YouTube + Google Tools

YouTube can be such a daunting resource, especially for teachers. Often times I feel overwhelmed with the amount of videos available on YouTube and find myself nervous my students will see something inappropriate. My co-workers and I often have difficulties remembering which videos we used for a unit the previous year and find ourselves searching through e-mails trying to find a link. After spending some time researching YouTube, I found a couple of incredible resources that can help teachers more efficiently use YouTube to enhance their instruction.

Safeshare.tv is a free online resource to help the user safely watch and share YouTube videos without all of the ads and distractions. Simply copy and paste a YouTube video link into the SafeShare.tv website. You can even edit the start and stop position of the video. I always worry about all of the other videos my students will see when showing them a YouTube video. Using Safeshare.tv is a simple way to guarantee they will only see what they need to. This feature eliminates all the distractions and gives you peace of mind.

Check out this video tutorial about Safeshare.tv.

Collaborative YouTube Playlists allow the user to collaborate with others by adding to a shared playlist. In order to create a Collaborative Playlist the user must click on three lines and plus sign next to the share button. Once you click on the three lines and plus sign you can either add the video to the watch later list or create a new list. If you decide to create a public list, you can share the link with co-workers and they can also add to the same playlist. This could eliminate so many e-mails back and forth with YouTube links and keep important videos in one place.

Once you add the videos to the playlist to access the playlist, go back to the YouTube home page. On the left side, in the library column find your playlist. Once you click on your playlist you are able to change the order of the videos or find the link to share with others.

Once you find the playlist homepage, you can click on playlist settings and change the privacy settings or click on share and you'll find the link to share so you can collaborate with others.

When you click on share, this box pops up. Be sure to click on "Allow people with link to add videos." If this is not selected, people can only video the playlist. Now you can copy and paste the link and share with your co-workers.

Here is an example of the collaborative playlist about habitats I created. Below you'll find the embedded habitat video playlist from YouTube.

Next I am going to share my four favorite free Google Tools. These tools can greatly benefit and enhance instruction in the classroom.

Toontastic

This tool allows the user to create 3D videos using already designed backgrounds and characters. The application can easily be downloaded for free to an Apple or Android device. Once downloaded the user does not need a log in, they can simply start making a video by choosing from three already designed templates. This could be a pro or con when sharing devices. Students are able to name their videos so hopefully this would eliminate students messing with each other’s videos. The templates include a short story, classic story or science report. I love that each of the parts has a quick introduction with the definition of the part. This would be beneficial, especially for younger students. I think this tool would be very engaging for students. I gave it a 9 because I think it would be a great tool for older students, but I could see my 2nd graders having difficulty figuring out how to navigate the tool and it is difficult to move the characters and narrate the story. Toontastic could be used to create a story or presentation about many different topics. Halfway through the year we study famous historians. Students could learn about a story line surrounding their famous historian and put a 21st century spin the story using Toontastic. Students could also do book reports with a twist using Toontastic.

Below is a video with more information about Toontastic.

Chrome Music Lab

This tool allows the user to create over thirteen various sound experiments using tools. These tools allow students to explore music in creative ways. This tool is extremely unique and gives students the opportunity to manipulate music or compose using Song Maker. The only tricky part is you cannot save your work as you go, however you can share your work. When using Song Maker you can change various features such as the length, beats per bar, split beats into, scale, start on scale and range. I have never seen such an incredible tool with so many options and capabilities available to students for free. The Google Chrome Music Lab could be used in almost any subject. A teacher could study composers, the science behind sound or the history of music then ask students to create and compose their own music. Students could study the impact math has on music then create various music pieces.

Below is a video with more information about Song Maker.

Be Internet Awesome

Google and the Internet Keep Safe Coalition teamed up to create an interactive program with online games and lessons supporting safe use of the Internet. The five fundamental topics are practical and relevant to students in our 21st century classrooms. Interland is the fictional world where students put what they have learned into practice. I have a feeling Interland would captivate the students’ attention giving them an opportunity to reinforce their Internet safety skills. The five topics are Share with Care (Be Internet Smart), Don’t Fall for Fake (Be Internet Alert), Secure Your Secrets (Be Internet Strong), It’s Cool to Be Kind (Be Internet Kind) and When in Doubt, Talk It Out (Be Internet Brave). On the website teachers can also access posters to hang in the classroom, parent handouts, Google Slide presentations to use with the lessons and a quick link to share Interland to your Google Classroom account. This program could easily be a school wide initiative. I sent a link to the program to my principal because I think a school like mine would greatly benefit from a program like this. When introducing the iPads in my classroom this year I am going to go through a couple of the lessons such as Be Internet Smart, Be Internet Kind and Be Internet Brave. Students could then pay Interland during free time to reinforce what they know. We could then take the pledge including in the program together and I could discuss it with parents at our Meet the Teacher Night.

Below there's a promotional video from Google about Be Internet Awesome.

Google Treks

Google Treks allows the user to view various geographical regions with great detail. Students can view a list, graphics or a map of the various locations featured on Google Treks. Once you click on a place various photos, videos, links, street views and maps appear. No two Google Trek sites are exactly the same. My only reservation is there are not more Google Trek locations featured. I think with time and if this feature grows with popularity, more and more locations will be featured. Students could be assigned one of the geographical locations then be required to research and report back on the place. They could be asked to create their own Google Trek interactive page on a geographical place they are studying. It would also be beneficial to study various places featured on Google Treks when studying habitats.

Hopefully all of these awesome features of YouTube and Google Tools allow you to enhance instruction in your classroom this year!