Taking notes from an article in a google doc

If you decide not to email an article you also can copy and paste an article into a Google document. This can allow you are students to use a highlighter and comment feature. This can be an additional way to take notes, practice study techniques and note taking- students can share articles they are looking at and their comments can be what use to be “note cards”

Using this highlighter technique can be a great way to demonstrate, use and check for understanding for learning strategies like selective highlighting. By doing this in a document, students have the option to do multiple colors in their highlighting. For example they can do big topic in once color and supporting details in a second or third color.  

Additionally, instead of handing in current event article in print as an email attachment they can copy and paste and have it all in the shared google doc and write their summary at the top. You also could ask them to high light important information from the article that would help them write their summary. The teacher can then use the comment feature when grading.

I copied and pasted an article in from EBSCO. I have highlighted information and added a comment to demonstrate this. This type of document could also be shared with students from teachers. Teachers could add comments about pictures or additional items in an article that could help supplement a lecture or activity.

Emailing articles to google apps email

After learning about Google Apps during our all day professional development, I thought it would be helpful to remind everyone that you can email many articles that you read to an email account. Now that all students 6-12 will have an email account, this is a great way for them to have access to articles that they are using for research. It is a great way for them to have access to them regardless if they print it off or send it as an email.

If you are able to email through the resource there will be an icon. Typically this is on the top of the screen or at the top or bottom of the article. For many of the databases, this simply involves clicking on the icon or the link. This will bring students to a screen asking them to type in the email address, subject and message. Some of the databases will have additional options with regards to how you send it and the format in which you send it.

Living Green Digital Library

This resoruce is also available through AEA http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/ under the "Resource and Research tools." What is it: This resource, also like the Early People and Inventions and Inventors is also available through Worldbook providing basic encyclopedia information on “Living Green.” It includes how climate change is affecting different areas and how people can better use things in the environment. Additionally there is information on choice people can make in what they choose to buy to use renewable resources and leave less of a carbon footprint.
Areas that are included: consumable goods, durable goods, forests and wetlands, green buildings, green transportation, mountains, deserts, and grasslands, oceans, islands, and polar regions, pollution, and producing and obtaining food.
Other features include- interactive features, activities, lesson plans, videos and animations, glossary, index, and dictionary.
Also like the other World book sites you can toggle between them. There are also links for other related articles.

Early People's Digital Library

This resoruce is also available through AEA http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/ under the "Resource and Research tools."What it is: This is about ancient and early civilizations. This is great for Social Studies classes. Some of the civilizantions that are included are: African (Ghana, Mali, and Songhai), Ancient Egyptians, Ancient Greek, Ancient Romans, Australian Aborigionies, Aztecs, Chinesse (Shang, Zhou, and Quin Dynasisty), Inca, Indians of Notrh America (Eastern, Northwest, Southwest, and Great Plains), The Maori, Maya, Artic, and Polynesians. There are activities, websites, articles, videos and more related to each of the main topics. Like the invetions and discoveries digital library this is also through world book. You can toggle between the different parts of world book so even if you go to a World book Student article you can then go to a worldbook advanced article (high school level). Worldbook also has a dictionary, additional websites and videos that can be searched.

If you click on one of the main topics in the Center, you then get a list of smaller articles related to the topic (i.e. food, clothing, traditions, women, farming, traditions, rise and fall of the civilizations). Many of the articles include pictures.

Inventions and Discoveries Digital Library

How to get there: Go to Heartland’s website http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/ and under “Resource and Research Tools” select the Inventions and Discoveries Digital Library. This is sponsored through Worldbook. You will need to log in using the AEA username and password.

What is it: On the home page you can search by general topics. You can click on these broad topics and then you will be provided with narrower topics that you can search from. The articles that come up are generally come up are short and broad. However, at the bottom of the page, additional articles in Worldbook student are already linked. Since you have signed in once, you don’t have to sign in again. You also can toggle between (go between) all of the Worldbook pages at the bottom or the top of the page. So even if you go to a World book Student article you can then go to a worldbook advanced article (high school level). Worldbook also has a dictionary, additional websites and videos that can be searched.

General Topics that are listed: Agriculture, Architecture and Engineering, The Arts, Astronomy, Communication, Economics, Industry and Manufacturing, Mathematics, Medicine, Personal and Household Items, Transportation, and Warfare.
Other Digital Libraries - Early Peoples and Living Green - look for more on these later.
Did you know…. That you can triple click on any word in a Worldbook or Worldbook related article and look up a word you do not know. Encourage students to do this for words that they do not know.