Techegies Challenges

The Techegies Challenges provides a platform where teachers can earn digital badges. These badges will represent their personal achievements in learning and applying the learned techegies in their instruction. There are a variety of topics to choose from, which will continue to expand over time and include various levels.

Each badge will have specific tasks that must be completed and verified before it can be awarded. Typically, a BASIC badge requires a lower skill set and least amount of prior knowledge on the topic to achieve. As the level increases, so does the complexity of the tasks, The Certified levels require teachers to provide a lesson outline and student artifacts that demonstrate classroom implementation of the chosen badge topic. Each badge is worth a specified amount of points. The more complex the task, the higher the points. These points will translate into individual and school leader boards.

As you explore the available badges, you’ll notice that each topic includes information about classroom applications, SAMR and 4 C’s alignment, in addition to the criteria for earning the badge. All learning is self-directed, on-demand, anytime, and anywhere. There are no timelines for completing a task, unless the task itself has a specified window. You are encouraged to work with colleagues to complete tasks and to seek support where needed.

To learn more about the process, please visit our How do I Earn a Badge page.

NOVICE BADGES - 25 pts

ScreenShot Badge

Many of the badges for Digital PD will require you to submit evidence to prove that you've learned a new skill and incorporated it somewhere in your professional or instructional practices.

If you get stuck you can always ask your ITS or Google, (tech tutorials are available, all you have to do is type what you need in the search bar).

TAKING A SCREENSHOT: WINDOWS, CHROME & MAC TOOLS

Taking a Screenshot

Windows: use the windows icon button + "prtScn" button on your keyboard or the snipping tool that can be found in your windows search bar.

Chromebooks: Click this link for a video.

Mac: CMD+Shift+4 and draw a rectangle over what you want to capture.

Screenshots will be saved wherever you place them. When the Badge request forms asks for your file, simply open you file search and find and click on your screen shot.

TASKS

Earn the ScreenShot badge by completing the following steps!

1. Take a screenshot of absolutely anything and save it to your computer or upload it to a folder in Google Drive.

2. Click here to request this badge and UPLOAD your screenshot image to the form either from your computer or from Google Drive. For Content Area / Standards, type NA.

TASKS

Earn the Sharing Links badge by completing the following steps!

1. Use the available resources below to learn about sharing links and access to your Google Drive contents or other online materials.

2. Open or create and Google Doc, Slides, or Sheet and collect a "shareable link" from it.

3. Post that link in the Request a Badge form. For Content Area / Standard - type NA.

MONSTER MEET BADGE - 500 pts

500 pts

HOW IT WORKS:

Go to THIS spreadsheet and enter your information under the ORANGE columns. If you find another teacher who doesn't have a partner, you can add your information under the RED Columns.

1) Find a partner class to work with and then contact that teacher IMMEDIATELY and set up a time to chat with each other! Why? To ensure that you both AGREE on HOW you are going to run your Monster Meet because there are options, such as what are listed below AND options for how you will run the video conference (later in this document:

Option #1: Each class will collectively draw ONE monster. Your drawing can be digital (Google Drawings, Paint, etc.) or on large chart paper (markers/crayons, construction paper, shapes, yarn, etc.).
Option #2: Divide your students into small groups. Ensure BOTH classes have the SAME amount of groups. Each group draws their OWN monster to share when you have your Google Meet video conference. Keep in mind this takes longer.
Option #3: Do a combination of the above. Have ONE class monster that is shared during the video conference AND that is used in the closing activity(see further down), and also have groups share/compare their monster drawings without going through the closing activity.

2) WRITE: Each class or small group will then compose a DETAILED description of the monster they created (size, shape, color, texture, etc.). The goal is to make it detailed enough that the other class can create their own version of the monster based on your description as accurately as possible. Some classes use this opportunity to do procedural writing, others do descriptive writing, some even included specific shapes and measurements for the entire monster and its individual parts, which is a great way to integrate math concepts into your writing. Be creative!

3) EMAIL/SHARE: Email the description of your monster to your partner class (at least 7 school days prior to your scheduled Google Meet) to allow the other class enough time to re-create the monster you described. You should receive a description from the other class as well. If you are using small groups, you will have more descriptions, one per group.

4) RECREATE: Each class uses the description(s) they have been given to create a duplicate monster(s). Some classes opted to have each student create their own rendition as well as create a class monster, which is great. Just make sure they're LARGE ENOUGH to be viewed on screen during the Google Meet video conference and any coloring is well defined. It’s easier than having to hold the image really close to the camera. Bulletin board paper or a sheet or a ½ sheet of paper from one of those really large sticky note pads are ideal.

5) DRY RUN: Before your classes meet, conduct a test Google Meet Hangout using your given URL in this spreadsheet.

6) WHAT TO DO ON THE BIG DAY: On a scheduled date and time (on or around October 31), the two classes will join a Google Meet video conference to share their drawings and compare/contrast their monsters. This can also be structured in several ways, especially depending on the number of drawings created in your class. Please keep in mind that kids can get antsy if they’re sitting for a while :-)

Option #1 - Best for 1 Monster Per Class

- Class A reads the description sent to them by Class B

- Class A then shows their version of the created monster based on the description

- Class B shows their actual monster.

- EACH CLASS: Take a turn comparing similarities and differences between the original and the recreated monster.

- Class B Then reads the description sent to them

- Class B shows their version of the created monster based on the description from Class A.

- Class A will show their actual monster

- EACH CLASS: Take a turn comparing similarities and differences between the original and the recreated monster.

As a closing activity, each class could ask the other these types of comments & questions, but these work best if there is only ONE monster per class:

Glows

We really liked the words you used to describe X in your description.
We liked how you incorporated (shapes, colors, measurements) in your description.
What we liked best about your description was xxxx.

Grows (ask these questions of the other class about your own writing)

After seeing our monster, what details could we have added to our description to make it easier to recreate?
How could we improve our description if we wanted someone else to recreate our monster?
What was the most difficult part for you to draw or figure out based on the description?

Option #2 - Small Groups with monsters

Follow the same format above of sharing monsters, but omit the part about reading descriptions. Students can still point out similarities and differences between the original and the recreated monster.

7) Take GOOD quality pictures of BOTH monsters your class drew! Add your pictures to the Google Slides presentation so we have a presentation full of your monsters to see how each class / group interpreted the written descriptions. If you can get pictures of the monsters side-by-side during the video conference, that's great, too! You can see last year's presentation here.

2019 General Timeline

he spreadsheet (SIGN UP SHEET) - Partner class must NOT be in your same school!!! If you know of a teacher in another district that wants to participate, that’s wonderful!! We just need to make sure that they are able to join us using Google Meet.

September 30 - October 17: Draw your class monster and write up an accurate description of your monster.

October 7 - 11: FALL BREAK

October 14 - 17: TEACHER DEADLINE for getting your class monster description written and sent to your partner class (email or share via Google Drive) DO NOT SEND PICTURE!!

October 21 - 25: Use the description sent to you by your partner class to recreate their monster.

October 14 - 25: If needed, conduct a test Google Meet Hangout with your partner teacher using your given URL in this spreadsheet.

October 25, 28, 29,30, 31st: Connect via Google Meet to share monsters!

October 28 - November 1st: Add your pictures to our collaborative Google Slides presentation only AFTER your conference is completed. There will be a slide with your names on it.

TO EARN THIS BADGE - 500 pts

1. Connect with a partner classroom within the school system but NOT in your own school (see sign up spreadsheet below).

2. Follow the instructions in the spreadsheet to conduct your Google Meet Hangout.

3. Conduct your hangout.

3. Request your badge in the form here or click the Request A Badge link in the menu. Put NA into any blanks that need completing.

SAMR / 4 C's

A Monster Hangout activity, although teacher-facilitated, reaches the Modification level of SAMR.

The creation of the monster based on the description and the creation of the class monster involves the following 4 C's:

Critical Thinking / Creativity / Communication / Collaboration

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

LCD Projector (to project video conference)
Webcam with microphone for use in video conference

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