Tools for Creating Timelines in the Elementary Classroom
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Sunday, June 3, 2018
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How to Use Cartoonify to Create Digital Avatars
How to Use Cartoonify to Create Digital Avatars
Guest post by: Ann Tracy
Easy Way to Create Chatbots Using Google Forms
Easy Way to Create Chatbots Using Google Forms
Integrating Videos as an Engagement Tool for Students and Teachers
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
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Integrating Videos as an Engagement Tool for Students and Teachers
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How to Use Toony Tool to Create Educational Cartoons, Posters or Memes
How to Use Toony Tool to Create Educational Cartoons, Posters or Memes
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The Best QR Code Scanner for Chromebook Users
The Best QR Code Scanner for Chromebook Users
Create a Brochure in Google Slides™ for Next Year's Class
Create a Brochure in Google Slides™ for Next Year's Class
Create Digital Jigsaw Puzzles with Jigsaw Planet
Create Digital Jigsaw Puzzles with Jigsaw Planet
Jigsaw Planet is a website that has been around for years which contains digital jigsaw puzzles that can be assembled using any device with a web browser. It also has the capability to upload any image and create a digital puzzle for someone else to solve. I wrote about this tool back in 2013 but wanted to revisit it after receiving a question on my Facebook page the other day asking if there was a way to create a digital puzzle from a photo. Why YES there is☝and it is E-A-S-Y to do.
Below is an example of a Jigsaw Planet puzzle (I made an easy one just for you😉). This image is one a student designed of the Water Cycle in Google Drawing using my Digital Directed Drawing of The Water Cycle Activity that I uploaded to Jigsaw Planet. You can embed these puzzles on any blog or website! Go ahead, piece it together! You will notice that the pieces will click in place when you have successfully connected two together.
IMPORTANT: The Terms of Service states that users must be 13 years or older to use Jigsaw Planet. I reached out to Jigsaw Planet to ask about classroom use and they said it was fine as long as students are supervised. For elementary teachers, this tool would be better suited to use to create digital puzzles for students to put together. Students could always create the image that the teacher turns into a puzzle but they cannot create an account and upload a picture of their choice unless they have parental permission. (Educators can also create puzzles without an account). Even when these puzzles are embedded into a blog or website, students can access the Jigsaw Planet website with one click on the puzzle piece icon in the bottom toolbar. There are a few questionable puzzles posted on Jigsaw Planet that we wouldn't want students to run into.
How to Create Your Own Digital Jigsaw
Head to Jigsaw Planet and upload a photo or image you want to turn into a digital puzzle.
My favorite feature about this tool is the ability to make your jigsaws various levels of difficulty. For younger students you can have fewer pieces to manipulate. You can also change the shape of the pieces. The puzzle embedded above has 20 pieces.
Classroom Connection
A few ways I could see this being used in the classroom include but aren't limited to:
😊Digital Breakout Clues
😊Reveal a top secret mission for students
😊Anticipatory Set: Have students guess what your next unit of study might be after assembling the puzzle (Ex. A picture of a desert or pyramids for Ancient Egypt)
😊Answer to a Challenge Question of the Day
😊Special Announcements
😊Anything to build excitement!
Simple, easy to use and no login required! Embed on your class blog/website or share with a link. Other sharing options are available like email and social media.
Simple, easy to use and no login required! Embed on your class blog/website or share with a link. Other sharing options are available like email and social media.
Other Similar Digital Jigsaw Puzzle Creators
Easy to Use Tools for Creating AUDIO QR Codes
Easy to Use Tools for Creating AUDIO QR Codes
What is the easiest way to create AUDIO QR Codes? is a question I hear often. If you have ever wondered how to do this, here are a few easy to use tools I highly recommend:
Vocaroo
Perhaps the most well-known and intuitive tool for creating audio recordings that will also generate a QR Code is Vocaroo. It is a web-based tool that requires you to record on a Chromebook, laptop or computer but can be played back on any device including iPads and other tablets. It is important to note that the QR codes will expire after a few months. An alternative is to download the recording right from Vocaroo as an mp3, upload the mp3 to Google Drive or Dropbox and then turn that link into a QR code using a site like QR Stuff or the Chrome extension Quick QR Code Generator.
Cloud QR Generator App
The Cloud QR Generator App ($3.99) for iOS is one of my favorites! You can also find it in the Google Play store by clicking HERE ($3.49). This app will create all kinds of different QR codes, one of which is audio QR codes!
Here is a Facebook Live I did awhile ago about these two tools if you would like to see the steps to take to make these audio QR codes (fast forward to 0:38):
Seesaw
For those of you who use Seesaw, I highly recommend using the audio recording feature that is built into Notes that can be turned into a QR code right within the platform. Andrew Leiser created this wonderful video tutorial to show you exactly how to accomplish this:
Other Methods
When working with teachers who do not use Seesaw, Vocaroo and Cloud QR Generator are my go-tos because very few steps are involved in creating the QR codes. But I would like to mention that there are other methods if you are up for it! Depending on what kind of device you and your students have access to will depend on the tools you use.
You can always have students record their voice using a computer program like Audacity or apps like Voice Memos or Voice Recorder. These tools will allow you to record audio and save it as a mp3 file. You would then need to upload the mp3 to Google Drive or Dropbox and then turn that link into a QR code using a site like QR Stuff or a Chrome extension like Quick QR Code Generator (same thing as I mentioned above for Vocaroo if you wanted the QR code to last longer than a few months).
Ideas for Using AUDIO QR Codes in the Classroom
- Teacher records directions to leave at a center
- Give differentiated spellings tests
- Create an audio library (an adult can record themselves reading books-paste the QR codes on the inside cover of the book)
- Book reviews
- Students read their writing and attach a QR code for others to listen to
- Fluency practice (students can paste codes in a notebook and go back to listen to their earlier recordings to see how they have improved as a reader.)
- Students talk about their drawings and attach a QR code for an interactive display
How else could we use audio QR codes in the classroom? Let me know in the comments below!
Augmented Reality in the Elementary Classroom
Augmented Reality in the Elementary Classroom
Make Scheduling Quick and Easy with Doodle
Make Scheduling Quick and Easy with Doodle
Doodle is a digital tool that will allow you to create and send polls when scheduling meetings, get togethers, events, etc.. It simplifies the scheduling process by aggregating common dates that users submit through their poll responses. For instance, here are the results from a poll I sent to some friends when trying to schedule a get-together. I love the visual graphic that allows me to quickly see that April 26th works best for everyone.
Pricing
☝There is a free plan (what I use). However, if you are interested in a more robust scheduler they do have paid plans with many incredible features:
How does it work?
- Go to doodle.com and create a free account
- Click the blue +Create Doodle button
- Enter your poll title, the location of your event and any details
- Click on all of the options for possible dates (you can even add different times)
- Click Finish
- A link will then be available that you can copy and send out via text, email or post in your school's LMS. There is even an option to email it out straight from the website.
Disclaimer: My husband was the one who told ME about this tool a few months ago. Since then I have started using it for all kinds of events. I promised I would give him credit for introducing me to Doodle. 😂Meet Tim Smith...
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| Sorry ladies, this hunk is taken😉 |
