Challenges

Challenge #0: Join the Challenge

Congratulations! You have already done the first step...You Accepted the Challenge!

Below is your very own Digital Tech Challenge Badge Chart (I will also put a paper copy in your mailbox that you can hang up to show off to others). Each week I will put a sticker badge in your mailbox for the challenge you complete to put on your paper chart to hang up for all to see and brag about your progress. I will also email you any earned digital badge you earn at the end of the week it was assigned (they will also be available in the "Helpful Resources" topic in Classroom if you complete them after the deadline). You can "stick" these (or upload them into the Drawing) on the attached digital chart if you wish.  

Get ready to get your Tech-On!

🔹Grab your Badge Board here: Tech Badge Board

Challenge #1: Create Multiple Email Signatures

Email is still the most widely used tool for communication. I use it all day long for both in-district and out-of-district communication. When I communicate with others in my district, I want them to see a signature that reflects what I want them to see such as links to my blog, Twitter account, and a “Book Me” link. When I communicate with educators outside my district, I don’t want them to have access to my “Book Me” link. In the past, I had to delete this portion of my signature. Gmail allows you to have multiple signatures saved. Before sending an email I can select the correct one for the recipient. Set up multiple signatures in your account (one for staff, one for students, or even one for parents) to make your signature specific to your audience! 

Your Challenge: Create Multiple Email Signatures

Create at least 2 Email Signatures. One could be your default signature, and the other could be for outside the district or even your students that will not need your phone number or other details.

1. Create a default email signature (directions to make this Creative are below ).

2. Create a second email signature that is different from the first.

3. Take a screenshot of the spot where you created the signatures showing the ones you made. See the Sample below to see what I am looking for.

4. Upload this screenshot to this Classroom assignment.

5. Turn In your assignment. (Make sure to click "Turn In".)

Turn In Your Image: (How to upload: https://youtu.be/2s-ytkj5OF4)

1. 1. Upload your Image to Classroom using the "Add or Create" button to the right and then click "File" (or use the other locations if applicable).

   2. Browse for the file or drag the file into the screen and click "Upload".

   3. After uploading the image click the "Turn In" button to send it to me.

🅡🅔🅜🅔🅜🅑🅔🅡: You can have help! Ask friends, family, coworkers, and even your students to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 Sample

🔹 Create Multiple Gmail Signatures

🔹 Create a Creative Gmail Signature

Challenge #2: Create a Newsletter Using Canva

Parent communication is important. Many teachers use weekly (or monthly) newsletters to keep parents informed. In the past, we used documents for this, but with more creative layouts Slides have been many teachers’ “go-to” tool. There is another option that is easy and shares extremely well. Canva has thousands of templates (including newsletters) to help you keep parents informed.

*Make sure you sign up for Canva for Education to get all the FREE upgrades! (www.canva.com/education)

Your Challenge: Create a Newsletter Using Canva

Create and share a newsletter using Canva. 

1. Make sure you have a Canva for Education account (Free! will all the goodies). 

2. Sign into Canva with your school account: www.canva.com

3. Browse the Templates for a cool Newsletter.

4. Create a real (or made-up) classroom, family, or "just for fun" newsletter.

5. Share this newsletter through a Link.

6. Upload this link to this Google Classroom.

7. Turn In this assignment. (Make sure to click "Turn In".)

Turn In Your Link: (How to upload: https://youtu.be/2s-ytkj5OF4)

1. 1. Click the "Add or Create" button to the right and then click "Link".

   2. Paste your link in the popup.

   3. After adding your link click the "Turn In" button to send it to me.

🅡🅔🅜🅔🅜🅑🅔🅡: You can have help! Ask friends, family, coworkers, and even your students! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 Canva

🔹 Create a Newsletter with Canva

Challenge #3: Create an Image Using Google AutoDraw

Sometimes we just need to have some fun, and who is better at fun than Google? They have a whole list of yearly April Fools gags, create interactive and entertaining Doodles, and add themes to their tools (does anyone else desperately miss all the awesome Star Wars themes in Gmail & Maps?). Google also gives us some lesser-known fun experiments. One of my new favorites is Auto Draw. I will be honest, I am by no stretch of the word an artist. Please, my stick people are even lopsided. Google AutoDraw gives me the ability to create cool images by free drawing an object and choosing the “real artist” drawn image to replace it (all images are actually submitted by others...if you are talented you are able to submit your drawings for others to use!).

Your Challenge: Create an Image Using Google AutoDraw

It is Conference week so let's do something EASY! Create a masterpiece using Google's AutoDraw.

1. Head over to www.autodraw.com.

2. Get creative and draw a fun image or scenery.

3. Download this as an image file.

4. Upload this image to Google Classroom.

5. Turn In this assignment. (Make sure to click "Turn In".)

Turn In Your Image: (How to upload: https://youtu.be/2s-ytkj5OF4)

1. 1. Upload your Image to Classroom using the "Add or Create" button to the right and then click "File" (or use the other locations if applicable).

   2. Browse for the file or drag the file into the screen and click "Upload".

   3. After uploading the image click the "Turn In" button to send it to me.

🅡🅔🅜🅔🅜🅑🅔🅡: You can have help! Ask friends, family, coworkers, students, or ANYONE to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 AutoDraw

🔹 Creating with AutoDraw

Challenge #4: Publish with Book Creator

One of the benefits of living in a digital world is the availability of a worldwide audience. Students write differently for a larger audience than they do for the classroom. There are many tools out there that allow for digital publishing. One of them is Book Creator. This is a tool that can be used on Chromebooks as well as tablets. There are different levels of paid access, but the free version can also be used in a classroom! With the free version, you get 1 library (collection of books) and 40 individual books. That works well for 1 book per student and leftover books for you or teams to create. At the end of the year, you can archive this library and start over with a new library and 40 new books. Check out the steps below to explore how Book Creator can help your students publish to a large audience!

Your Challenge: Publish with Book Creator

Create and share a book using Book Creator.

1. Head over to bookcreator.com.

2. Create a free account (make sure to sign in with Google).

3. Create a Library (you will do this while creating your free account).

4. Create 1 book. It can be very simple or a masterpiece!

5. Share that book with me by using the "Share" icon and choosing "Publish Online". 

6. Copy the link.

7. Upload the link to this Google Classroom.

8. Turn In this assignment. (Make sure to click "Turn In".)

Turn In Your Link: (How to upload: https://youtu.be/2s-ytkj5OF4)

1. 1. Click the "Add or Create" button to the right and then click "Link".

   2. Paste your link in the popup.

   3. After adding your link click the "Turn In" button to send it to me.

🅡🅔🅜🅔🅜🅑🅔🅡: You can have help! Ask friends, family, coworkers, students, or ANYONE to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 Book Creator

🔹 Publish with Book Creator

Challenge #5: Jeopardy Labs

Jeopardy is one of the most popular game shows out there. I even had the cool scoreboard that was plugged into my computer and projector in my classroom as a teacher. I would run full-on Jeopardy games for review and fun learning activities. Students loved this. Now there are places online where you can play pre-made games or even create games for free! JeopardyLabs is one of these sites. 

Your Challenge: Gamify Learning with Jeopardy Labs

Create a JeopardytLabs game and share the link with me.

1. Head over to JeopardyLabs.com.

2. Create your own Jeopardy game.

3. When you click "Save and Finish" copy the link to your game (the address at the top of the browser on that page).

4. Upload this link to this assignment for me.

5. Turn in this assignment (Make sure to click "Turn In".)

Turn In Your Link: (How to upload: https://youtu.be/2s-ytkj5OF4)

1. 1. Click the "Add or Create" button to the right and then click "Link".

   2. Paste your link in the popup.

   3. After adding your link click the "Turn In" button to send it to me.

🅡🅔🅜🅔🅜🅑🅔🅡: You can have help! Ask friends, family, coworkers, students, or ANYONE to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 JeopardyLabs

🔹 Gamify Learning with Jeopardy Labs

Challenge #6: Super Teacher Tools

Finding or creating classroom games or management tools is time-consuming. If only there were a bunch of them all in one place. Well, there is! Check out Super Teacher Tools. Many classroom games and tools are all in one place for FREE! If you sign in all your saved creations are saved for you! 

Your Challenge: Explore Super Teacher Tools

Explore the Super Teacher Tools and take a screenshot of something you created.

1. Head over to SuperTeacherTools.us.

2. Choose a tool or game to explore.

3. Create something of your own (within the games or tools). 

4. Take a screenshot of your creation.

5. Upload this image to me in this Google Classroom.

6. Turn in this assignment (Make sure to click "Turn In".)

Turn In Your Screenshot: (How to upload: https://youtu.be/2s-ytkj5OF4)

1. 1. Upload your Screenshot to Classroom using the "Add or Create" button to the right and then click "File" (or use the other locations if applicable).

   2. Browse for the file or drag the file into the screen and click "Upload".

   3. After uploading the image click the "Turn In" button to send it to me.

🅡🅔🅜🅔🅜🅑🅔🅡: You can have help! Ask friends, family, coworkers, students, or ANYONE to help you! 

🔹 Super Teacher Tools

Challenge #7: Using Loom for Positive Feedback

We all know how important feedback is for everyone, students and adults alike. In most cases, it is a comment on a paper or test or even that star or smiley face that makes a student’s day. What if we could take that positive feeling we get from simply written feedback to the next level? Video feedback is the next level! By using tools like Loom we can power up our feedback to students and supercharge our impact on student achievement!

Your Challenge: Using Loom for Positive Feedback

Create a Loom Video and share it with me.

1. Install the Loom Chrome Extension. https://bit.ly/LoomExtension

2. Then head over to loom.com/education and set up your free EDU account.

3. Click on “Get Started” and sign in with your Google account. 

4. Then click on "Get Varified" and complete the form. You can complete the rest of this assignment without being verified, this will just give you all the paid features for FREE!

5. Explore Loom. Create a screencast and share that link with me in this assignment.

6. Turn in this assignment. (Make sure to click "Turn In".)

Turn In Your Link: (How to upload: https://youtu.be/2s-ytkj5OF4)

1. 1. Click the "Add or Create" button to the right and then click "Link".

   2. Paste your link in the popup.

   3. After adding your link click the "Turn In" button to send it to me.

🅡🅔🅜🅔🅜🅑🅔🅡: You can have help! Ask friends, family, coworkers, students, or ANYONE to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 Loom Chrome Extension

🔹 Loom for Education

🔹 Loom for Positive Feedback (How-To Document)

🔹 Loom Intro (Video)

Challenge #8: Clean Up Images

We all take many pictures. We also know that no matter how well we play these pics there seems to always be something or someone in them that we wish were not there. There is a way to fix this! With a simple online (and free) tool you can delete people and items from images quickly and easily. 

Your Challenge: Clean Up an Image with CleanUp.Pictures

Delete items or people from an image and share it with me.

1. Find or take an image with people or items that you want to remove a person or item.

2. Head over to https://cleanup.pictures.

3. Upload the image and remove the unwanted people or items.

4. Upload BOTH the original and the newly edited image to this assignment in Google Classroom.

5. Turn in this assignment. (Make sure to click "Turn In".)

Turn In Your Images: (How to upload: https://youtu.be/2s-ytkj5OF4)

1. 1. Upload your images to Classroom using the "Add or Create" button to the right and then click "File" (or use the other locations if applicable).

   2. Browse for the files or drag the file into the screen and click "Upload".

   3. After uploading the images click the "Turn In" button to send it to me.

🅡🅔🅜🅔🅜🅑🅔🅡: You can have help! Ask friends, family, coworkers, students, or ANYONE to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 CleanUp.Pictures

🔹 CleanUp.Remove How-To Video

Challenge #9: Curved Text Using Adobe Creative Cloud Express

Adobe Creative Cloud Express is an easy tool that allows teachers and students to create awesome projects! You can easily create all sorts of visual projects like flyers, web pages, videos, images, graphics, and more. With the EDU account, we have access to all the cool tools, resources, and projects. Students can easily use Adobe Creative Cloud Express to create projects to demonstrate their learning. It has many awesome features. One of my favorites is the ability to add curved text to images.

Your Challenge: Curved Text using Adobe Creative Cloud Express

Create an image with Curved Text and share it with me.

1. Head to https://express.adobe.com/sp/ and sign in with your Enterprise Account. Follow these directions for signing into Adobe Creative Cloud Express: https://bit.ly/3M6wjJL.

2. Create an image project. Add images, background, or anything you want.

3. Add Curved Text (Circle or Semi-Circle) to this image. For help, use the How-To Document below.

4. When you are done, download this project as an image and upload it to this Assignment in this Google Classroom.

5. Turn in this assignment. (Make sure to click "Turn In".)

Turn In Your Image: (How to upload: https://youtu.be/2s-ytkj5OF4)

1. 1. Upload your Image to Classroom using the "Add or Create" button to the right and then click "File" (or use the other locations if applicable).

   2. Browse for the file or drag the file into the screen and click "Upload".

   3. After uploading the image click the "Turn In" button to send it to me.

🅡🅔🅜🅔🅜🅑🅔🅡: You can have help! Ask friends, family, coworkers, students, or ANYONE to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 Adobe Creative Cloud Express

🔹 Adobe Creative Cloud Express Enterprise Log In

🔹 Curving Text with Adobe Creative Cloud Express

𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 (𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵)

Deadlines...ugh! I, too, hate deadlines. I know many of you are like me and would wait until the last week to do all the challenges. Unfortunately, this would cause me to then be shuffling stickers, attaching individual treats, driving to buildings to deliver, and basically making a mess of the "Who got what and when" system that needs to be balanced with multiple buildings, and this many players. That would take the fun from me (so sad). I also don't want anyone to give up if they miss a Challenge deadline. This should be fun and hopefully inspire some new learning. 

So...I am posting one "Bonus Challenge". This will make any single (just one single chance) "Late Assignment" worth the full point! Think of it as an "Oops" assignment. Life happens (trust me, I understand), and I don't want anyone getting frustrated when that happens. If you have a late assignment, just do this task and the late assignment will be marked for "Full Credit"! Keep in mind, you still have to complete the missing Challenge, but it will be counted as "On Time" and get full credit.

Bonus Challenge: TickCounter

Explore the countdown and other timers available in TickCounter. Share a screenshot with me.

1. Head over to tickcounter.com.

2. Explore the timers available.

3. Choose one and create a timer. Any type of timer is fine.

4. Share your created timer link with me in this assignment. 

5. Turn in this assignment. (Make sure to click "Turn In".)

Turn In Your Link: (How to upload: https://youtu.be/2s-ytkj5OF4)

1. 1. Click the "Add or Create" button to the right and then click "Link".

   2. Paste your link in the popup.

   3. After adding your link click the "Turn In" button to send it to me.

 🅡🅔🅜🅔🅜🅑🅔🅡: You can have help! Ask friends, family, coworkers, students, or ANYONE to help you! 

🔹 TickCounter