New MacBook Air Operating System Adds New Features

In October 2023 Apple released the latest version of the Mac operating system, macOS Sonoma (version 14). Sonoma offers several new features that will make the user experience on your district-assigned MacBook Air even better. Of course we all love new features, but more importantly, with every new version of an operating system comes new security enhancements. 

Our systems and our Tech Support Team will help you update your computer to the latest version of all operating systems so our district's devices are up-to-date, and old operating systems, which may not contain the latest security enhancements, are phased out.

To upgrade your computer to macOS Sonoma, we've created a How-To article that provides step-by-step instructions on the upgrade process. Click here to view the article:

Upgrade to macOS Sonoma Using the Software Update Tool

The upgrade could take 30–45 minutes to install so please make sure you give yourself enough time to complete the install.

Once you've completed the upgrade, we recommend checking out the links below to get some information on some of the new features in Sonoma, as well as how to enable or disable the ones you want or don't want. 

All the best macOS Sonoma tips and tricks you need to know

macOS Sonoma - 16 TIPS & TRICKS!

Bust the Post-Thanksgiving Slump by Injecting Classroom Creativity

With Thanksgiving behind us, many people may have a fresh memory of the lethargic, sleepy, sluggish feeling that comes after a big meal. Let's face it, the period between Thanksgiving and winter break can feel a lot like that post-meal slump. Students can be antsy, motivation wanes, and even some teachers can find themselves stuck in a rut. But before you resign yourself to weeks of rote learning and low energy, consider injecting a little creativity into your daily routine as a spark that reignites the flame of engagement in your classroom to carry both you and your students to winter break with renewed energy and excitement.

Many teachers balk at the idea of creative projects this time of year. For one, you may be experiencing a "content crunch" in which you have too little time to finish a unit of study before the extended break. In addition, the idea of a busy, weeks-long project just doesn’t make sense right now. Forget about the elaborate, time-consuming projects you envision taking home to grade over your holiday break. Instead, think small, quick, and impactful. Here are eight ways to inject a burst of creativity into your lessons without adding extra workload to your plate:

1. Interactive Storytelling with Keynote: Ditch static presentations and turn your students into digital storytellers. Using Keynote's animation features and audio recording tools, they can craft engaging narratives with voiceovers, music, and dynamic visuals that will breathe new life into a presentation. Instead of using class time to deliver a teacher-led presentation, give the Keynote file to your students and let them engage with the material and personalize their learning. 
2. Mind Mapping with Jam Board or Freeform: Brainstorming doesn't have to be boring. With Jam Board (Google) and Freeform (Apple), students can collaborate on mind maps in real time, adding text, images, and even scanned images to create personalized learning resources and visualize complex concepts.
3. Interactive Maps with Keynote: The Logitech Crayon allows students to annotate maps and images directly on the iPad, adding pins, drawings, shapes, and voiceovers to personalize their learning and create interactive quizzes, historical timelines, or virtual treasure hunts. History students can use Magic Move in Keynote to demonstrate movements in key battles and migration patterns or create moving graphs and stories. 
4. Music Composition with GarageBand: GarageBand provides a variety of virtual instruments and sound effects, letting students compose original music, record podcasts, or experiment with sound design for their projects. Allow students to add a soundtrack to a digital project or create music that fits their confidence in their knowledge. High school students reviewing for finals? Let them make sound effects for review games. Using the Loops feature, it only takes a few minutes and almost no musical skill to create professional-sounding soundtracks. 
5. Collaborative Art with Jam Board: Jam Board allows for simultaneous drawing and sketching, both physically and virtually. Students can brainstorm ideas, create mind maps, or collaborate on collaborative digital art projects.
6. Interactive Presentations with Keynote Live: Turn presentations into interactive experiences. Keynote Live allows students to present their work in real-time to a broader audience, incorporating annotations, questions, and feedback directly on the slides for a dynamic and engaging learning environment.
7. Sketchnoting and Visual Thinking with Notes: Elevate note-taking by encouraging students to use the drawing tools in the Notes app or Keynote to create visual summaries of key concepts, sketch diagrams, or design characters for their stories, enhancing their learning and understanding through visual representation.
8. Video Reports with Clips: Instead of writing a traditional report, students can create a video trailer or review using the Clips app. This allows them to be more creative and engaging while still demonstrating their understanding of the topic.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. Remember, the goal is to inject short bursts of creativity into your existing curriculum, not add to your workload. By incorporating these quick and easy strategies, you can help your students and yourself overcome the post-Thanksgiving slump and recapture the energy in the push to winter break.

Widgets on the Desktop in macOS Sonoma

As soon as you are able to update your district-assigned MacBook Air laptop to macOS version 14, also known as "Sonoma," you will have access to all the operating system’s new features. One new feature you might find useful in the classroom is Widgets that are available all the time on the macOS Desktop in Sonoma.

Widgets are small, specific-feature apps that give you information or can perform a task with just one click. My favorite Widget is Weather, but I also use the Clock widget for 1-click access to timers, the Notes widget to get quick access to notes from my Notes app, and a few others.

After updating to macOS Sonoma, setting up Widgets on your Desktop is easy. Just click the time in the upper-tight corner of your Desktop screen, and then click Edit Widgets at the bottom of the Notification Center. You can still add Widgets in the Notification Center, but now you can drag them on to your Desktop and see them all the time. 

The Widgets you add on the Desktop appear dimmed and out of the way until you click them to interact with them. For example:

• Add a Clock widget and click it once to set a timer.
• Add a News widget to see headlines on a curricular topic and click a story to open it.
• Add a Weather widget for Barrington and/or the village where you live to see the current weather conditions and click it to see the extended forecast and more information.
• Add a Notes widget with a to-do list and click it once to access the note.

If the Apple ID you are using on your district-assigned laptop is also being used on your district-assigned iPad (and/or other devices), the selection of Widgets you can choose will allow you to see information across all your devices. 

To learn more about Widgets in macOS Sonoma using Apple’s resources, check out this Apple Support article:

Use widgets on your Mac desktop

If you want to learn more about using the Notification Center (also mentioned in this article), check out this resource from Apple:

Use Notification Center on Mac

New Skill Plans Are Live in IXL

IXL is a service widely used by Grades K–12 as a supplemental resource for students studying English and Math. IXL Skill Plans align with textbooks, state standards, and assessment platforms.  

To access Skill Plans, click Learning and then Skill plans.

Search for specific skill plans by subject or grade level.

There are multiple categories to choose from including Illinois State Standards, Textbook Skill Plans, Middle School Math, Upper Level Math, Language Arts, Test Prep, and Assessment. 

Skill plans can be assigned to students based on items that they need to practice. IXL offers aligned study for MAP, PSAT, ACT, and SAT. New this year are iReady and IAR. 

IXL is a multi-functional tool that can be used in Grades K–8, and targeted groups at BHS. Please see your building LTA or Shawndra Shelton if you would like to learn more about how you can use IXL in your classroom.

Canva Offers Free Pro-Level Access to Educators

Canva is a free online graphic design platform that allows users to create various designs, including social media graphics, presentations, posters, and more. The results of a recent Tech & Innovation survey and focus groups reveal that this service has become a popular choice among Barrington 220 staff and students. Users indicate that they like the pre-made templates and customization that allow them to create eye-catching designs with little effort.

While most Barrington 220 staff currently access the free version, Canva has launched the Canva for Education access level, giving educators many of the features from the pro version for free.

Educators who already have a Canva account can log in with their district email. In some cases, Canva may request that you upload teaching credentials and/or proof of employment. After Canva approves your request, you can access Canva for Education for free.

Barrington 220 is in the process of establishing district credentials within Canva that will allow students to access the same level of service as staff members. This process should be completed, and student access established, by the start of the second semester during the 2023–24 school year. Until then, students can continue to access the free version of Canva.