Embedded Files
In this issue:
In this issue:
Did you know: Important EOY Canvas Information
Monthly focus: Engaging Ways to Review with Students
Bkended Learning Focus: Student Engagement
Student Review: Ideas/Tools
Montly Digital Citizenship Lessons
Resources
April SAMR Challenge Winner
Student Engagement Challenge for May
Important Canvas Information
Important Canvas Information
End of year close out is among us! Here are a few things you should consider.
Reviewing with Students
May ushers in the season of review. Teachers spiral back to standards and concepts that have previously been taught, in hopes that students will connect or reconnect with the material. Reviewing doesn't have to be dull or dreary. Incorporating digital tools is a great way to make reviewing with students a positive, productive and joyful experience. In this newsletter, you can explore various digital tools (that while not district-provided, are free to use and do not require a student account), that will help keep students motivated and engaged in the learning.
Blended Learning Focus: Student engagement
Blended Learning Focus: Student engagement
The article "4 Student Engagement Strategies for Effective Blended Learning" states:
Effectively engaging students in the learning process increases their focus, motivates them to approach lessons using higher-level thinking skills, and encourages them to take ownership of their own learning.
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.
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
May Digital Citizenship
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.
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, tutorials, and other resources.
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.
Best Practices Document: Learn about the four focus areas of Blended Learning and the models to make it all happen.
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 Swivl to Canvas.
🎉Congratulations! 🎉
🎉Congratulations! 🎉
Congratulations to Sandra Perez, from Sedgefield Elementary, who is our Blended Learning SAM-R Challenge winner for the month of April. Ms. Perez submitted a reflection on how she uses the SAM-R model in her classroom. She has won a certificate for dinner for 2 to Mimi's Cafe and a coupon for a treat at Dewey's. We are grateful to our community partners. We could not offer such wonderful prizes without them:
Mimi's Cafe - Friendly Center
Dewey's - Friendly Center
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 lamberj2@gcsnc.com. Once you submit your response, you will automatically be entered into a drawing for a prize.
**Last Day to submit your SAMR Challenge entry is Wednesday, May 28th.**
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