Gamification Lite in Schoology

It's easy go get into a routine in both physical and digital classrooms, but sometimes all that you need to increase the energy and engagement in the class is just to rethink how you frame a lesson. Recently, I did a gamification of a lesson in Schoology. Gamification means that you are doing something during the learning process - for a student or PD - that has components of games. It can be points and badging or choosing your own adventure. Sometimes the commit to create or implement these lessons is a bit to much. So how can you use some gamification when you either don't have the time or want to just test out the waters?

It's all about framing the lesson. We were in the midst of a Photoshop unit with my students the week before Thanksgiving. Students had been asking me how they could remove things from photos the weeks before so I decided to incorporate those skills with a Thanksgiving theme and frame it in such a way there were gamification qualities. Students were given a mission: save turkeys by camouflaging photos of turkeys with patch and stamp tools. I created a mission, a social component where fellow students "hunted" for the camouflaged birds, and then a vote at the end on who was the best at camouflaging turkeys. Students even earned a gif badge named "Turkey-tastic!" with a roving turkey. The ridiculousness of a turkey gif was a huge hit with my 7th graders.

The set up of a mission takes maybe 1-2 minutes extra of what would be the normal directions:

The Schoology magic in this case really came from my ability to unpublish the folder that had all the images of the turkeys (Step 2) after students had downloaded their assigned image. When it is a game, people want to win and even when playing a video game people use cheat codes or leaked walkthroughs.

I also disabled the Step 5 turkey hunt until the majority of students had uploaded. Again, to keep anyone from trying to be tricky. I LOVE how easy it was to toggle these things on and off for each class. I spent maybe 1-2 minutes turning them off each period so a grand total of 10-15 minutes maybe?

Don't forget your badge! It seems so simple but the kids really do love it. It took me maybe all of 2 minutes to make and assign.



So there you have it, add in some gamification elements into your course in under 20 minutes and watch the students forget they are learning.

Learned Helplessness and Blended Learning: Removing the Teacher as Crutch

Before I began my Blended Learning Journey, I knew I would have to combat learned helplessness since some go immediately to the teacher to ask questions of what to do or how to do something.

In a blended learning classroom some of the instruction, including directions, is online, so I figured I'd see an uptick in questions directed my way that were not content-related. Preemptively, before they begin their stations or online work, I remind them: "Ask 3 before me: group/partner, directions, Google" 

However, I wasn't quite prepared for the level of helplessness some students exhibit. I'll have students call me over and ask "What do I do?" When I ask if they have read the directions or watched the direction video, I'm gobsmacked when they tell me "no" and then look at me, waiting, I assume, for me to tell them what to do.

Now, I'm all for helping students who need other ways of receiving directions or need me to reword directions. That is part of differentiation and differentiation is why I believe so strongly in blended learning. But I also know my campus mission: We will prepare every child to become independent, growth-minded servant leaders. That I build up that child's capacity to be independent is a key part of his or her future success.

It is my job, then, as an educator to respond to a child with the cognitive process that I want the child to internally adopt. Therefore, I've learned to change the question I ask. Instead of "Have your read the directions and asked a peer?" I'm asking: "How can you figure it out? What resources in Schoology can help you?"

And guess what? My students who were chronic "What do I do?" students are starting to make the shift! It's taking a little time for them to figure out when they need to ask to get support versus when their asking is actually causing a hindrance, but we are getting there.

What do you do in your class to grow independent learners?

Moving Toward Mastery: Schoology Test/Quizzes Options

The point of grades is not to put grades in the grade book anymore than the point of school is to get A's. Assessments provide feedback to both teachers and students. For teachers, we take the feedback to be responsive in our lessons and reteach and reengage depending on that data. But what is it we want students to do with this feedback? 

Sometimes we are so focused on using assessments as teachers we can lose sight of what we want students to do: learn. Therefore, I purpose utilizing some of the settings in Schoology to provide feedback to students so they can get immediate feedback on their learning and reenter the assessment to correct mistakes that way they are working toward mastery.

Oral Administration in Schoology

Some of my students have accommodations for oral reading. I am loving Schoology's ability to record my voice for them.

Litterarti App for Green Initiatives (plus a padlet hack for younger students)

The idea behind Litterarti is simple: see litter? Take an artistic picture of it, share, and then throw the piece of litter in the recycle bin or trash bin depending on what it is.

This is an awesome app to promote during April, on Earth Day, or by the school's green club.

I was so excited when I heard about this from Katy Noelle Scott at ISTE 2017. I quickly looked at the user agreement and saw it was for 13+, which means I can't use it at my middle school. So I came up with a Padlet hack that not only works across all devices without an app to install, but also can let me moderate the images.

To make the Padlet, I created on in my account. You can even use the shelf feature if you want grades to compete against one another or just to organize the data.

In settings, I made sure the most recent was first.

Under the Share feature, I toggled on moderation. This would prevent pranksters from posting anything scandalous. (See image below)

Directions were included at the top. You can easily put a link on the school website, as a QR code, and/or customize a Tiny URL to make it easy for students to post. Create a quick video of how to use it for the morning announcements and add some incentives, including sharing some of the best from that week on the announcements.

Classroom Resources Clarity in an LMS

The success of LMS depends in large part on how comfortable students - and parents - feel as they use it. Remember, students are your audience and anything you can do to help them will make the use of an LMS smoother. Here are three quick tips to facilitate buy-in from stakeholders specifically if you are using Schoology:

1. Organize Consistently

For each unit, use the same color coding for folders, nest folders in a consistent manner, and select "display inline" or "Display in a new page" in a consistent manner.

2. Label to Help Students

Folders, pages, discussion boards, and media albums can get a little confusing. Is the media album its own assignment? Part of the assignment above? Just a reference post? Use "STEP 1:" to clarify. If a media album and a page are both part of step 1. Don't forget to set completion rules to force students to complete tasks before going on to the next.

3. Explicitly Teach the Organizational Structure to Students

All of us are unique and the way you organize your units may be markedly different than that of other teachers. When teaching secondary, this can be especially confusing for students as they have to 5-7 other teachers who organize their courses uniquely. Create scavenger hunts, tours of units, and/or quick reference guides for students to give them a map to navigate your course. Allow access to video tours and quick reference guides on your school website for parents to access. Even if parents don't have their own access to your Schoology site, they are the ones helping their children at home.

Save Time with Schoology Save to Resource and Copy to Courses

Read below, watch video, or go directly to video here.

Problem: Having to update a course calendar year after year and/or remaking those digital assignment posts.

Solution: Schoology "Save to Resources" and "Copy to Courses"

When to use "Save to Resources"
If you are making a unit for the first time, it is best to save the entire unit folder to resources. You may want to wait until the unit is complete to save it. That way if you tweaked anything during the unit, you don't have to also update the resources version.

When to use "Copy to Courses"
If you have a pre-saved unit in resources, copy to all course where applicable. Don't forget to update due dates and the like!
If you are creating something in one course and you want to copy it over to different periods/sections, copy to the other periods/sections.

How to:
Outside of the resource (aka you'd have to click on it to access it), press the cog on the right and select save or copy. Drill down to find the right location.

Evidence and Drawing Conclusions: Spacehopper.io to scaffold inferences

I'm always trying to think of a fresh way to introduce the process of drawing inferences. Paramount, inferences are made after evidence is collected. Because there is little text, students don't get bogged down in comprehension and decoding; therefore, Spacehopper.io is a great way to scaffold reading skills.

What is it?

When you go to the website there is a 360 picture of somewhere in the world, a world map with all the possible locations, and a place where you can check answers and get clues.  You can even select certain continents if you want to bring in social studies curriculum. You only get three guesses!

I found that while I can navigate on an iPhone the screen is much too small, so it makes the most sense to do this on devices larger than a phone or whole class.

1. Navigate to spacehopper.io. Refresh the image if you think it too vague. I think an image where there is a little bit of writing on a sign is helpful because that will help establish language. 

2. Explain how the website works and that as a class you will determine the location together. 

3. Scribe or have students scribe all the details that you notice in the image. If using a graphic organizer like the A+ strategy, use that on the board. Mentally, keep track of any students who draw on previous knowledge/experiences. You will be able to reference this later on the importance of building background and knowing a lot about the world to become a better reader.

4. After the class has agreed on a map location and been through the inferencing, repeat with a couple different scenes. You want to have students experience hard ones and difficult ones and get an idea of what it is like to refine ideas. 

5. When done, have students write a short reflection answering the questions: "What did we do to be successful? What did we do when we were not? What were the steps we took to draw conclusions?"

6. As students discuss in groups to refine the "steps", mill about the room looking for academic vocabulary.

7. As a class facilitate creating the steps. Make sure to point out any academic vocabulary you heard from students as well as reference when students used their prior knowledge. 

8. Ask students if they know what it is called when we use our prior knowledge and evidence to draw conclusions. If "infer" is not suggested, introduce the concept. Explain that we do this as well as readers.

9. Reenter a previously read text and ask an inference questions. Reinforce that the first thing we do isn't answer the questions and then look for evidence, but rather just like in spacehopper.io, we look at the evidence first.

Students Writing for an Authentic Audience: Their Future Selves

When I was in 8th grade, I wrote a letter to be opened when I became a senior. After reading the letter

senior year, I wish I had written myself every year!

I always wanted to have students write to themselves and then get it over the summer when they were getting ready to enter high school but knew it would be too much for me to keep up with. However,  technology makes it easy for students and teachers to write their future selves.

Students can compose letters to themselves...
...at the beginning of the year of their goals to be delivered mid-year so they can evaluate how well they have moved toward accomplishing the goals.
...to be delivered a year from then as a writing sample so they can then see how much they have matured as people and grown as writers
...for the far future 6th to 8th grade or 9th to 12th as time capsule

Office:

Delay the delivery of a message

1. In the message, click Options.
2. In the More Options group, click Delay Delivery.
   
3. Under Delivery options, select the Do not deliver before check box, and then click the delivery date and time that you want.

After you click Send, the message remains in the Outbox folder until the delivery time.

Gmail:

You'll have to use an add-in like http://www.boomeranggmail.com/

Other:

If you would rather use a Web 2.0 tool, I've listed several below. However, do your due diligence, check terms of service and make sure students are not posting any sensitive information. Teach students how to use initials instead of names and not include identifiers like age, location, or anything that is personal or private. This is a great opportunity to reinforce digital citizenship and cyber safety.


www.futureme.org
411: 13+, specific day option, option to make letters public, some public letters can be inappropriate.

http://lettertomyfutureself.net
411: No terms of service disclosed. letter delivery options have preset increments of time

How to Embed Sway, Padlet, and Office 365 Document, PPT, or Spreadsheet in Schoology

Embedding is easy in Schoology! Why embed?

• students stay in the LMS
• you don't have to reupload if you make a correction
• organizes everything in one location

Office 365 Word, PPT, or Excel

Sway 

Padlet

NEW Padlet Feature: Shelf

At ISTE 2017, I had the pleasure of once again had the pleasure of attending a session by Leslie Fisher. In it, she showed us about Padlet's new feature: Shelf. Make columns in Padlet that don't require users to move items around!

5 Ways to Use Media Albums in Schoology

Share Work to Get Peer Feedback:

Teacher and Students can add media

Comments Enabled

Individually or in pairs, students complete different questions and take a picture to post in a media album. Once done, students check answers (math/sci), give feedback (writing/art).  

Activate Prior Knowledge:

Teacher can add media

Comments Enabled

Post photos, diagrams, maps, and short video clips for students to view and draw inferences. Students write inferences, connections, and questions. Example: before reading a novel set in 1930’s Mississippi, post Jim Crow and Depression Era photographs. Ask students to write what they notice and what inferences they can make. In the caption, include a link to additional reading for curious students.

Grouping:

Teacher can add media

Comments Enabled

Giving a selection of topics, literature circle books, or type of project? Use Media Albums for students to select the group they prefer. Notify in advance with a specific publishing day and time to give equity. Post book trailers or images for students to sign up. Students post their sign up. First 5-6 students get the group.

Anchor Charts

Teacher can add media

Comments Disabled

Anchor charts are a wonderful tool in class, but when home, students may need to reference those same charts. Create a media album of all anchor charts for future references.

Memes and Comics:

Teacher and Students can add media

Comments Enabled

Create a catalog of  memes and comics having to do with the current unit. Allow students to post and comment. Example: I loved using memes and comics to reinforce or reintroduce small grammar rules. I could post a “Stop clubbing, baby seals” meme and have students comment under it to explain the grammar concept. Use for extra credit, warm-up, or closure activity.

Sway Summary Synthesis

Blended learning is more that tech integration; it is about tailoring or allowing students some control  to meet needs of diverse learners. Students benefit with explicit instruction about how to find the right Lexile levels for them with Newsela, Readworks, and/or Common Lit.

For the lesson below, ability grouping works well for partners or groups. When working

collaboratively, those discussions about the task model the internal discussions students will need to have in future independent work.

Google classroom? Use Google Slides!

1. Students select an article from a source. You can give specific text sets in Newsela to focus discussion on text that supports current novel being read.

2. Group reads, making notes for a GIST summary of who, what, where, when, why, how and then write a 20 word GIST. Blended learning involves online instruction: create a video modelling GIST summarizing with a common text.

3. Students create a collaborative Sway for the 5W and H and 20 word GIST. Since it is collaborative, they can all work on it at the same time. 

4. Students share in a discussion board in an LMS or a platform like Edmodo.

5. Students critique at least 2 articles. Reading the article, viewing the Sway, and responding with one of the stems:

• The summary needs more information about...
• The summary is strong because...
• I want to learn more about...
• This reminds me of...

6. Groups go back to revise Sway. 

Use template below if you wish! Have students click on website link and save to their own Office 365 account. 

A huge shout out to JMozi for being the perfect fellow ELA tech educator to collaborate with! Philosophical alignment + different enough brains to build upon each other + a mutual respect = this lesson we co-created!

How (Educators Can) Win Friends and Influence People: Fundamental Techniques in Handling People

First, if you haven't read "How to Win Friends and Influence People", get it now! I wish I would have read this fifteen years ago! I as listening to mine on a book on tape on Audible.com. This isn't a promo. Amazon is giving me nothing, just that it is a very useful way to spend my drive time. And the Kindle edition is only two dollars at the time of me writing this.

As I read through Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People, I'm struck by how much is applicable to a teacher's life when interacting with the various stakeholders.

Organized into four sections, here is my take on the section entitled "Fundamental Techniques in Handling People". 

1. Don't criticize, condemn, or complain. Human nature does not like to admit fault. When people are criticized or humiliated, they rarely respond well and will often become defensive and resent their critic. To handle people well, we must never criticize, condemn or complain because it will never result in the behavior we desire.

• reinforces how important it is to refrain from negativity with our students so as not to break relationships with them

• reminds me also of interactions between teachers and school leadership. Sometimes leaders are critical, but I've also experienced perceived criticism when there was none. For example, in a PLC, an administrator asking the teachers (myself included) questions about our lessons. We were perceiving criticism when it was really the administrator trying to facilitate a reflection on our practices. When teachers perceive criticism, they will not be reflecting because they are instead becoming defensive. All the more reason administrators and coaches must take that time at the beginning of the year to set up an understanding that PLCs will require all in the group to assume positive intentions. 

• I was in a training one time and the issue of parents came up. My trainer said something to the effect of, "Children are like the billboards of their parents. They leave the house and they announcing what that family is about and how well those parents parent." I've often thought of this while talking to parents. So often it can go awry if parents perceive criticism of their child which equates with criticism of their parenting. Keeping things factual without subjective adjectives and adverbs and focusing on the actions are the issue, not the child himself can help make it clear it is not criticism of the child but notification about his behavior. 

2. Give honest and sincere appreciation. Appreciation is one of the most powerful tools in the world. People will rarely work at their maximum potential under criticism, but honest appreciation brings out their best. Appreciation, though, is not simple flattery, it must be sincere, meaningful and with love.

• specific feedback to students is important. A "good job" can sound insincere in a child's ear. Instead something specific, "I like how much you participated in class, it really contributed to the lesson" or "Thank you for coming in with a smile today."

• I appreciate the pinterest worthy teacher appreciation gifts, but as someone whose love language is not material goods, I get so much more out of letters and notes students write me. Likewise, administrators and peers flourish from positive feedback like this. Have a stack of blank notecards and endeavor to write thank you notes to staff. Keep a list of people you've written notes to. Has someone conducted PD for you and your fellow staff? Thank them. Does administration provide donuts at the faculty meeting or let you wear jeans? Thank them. Keep a list of your team members and write a thank you to each of them throughout the year.

3. Arouse in the other person an eager want. To get what we want from another person, we must forget our own perspective and begin to see things from the point of view of others. When we can combine our desires with their wants, they become eager to work with us and we can mutually achieve our objectives.

• ·         Putting ourselves in the shoes of students is vital in good lesson planning. What to students want? At the middle school level, many of them want options. They want to be treated with respect and for adults to treat them like they can make good decisions. They want to have choice. Have you ever let students design their own assignments? Try it, as a class, come up with an assignment explain what the standard is asking the student to do and then ask how the class thinks this can be accomplished.
• ·         I think this one is vital when developing PD. Too often teachers are geese being fattened for pate with information being forced down throats. It is one of the reasons I love problem-solution formatted PD. Teachers want things that are going to solve a problem so first you have to make them connect with or perceive the problem. If a PD presents a solution, there is an eager want from faculty.

What about you? Anything strike a cord?

Homework Alternative in a Learning Management System

New technology creates new opportunities, but how can we keep  ourselves from taking the technology and merely converting paper and pen tasks into digital ink? How can we use features in an LMS to change what we do, not just how we do things?

There are a couple key features to LMSs that offer an opportunity to embrace new and prepare students with 21st Century Skills.

Discussion Boards:
For a homework passage have students write 2 questions and 1 reponse on the text. Set the discussion board so that way students can't read anyone else's questions until they post their first question. This will keep them from merely copying questions. Additionally, if you see the same first question popping up from students, you know there was something confusing. Questions can be a variety: something they were genuinely confused by, something they are curious about that while related to the reading requires research, or an open ended question they think would stimulate conversation.

Model these three types in class and they request they do two different types. Provide sentence stems or sentence frames to help ELL or struggling students.

Something that you didn't understand:
I was confused when .... What did that mean?
Why did ....?
How did...?
What did the author mean by...?

Something that requires research:
I wonder....
How do you think...?


Open-ended questions examples:
Does this remind you of something from real life/literature?
Which character do you identify with and why?

Replacing Venn Diagrams: a deeper way to compare texts

Problem: Students are filling out a Venn Diagram comparing two texts and surface level, comprehension-based information is quickly filling it. Maybe 1 or 2 students show any depth of thought, and you are worried that not many kids are actually growing in their skills.

Solution: Throw out the Venn Diagram and begin with the depth with abstract concepts.

1, Create a mini-lesson introducing or reviewing abstract ideas vs. concrete details. I prefer a Nearpod "draw it" activity where students are circling. With BYOD, this can be collaborative.

Love the look of Mentimeter!

2, For the each text, create a class brainstorm list of all the possible ideas for each text. You could keep Mentimeter or Answer Garden.
this going in Nearpod collaborate feature or use

3, Now students find abstract concepts that are the same or antithetical - I use the metaphor of a coin: one side is heads and one is tails but it is really the same coin. Same thing with ideas: injustice and justice are just two sides of the same coin. - and put that in the middle column. Then they determine the theme (for narrative) or claim (expository/persuasive) that goes along with that text and write it in a complete sentence under "Text A/B" and then provide textual evidence. I always have students do this in pairs.

This is the graphic organizer I created to get depth in across text comparison. 

Blended Learning station: Use Office Mix or a screen casting for the mini-lesson. For brainstorming, set up a discussion board in Schoology with the setting in such a way where students can not see other responses until they themselves have responded. Use a collaborative Office 365 or Google Document for the application of the strategy for the graphic organizer. Use a resource like Common Lit for student choice in texts!

Blended Learning Problem Solving: Large Class Size = Mirrored Station Rotation

When you have over 30 students in 6 class periods the idea of station rotation can seem daunting. How can I group them so there are not too many students per group? How many separate stations will I need to make? 6? How do I even do that?! How long will this take? With 6 stations, that would be 3-4 days! We are BYOD, I don't have enough devices for that....

But I love the idea of personalized learning, students having some control, and me getting to actually talk to students small group and directly connect with every child. You know, what blended learning is all about! Enter mirror stations. In mirror stations there are 3 stations that get duplicated. So on half of your room looks like the other half.

Here is how I organize it:

1. Independent station on computers and devices

2. Teacher station

3. Small group practice

Notice how I put the teacher station in the center? That way I can more easily monitor. I can also break out the small groups,  spreading them out further with beanbags in corners. 

Here is where the differentiation comes along:

• Ability group based on recent data relating to the skills. In other words, if this is about writing, I need to use writing data. If it is about reading skills, I need to use data from reading assessments.
• To help you keep it straight, keep intervention groups on one side of the room. This may be 1 group in second period and 3 groups in first period. Keep enrichment on the other. This is typically 1 group a class period.
• For independent station, I may be use district approved reading software that tailors to a student's individual need. Or, I might have created an Office Mix about a reading strategy or concept. For writing, students may be accessing revision strategies and selecting the one they feel their writing needs the most. This online learning is part of what makes this meet the definition of blended learning.
• For teacher station, create an instructional piece that can be adapted for one level, intervention, and enrichment. For example, I love a good card sort. Groups don't have to know that the intervention groups are getting a different set than the rest of the class and no one knows the enrichment groups are getting to an extension activity. When my interventions students are with me, enrichment students are also at the teacher station. They will be able to complete their task and begin extension without me having to do much direction. I'll spend the majority of my time facilitating with the intervention group and keeping an ear our for the enrichment group. For the on level groups, I'll be splitting my time more evenly between then. If an intervention group finishes, hand them the on level. If an on level finishes early, let them do the enrichment!
• For small group practice, students may be working as partners to apply a strategy or concept. As writers, they may be conferencing on their writing with a partner. Since we are BYOD, I can also include a device agnostic task in here. Perhaps a reading check quiz with the partner or participating in an online discussion board. 

Definition from Clifford Maxwell

Blended Learning Vocabulary Practice 4 Ways!

Vocabulary: every content area has it and students need to practice it. What kind of options can you give as a way of showing understanding? Use the below 4 as options in an iPad center, warm-up, or closure activity. 

Option 1: Doodle Buddy (App)/Aww App (Web 2.0)
Create a visual representation of your vocabulary word. Using the text feature label the vocabulary
word and type the definition in your own words

Option 2: Chatterpix (App)/Blabberize (Web 2.0)
Make or take a picture associated with your vocabulary term and make it talk and tell the listener the vocabulary word and the definition in your own words

Option 3: Make Beliefs Comix (app or website)
Create a comic in which one of the character uses the vocabulary word correctly. Make sure the context clues reveal the meaning of the word.

Option 4: RWT Crosswords (App) or Crosswords Puzzle (Wed 2.0)
Create a crossword puzzle for your vocabulary words with synonym or synonym phrases as the clues.


When students are done they can submit to the LMS of your choice. If all words will be done of the course of several days, have students curate their word into a presentation tool like Google Slides, Sway, PowerPoint, or even iMovie.

Share additional ideas below!

Embed in Sway

One day, I dream Sway will support any embed code! Until that day, here is a quick tutorial featuring how to embed Office 365 documents as well as Padlet! Squee! The Padlet brings the interactivity component that I so love! 

Found other cool things you can embed that isn't on the official list? Share in comments!

Sway in ELA

Spring Break is here! I’m setting myself for a writing challenge: 9 posts in 9 days! First up, a tool for any mode of writing!

Digital Tool: Sway
Publisher: Microsoft Office 365
Device: Any! (Although the app is needed for video files)
Type: publish or present
Similar to: a webpage but can be used like PPT
Features I love: Students can collaborate on the same Sway and embed documents

Template:

Create a template in Sway and share it so anyone with the link can view. Then have students save the Sway in their own Office 365 account. They will be able to edit it once it is their own.

 Writing Modes:

Expository:

Have a research project for students that includes a lot of extras? Sway embeds pretty much anything! From Tweets to Excel to other Sways, Sway not only creates a visually stunning final product, but also one that is perfect for any sort of long range project. Group research? Have students collaborate on the same Sway!

Persuasive:

Argumentative writing and media literacy tend to go hand-in-hand. Students drawing ads, making a persuasive commercial, or creating their own infographics? They can embed media files with ease. If they draw by hand, have them take a picture with an iPad and upload into a Sway. Because it is device agnostic, students can switch back and forth between iPad, computer, their BYOD or home device.

Narrative:

Sway allows students to create a link or QR code, which allows for an amazing way to publish. Students can incorporate drawn pictures or photos for creative or personal narrative. Have them print out the QR code and shorten the link and post to classroom or lockers.

Poetry:

Create a poetry anthology! Create a classroom Sway for students to contribute to or for more prolific poetry units, each student creates his or her own portfolio.

Writing Process:

Conferencing: Students can create QR codes or post links to their draft typed in Sway. Others can fill out an online feedback sheet.

Publishing: This is the tool for you!

Accessibility:

Do you have students who need high contrast, no animation, and/or screen readers? With Accessibility check – something you can use to modify your Sway to be more accessible – and accessibility view – something anyone can enact when viewing a Sway.

Universal Theme Collage

After students come up with a theme (see video of strategy here), I like to hit home the universality
of what a theme should be. What better way to have students realize that theme is true across time and space than to apply the theme to the past and across the world. I have my students use online research  (DE Streaming) to find a historical example of the theme being true and then a current event example (using Gale) to find it true in another place. Using those and text evidence along with a pic collage app, students make a visually stunning study of the theme and learn a little bit more about the world they live in. The instructions for this is in my shop.

Doodle Buddy and Chatterpix Math App Smash

I know, I know, I'm all about ELA, but seriously, I had to share this.For Pre-K, Kinder, and 1st convert number sentences into images using Doodle Buddy and then have students record themselves telling the story.

Too adorable, right?

Quick steps:
1. Practice a couple times students writing the number sentences, using the stamps, and then writing the solution. DO THIS VERTICALLY! Chatter Pix Kids and Doodle Buddy are designed with cell phones in mind.
2. Have students write their own number sentence. Leaving aome room at the top.
3. Save image
4. Open ChatterKid, upload image and center
5. Draw a mouth
6. Record story
7. Add ChatterKid stickers and filters if you want (this is where the lips came from)
8. Save to device.
9. Love how adorable this is!

Easy ELA adaptation: Have students write spelling word in Doodle Buddy. In ChatterKid, student says word and spelling aloud. Multi-sensory!

Inforgraphics Made Easy

Easel.ly not only provides students with easy to create inforgraphics perfect for the classroom, it also provides teachers a very handy e-book guide. The guide shows teachers how to set up groups for students to login without providing an email address. All you have to do is create a login and they send you a link.

Additional tips and ideas:

• Have students start with a template if they have not had infographic-making experience
  
• There is already a place to insert a list of resources. My favorite resource for students to create MLA format is Purdue's OWL Lab.*
• Encourage students to link images and information back to their source material 
• Because students can get bogged down altering the aesthetics, create a classroom procedure of needing teacher approval before playing with color schemes and extras
• Because some tech- and content-savvy students finish early, I like to offer lesson add-ons for students. These are challenges for students to take and incorporate into their projects. It gives students another skill, keeps them engaged, and won't result in kids trying to rush through their work to get the opportunity to play a computer game. These are sort of like those 5 minute filler lessons that we teachers have when a class finishes a lesson early, but individualized. A great add-on for Easel.ly is asking students to Blabberize on of their images. They create the Blabberize and then hyperlink the image on the Easel.ly to the Blabberize. Students could also create a Vocaroo to hyperlink. 

*I know that many people like Easy Bib or Citation Machine, but I find that students tend to still have errors in their bibliographies AND no understanding of how to read the information in the bibliography. If I want my students to be able to use bibliographies as readers, I have to teach them how to write them. I would personally rather a student make an error in a bibliography entry they wrote than an error is one from Easy Bib. Just my two cents for my middle school ELA classroom.

Open-Ended Responses for Plickers

One of the biggest drawbacks of student response systems is that often in ELA I want my students to do more than just answer multiple choice. How to get students to write answers while still taking advantage of the data these response systems have to offer? Simple: don't put answer options down!

I create the questions like above where A is a, B is b, C is c, and D is d. In groups, have students answer the question (or in the case of the above, finish the sentence) on a sentence strip. While the view is NOT on bar graph, have students put their sentence strip next to a letter. Students can then vote on the best answer. When done, flip it over to the bar graph view. Have students talk in groups about the results and then share out.