by Samsung. All thoughts and opinions are my own.* You’ve heard the hype, but are you ready to bring virtual reality or VR to your classroom? Getting started with Google Expeditions and virtual reality can sound complicated, so I’ve decided to break it down for you in this article. Let’s cover the basics so that you can prepare to bring virtual reality into your classroom. This post is part one is a new series to help you learn more about virtual reality and how toContinue Reading

Google Launches Keyword Blog for All Things Google With all of the updates and announcements from Google over the past few weeks, you may have missed this gem. Google has a launched a brand new blog, Keyword; that aggregates the blog feeds from all of their other products and services. Here you will find everything from Android to Translate, and including my favorite: Education! Google says the “Keyword is designed to grow and change as we do, so as we introduce new products and technologies they can find a home here.” [Tweet “Keeping Up with Google: The One Blog to RuleContinue Reading

Last week, Google announced a new name and new branding for our beloved Google Apps: G Suite. This rebranding is also true for our educational suite of applications, now G Suite for Education, as well as the rest of the world using what was formerly known as Google Apps for Work. The core suite of applications did not change, just the name and branding so far. But we also received a few updates over the last few days that are worth mentioning. [Tweet “Google Apps is Now G Suite | And Other Google Updates You Should Know”] Notable Updates to GContinue Reading

(UPDATED on September 7, 2016) Going back to school is hard enough! Why not make the most of what Google Chrome has to offer and get you and your students ready for school with the best apps, extensions, tips, and tricks? I like to think of Google Chrome as the learning environment for all things Google! Like I’ve said before Google works best with Google! With Chrome, you can customize your learning environment to fit your needs and interests. Better yet, customize the learning environment to fit the needs of ALL learners! I have put together the Back to SchoolContinue Reading

TES Teach with Blendspace is the perfect platform for creating interactive lessons to engage your students and share via Google Classroom. This easy-to-use application allows you to create a blended lesson, presentation or project quickly and easily. Oh, and a big bonus: not only does TES Teach integrate with Google Classroom, but it also connects to your Google account and allows you to blend all of your favorite Google apps into one lesson. And guess what? It’s all FREE! [Tweet “Create Interactive Lessons for Google Classroom with @TES_Teach!”] What is TES Teach with Blendspace? The TES Teach with Blendspace platformContinue Reading

My Favorite Things and Recommended Resources! I get a lot of questions about the resources I use, and recommendations for certain tasks. So I thought it would be helpful to create a recommended resource page for educators with all of my favorite things: my favorite web tools, gadgets, books and more. * The links in this post are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase after clicking on them, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the free resources on Shake Up Learning! [Tweet “Shake Up Learning’s favorite resources for blogging, branding andContinue Reading

Google Cheat Sheets for Teachers and Students in one, convenient, PDF eBook! The Google Cheat Sheets eBook More than 32 pages of cheat sheets, tips and more! 8 Cheat Sheets in one eBook! This ebook includes 8 Google Cheat Sheets for Teachers and Students! Each cheat sheet is filled with tips, tricks, and how-to information to take your Google Apps skills to the next level. Learn more about what Google Apps has to offer you and your students and become a more productive user. [Tweet “Get the FREE Google Cheat Sheets eBook! #gafe #googleedu #edtech”] Includes: Google Drive Cheat SheetContinue Reading

[Tweet “16 Things for Teachers to Try in 2016! #edtech #gafe #googleedu”] [Tweet “16 Things for Teachers to Try in 2016! #edtech #gafe #googleedu”] What are your goals for 2016? There are so many new and exciting things to try both in and out of the classroom. So I put together a list of 16 Things for Teachers to Try in 2016 to help inspire educators to try something new this year. What will you try? What would you add to this list? Please add to the comments below. Google Cardboard: This year you will see both virtual and augmentedContinue Reading

Swivl Swivl is a robotic mobile accessory that works with your mobile device or camera to record videos. The Swivl tilts and rotates to follow the presenter as he or she moves around the classroom, recording wireless video and audio with its Cloud and Capture app. Swivl then automatically uploads these recordings to its highly secure network, Swivl Cloud. Swivl is particularly great for teachers and students. This of what this fantastic device can do for the flipped classroom, for reflection, for presentations, and more! [Tweet “Shake Up Learning with a Swivl Robot! @goswivl #edtech #edchat #elearning”] Swivl uses: EncourageContinue Reading

Google Spotlight Stories Explore interactive stories that take students into a fully 360-degree immersive environment that doesn’t require a special VR viewfinder. These stories are viewable on both iOS and Android devices, and coming soon to YouTube! This app is something you really have to see to believe! Install the app on your phone (iOS or Android), and choose a story to download. (Yes, requires a download inside the app.) The story will then “play,” but you can move your device in all directions to see an entire 360-degree view. These award-winning are very engaging, and some are gorgeous animations, andContinue Reading

2 New Google Apps for iOS Released! Over the last few weeks, Google has released two new Google apps for iOS: Google Photos and Google Cardboard. Yes! Google Cardboard for iOS has finally arrived! I have updated my complete list of ALL Google apps for iOS (now 52 apps!), which can be found here. Below is a bit of information about these two new, fabulous apps for iPad and iPhone. Google Cardboard Why You Should Use It: Easily transform a smartphone into a virtual reality device. Inexpensive Transport students into a new learning environment Get Cardboard or Build it Yourself!Continue Reading

I was so honored to be a presenter this weekend for the Google Edu On Air conference for educators! It was so exciting to participate in this conference as a learner and as a presenter. I was happy to see friends from Texas, across the U.S. and Canada, participate, and it was a thrill to have participants from Iceland, Brazil and Australia! If you missed out on participating in the live conference, no worries, you can watch all of the presentation On Demand! The session below was part of the Google Edu On Air online conference for educators across the globeContinue Reading

As I have mentioned before, we have come a long way with using Google Apps on the iPad! There have been a lot of updates to the Google Drive app over the last year, and you may have missed some handy features. Below are a few tricks to help you make the most of using Google Drive on the iPad. This article will show you how to manage multiple accounts, passcode protect Google Drive, and how to upload from other Google Drive accounts, camera roll, iCloud, Dropbox and more! Manage Multiple Accounts Do you have more than one Google account? IContinue Reading

An Updated Infographic Guide to Google Apps for the iPad (31 Apps)!!! There are now tons of apps for iOS devices that integrate well with Google, and Google has released several official apps for the iPad. There is hope, Obi Wan, Google and Apple can play nice!The infographic embedded below details the most useful Google apps for the iPad. These are the apps that I find most useful not only for teachers, but any Google user. Take a look, download, and explore the wonderful possibilities of using Google Apps on the iPad! The online, interactive version embedded below includes links directlyContinue Reading

 The Top 20 Shake Up Learning Blog Posts of 2014! As Shake Up Learning approaches it’s one year anniversary, I thought it would be great to look back at the most popular posts of 2014. No surprise that the Google Cheat Sheets were particularly popular. For a full list of all the Google Cheat Sheets and Guides, click here. (Look for more cheat sheets in January!) Check out the list below to see what you may have missed. I can’t wait to see what 2015 will bring to the world of educational technology! The Top 20 Blogs Posts of 2014:Continue Reading

 Have some fun this Halloween with these FREE iPad Apps! This post is a little late, but I wanted to share something fun today. Check out my avatar, she became a vampire with the help of Picmonkey.Below are 5 iPad/iPhone apps to keep you the kiddos entertained today. They are all FREE! HAPPY HALLOWEEN from Shake Up Learning! Halloween Card Creator Create spooky fun Halloween cards and share them with your friends.Use Halloween Card Creator on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch to design amazing cards with just a few swipes of your fingers.The unique thing about Halloween Card Creator isContinue Reading

Google and Apple CAN PLAY NICE! Google and Apple are two very different ecosystems. Both provide great technology and digital tools for use inside the classroom and beyond. When these two worlds collide, they offer a powerful toolbox for educators giving you the best of both worlds. When iPads were first introduced, they did not play nicely with Google Apps. We have come a long way, and the two CAN play nicely with each other if you know a few tricks! Here are five tips for using Google Apps on the iPad. 1. Google works best with Google. Go figure!Continue Reading

An Infographic Guide to Google Apps for the iPad Update! This post has been updated and can be found here: Google Apps for the iPad. Using Google Apps on the iPad can get sticky! Historically, Google and the iPad have not played well together. But we have come a long way in the last couple years! There are now tons of apps for iOS devices that integrate well with Google, and Google has release several official apps for the iPad. There is hope, Obi Wan, Google and Apple can play nice!The infographic embedded below details the most useful Google appsContinue Reading

Easily Transfer Photos and Videos From Your iPad to Your Computer! SimpleTransfer is a must have an app for iOS users, and especially for teachers with shared iPads! With all of the wonderful apps we have available on iOS devices these days, it can be cumbersome to find ways to get photos and videos from the iPad to a computer. Not to mention, storage space is always an issue. Depending on your apps, and your settings, you may find yourself emailing files to yourself from your iOS device. STOP! There is a better way! With Simple Transfer, you can viewContinue Reading

6 Fun and FREE Avatar Creators for the iPad! In preparations for my session at iPadpalooza next week, “Gamifying the iClassroom,” I have been researching avatar creators for the iPad. There are so many to choose from! Of course, some are purely creators, and some games allow you to create an avatar within the app. For the purposes of this post, these are purely avatar creators. I couldn’t fit all of my new avatars in the image to the left, but you can see I had a little bit of fun and so will you! See below for links to theContinue Reading