2024 Year in Review - A Collection of Resources to Explore and Reflect on the Year

 

Two of my favorite moments each year are when Spotify releases my "Wrapped" and Google releases the "Year in Search". I love both because they encourage me to think about where I've been and look ahead to what's next. 

Today, I am sharing one of my yearly passion projects. Starting in mid-December, I will explore and share resources to wrap up the year. When we return from Winter Break, I typically connect some of the best reflection resources to student activities. Reflecting on where we've been is important, so I always welcome back my students to the New Year with several activities connected to the events, stories, and trends from the previous year.

Past years have taught me that these resources are posted from December through the middle of January, so I will update this post as I discover more. 

Please bookmark this page to come back and see updates to this list.

Student Engagement Using Interactive Features in Google Documents

Enhancing Engagement with Google Doc Features 

This document explores Google Docs features for creating interactive student activities. These features can enhance the design and support student and staff engagement in any Document. This document includes brief tutorials and resources connected to various interactive features in Google Documents.

Educator Coloring Books - Get Creative, Practice Mindfulness, & Release Stress

 

Today I was reflecting on the past school year and somehow it led me to explore some ideas to reduce stress for the upcoming school year. This led me to the amazing world of adult coloring.

Adult coloring offers a surprising range of benefits, both for mental health and well-being. Here are some of the key advantages:

• Stress and Anxiety Relief
• Improved Focus and Concentration
• Enhanced Relaxation and Mindfulness
• Better Sleep
• Creative Expression
• Mindfulness 

Today I wanted to share some amazing coloring books for educators. 

Exploring AI with Google Arts and Culture Projects and Experiments

Google Arts & Culture uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create interactive and engaging experiences for students. For example, students can use "Art Selfie 2" to see themselves placed within famous artworks, or "Poem Postcards" to generate AI-written poems inspired by art pieces. This lets them creatively explore art. Features like "Art Remix" challenge them to imagine how artworks could be different, sparking their critical thinking skills. AI: More than Human features stories and videos that explore the evolving relationships between humans and technology.

Artificial Intelligence in Education - A Collection of Professional Development Resources

Education is constantly evolving, and artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to play a significant role in shaping the future classroom. From personalizing learning experiences to automating administrative tasks, AI offers a wealth of potential benefits for both teachers and students. This curated collection of professional development resources empowers educators to explore the possibilities of AI in education. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to dive deeper, these materials can help equip you with the knowledge and tools to leverage AI effectively with your students. 

Amazing Chrome "New Tab" Extension - Google Arts and Culture

The standard new tab page in Chrome has some great customization features, but did you know you can make your new tab experience even more amazing with a "New Tab" extension? 

Today I wanted to share one of my favorite "New Tab" extensions. The Google Arts & Culture Extension replaces the default new tab screen with a masterpiece from the Arts and Culture digital collection.

Fun, Inspirational, & Motivational Classroom Music

 

I recently discovered this post on the We Are Teachers page, 85 Awesome Songs for Your End-of-Year Playlist and I was inspired to create my own using some of the recommended songs as my foundation.

Fun, Inspirational, & Motivational Classroom Music YouTube Playlist

It's a work in progress, so please let me know if you have any additional suggestions in the comments below. Have a great day my friends! 

TimeGuessr - Guess the Place and the Year From a Single Historic Image

If you've followed this blog you know we are big fans of brain breaks and using images to inspire curious critical thinking. Today, I want to share a site that could be used in a variety of ways connected to curiosity and critical thinking.

TimeGuessr - the game that tests both your geography and history knowledge. Guess the right time and location of a historical photo.

The best way to learn more about it is to try it out. What do you think? How did you do?

If you are looking for something similar be sure to check out Geoguessr and City Guesser.