Distance Learning: Video Conferencing Suggestions

As distance teaching has become the norm, I've noticed that students are clamoring for interaction, engagement and connection with each other AND with me.  A good portion of my distance teaching strategy hasn't been the 'assign them work and then check if they did it' strategy.  Just like inside the classroom, relationships come first.  To help maintain and foster classroom community with my students, I've adopted a strategy of morning meetings twice a week that are about sharing, connecting and spending a little 'fun' time together.  If you're looking for some ideas, here are 7 8 games that I've played with my students that genuinely helped foster that connection we ALL need right now.

 

Below is a description of each game, and a link to download your FREE copy!!

The "What's Missing" Game

The whats missing game is a google slide with an underwater image on it.  Each item in the image is editable.   You reveal the scene and students can study it.  You then hide the scene and delete an item.  Students have to figure out what's missing!

The "Close Up Image" Game

The Close Up game is just that, students are provided a close up image of an item and they see if they can guess what the item is!  There are DOZENS of images in this slide deck for you to share!!

Scattergories

This game is SO much fun!  A digital randomize generates a letter and a category and students try to come up with the most unique items suitable to a specific category and letter.

Snake

This game is a game of luck and a 'little' bit of skill.  Students avoid getting "Snaked" during a 5 round challenge of dice rolls.

Parachute Game

This game is a slightly more positive spin on the age old "hangman" game.  Students work as a group to see if they can identify the missing word BEFORE all of the parachute cords run out!

Scavenger Hunt Game

In this game, students retrieve designated items. The first 3 students to show the requested item wins!

The Cartoon Silhouette Game

Forty Four cartoon silhouettes are in this slide deck of characters.  Students have to see who can be the first to identify the mystery silhouette!

Emoji BINGO!

Emoji BINGO was so much fun!!  Spin the digital spinner and have students use a digital bingo card to keep track of their BINGO!

As always, thanks for Using Your Smarticles!

 

 

 

 

Using an Interactive Notebook 5E NGSS Science Classroom

Adopting the Next Generation Science Standards can be a challenge!  When we adopted, I KNEW I wanted to use an interactive notebook to guide my learners.  I opted for a paper notebook as I felt it would facilitate more movement (and less worry) allowing my learners to work outside, on the floor, and in some cases near messy things!  To plan our notebook use, we referred to the work of Kellie Marcarelli in "Teaching Science with Interactive Notebooks". 

As our year progressed, we used a LOT of the concepts and ideas from the book, but then modified them to suit our purposes.  As the 5E model was our framework for instruction, we wanted the notebook to follow the format of our investigations, Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate. 

Each unit of study began with a colorful cover page with a thematic phrase followed by an AHA Connections Page.  As phenomenon were introduced, students would attempt to describe/summarize the phenomenon they saw and then engage in a QFT (Question Formulation Technique) or activating knowledge activity.  

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Question-Formulation-Technique-Handout-4808249

When the students reached the Explore phase, the notebooks reflected which Science and Engineering practice the students were engaged in.  Sometimes they created models, conducted investigations, designed solutions or collected and analyzed data.  

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Science-and-Engineering-Practice-Handout-4868652#show-price-update

As we came to conclusions and discovered new information, we would refer back to our AHA Connections pages and record those discoveries. Sometimes we would write Claim Evidence Reasoning reports or build investigative reports.  As units were complete, student were asked to compete exit ticket strategies or self-reflect on their experiences/discoveries.

Below are some of the highlights of how we organized our notebooks:

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As always, thanks for,

How We Made Kobe Bryant on our Lego Wall

So much time and SO many busy hands came together to make this Kobe Bryant Lego Mural a reality.

and this was NO small task (if you look closely you can see that we ran out of Legos!)

Here's How We Did It

Step #1:  Converting the Image to Bricks

The project started by locating an image of Kobe and then uploading it to the Photobricks software that is FREE, but from what I can tell, it is only downloadable on the Mac at this time.  Legoizer is a possible substitute, but I have not completed a project using it.

In Photobricks, you upload your image and experiment with the color palette until you've achieved your desired result AND have selected the colors of Legos that you have the most of in your collection.  I limited my colors to 6 colors and still found that I had to order (and reorder) legos to complete our final mural.

Depending on the colors you choose, you can get a great variety of results

Once you've gotten a satisfactory image, you export the file (as large as possible) as a png file.

Step #2:  Printing and Enlarging the Image

My go to site for enlarging images is Rasterbator.  Once you have your .png file, you can upload it to Rasterbator for enlarging.  I chose the A4 Paper type and a 2 x 3 landscape layout for a final formatted mural of approximately 60 x 60 cm.  The Rasterbator site will convert your image into a PDF for you to print and assemble.  The large poster makes a great guide while building the wall.

Step #3:  Build It!

It took us about 3 weeks to build the mural.  We counted and crossed off (or dotted) the squares as we went along.  Dryden Art gives some great tips on breaking apart the mural by squares and providing each student with a Lego builder's plate to complete and then piecing the whole thing together.  We just worked straight on our Lego wall.

As we built, this tool was INVALUABLE!  I kept a student on standby at all times to be my remover.  The standby students were so cute and would rush in to the rescue with their tool to pull off any errant pieces.

Click for Amazon Link

If you'd like to try making Kobe for yourself, here's the .pdf file.  But above all else, make sure you're

Here are some other GREAT Lego Wall Ideas!!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Makerspace-Lego-Wall-Task-Cards-4676982

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/MakerSpace-Lego-Wall-Secret-Code-Riddles-4802161