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April 3, 2025

AI Explained Using Ice Cream John Spencer

1. Sign in and stow your phones out of sight. Log into a Chromebook and complete the WYAW activities.
   
   
2. Getting Google-y: So far we've used Google: Sites, Drive, Slides, and Gmail. Here are a few more to consider:
   
   
• Google Lab/Experiments
  • Google Doodles: https://www.google.com/doodles
  • Mr. Doob: http://mrdoob.com/projects/chromeexperiments/ball-pool/ (reminds me of thisissand) what about this one for classroom management or to interpret music? https://bouncyballs.org/
  • Prefer bouncing cats? https://cat-bounce.com/
  • Google Experiments (https://experiments.withgoogle.com/)
    • https://experiments.withgoogle.com/collection/chrome
    • https://experiments.withgoogle.com/collections
      
      
3. Chrome Extensions: To continue our exploration of web 2.0 tools related to collections or suites of tools, let's look at tools you can embed in your Chrome browser. These are helper apps that you can add directly into your browser. Check some of these out by installing them into your Chrome browser. You must install the two required and one other that you choose and pin them to your browser bar.
   
   
   1. Go to the Chrome Web Store and search through the options. Find one you like.
   2. Click on the link to the extension
   3. Click the blue "Add to Chrome" button and then again the "Add extension"
   4. Manage your extensions using the icon in the top right corner
      
   5. Find your extension and choose to pin it so you can access from your browser bar
      
      
   • INSTALL: Grammar & Spell Checker: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/ai-grammar-checker-paraph/oldceeleldhonbafppcapldpdifcinji
     
     
   • INSTALL: Customize your YouTube viewing experience for your student with https://unhook.app/ (Choose Chrome option)
     
     
   • OPTIONAL: Speechify - to have text read aloud on Google Docs, Webpages, etc. Check out the voices including Snoop Dogg (requires free sign in to work)
     https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/speechify-text-to-speech/ljflmlehinmoeknoonhibbjpldiijjmm
     
     
   • OPTIONAL: Screencastify - screen recorder (Dr. Perkins' fav)
     https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/screencastify-screen-vide/mmeijimgabbpbgpdklnllpncmdofkcpn
     
     
   • OPTIONAL: One Click Extensions Manager
     https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/one-click-extensions-mana/pbgjpgbpljobkekbhnnmlikbbfhbhmem
     
     
   • Find other Extensions at: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions or use the tiny rainbow icon in the top left of your browser bar
     
     
4. Google Classroom. Used by millions of students and classrooms across the world:
   • In 2024, the number of users was over 150 million, mostly students but some businesses are using Classroom as well
   • In 2020, Google Classroom became available in 10 additional languages
   • It's estimated that Classroom users doubled in 2019-2020 during the pandemic
   • In January 2022, Google Classroom recorded its largest-ever number of monthly downloads, at over 600,000 downloads in just one month
   • Source: https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/)
     
     
   • Here are some other information sources about Google Classroom:
     • What is Google Classroom? An overview
       https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/teachers-essential-guide-to-google-classroom
     • How Google Conquered the Classroom: The Googlification of Schools Worldwide
       https://research.com/education/how-google-conquered-the-classroom
     • 16 Interesting Google Classroom Stats
       https://thrivemyway.com/google-classroom-stats/
       
       
5. Let's join a Google Class:
• You'll go to the waffle menu and find Google Classroom. Then click + to add our class with the code:
  
  s7u67bcp
  
  
• We'll do some activities you might want to try in your own (Google) Classroom.
  
  
6. We'll do the NearPod activity together as a class with you as students. NOTE: Students can also use teacher created NearPods on an individual, self-paced basis. Your WYAW on Tuesday will be to explore and find your own Nearpods for your classroom.