Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Tech or Treat! Emoji Rebus Stories for Visualizing Content

(Live Version of this JPEG HERE.)

This strategy is fun for Halloween, but can also be used to visualize content.

Teaching literacy is so very vital in helping children to understand and navigate content. A key strategy in literacy is visualization. Control Alt Achieve's Emoji Rebus Stories are a great technique that students can use to visualize.

Students write a summary of the content and then change keywords to emojis or images.Yes, it's fun, but it's also helping students process information because they have to apply knowledge. What emoji best fits this word? Why? How do different emojis tell different stories?

Use this made-for-you template to get started today.

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Tech or Treat: Google Slides Magnetic Poetry

(Live version of this JPEG HERE.)

This is a fun little activity from Kasey Bell that can be adapted in so many ways and be recreated on any topic. Use her template tomorrow to add some creative tech fun to your lesson and then make them your own! It’s a great “Get started" lesson for any grade level.

You could also have kids summarize content using this strategy.

1 Day ‘til Halloween!!!



Monday, October 29, 2018

Tech or Treat! Scary Podcasts for High School Students

(Live version of this JPEG HERE.)

I just found a new resource from Engaging and Effective Teaching. I love, love, love the idea of having students listen to a Podcast, especially if it's going to keep their interest. Check out these scary podcasts for high school students. While students are listening, they can fill out my Podcast Graphic Organizer (all ready for Google Classroom - just make a copy and distribute).

Enjoy!
Only 1 day until Halloween!

Friday, October 26, 2018

#TechOrTreat Instantly make a template, pdf, or copy of your Google Doc (and more!).

(Live version of this JPEG HERE.)

Instantly make a template, pdf, or copy of your Google Doc (and more!). Replace /edit with /preview or /copy or template/preview
It will change your life!
Watch this little video for better detail.

Thursday, October 25, 2018

#TechOrTreat: Video Projects

(Live version of this JPEG HERE.)

Videos give students a chance to synthesize information and then create something new from that information, but more importantly, most students think it's fun! I love Matt Millers's recent post on 20 Video Projects that Engage Students. It's a great way to get the ball rolling in your classroom.

If you're lucky like me and work in a great district that wants students and teachers to have access to great opportunities you can have your kids go further than just creating for the classroom. In my district, Richland Two, students and teachers can submit videos to the R2 Film Festival.

Only 7 days until Halloween! Happy Haunting!


Wednesday, October 24, 2018

#TechorTreat: 5 Minute Halloween Film Festival

(Live Version of this JPEG HERE)

I am loving this 5-minute film festival put together by Amy Erin Borovoy of Edutopia. Each video is short and sweet and on all kinds of topics from science, to history, to culture. A lot of them are great for high school too! And as you know, high school is the red-headed stepchild of education.

These videos would be great to play as class starters or even background builders for lessons that you have planned. You could use backchannel chat to have kids discuss while watching! If you're not sure what backchannel chat is or how to use it, watch my short video on how to implement it!

Enjoy! Only 8 days to Halloween!

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

#TechOrTreat Triangle, Square, Circle Reflection

(Live Version of this JPEG HERE.)

I recently sat through a coaching class with @Cben1teach.  During the session he used an exit slip reflection form that I had never seen before. This is a great formative assessment tool for teachers to use to help students think about what they are learning and what they still need to learn. This is by no means mine, but I decided to make a Google Slide Version of this idea for you that you can quickly implement it in your classes.

Here's how it works:

Have students write down something they have learned that SQUARES with their beliefs, then have them write question(s) that are still CIRCLING in their heads, and finally have them write three points (TRIANGLE) they will remember.

I also found another post on The Teacher Toolkit that discusses this strategy. Here are there suggestions:

1. Triangle: After a lesson, have students draw a triangle and next to it write down three important points from the presentation or reading they just saw or completed.
2. Square: Then, have students draw a square and next to it write down anything that
“squares” with their thinking or anything they agree with.
3. Circle: Finally, have the students draw a circle and next to it write down anything
that is still “circling” in their head or questions that they have.

Make a copy of my template HERE. I hope you enjoy it!



Monday, October 22, 2018

#TechOrTreat ReadWorks Makes Literacy & Grading Fun & Easy

(Live Version of this JPEG HERE)

As a classroom teacher, keeping up with day-to-day paperwork, teaching, grading, and meetings can make life SCARY!  Say nothing about creative lesson planning! That's definitely last on the list. That's why I love ReadWorks.Org. There are hundreds of premade articles with grade-specific questions and vocabulary all done for you! And did I mention they are on all kinds of topics?

I shared a few high school appropriate Halloween articles above. I feel like high school is the redheaded stepchild of tech and gets looked over a lot. However, never fear elementary teachers! There are lots of great resources in ReadWorks for you as well.

10 days til Halloween - keep those brains rockin!
 

Welcome to Creative Tech Classrooms


I am a technology and learning coach (year two!) and a nineteen year veteran of the classroom. I'm a lifelong learner, and a Nationally Board Certified Teacher in a One-to-One High School using Google Apps for Education and Chromebooks. Welcome to my blog. I hope you'll find fun, quick, ideas that you can implement in your classroom without breaking a sweat.