1. Think - Pair - Share

* THINK! --- Write down one of your favorite technology short cuts or timesavers -- a tip or "feature" you would be "lost" without
* PAIR! ... with a partner
* SHARE! ... with the group.

Highlights of shortcuts shared (multple shortcuts are not repeated):

4th hour

• Dragging files to the dock (use for daily work)
• Dragging the "@" icon for website shortcut on the dock -- great for IS3
• Click and hold on an item (folder) in the dock to browse it.
• Using keyboard commands instead of pull-down menus
• iCal reminders
• Good old "cut" and "paste"
• "Option + Command + Escape" to "Force Quit"
• AppleWorks slide shows for notes
• Mouse "right click" to Quit (Use the "ctrl" key to bring up "right click" menus)
• Internet bookmarks
• Dragging favorite website onto the location "tool bar"
• Autosave in AppleWorks

  5th hour...

• Keyboard shortcuts: "Command X" to cut, "Command P" to print, "Command =" to Spell check
• Keyboard shortcuts: "Command S" to save, "Command C" to copy, "Command V" to paste
• Taking screen shots: "Command + Shift + 4"
• Having the "House" on the dock for quick access to folders
• Printing all classes at once in Making the Grade (Reports for the teacher->Gradebooks->Add classes)
• Option + 8 = bullet point!
• Keyboard shortcuts for Spell check in email: "Command + Shift + colon"
• Location switching in the Apple menu
• Using the yellow button to shrink a window to dock
• Using the green button to resize window

  6th hour

• Ability to post grades online and communicate with parents using email
• Bookmarking my favorite web pages
• Using the laptop to work with other teachers to brainstorm assignment ideas
• Being able to obtain phone numbers for my students' parents in IS3
• The website: http://www.4teachers.org
• Using a "jump drive" to back up or share files (Note from Ranger Mom: these are also called Pen Drives, Key Drives, Disk on Key and USB Drives, among others. Current price at places like Office Max or Best Buy (with rebates) are approximately $20 for 128 MB -- that's like having 128 floppy disks!)
• MathType is great for equations, and the toolbar can be personalized
• Saving (Printing) files as PDF for email and web
• Using the "Click + Shift + Click"method for selecting and deleting multple emails at once

2. Helpful features on old favorites

The Ranger Advisor Team has compiled the following list of their "Top Tips" -- please contact any of the Ratpack members for more information:

• Email: Answer email "offline" and save as "Drafts" OR... click "Send" and Mail will send your messages the next time you connect
• Address Groups: Create address cards first, then after the cards are created, then create Groups and drag the cards to the desired Group.
• "Save as...": Use to create a "copy" of a document, keeping the original unchanged. Templates anyone?
• "Find/Change": You can find and change more than text! Find "tabs" or "returns" in a document and change to "spaces" -- this is great when cleaning up text copied from a webpage. (A "tab" character is "\t" and a "return" character is "\p").
• Stickies: In Applications -> Utilities. Stickies are screen "Post-it" notes which are helpful for keeping lists of "to do" items. In System Preferences you can add Stickies to your login items so that they startup when you login.
• Location! Location!: Check the Blue Apple menu for the proper "location" whenever you cannot connect.
• Dock: Adding and taking items out of Dock by dragging. (Not for backing up)
• Yellow Button = Minimize: Set up PowerPoint shows and webpages ahead of time and "shrink" them to your dock.
• Navigating: On the keyboard, "Command + Tab" moves between programs OR "Command ~" moves between windows within a program.
• Favorites: You can "add" folders to your Favorites while in the Finder from the "File" menu. Makes quick work of saving!
• AppleWorks Button Bar: Customize with your favorites!
• Screen Shots: Why? How? This was a Weekly Integration Topic (WIT) of 11-05-03

3. Administrivia from Ranger Mom:

Laptop General Use and Safety Tips

• Always plug the power adapter into the wall first and then the computer. AND, always disconnect power from the computer first and then from the wall.
• Do not leave the laptop in your car overnite during the winter months. Remember, the computer screen is liquid-filled and may freeze.
• If the computer is cold from being in the car for a short time, allow it to "warm" to room temperature before turning it on.
• If ANY LIQUID SPILLS INTO YOUR LAPTOP, disconnect the power and remove the battery IMMEDIATELY.
  (Be prepared: take a moment now to locate the battery release on the bottom of your computer). Computers with liquid spills should be brought to Ellen Shown in the Link Lab ASAP!
• UNLESS YOU HAVE A SPILL, DO NOT remove the battery.
  If you have "software keys" installed (for PowerPoint, Adobe Pagemill, Freeway, etc.), the keys will expire and need to be reinstalled.

  HOUSEKEEPING AND PREPARING FOR THE BREAK ...

• If you are not using your laptop over the holidays, please be sure to shut down the computer. It would be advisable to keep it plugged in (software keys may expire if the battery goes dead).
• The Ranger Advisor team will be in 1418 on Wednesday to help you back up files. PLEASE ARCHIVE FILES ONTO CDs WHENEVER POSSIBLE, as server space on "Adlai" is filling up.

Reminder:
Did you update your virus protection December 1st?

PowerRangers will meet again on January 30 during all lunch periods in room 1418

Have a great break!