A Note From Your ITF
Week of May 25th
A Year Like No Other
Never in a million years would I have imagined a school year like this one. As we approach the end of school, we are facing new challenges of how to keep our students engaged and plan activities that will bring closure to the year in a way that will be special for our students. Below are some resources that can assist as you plan how you want to bring a close to your virtual classroom this year.
Linkable to Online Learning System
Breakout EDU
BreakoutEDU is a site containing activities similar to that of an escape room. Typically, students must collaborate and think critically to solve the clues to get the locks off in a given amount of time. Clues can be embedded in content from your lessons making this a great way to engage students in review for test prep. If you don't have BreakoutEDU kits at your school, there is a site which contains digital breakouts. It is the same concept, but all online. Visit the sites below for pre-made activities.
Digital Breakouts are a great resource given our current circumstances as students can work independently or with family members at home without having access to kits. During the quarantine, BreakoutEDU is offering live digital breakouts daily. The link is below. If students can't participate live, they are able to work on previous breakouts as they are archived.
Kahoot
Kahoot is a student favorite. Below is a resource on how you can use Kahoot to support remote learning.
Create a Virtual Interactive Classroom in Google Slides
Bitmojis are becoming increasingly popular as teachers have looked for new ways to connect with their students. If you're asking what a bitmoji is, it is like a cartoon version of yourself you can include on your website and in other platforms online. In my ITF meeting recently, we learned about creating virtual classroom spaces in Google Slides using our bitmojis that can then be embedded on our websites or Canvas spaces. This can be a great space to create where you can add links to websites, videos, etc for students to frequently access. Some have used this as a way to create a virtual field trip. Explore the links below to see examples of what other teachers have created and see if how it can inspire you to continue growing in your use of technology.
Bitmoji Craze for Educators (Facebook Group)
Bitmoji for Educators (Twitter)
Make a BItmoji Scene in Google Slides!
Tools for Online Meetings via Teams
Quizlet Live - Individual Mode
If you have used Quizlet Live in the past , you know it randomly groups students into teams and students compete to answer the questions correctly before the other teams. If they miss a question, they have to start over. This is not possible in a remote learning environment, but Quizlet has introduced Individual Mode which can be used if meeting with students via MS Teams. Check out the website below for how to get started using this new feature of Quizlet Live.
Snap Camera
This is one of my new favorite tools for teacher use. Snap camera is an application you can download to your laptop which will allow you to add filters to your MS Teams meetings. Using the record feature in Teams, you could add a fun filter to make your videos extra fun for your students. Below are some more resources if you are interested.
What is Snap Camera? (Courtesy of Mary Ellen Brafford, ITF at Patriots Elementary)
- If you do not have admin rights on your laptop to install this app, place a technology work order.
End of Year Technology Procedures
Things will look a lot different for closing out the year from a technology perspective. Below is a link to things I am asking you do as you closeout your rooms. One of the biggest changes is that I will not be collecting any devices for the summer unless you are not returning to CMES. Please read the document below and COMPLETE THE FORM that is linked in the document. All staff with school issued technology should complete this form, as well as those who are not returning. This form is intended to assist with inventory. Thank you for your cooperation in helping me account for everything during this time.
End of Year Technology Procedures - please read carefully and complete the form in the document.