Engaging Technology Games

            With the end of the year quickly approaching, I notice all the exhausted faces around me. Although the students are burnt out, time is still valuable and teaching must continue. I have really focused on implementing engaging technology games to review third grade standards. I want to ensure my students are comfortable with all the material learned this year before I send them off to fourth grade.

            One of my most favorite engaging technology games is Kahoot! If you haven’t tried Kahoot, I highly suggest trying it out. The best part about Kahoot is it’s a free and there are already teacher created lessons. Last week I found a teacher made Kahoot that focused on a variety of third grade standards. The students get to create their own names which appear on the projector throughout the game. The students use a code that you provide them with, which allows them to play. Once the game starts questions pop up and students must respond using their device. After all students answer the question, the correct answer is revealed and the students with the leading scores appear. I was shocked at how well my students did with this. Every single one of my students were engaged and had smiles on their faces. I also love the report side of Kahoot which allows teachers to run data to see student strengths and weaknesses. Give Kahoot a try if you haven’t already!

            Another engaging technology game is using Plickers to review. It’s very similar to Kahoot, but doesn’t require as much technology. Teachers need to have a projector and a phone with the Plickers app downloaded. The teacher can create a mini quiz or can find one that already exists. Students use Plicker cards that can be printed and downloaded from the Plickers website (the cards look similar to QR codes). Once a question pops up students hold up their cards to answer. Each side of the card has a different answer (A, B, C, D). The student holds the card up with their answer letter facing up. The teacher then uses their device to scan the room. The device will pick up all answers and project them on the board. Like Kahoot, teachers can also run data on Plickers to see student progress. Plickers is another must try!

Have you ever used Kahoot or Plickers in your classroom? How did it go? 

Computer Science 2020

            If you teach in Seminole County, you know what I am talking’ about! This year our school started Computer Science 2020. It’s a program adopted by Seminole County, which teaches students computer science technology skills. When this program first rolled out, I was extremely nervous at our training because it was something new. I also thought to myself, “Oh great something else to add to the list.”

            However, now that my class has completed seven lessons, I have had a change of heart. The students LOVE it and they are completely engaged at all times. The first few lessons focused on creating codes in which students would use to make a character complete a task. Then students worked toward implementing codes within games. Although students were challenged, they never gave up. I was able to experience the critical thinking piece of this project by watching each my students. I also enjoy the program because it teaches students the importance of learning from your mistakes. The coding requires students to try something and problem solve if they do not get it right the first time.

 My other concern with starting this project was the lack of technology. Each grade level at our school has a laptop cart in which they share with their teams. Our third grade team made a rotating schedule which determines a day and time of the week set aside for technology time. My class spends Monday afternoons working through our Computer Science lessons. Our school is very fortunate to have this technology offered to us. If your school does not have enough technology, students can work in pairs to complete these lessons. I have done this with my class and I was actually surprised with the results. Check out the Hour of Code website to get started on coding.

Does your school currently code? What are your experiences with Computer Science 2020 or coding? 

My Digital Storytelling Project

In my third grade classroom, we spend a lot of time “traveling” the world to other countries and learning about their cultures. This digital storytelling project is built around our Social Studies Mexico Unit. Students in my classroom will be working in groups (2-3 students) to create their digital storytelling project. The students will be able to decide from the following topics to research: land/water/climate, food, fun/sports, money, and natural resources. The example I have provided students with is on Mexico’s Landmarks.

Please take the time to view my digital storytelling example and provide me with any helpful feedback. Are there any items you feel I should add or take out? If you were my student, would you understand what is expected of you? What questions would you have about the project that I could address more clearly? I look forward to your feedback and comments. Thank you for stopping by!

http://missesquivel2017.wikispaces.com/Digital+Storytelling+Example