Technical Support — Energy in Ecosystems

We recommend that you check a few things on your computer to make sure it is optimized for PLT’s e-unit website. While the E-Unit platform supports all internet browsers, PLT recommends using Google Chrome for the best user experience. While the E-Units do not mandate the use of any particular browser, please know that your experience could vary depending on your selection. This checklist can also be used as a Troubleshooting Guide.

1. Ensure proper internet access and reliability
2. Use an up-to-date Internet Browser – Verify that you are using the most up-to-date version of your internet browser for optimum performance (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.). Use a free website such as https://updatemybrowser.org/ to verify your browser version, and update it accordingly.
3. Disable pop-up blocker – Conduct a quick internet search for instructions on how to disable pop-up blockers on your browser of choice.
4. Enable JavaScript – Conduct a quick internet search for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser of choice.

There are many options for sharing PLT’s E-Unit Student Pages. They include:

• Print
• Email
• Google Documents (Google Docs)
• Cloud-based file hosting service (Dropbox or similar)
• File sharing (Shared offline folders or similar)
• Digital learning platforms (Google Classroom or similar)

Please remember that when using file sharing and file hosting services to share Student Pages with your students, the Pages should be downloaded from PLT’s E-Unit platform and uploaded to your chosen file sharing platform. When uploading these document links can then be made “sharable” for student distribution.

Upon individual completion, there are many options for digitally collecting students’ work. They include:

• Email
• Cloud-based file hosting service (Drobox or similar)
• File sharing (Shared offline folders or similar)
• Digital learning platforms (Google Classroom or similar)

In multiple field trials, Firefox is the only browser that proves troublesome with PLT’s fillable Student Page PDFs. This is because the Firefox browser requires an extension to fill the form fields. PLT would first recommend that you use a different browser, such as Google Chrome. If your unique situation mandates the use of Firefox, try the following:

1. Download and save the Student Page to your computer, and open it using a PDF viewer (such as Adobe), to fill the document.
2. If you are unable to download the Student Page files, you can install a free Firefox extension that will allow you to fill fields in the PDF online. PDFescape Extension is a suitable extension, but there are also many others.

Quizzes work best if students (and teachers!) access them via a desktop or laptop computer. These short, case-sensitive links can be shared with students for easy and immediate access:

	Title of Lesson	Quiz Short Link (case-sensitive)
Activity 1	What is Climate?	http://bit.ly/WhatIsClimate
Activity 2	The Carbon Cycle	http://bit.ly/TheCarbonCycle
Activity 3	Is It Only Natural?	http://bit.ly/IsItOnlyNatural
Activity 4	Climate Time Machine	http://bit.ly/ClimateTimeMachine
Activity 5	Are You a Bigfoot?	http://bit.ly/AreYouABigfoot

At this time, the Quizzes remain a feature of the Carbon & Climate (Gr 6-8) unit only.

The short answer is: Yes! Users will, however, need to follow these short steps to access the quiz content on a smart phone or tablet:

1. Download the free application for Articulate Mobile Player on your chosen device (Android or iPhone or Tablet).
2. Once Articulate Mobile Player is installed, students will be able to access the quizzes through the case-sensitive short links (provided above). Simply enter the short link into the device’s internet browser.
3. Once the link is entered, the browser will load a screen containing the quiz title and a “launch” button.
4. Select the “launch” button, and the quiz will open within the new Articulate Mobile Player app. Once a quiz has been successfully opened on a chosen device, students can go directly to the app’s library to access that same quiz again in the future.

At this time, the Quizzes remain a feature of the Carbon & Climate (Gr 6-8) unit only.

Yes, Student Pages from PLT’s E-Unit platform can be added to Google Classroom as “assignments.” You can use the PLT’s Student Page Google Slide Templates to create editable files for students or you can have students install a PDF Editor Extension to edit the fillable PDF Student Pages.

PLT highly recommends using Google Chrome as your internet browser when using Google Classroom. To add an “assignment” (or PLT Student Page) to your Google Classroom, follow the steps below:

1. Under the Classwork tab, use the “Create” button to add an assignment, then add your instructions and upload the desired PLT Student Page from your Google Drive or computer. Remember: You must upload and attach the Student Page document; do not share the link to the online Student Page, which is hosted on the E-Unit platform.
2. Once the PLT Student Page file is attached, select the “Make a copy for each student” option.
3. Select “Assign.”

To have your students complete the Student Pages as Google Slides, access the Google Slide PLT Student Pages under the Activity Tools Tab, categorized with Additional Resources.

To have your students edit the PDFs online, students will need a PDF Editor Plugin like Kami, in order to edit and turn in the digital PDF.

To have your students print or download the Student Pages, you can add PLT’s Student Page PDFs as assignments for students to print.

You can “assign” student worksheets using Google Slides or the PDF (with a PDF Editor Extension). After worksheets are uploaded and “assigned,” students will be able to complete and submit their assignments though Google Classroom. Alternatively, students can also print and submit a paper copy. PLT highly recommends using Google Chrome as your internet browser when using Google Classroom.

Option 1: Students complete assignments using Google Slides Student Page Templates within Google Classroom:

1. From within each PLT activity Tools Tab, find the Google Slides Student Pages under Additional Resources. Links to the student’s pages, as well as the instructions below are both available there.
   1. Please note, this document was updated May 28, 2020 and currently google slides are only available for the Carbon & Climate and the Energy and Ecosystems E-Units. If you are using Treemendous Science!, please contact [email protected].
2. Once open, click File > Make a Copy to save to your Google Drive. Make a copy of the entire presentation, select slides of certain student pages, or individual presentations of each student page. You will not be able to make any edits to the slides until they have been copied to your Drive.
   1. Once copied, you can rename and edit files accordingly. Student worksheets include text boxes where appropriate for students to enter text. Keep these to allow the students to type their answers.
   2. Please note: See additional Teacher Instructions in the Speaker Notes section of the google slide decks. You may want to delete these instructions before creating student ready slides for Google Classroom.
3. Once the slide deck(s) are student ready, please login and navigate to your Google Classroom for the E-Unit.
4. Click Classwork and chose Create Assignment, then fill in the information for the assignment (Title, Instructions, Due Date, etc.).
5. Click Add and chose from Google Drive. Either search for the Student Page(s) slide decks you wish to attach or find it in your Recent section.
6. Once selected, click Add. Once attached, use the down arrow to the right of the file name and select “Make a copy for each student.” Otherwise students will be able to edit your template.
7. Now you are ready to assign the student page to your students!

Student Instructions:

1. Once assigned, students will receive a notification that they have a new assignment.
2. On Google Classroom, students can click the assignment which will open in Google Slides.
3. With the slide deck open, students should enter their answers in the text boxes labeled “Type Here.”
   1. Students should add their name in the Name text box on each Student Worksheet.
   2. When finished, students can close out of the browser tab as slides will save automatically. Students can repeat these steps until it is ready to turn in.
4. Once complete, the student should return to Google Classroom and click “Turn In.”

Option 2: Students complete assignments *within* Google Classroom platform:

To complete and submit assignments within the Google Classroom Platform, a free extension must be installed. One such extension is called Kami, but there are many other options. Students will need to install this extension to their Google Chrome accounts in order to proceed:

1. Use the “Create assignment” button to upload the desired PLT Student Page from your Drive or computer. Remember: You must upload and attach the Student Page document; do not share the link to the online Student Page, which is hosted on the E-Unit platform.
2. Once the PLT Student Page file is attached, select the “Make a copy for each student” option.
3. Select “Assign.”

Student Instructions:

1. Students must login to their Google Classroom accounts.
2.  After logging in, students will be able to see their available classroom “Assignments.”
3. Guide students in selecting the appropriate “assignment,” which will correspond with the items that teachers have previously uploaded to their Google Classroom (see above). This will open the PLT Student Page.
4. Students should open the “assignment” in a new tab by selecting the three dots in the upper right corner of the Student Page viewer.
5. Once a new tab is opened, students should select the “open with Kami” or another PDF reader extension and complete the student page through the PDF reader extension.
6. Students can complete the assignment by entering text in fillable fields. Students should save working files to Google Drive and once complete, save the final version into Google Drive.
7. Once returning to their Google Classroom accounts, students can add their completed assignment to their “Work” section. To do so, students can select the “+ Add or Create” button and choose Google Drive. They can either search by file name or select the completed assignment from the appropriate folder.
8. Students can repeat these steps until they complete all “assignments.” Once all assignments are complete, students can elect to “Turn In” their work.

Option 3: Students complete assignments *outside of* Google Classroom platform:

Materials can be assigned or shared using the Google Classroom platform and have students complete their work elsewhere. For example, students might choose to either physically print the assignment, turning in a hardcopy, or download the assignment and re-upload it for submission.

To physically print the assignment and turn in a hardcopy:

1. Students must login to their Google Classroom accounts.
2. After logging in, students will be able to see their available classroom “Assignments.”
3. Guide students in selecting the appropriate “assignment,” which will correspond with the items that teachers have previously uploaded to their Google Classroom (see above). This will open the PLT Student Page.
4. Student can use the print icon in the top right corner of the page to print a hard copy of their assignments.
5. Students can repeat these steps until all assignments are printed. Students can then complete their assignments and turn in hard copies as appropriate.

To download and re-upload an assignment for submission:

1. Students must login to their Google Classroom accounts.
2. After logging in, students will be able to see their available classroom “Assignments.”
3. Guide students in selecting the appropriate “assignment,” which will correspond with the items that teachers have previously uploaded to their Google Classroom (see above). This will open the PLT Student Page.
4. Students should open the “assignment” in a new tab by selecting the three dots in the upper right corner of the Student Page viewer.
5. Once a new tab is opened, students should download and save their assignment to their device. Students will then be able to complete the assignment using any PDF editor (Adobe Acrobat will provide the greatest functionality, but free options are available) to complete and save.
6. Once completed, students should return to their Google Classroom account. They will then attach, using “add” then selecting “file,” and “upload” a copy of their completed student page.
7. Students can repeat these steps until all assignments are uploaded. Once all assignments are complete, students can elect to “Turn In” their work.

For your convenience, a link to our Privacy Policy is reproduced at the bottom of every webpage. Project Learning Tree is committed to ensuring the privacy of the personal information it obtains from individuals participating in its programs. The intent of this policy is to demonstrate our commitment to your privacy and to disclose the privacy practices of the PLT program, the www.plt.org website, and to information obtained from participants in the PLT program.

Please remember that all PLT curriculum materials are protected under copyright law. We encourage you to reproduce responsibly, and consult our written Reprint and Adaptation Policy. All PDF downloads from the e-unit Tools pages are copyright-free, and suitable for printing and sharing.