Microsoft Tips, Tools, & Tricks Resource Page

Nifty 50: Microsoft Tips, Tools, and Tricks

Resource Materials:

In this section of the Resources Page you will find reference materials, tutorials and how-to information that will help you review or extend your knowledge from the presentation.

Session Padlet for Collaboration

Nifty Fifty Tips and Tools

Microsoft Educator Center

- Search for your topics of interest: learn tools, pedagogy, classroom implementation ideas and more.
- Free courses for teachers on a variety of topics (earn points!)
- Educators can earn points and badges for completed courses
- Educators can earn certifications for some of the topics
- TeachersFirst Review of Microsoft Educators Center
- View the OK2Ask Archive (virtual workshop) related to the Microsoft Educators Center.

BING

- Use this search engine to save time and your favorites
- Sign-in to access all of the features
- Save time by using the Hamburger menu
- Customize your homepage
- Share “This Day in History”
- Don’t miss the “Image of the Day”
- View the OK2Ask Archive (virtual workshop) to learn more about BING

BING Fun and Games

- Current Events Quiz
- Geography Quiz
- Home Page Quiz
- Puzzles

BING Images

- Teach about copyright
- Save collections
- Collect all of your saves
- Share the Image of the Day

BING Maps

- Find directions
- View current traffic
- View 3 types of maps
- Show students where a story in the news took place
- Show students the location from a novel
- Show students the basics of their community
- Have students create their own map route plans for historic sites
- Use in math class, have students plan the most economical route to visit several vacation destinations, include gas mileage and gas prices
- Use in history, have students create place-marker files of important places in the life of a famous person from a certain time in history, such as the Civil War, World War II, Great Depression, etc
  - Don’t forget to share or embed student-created maps using the links and embed codes provided

Microsoft Translator for Education

- Translate text in over SIXTY languages. Simply copy/paste or type your text and click translate.
- Have a conversation with someone in another language.
  - Currently available in thirteen languages.
  - Once you click to “start conversation” it will translate into the desired language AS YOU SPEAK. You say the words, and participants see the words in the language that they chose.
  - Tip – don’t forget EARBUDS!
  - Use with ESL/ELL students and their parents (perfect for conferences)
  - Use at Back to School night, so all can understand in their native language or through text if hearing impaired
  - Use this tool in world language classes for students to hear the correct pronunciation of the words
  - Use this tool with hearing-impaired students. You SAY the word and they can SEE it! They follow along in real-time! There is no interpreter necessary and students feel included in the discussion. Teach them to use this feature now, so they can use it in the future outside of the 4-walls of the classroom.
- Check out this blog post with lots of great ideas for using Microsoft Translator
- View the OK2Ask Archive (virtual workshop) to learn more about Microsoft Translator
- View this video of Microsoft Translator in action

Microsoft Immersive Reader

- Learn more at this introductory video
- Use with students who have visual needs or reading needs
- Personalize the playback speed, highlight text during audio reading, adjust text size, and spacing
- Click on any word to listen to the pronunciation
- Use to teach parts of speech.
- View words divided into syllables, use labels to color-code words by parts of speech, increase the spacing between lines and letters.
- View this up-to-date chart of learning tools for using Immersive Reading

SWAY

- Create simple interactive presentations that work across all devices
- Add text, images, videos, and more
- Change the color palette, layout, and fonts
- See the TeachersFirst Review for classroom ideas, anytime you need to have students create a presentation (such as a final project) – Sway is the Way!
- View the OK2Ask Archive (virtual workshop) to learn more about Sway.

MakeCode

- Introduce your kids to coding for FREE
- Virtual micro:bit available
- Topics include tutorials, games, fashion, music, videos, and more
- View the OK2Ask Archive (virtual workshop) to learn more about MakeCode
- Read the blog post related to MakeCode

Hacking STEM

- Free lesson plans by Microsoft
- Many require little or no technology
- View the OK2Ask Archive (virtual workshop) about Low-Tech STEM and Hacking STEM
- No-Tech STEM/STEAM Activities:
  - Wave Machine (applies engineering design process) – Grades 4-9
  - Comparing Speeds (applies engineering design process) – Grades 4-10
  - Slime – Grades K-12
  - Cloud in a Jar – Grades K-12 (depending on chosen activity)
  - Oil Spill – (applies engineering design process) – Grades 5-8
  - Coding a Lego Maze – (applies engineering design process) – Grades K-6
  - Building with Jelly Beans – (applies engineering design process) – Grades K-6
  - Shrinking Chip Bag and Crushing Soda – Teacher-led activity Grades K-12
  - Hurricane Mapping – Grades 6-12
  - Rubber Band Cars – (applies engineering design process) – Grades 5-8

OneNote

- Check out this video explaining how and why teachers should use OneNote
- OneNote is device agnostic, so available as an app or on the web browser
- Use OneNote to keep yourself organized
- Use OneNote to keep your STUDENTS organized
- Keep your notes, emails, photos, and more
- Use this for collaboration with students. All students can add their own thoughts – Great for group work!
- View the OK2Ask Archive (virtual workshop) to learn more about OneNote
- View this What is OneNote video
- View these OneNote tutorial videos
- Organize into folders and access from any device
- OneNote for Beginners (available as a course at the Microsoft Education Center)
- View this video to learn more about OneNote Class Notebook

FlipGrid

- FlipGrid allows your students to create video responses using ANY device
- Ask a question, and it is a great way for ALL students to participate – regardless of reading ability
- Give all students a voice. Even shy students can easily participate
- Use for formative assessment, an exit slip at the end of class, beginning of the year introductions, and more.
- FlipGrid has been acquired by Microsoft and now you can create UNLIMITED grids in your class, as an educator. ALL FREE!!!
- FlipGrid has over 10,000 READY TO LAUNCH topics for you to use!
- Find countless additional ideas in the TeachersFirst Review of FlipGrid
- View the OK2Ask Archive (virtual workshop) to learn more about FlipGrid

Tutorial Videos

In-the-Classroom:

Our In-the-Classroom section is where you will find ideas and examples on how to integrate the tools shared into classroom instruction.

TeachersFirst Reviews – Microsoft

TeachersFirst has a tagged list of all of our Microsoft tools and trainings