Tag Archives: office 365 online

Create WordArt Online

online wordart maker

Kids love creating WordArt! So we were quite disappointed when we discovered that Office Word and PowerPoint 365 Online had no feature allowing us to make WordArt for our projects. What to do?

A quick search using the term free online wordart maker yielded results. Try it or use Cool Text, one of our favorites.

Cool Text is a great site that students can use to make fun graphic words and phrases. They can format the text with a creative variety of choices such as font, color (including gradients and outline colors), size, shadow, alignment, and output file format. Or they can keep it as simple as typing in the text and clicking “Create”.
free wordart maker

Here’s how in 5 easy steps:

  1. Type cooltext.com in your web browser.

  2. Click on a style you like.
    Note: If you pick an animated font, it will not be animated in Office 365 Online.

  3. Follow the directions to pick options such as size, color, and shadow. The choices will vary depending on the style you pick. Look at the sample at the top to see your results.

  4. When finished, click Create Logo. Right click on the WordArt and click Copy.

  5. Now you can open your Word 365 Online document or your PowerPoint 365 Online presentation in a new tab, right click, and choose Paste.

Print Speaker Notes with PowerPoint 365 Online

In a previous post, I reflected on the importance of teaching effective public speaking strategies. In preparation for presenting a slide show project, we need to coach students with guidelines and tips on how to give a presentation that will engage the audience. TechnoPresenter is a TechnoKids project that specifically focuses on teaching presentation skills. Teach students how to include speaker notes as a valuable aid when presenting.

As slides are created for a PowerPoint presentation, notes should be added in the pane below the slide. These notes can include additional information that does not appear on the slides and anecdotes to spark audience interest. Presenters are cautioned not to read from their notes, but rather to use them as a cue.

Using PowerPoint 365 Online presents some challenges to print the speaker notes.

Use Option 1 if you have access to a full desktop version of PowerPoint.
Use Option 2 if you only have the Office 365 Online version of PowerPoint.

Option 1: Print Speaker Notes using PowerPoint

You can only use this option if you have the full desktop version of PowerPoint.

  1. Use email to send the file to a person who has the full version of PowerPoint:
    • Open the presentation in PowerPoint Online.
    • Click Share.
    • Enter the email and a brief message.

      • print speaker notes

    • Click Share.

  2. Open the presentation on a computer with the full version of PowerPoint:

    • Open the presentation in OneDrive. Click Edit Presentation and choose Edit in PowerPoint.
      OR With the presentation open in PowerPoint Online, click Open in PowerPoint.
      OR Click on the file received by email.

  3. From the File tab, click Print.

  4. Click the Full Page Slides option.

  5. Select Notes Pages.

    6. print speaker notes
    print speaker notes

  6. Click Print to send the file to the printer.

Option 2 Print Notes from the Browser

If you only have PowerPoint 365 Online you will print each slide of the slide show separately. You may have to make adjustments until all notes are visible, depending on which browser you are using.
Note: Printing from the browser only allows about 3 lines of notes. You may have to shorten your notes to make them fit or you can put all the sentences in one paragraph.

  1. Open the presentation in PowerPoint Online.
  2. Open the first slide that has notes. Make sure Notes is selected in the View tab.
  3. Locate the Print option in your browser.
    TIP: In Internet Explorer or Edge, Print may be in Settings or Tools. In Google Chrome it may be in Customize and Control Google Chrome.
  4. Pick Print Preview.
  5. Look carefully at the preview to see if you can read all of the notes easily.
    If not, change orientation and scale.
  6. Click Print. Repeat to print the last slide.

print speaker notes

Reflection Questions for Biography Projects

biography reflection questions

Biographies do more than inform readers about a remarkable life. These true life stories explain the contributions of a notable person. A study of a hero or famous figure provides advice and insight for life lessons. Biographies can offer motivation and inspiration as the reader makes connections to their own experiences. Reflection after reading or writing a biography provides further learning. History becomes more meaningful and relevant. As students consider the positive contributions of a successful life as well as the struggles, mistakes, failures and character flaws, they can find things in common with their own lives.

Biographies and You: Reflection Questions

After a biography study, students pick a question, discuss their insights with their peers, and write a short response.
reflection questions for biographies

  1. How does the person inspire you to act?
  2. How does the life of this person make you believe your dreams can come true?
  3. What hope for the future does this person give to you?
  4. What character trait does the person possess that you wished you had? Why?
  5. What was the person’s secret to success? How can you apply this secret to your own life?
  6. What can you do today as a direct result of the person’s contributions?
  7. What emotions does this person make you feel?
  8. How does their life story help you to understand a different viewpoint?
  9. What change has happened in the way you think as a result of reading the biography?
  10. What experiences did the person have that are similar to your own life?
  11. What character traits do you share with the person?
  12. What fact did you find most interesting about the person? Why?
  13. Who do you know that is similar to the person? How are they the same?
  14. What do you think would be different today if the person had not lived?
  15. What celebrity should play the person in a movie? Why?
  16. What does this person’s life tell you about the time in which they lived?
  17. Why would you recommend this biography to another reader?
  18. If you could talk to the person, what question would you ask?
  19. Would you like to be the person? Why or why not?
  20. Would you like to be the son or daughter of the person? Why or why not?

TechnoBiography is a project-based technology project reflection questionsin which students are guided through online research about a notable figure, write a personal history organized with headings, list contributions with a graphic organizer, and create a table showcasing artifacts. The completed Ebook is shared in Google Apps or Office 365 Online.

Research Sources – Know the Difference

research sourcesResearch projects are an integral component of curriculum. Students select an area of inquiry and then they explore to investigate the topic. As educators, we focus on helping students to develop competent research strategies and prepare them for success. Students should recognize authentic, trustworthy sources. They should also be aware of the different types of resources: primary, secondary, and tertiary sources of information. And, searching these sources in a logical order promotes a systematic, proficient, and comprehensive understanding.

In TechnoBiography, students are guided through the research process. They begin by looking at sample biographies, then brainstorm, complete a planning organizer, and finally investigate all three different types of sources of online data – primary, secondary, and tertiary – in a structured order.

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources

Primary Sources
Primary sources of information are original artifacts, documents, research sourcesrecordings, or other sources of information about a topic. They offer first hand, original evidence. For students studying a biography, here are some examples of primary sources:

What did the person say or write?

  • speech or transcript
  • journal article
  • diary entry
  • letter or email
  • notebook
  • postcard
  • interview
  • personal blog
  • telegram
  • autobiography
  • social media post by person
  • video testimonial
 What documents relate to life events?

  • birth certificate
  • marriage license
  • school report card or diploma
  • contract or agreement
  • membership card
  • act or treaty
  • warrant
  • passport or citizenship certificate
  • driver’s license
  • property deed
  • baptism certificate
  • will
What did the person make?

  • book or poem
  • artwork
  • song sheet
  • play
  • manuscript
  • invention
  • architecture
 What did the person do?

  • photograph
  • video footage of live event
  • audio recording of live event
  • newspaper article of live event
  • eyewitness account of live event
  • medieval tapestry
  • experiment results
What awards of recognition were given?

  • trophy or plaque
  • medal or prize
  • certificate of recognition
 What items did the person own?

  • vehicle
  • clothing or jewelry
  • instrument

Primary Source Tips:

  1. Timing Matters: A primary source is created at the time of the event or shortly after.
  2. No Judgement: A primary source is raw data and has not been interpreted by someone else.
  3. Verify Authenticity: Check the source of the artifact. It should be posted by a reliable source such as a museum, reputable organization, or official fan club.
  4. Copy of Original: A primary source is often one-of-a-kind or rare. Since there is a limited number, the artifact can be the actual item, digital copy, or exact replica.

Secondary Sources
Secondary sources of information research sourcesare created after an event has occurred or by someone who did not experience or participate in the event first-hand. In the case of a biography, the information was written or recorded by someone else about the person. Secondary sources often include opinions about the event or person so they have value in analyzing its importance or significance.

  • biography
  • newspaper editorial
  • magazine story
  • movie of historical event
  • documentary
  • review
  • non-fiction book
  • expert commentary
  • social media post by others
  • fan website
Secondary Source Tips:

  1. Find Trustworthy Sources: Use secondary sources from universities, government agencies, historical societies, organizations, museums, biography TV networks, or official fan pages. Avoid sources where the author or creator is unknown.
  2. Consider the Perspective: The creator has a purpose for making the secondary source. These reasons may cause them to hide facts, distort events, or draw false conclusions. Look for sources that are objective and unbiased.
  3. Check References: A secondary source will often list books, websites, or other sources of information. Use them to research.

Tertiary Sources
Tertiary sources of information offer broad research sourcesintroductory overviews of a topic gathered from a variety of sources. They have usually been contributed to by a number of authors and reviewed to ensure accuracy. Examples are encyclopedias or dictionaries. Like secondary sources, they may contain an interpretation or evaluation in addition to facts.

Order is Important in Research

When conducting a research project, knowing the different types of sources of information is essential. But the resources should be used in a logical order too. Start with a basic outline, then move on to find out the importance of the topic, and finally explore the original evidence:

  1. Begin with tertiary sources to get a general summary from a variety of sources.
  2. Search secondary sources to gain a deeper understanding and discover other viewpoints and perspectives on the topic.
  3. Then examine primary sources to view first-hand, original artifacts or evidence. Study the raw data to draw your own conclusions.