SLS 5/21/26 - O²CM Bookish Bytes

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Google Update - Listen to your Docs Tab

Google Docs just added a feature teachers are going to LOVE 👀🔊 You can now have your Google Doc read out loud directly in the tab using the new audio feature. This is HUGE for:📌 proofreading📌 student accommodations📌 accessibility support📌 struggling readers📌 focus and comprehension📌 catching mistakes while writing In Google Docs:Go to Insert → Audio 🎧 Simple tools like this can make learning more accessible for ALL students while saving teachers time too 🙌 Save this post so you remember this feature later & follow for more easy edtech tips that actually help teachers. #teachers #edtech #googledocs #accommodations #accessibility

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3-Step Morning Plan

You set the tone in the first few minutes of class. This simple tool helps students own their morning in three steps before the bell rings. Three steps, before the bell.

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Video Description of the Protocol

EDUGem: Writing Elaboration

💎 Use the Gem: Gem link

💾 Make your own copy: Gem link

✍️ Created by: Suzanne Kail (adapted by Eric Curts)

📄 Description:

This Gem helps students expand their ideas and add strong elaboration to their writing. Acting as an expert writing coach, it encourages critical thinking and pushes students to 'dig in' to their text by prompting them to explore cause and effect, pose alternatives, draw conclusions, or find trends. This is perfect for building writing skills and student agency, as the Gem strictly avoids ghostwriting and instead ensures the student does the cognitive heavy lifting.

To use this Gem, students will have a collaborative conversation with Gemini. They'll start by providing their grade level and a brief description of their writing assignment. Gemini will then review one submitted paragraph at a time, identify the controlling idea, and ask exactly one highly targeted question to prompt deeper thinking. Once the student generates new ideas, the Gem will enforce a "Reflect and Revise" hard stop, explicitly directing the student to rewrite their original paragraph with the new details before moving on to the next idea.

EDUGem Writing Elaboration