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 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: Word Clouds with WordSift

I love word clouds. I used them often in elementary classrooms and not just to make cool-looking images. I had students create a word cloud with every document they created to show the frequency of words: the more often a word is used the larger it appeared. This helped them with word choice and creating interesting writing. The downside was when we went to a 100% Chrome environment, sites like Wordle and Tagxedo no longer worked in Chrome. Have no fear... https://wordsift.org is to the rescue. This site allows you to create beautiful word clouds and interact with them for FREE.

Your Challenge: 

Create a word cloud of some type and share it with me.

1. Head over to https://wordsift.org.

2. Paste or type text into the text box and "Sift".

3. Choose an interesting layout (Cloud Style, Sort, and Mark Words).

4. Take a screenshot of this creation.

5. Share this image with me through this assignment.

6. Turn In (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, and even your Tech Coach to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 WordSift Link

🔹 WordSift Walkthrough

Challenge #2: Create a Song with ChatGPT

ChatGPT is amazing! It can do so much that it is almost, ok more than just almost, scary! You can have questions answered, essays written, text created, and even poetry or songs composed! If you have not played with ChatGPT, now is your chance to be amazed!

Your Challenge: 

Create a song about something using ChatGPT.

1. Head over to https://chatgpt.com.

2. Sign in or create an account (it is FREE).

3. Explore some of the amazing things you can do with this tool. Try asking it to do something, even try to trip it up!

4. Tell ChatGPT to create a song about something. Have some fun with this. Choose something meaningful to you (a family member's special day, or just something for fun like creating a song about a shark eating cupcakes and sharing with friends).

5. Copy the song lyrics and paste them into your attached document below along with the song prompt you asked ChatGPT to do.

6. Turn In (Make sure to click "Turn In".)

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

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 ChatGPT Link

🔹 Challenge Document to Turn In

Challenge #3: Annotate a Chrome Tab

• Have you ever wanted a screenshot of your Chrome browser tab with any of your annotations on it? You can with this cool extension. Once installed you can draw, type, highlight, and more on any screen and download this screen as an image. Check it out!

Your Challenge: 

Annotate a Chrome Tab. 

1. Install this Chrome Extension:
   https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/page-marker-draw-on-web/jfiihjeimjpkpoaekpdpllpaeichkiod  

2. Open any Chrome tab or webpage.

3. Click the installed extension and annotate all over the page. Explore some of the annotation tools and colors you can use.

4. Download the image (download icon) and save this image.

5. Upload the image to this assignment.

6. Turn In (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, and even your Tech Coach to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 Extension Link (Install This Extension)

🔹 Extension Walkthrough

Challenge #4: Creative Font with GenType

Want just the right, customized, or unusual letters to add to your creation? Customize images for fonts with Google’s GenType tool. Sign in with Google, describe what you want your letters to look like, and let Google do all the work for you. You will get downloadable images for each letter to use!

Your Challenge:  

Create an awesome customized letter set!

1. Head over to https://labs.google/gentype.

2. Sign in with Google.

3. In the left text box (smaller box), describe the letters you want to use. Example: "letters made out of Logo pieces with a green grass background".

4. Let the tool run and create your letters. This can take a minute.

5. In the right text box (bigger box) type a short phrase or sentence.

6. Click the "Save as PNG" button at the bottom right of that text box to download the image.

7. Upload this image to this assignment for me to see.

8. Turn In (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, and even your Tech Coach to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 Web Site Link

🔹 Gentype Walkthrough

Challenge #5: Re-Level Text with MagicSchool AI

If you are looking to make a document or selection of text leveled up or down for your students, MagicSchool AI is the tool for you! It is easy and free! Simply copy your text, choose the Re Level tool, paste, and generate a new writing sample at any chosen reading level. Simple and quick!

Your Challenge: 

Change the reading level of a selected text using MagicSchool AI.

1. Find a text selection that is not at your students' (or an imaginary group of students) level.

2. Copy this text and paste it into the attached document below (left side box).

3. Head over to https://app.magicschool.ai/tools. Create an account if you need to.

4. Choose the "Text Leveler" tool.

5. Change the grade level to something different than the level your text is already written.

6. Paste the text you copied into the box.

7. Click "Generate".

8. Copy the changed text and paste it into the attached document below (right side box).

9. Turn In (Make sure to click "Turn In".)

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

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 MagicSchool AI Link

🔹 MagicSchool Walkthrough Video

Challenge #6: Create a Wordle

Are you playing Wordle every day like almost 90% of the rest of the world? Do you wish you could create your own Wordles to use in class with your students? You can!

Your Challenge: 

Create a Wordle with your own choice of words.

1. Head over to http://mywordle.me.

2. Type a word in the “Make Custom Wordle” box and click “Generate Link”.

3. Click “Play”.

4. Enter some word guesses...I know you know the answer, but play along with me.

5. Make sure to solve the word in a couple of tries.

6. Take a screenshot of this screen and upload it to this assignment.

7. Turn In (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, and even your Tech Coach to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 My Wordle Site Link

🔹 My Wordle Walkthrough

Challenge #7: Create an Image with Gemini

Gemini is a helpful AI assistant. It can answer your questions, tell stories, and even write poems. It is like having a smart friend who can help you with anything. Gemini is always learning new things, so it can get better and better at helping you. YOu can even create cool AI-created images! Check it out!

Your Challenge: 

Create an image using Gemini AI.

1. Head over to https://gemini.google.com/app.

2. In the bottom box enter a command similar to "Create an image of..." and include your description of an image you want to create. (With the free version you can not create images of people, but you can create images of anything else.)

3. Click on the picture you created and in the upper right you will see the download icon. Download this image and upload it to this assignment. 

4. Turn In (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 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, and even your Tech Coach to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 Gemini Site Link

🔹 Gemini Walkthrough Video

Challenge #8: Fun with Neal Fun

It is a short week so this week's challenge will be super easy! Neal Fun is a great exploratory site. It has some fun games that can be very addictive for problem-solving and thought-provoking discussions. The Size of Space and Infinite Craft are a couple of my favorites. Check it out, but don’t get lost in all the fun activities!

Your Challenge: 

Explore some fun activities  https://neal.fun.

1. Head over to https://neal.fun.

2. Explore a couple of the fun activities.

3. While in one of the games/activities, take a screenshot and upload it to this assignment.

4. Turn In (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, and even your Tech Coach to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 Neal Fun Site Link

Challenge #9: Create a Business Card with Canva

We chose our path in life...but what if you could do it all over again? Now is your chance! Create a business card with your NEW career choice using Canva. Make a new choice, get creative, and make it fun! I added one at the bottom of this assignment as an example.

Your Challenge: 

Create a Business Card using Canva.

1. Head over to https://www.canva.com.

2. Make sure you have the Educator Account. If you are new to Canva or have not been "verified", head here (https://www.canva.com/education) to get verified and get all the upgrades for FREE!  

3. In the search box at the top, search for "Business Card".

4. Choose a layout (or create your own) and add information about your new chosen life.

5. When you are done, click the "Share" button in the top right, click "Download", and choose a PNG in the File Type dropdown. 

6. Upload your business card image to this assignment.

7. Turn In (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 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, and even your Tech Coach to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 Canva Site Link    (Go HERE if you have not applied for Canva for Education!)

🔹 Example Project

Challenge #10: Create Resources and a Quiz with Diffit

Although we all have resources from our textbooks, most of the time we need to create our own. New resources may need to be more specific, cover material better, or need to be adjusted for the number of questions or amount of content. Doing this from scratch is a lot of work. This is where sites like Diffit come in handy. This site will create all the resources you would ever need with just a simple web search. You need to give Diffit a try!

Your Challenge: 

Create some resources and a quiz using Diffit.

1. Head to https://web.diffit.me. 

2. Click "Teachers Start Here".

3. Click "Sign In" at the top right and sign in with Google.

4. Using the “Literally Anything” tab, choose a Topic and Grade Level for the material then click “Generate Resources”.

5. Resources, readings, quizzes, and possible activities will appear. Feel free to edit any of these and play around. 

6. Take a screenshot of the multiple choice quiz that was created and upload it to this assignment.

7. Turn In (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 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, and even your Tech Coach to help you! 

Below are resources showing how to do all this!

🔹 Diffit Site Link

🔹 Diffit Walkthrough

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, that you still have to complete the missing Challenge, but it will be counted as "On Time" and get full credit.

Your Bonus Challenge:  (Make up for ONE Late Assignment, but you still need to complete the original assignment!): 

Create a Lego minifigure or yourself! Have some fun and create a Lego Minifig that looks (somewhat) like YOU! 

1. Head over to https://piecebypiecegenerator.com.

2. Click "Start".

3. Follow the steps to choose the items that best match you. Try to get close to your appearance.

4. Choose one of the final backgrounds and download the image to your device.

5. Upload this image to this assignment.

6. Turn In (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 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, and even your Tech Coach to help you! 

🔹 Lego Minifig Site