Tech. Tip Tuesday-Google Translate

Aloha, friends! I hope that you are all enjoying your summer break!!

I'm back today with another technology tip :) Today we are talking all about Google Translate.

Have you ever used Google Translate? If not, here are 5 great ways that it can be a tremendous help in your classroom!

Is there more than one language spoken in your class? Maybe the primary language for your class is English, but you also have non-English speakers or English Language Learners in  your classroom? Are you thrilled to have more diversity, but wonder how to handle the challenges it brings, and more importantly, how to best help those second language students? HELP, in the form of Google Translate, is only a finger click away!

Whether you're a classroom teacher, or just someone who enjoys traveling and learning other languages, Google Translate has many amazing features!

For teachers, some of the best features of Google Translate are:

1. Google Translate works both online and offline. If you're not online, or you're out and about, Google Translate has an app that's FREE in the iTunes store!
2. Google Translate has a Common Phrasebook option (for commonly used/translated words & phrases) and an audio pronunciation guide to make learning so much easier for your second language learners!
3. Need to send home a school-issued document like a notice, form or a class newsletter? The camera function on the Google Translate app will translate the printed documents, posters, & even street signs! If you're online, you can upload the entire document in the Google Translator Toolkit and it will instantly translate it for you, then it's ready to print in the target language!
4. The Google Translate app can even translate a handwritten note! (For example: a parent sends in a note to you in another language) #Amazing 
5. Do you often need to send home a personal note to parents who speak another language? Google Translate will instantly translate your text into the target language. (Over 90 languages are available!)

Whenever you have students in your class whose first language is not English (or differs from the primary language spoken in your class) it's essential to make sure that their parents feel connected to what's going on in your classroom. Here's an even better way to save 'teacher-time' with Google Translate: Teach a student (choose one who's always an early finisher), how to use Google Translate, then you can have them translate all the school documents/classwork that will go home to parents!

Another benefit of making the effort to communicate with parents whose first language is not English, (or the primary language of the class), is that it also reflects well on you during your yearly evaluation! You made the effort to keep those parents informed and feel welcomed! (Make sure you point out to your principal/administrators that you've been proactive in reaching out to parents in this way!)

You can also broaden your students' view of the world by establishing a global pen-pal program! Google Translate will make it EASY for your class to communicate with other children from around the world! Your students will love taking ownership of sending and receiving (& translating!) their global pen-pal emails! Think of the tangential learning that could come from this--geography lessons, government/history/culture lessons, are lessons, climate lessons, animals & their habitats--the possibilities for learning are endless! 

Here's a brief 'how-to' on Google Translate to get you started:

There are two ways to get to Google Translate, go to www.translate.Google.com , or you can go to the Goole Sign-in page (no sign-in needed) and...

1. Look for a small blue sign-in box in the top right corner. Next to it, you'll see a "waffle" looking icon with nine tiny boxes.
2. Click on the waffle and a separate window will open.
   
3. Look at the bottom of the set of icons and you'll see the button that says Translate, this opens up Google Translate. 
   
4. From there, a new window will open and you'll see two smaller text windows. 
5. The window on the left side is where you type in the text to be translated -- (or click 'upload' for a document) and you'll notice that it pops up automatically in the window on the right side. 
6. In the window on the right-hand side, simply click the box above it for the target language you need. 
   
7. Another awesome feature: There's a little speaker icon at the bottom of the text window, simply click on that speaker and the words in the target language will be spoken aloud to demonstrate the correct pronunciation!

Here is a link if you want to give it a try!

Do you know of other ways that Google Translate can be helpful in a classroom setting? If so, I'd love it if you took a moment to share your ideas in the comment section below!

Until next time,

Pinterest Approved Recipe Link-Up: June Edition

Good Morning!!  I'm back again with my friends Angelia, Tonya, and Nicole for another:

If you're new to this link up, the rules are easy! 

This month was the start of the Whole 30 for me. It actually isn't as bad as I had anticipated things to be. I definitely have a ton of cravings, but the further I get into this (I'm currently on day 12) the more the cravings diminish. I've been having to do a ton of food prep and cooking (with the help of my fabulous hubby) since I get tired of eating the same things quickly!! 

The thing about The Whole 30 though is that it isn't like a 'diet'. I think of it more as a cleanse to reset your body but cleaning it out of all things bad. The surprising, yet amazing thing about it is that the food actually tastes good delicious! I truly look forward to eating my prepped meals and nightly dinners....the best thing about it is that I have been eating more than normal and dropping weight all at the same time! 

All of my recipes today are Whole 30 approved! 

One of the best thing about the Whole 30 is that you can eat potatoes!! I love potatoes!!

photo and recipe via Sweet Little Bluebird

These potatoes are to die for!! I eat them for dinner AND for breakfast! 

Roasted Garlic Potatoes

Ina Garten Recipe- Slightly adapted

Ingredients:

1. 2 1/2 to 3 pounds of Yukon Gold Potatoes (you could really use any potato, but this is what we used). Cut into quarters.
2. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (we used quite a bit less because didn't want it too oily).
3. 5-6 garlic cloves, minced.
4. Black pepper, to taste
5. 1 tsp. Himalayan Sea Salt
6. 2 tsp. dry parsley flakes

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, toss potatoes in EVOO, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Be sure to coat potatoes evenly.
• Place potatoes on a cookie sheet in a single layer.
• Place on the middle rack of oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes, turning the potatoes two times while baking.  (cooking times will vary depending on oven)

And it's that simple!

Next up is the yummiest shrimp you'll have tasted! photo and recipe via From Cats to Cooking

This was recipe was SO SIMPLE yet so DELICIOUS! 

Roasted Garlic & Herb Shrimp

From Cats to Cooking Recipe

Ingredients:

1. 2 lbs shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail off.
2. 1.5 tsp paprika
3. 1.5 tsp Italian Seasoning
4. 4 cloves garlic, minced
5. 1.5 tsp dried basil
6. 1 tsp black pepper
7. 1 tbsp lime juice
8. 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
9. 1 tsp salt (I used Tabasco Salt for an added kick)
10. wooden skewers

Directions:

• Toss mixture with shrimp in a large bowl. Add about half of the seasoning to start, and keep adding until shrimp is coated to your liking. (I had quite a bit of seasoning left over)
• Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, soak skewers in water.
• Preheat grill to medium heat.
• Thread shrimp onto skewers and cook about 3 minutes on each side. 

That's it for today! I look forward to bringing you more yummy recipes on the 3rd Sunday of next month! If you'd like to check out my past Pinterest Approved Recipes you can find that here and here.

Please consider following me on Pinterest, I have tons of food boards, education boards, organization, and wedding boards! 

I hope you'll take the time today to share YOUR favorite Pinterest Approved Recipes :) 

An InLinkz Link-up

Organization Tips

Aloha Everyone! 

Today I'm here to talk about organization. I know that many of you are officially on  your summer break, but what better time than now to plan ahead!

When I get my classroom ready I want it to be a visually appealing space as well as an organized space. I try to set up organization systems over the summer that will help me to tame the clutter that happens throughout the day/week/months. When we're busy teaching, we do NOT have time to be tidying up our rooms. Heck! Sometimes I'm so exhausted after the day is done, I can't muster up the energy to even clean up. :/

In my classroom, I like to have everything labeled and organization systems in place where my students can easily help to tidy things up and/or know exactly where things belong. 

Here are a few of my favorite organization systems I use in my classroom. 

I LOVE these supply drawers. This cut down on the amount of random crayons, colored pencils and markers I would find on the floor everyday after school. It also cut down on the "I found this crayon but I don't know who it belongs to…what should I do with it?" questions. LOL

To the left is where I store all of my math centers. I have the drawers labeled by skill. When the students are done with the games- they know exactly where to return them. 

To the right is where I store all of my copies for the week. Towards the bottom is also where student reading logs, spelling contracts, boggle boards, and daily 5 checklists can be found. I usually just make a bunch of extra copies and students pick them up from the drawers. 

These drawers are used to store ALL of my task cards. I love how neat and uniformed it all looks…and that the cards are all neatly hidden away :) 

Thanks for stopping by today!