There are a lot of teachers and tech integration coaches geared up right now. The countdown is on! The 2014 MN TIES Education Technology Conference is taking place December 6-9th. My co-presenter, Mike Henderson, and I are excited to share tips and tools for creating blended learning activities for students of all ages. After seeing our presentation, your previous ideas about blended learning may be challenged. What many teachers once thought was for older students is now applicable to even elementary age students. I promise that those attending our session will walk away with ideas and strategies that can be put into practice right away. With Augmented Reality (AR) at the heart of our presentation, be prepared to gain the skills to “wow” your students and increase engagement in the classroom.
Read below to learn more about the tech tools that we are using to deliver content to students. You will see step-by-step guides that you can easily follow to navigate the technology successfully. In addition, you will also see real examples of lessons that students are completing. Take off your teacher hat and view the activities from the eyes of a student.
Attending our session on Monday, Dec. 8th? (11 a.m. Lake Superior B) Download and print the student examples below that will be referenced during our presentation. You know you will be glad you did!
Flipped Classroom Technology: Blended Learning for All Students
(Download the above brochure to learn more about creating blended learning activities for students of any age.)
Clic
k on the links below to see actual examples of elementary ELA, Science, and Social Studies learning activities. Use the free “Layar” app, on your mobile device, to interact with each activity and experience it from the standpoint of a student.
Police Officers Layar Activity
Creating a Nearpod Presentation How-To 2014
Nearpod is a great tool that you can use to create interactive slide presentations. Gone are the days of just listening to teachers talk. Now, students can listen, respond to teacher questions, and interact with their peers on a whole new level. The new homework feature is also and easy way to present content to students. They can complete the activities at a later time in class or even at home. You have the option of having students work independently or in a cooperative learning situation.
Click on the link below to see the activity sheet that elementary students use to complete a Nearpod homework activity.
Nearpod homework example-flipped timeline activity
QR Codes
Olympic Themed Handwriting Activities
Click on the link below to see a QR code sheet that contains handwriting demonstrations created with the “ShowMe” app.
What do students do after they complete a handwriting assignment in their handwriting journals? They turn it in for teacher review. To reinforce correct letter formation, I have set up a system where students can work towards a prize. Each assignment successfully completed means that I cross off one olympic symbol on the child’s tracking sheet. When the sheet is filled up, the child earns a handwriting certificate and a medal.
can write like an Olympian Click here to see the tracking sheet described above.
Click here to read an earlier post explaining how I use QR codes to flip my handwriting instruction.
Interested in seeing other ways that QR codes can be used in your classroom? Click here to see!
If you have never flipped a lesson, or if you teach elementary or middle school, the above resources may give you a lot to think about. If you have already been using tech to deliver content to students, my hope is that you might find a great tool here that can help you refine the process and make it easier. Whatever the case may be, remember to start slow. Don’t get overwhelmed and quit. Begin with one step at a time. Enjoy the process and the discoveries that you and your students will make. It will be a fun ride and you will that both you, and your students, will be more engaged as a result!
Any questions? Feel free to contact me via email at bsimo@gk12.net or Twitter (@BillieRengo).
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