Embedded Files
In this issue:
In this issue:
Did you know: Important EOY Canvas Information
Monthly focus: The Final Lap
Blended Learning Focus: Student Engagement
Student Review: Ideas/Tools
Montly Digital Citizenship Lessons
Blended Learning Symposium
Promethean Place
Resources
Student Engagement Challenge for May
Important Canvas Information
Important Canvas Information
End of year close out is upon us! Here are a few things you should consider.
The Final Lap
As the race car drivers go into their final turn, the finish line emerges ahead. The racers make one final push to be the first one to cross the line. This is not all that different from our students. As we go into that final turn or final quarter of the school year, teachers encourage students to make that final push toward Victory Lane. One major way educators do this is through review.
This newsletter covers ways for students to engage with the content in joyful and meaningful ways. Students will be more likely to put the petal to metal and cross the finish line full steam ahead when work is enjoyable.
Blended Learning Focus: Student engagement
Blended Learning Focus: Student engagement
Here are a few things to consider as you look at when planning lessons in your classroom to ensure students take ownership for their own learning.
4 Free Digital Choice Boards to Engage, Differentiate, and Empower Your Students
4 Student Engagement Strategies for Effective Blended Learning
Interactive Learning Menus (Choice Boards) with G Suite--Free Templates
Student Review Ideas
Student Review Ideas
While reviewing with students can certainly be done without technology, below are some tools that can be used to help gauge mastery of the standards and have a high engagement factor. Most of these tools are not district-supported, but are free for teachers/students and do not require a student account (some may have a premium feature fee, but the basic level is free).
Our Favorites:
Use one of the Game Templates to review previously taught concepts. Family Feud, Trasketball, and Who Wants to be a Millionaire are just a few of the options.
The "Caption This and Comment" template could be used for any content area! In Math, students can be given a picture of a problem solved incorrectly and caption the mistake and how to fix it.
Have students create a newspaper article. Great for events in history and events in literary texts.
Amazon Product Review Template. Students can describe and critique objects, people, places, and more.
Need some graphic organizers? They have those, too!
*Many of these templates would make for an easy-to-create choice board, allowing students to choose how they would like to show their learning around a specific standard/s from the NCSCOS (North Carolina Standard Course of Study).
Our Favorites:
The Trading Card Creator can be used for vocabulary, events, people, fictional people, places, etc. Print them off and allow students to trade cards.
Have students write a postcard or letter from one literary character to another, from a particular time or event in history, explaining a concept from one classmate to another, etc.
Have students create an alphabet book for vocabulary or words having to do with a specific focus, like ecosystems.
*Many of these interactives would make for an easy-to-create choice board, allowing students to choose how they would like to show their learning around a specific standard/s from the NCSCOS.
Our Favorites:
Have students create a fake Facebook page (Fakebook) or tweet for a vocabulary term, a character, a historical figure, etc.
Use the Image Annotator to create an interactive experience with pictures. Students can type in information and embed links for each hotspot created.
Students can create a text message thread using the SMS Generator. Students can explain a concept, evaluate a text, summarize, etc. to another peer (could be done in pairs or individually).
Use the Breaking News Generator to create a headline for a historical event or discovery, a current event, a fictional event, etc.
*Many of these tools would make for an easy-to-create choice board, allowing students to choose how they would like to show their learning around a specific standard/s from the NCSCOS.
Other Tools
Other Tools
Students can use voki.com to create a talking avatar. Text can be entered (under speaker icon) to explain a concept, analyze, summarize, etc. Adobe Express (located in Clever) also offers an "Animate your Voice" tool (similar to Voki) where students can record their own voice and watch the avatar speak it.
Use vocaroo.com to create a news broadcast or podcast.
*Many of these tools would make for an easy-to-create choice board, allowing students to choose how they would like to show their learning around a specific standard/s from the NCSCOS.
Monthly Digital Citizenship Lessons
All of the digital citizenship lessons and activities from this school year are available on the Guilford is Cyber Safe website. Additional resources and lessons for continuing this instruction through May can be found on the Common Sense Education Digital Citizenship Curriculum website.
Join us for the Blended Learning Symposium! See flyer below...
Flyer.pdf
Resources
Resources
BL Resource Website: Visit our website for all things blended learning. Locate your blended learning specialist, find out about our virtual course offerings,
District-Provided Tools Database: Want to know what digital resources we have for you? Check out the district's Air Table. You can filter to find the information you need.
Resources Document for Best Practices: If you like the Blended Learning Look-for document but feel like you need to know more, please check out our resource page that directly aligns with each of the blended learning focus areas.
Digital Learning Resources Canvas Page: Need help with one of our GCS district-provided resources? Visit our digital learning resource page to find video tutorials and instructional guides on anything from Google to Canvas.
Student Engagement Challenge
Student Engagement Challenge
Please submit a brief reflection of a lesson you have completed recently with students using one of these digital tools or another tool that promoted high student engagement. Submit your reflection to morrisa8@gcsnc.com. Once you submit your response, you will automatically be entered into a drawing for a prize.
**Last Day to submit your Student Engagement Challenge entry is Wednesday, May 27th.**
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