6 Ways Your Child's Chromebook Might Surprise You

Many of your children have been responsibly transporting their Chromebooks back and forth to school... and on this snowy day I am expecting that they are getting some use! Here is a list of six things you might not know about your child's chromebook.

1. It has video chat capabilities. In the world of Google, this is called Hangouts. It works in the same way that Facetime or Skype do. While this is not a function I have worked with students on individually, I know that many of them have figured out how it works... They are so savvy! Whether or not, when, how and with whom you would like your child to use this feature is an important conversation for you to have together. It's also another great reason to monitor your child's computer use closely. Even if your child does not initiate a Hangout, someone else might "call" them. In second grade, student permissions are restricted to students and faculty within WWPS. This means they could not have a Hangout with someone who does not have a WWPS email address.
2. Your child can access everything he accesses on his Chromebook at school, from your personal computer at home. If this sounds like something you'd like to take advantage of, simply download Google Chrome as a browser. Your child will sign in with his school email credentials. Email addresses are usually set up like this: jsmith-25@wwpsstudents.com. 25 represents the child's year of anticipated graduation. Passwords are abc*****. The 5 digits following abc are your child's lunch number. Kids know these well!
3. RAZ-kids is available all the time! Whether your child is going to sign in from her Chromebook or your home computer, there is a library of leveled digital books just waiting for her. At RAZ-kids, students can read books, listen to books, take quizzes and even record their own reading.  I can see students use history and their progress. Students' Chromebooks are usually logged into their RAZkids account already, but if not (or if you're on another device) - the teacher username is sulliteaches, and the students use their lunch numbers to log in.
4. Xtra Math is a great fact fluency tool that kids enjoy using. Most students are logged in on their Chromebooks already, but if not (or from another device) the teacher email is asullivan@westwarwickpublicschools.com and the password is printed on a sticker in your child's homework folder.
5. Our classroom website is a great resource for kids to visit. From there they can find links to lessons, songs, videos and links we've shared in class and also connect with other teachers. Miss Levick, our music teacher, makes our chorus songs available this way for us to practice.
6. Multiple users can log into and use a Chromebook. Once your child is logged out, simply click on Add a User and enter the credentials of another gmail account. If you've been thinking about taking an online class or creating a digital resume, but your unreliable home computer has been getting in the way- this may be just the answer!