Adding The MM Events Calendar to Your Microsoft Exchange Calendar

1. Open your Microsoft Exchange (please note you can not do this through mail.groton.k12.ct.us, you can only do this in Microsoft Exchange).

2. Find the calendar icon on the left side and click it.  

3. If you do not have "The MM Events" calendar, your screen will look something like this...

4. Click on OPEN CALENDAR - it will be in the middle of your screen.

5. Click on OPEN SHARED CALENDAR.  A box will open in the middle of the screen.  Type in "The MM Events."  Click OK.

6. The MM Events calendar will then open.

 

7. Your calendar is still there under the Calendar tab.  If you click on the arrow pointing right, it will put the calendars side by side....

8. Here's what it looks like after you click the arrow. 

Let me know if you need help with this, it only takes a minute or so to do.  If you are support staff and everything posted to the calendar says 'busy,' put in a SchoolDude request asking to change your permission so that you may see the MM Events calendar.

Google Custom Search

Good afternoon,

        Would you like to be able to have kids search for things online, but are afraid of what sites might pop-up?  Try Google Custom Search.  Here’s how it works…

1. Click on the link: https://cse.google.com/cse/.
2. Click on CREATE A CUSTOM SEARCH ENGINE.
3. Visit sites that you know are safe that your kids could use to search for information. Copy and paste the URL into the boxes on the Google Custom Search page.  You can add as many sites as you like.
4. Give your Custom search a name, then save it.
5. You can email the link to your Custom Search Engine or add a link to your webpage that goes to the browser.
6. Students can then go to your Search Engine and search whatever they like (or whatever you assign them).  When they type in a word and click enter, the search engine will pull up information only from the sites you listed in your search engine.  
• (For example, on mine I put PBS Kids, Brainpop Jr, Starfall, Kids Nat Geo).  Click this link to see the one I created for my class.  I have mine posted on my Students Links page.  You are welcome to use it (obviously the sites I choose might work best for K-2.  We are learning all about plants and animals and students will be able to search for information on their own.

• To edit your search engine  
• Click on the 9 blocks.
• Click on MORE.
• Click on EVEN MORE FROM GOOGLE.
• Scrolled down to Specialized Search.  Click on Custom Search.  You will then see a list of all search engines you created.

        A classmate from my grad class shared this with the class.  We were reading different studies about new technologies, new literacies, and new literacy skills.   Some ideas from the studies…

1. Students need experience and instruction exploring digital literacy and using electronic devices.

2. Traditional comprehension skills are not enough to help readers read online texts.  (Interestingly in one article, stronger readers did worse online because they didn’t have experience using web resources, while weaker students did better because they used the computer a lot for gaming and finding information at home).   

       If you are interested in reading the studies, let me know and I can share them with you.  If you would like help with the Custom Search, let me know as well!