Printing from Chromebooks

Printing is now working from the chromebooks.  The directions are easier to show than to tell so please follow this link for the instructions.

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Student Research Tips for Chromebook

The 1:1 chromebook program here at WHS has created new tools and opportunities for students to do research.  Whether you are working on a research paper for English class or just curious about a topic you can put your chromebook to work for you to make sure you find the credible, reliable information you need.

Is the site credible?

It is more important than ever for students to be able to determine if a website they are on is giving credible, reliable information.  Check the following characteristics of a credible, reliable website:
– Check the URL extension.  Most urls can be purchased by individuals.
.com usually indicates a website that has a product in mind.
.org indicates a nonprofit organization.  These can be good sources of information                   but be aware of the organization’s agenda.
 .gov or .edu are reserved for government or education purposes and are almost                        always considered credible, reliable sources.
– Author, date, and sources.  Credible websites generally list the name of the author, the     date the research was conducted, and sources where the author obtained their
information.
– Poor site design, grammar, spelling.  Be aware of websites that don’t have a professionally designed site or one where grammar and spelling errors are evident.

Dive into the research.

One way to make sure you are always using credible websites is to use a starting point that is designed for doing research.  There are many databases and resources for this purpose.  Here are two we recommend:

Google Scholar:   Google Scholar works just like the Google search engine but instead of searching all websites it only searches scholarly articles, journals, books, periodicals, etc.  Scholar allows you to sort results by date so you can be sure you are receiving current information.  Another great feature is My Library which will allow you to store search results to access later.  Be sure to also check out the My Scholar button that can be installed to your chrome browser.

Infohio:  Infohio is a digital library full of free resources for Ohio public school students.  There are a lot of databases targeted directly towards doing research.  From the homepage click on the grades 9-12 high school link.  Look through the different databases and find one that suits your needs.  If you are not sure where to start we recommend Ebscohost.  It is one of the most comprehensive databases you can find anywhere.

Apps and Extensions for Research.

Chromebooks allow students to install apps and extensions to make research even more effective.  These apps can be found at the Chrome Web Store.

Docs Research Mode – One feature that is already in your drive is research mode.  When you have a doc opened click on tools -> research.  This will open a small google toolbar on the right hand side for you to do research without even leaving Google Docs.  You can even use it for Google Scholar.  Another great tip when using docs is to try out suggestion mode for doing peer reviews.

Diigo – “Bookmark, Archive, Screenshot & Markup – All-In-One Web Collector, must-have research tool”…  Diigo is a research organizer that will allow you to highlight, annotate, and store your work as you go along.

Evernote – Evernote is a popular note-taking and organization tool that be used across multiple devices.  This means you can take notes from your phone while riding the bus and then add to them from your chromebook at home.  You really just have to try out Evernote to decide if it is right for you.

Super Simple Highlighter  – What research experience would be complete without highlighters.  Keep it simple with this straight forward extension.

Finally a quick note about working offline.  There is app called Pocket that allows you to save websites and offline mode in Google Docs makes it so that you can work on your papers while not on wifi.  Learn more here.

Happy researching – give us feedback on what worked for you or other chromebook-friendly research tips you find.

CTS Basics: Progress Book

CTS Basics: Progress Book

It is important to be able to use ProgressBook to keep track of your grades and assignments here at WHS.

To Access Progress Book:

Visit www.wilmingtoncityschools.com and click on student -> Progressbook Student.  Then choose the Wilmington City Schools icon.  If you have set up an account in the past go to A below, otherwise go to B.

A. If you know you have an account but have forgotten your username or password click the forgot your username or password link.  This will email you your username or password.  If you can no longer access the email you used to setup progressbook email steven.reed@wilmington.k12.oh.us and in the subject line type ‘progressbook login help’.

B. If you have never had an account before, first check your email for a message from Don Sutton with the subject “Progress Book Student Reg Key”  

Next visit www.wilmingtoncityschools.com and click on student -> Progressbook Student.  Then choose the Wilmington City Schools icon.  From here you will choose sign up.

Fill in the account information on the Sign Up  screen, entering the  Student Registration Key  from the attachment in the email; your legal first and last name and date of birth.  Make sure you use your school email to register and 00+studentid for your password.

If you do not have an email from Don Sutton with the registration key, email steven.reed@wilmington.k12.oh.us and put ‘need PB key’ in subject line.  Again, this is only if you have never registered a Progress Book account.

 

Social Media for Students and Teachers

Social networking sites are a great way to stay connected based on a particular set of needs or interests.

Check out this list of the top social networking tools for students and teachers.

Social Networks

Tech Tips – Staying Organized in Google Drive

Now that we are using Google Drive and Classroom more and more here at the high school it is important for you to come up with a way that helps you keep your Google Drive organized.

 

Remember, you can SEARCH your drive by typing in key words in the search box at the top.  Keep this in mind when naming your files.

Here are some tips to help you stay organized:

–  Name everything  Make sure there is nothing named untitled in your drive.  If there is, right click on it and choose rename. The first action you should take when creating a document is to name it.

–  Naming Convention  Use a naming convention when naming a file.  A naming convention is a system that will help you organize and retrieve files.  A suggestion might be to use the date and teacher name in front of the file name.  For example 101215_reed_research.  This will help you locate the file later when you search by either file name, date, or teacher.

– Folders and Colors  Use folders and colors to keep your file organized.  Create a folder or color system for each class.  Experiment with the different ways you can change the layout of your files in Google Drive by clicking the List View and Sort Options buttons.  Keep a Junk Drawer or Miscellaneous folder to keep files that are temporary or just need a place to live.

All About the Books

Technology is a huge part of the library but we are still all about the books.  Here are some important details to remember when checking out books here at WHS:

You can have 2 books at a time, 4 if they are for a class.

Books are due after 2 weeks.  There is a 1 week grace period after which you will receive overdue notices in your 5th period class.

Literacy Library books can be out for up to 6 weeks.  These are books that English teachers assign for use in their class.

Remember – your books are due whether you get a notice or not.