Be sure to check out this session through the Virtual METC Conference.  

Google Search Story

Adam Bellow began this session with sharing Google's Search Story.  He took the audience through the steps of how to create one.  He cautions that it can be somewhat difficult to find where to locate the tool, but you should be able to find it here: https://searchstories-intl.appspot.com/en-us/creator/

Simply add your search terms to the field and choose which type of search.  Lastly, add music and you are done!  Very neat tool.  Classroom connections: digital storytelling, record of citations, introduction to a novel

Google Art Project

http://www.googleartproject.com/

This is a tool that I have seen before but I was impressed that Ken Shelton highlighted some features that I missed.  Basically, the tool allows students to go on virtual fieldtrips to different museums.  High resolution images are taken from actual artwork in various museums.  You can zoom in so closely   The tool allows for zooming  and provides a button for more information.  What is really neat is that google allows for a space for students to collaborate!  It's a button located in the bottom right of the screen.  In the extra info section you can often find commentary, video clips, and reviewed information from the museum curators.

Classroom Connections: virtual fieldtrips (obviously), art history,  use an image as a story starter, inquiry project (what questions spark from looking at the paintings).  What other ideas teaching ideas do you have? 

Advanced Search

Rushton Hurely talked about advanced search and how it can save you loads of time.  If you've never seen Rushton present before, he is a riot!  Be sure to check him out in the METC archives.  By clicking on the gear in the top right corner of your google page, you can open advanced search which leads you to a plethora of ways to narrow searches. By using "file type" towards the bottom of the page you can search specifically for types of files (ppt. xls. .doc, etc)  What a great idea if you are searching for PowerPoints already created on topics!  Use the 'quick view" when you are within a search.  Files can open directly in Google Docs!   

YouTube video editor

Again, blown away by some of the tools in google!  So You Tube now has their own video editor.  It works very similar to a tool like iMovie or Movie Maker in the fact that you can add titles, effects, music, etc.  You can do this to movies that you can pull from creative commons or your own uploads.  http://www.youtube.com/editor  It is all web-based which allows for easy access on any computer.  

Classroom connections: How great would this be for video creation using mobile devices or flip cameras?  Simply upload to Youtube and forget worrying about file conversion.  YES!