Create, Share, and Grade Reading Assignments Online Using ReadWorks Digital!

If you are not familiar with www.readworks.org,  it is an online resource that provides educators with research-based units, lessons, and authentic, leveled non-fiction and literacy passages free online for use in class.    Readworks.org has a "zillion" free reading passages in many subjects available for download and use.  Recently ReadWorks has added a new feature...ReadWorks Digital

ReadWorks Digital is a free platform allowing teachers to distribute ReadWork articles and assignments to students online.  Each article assigned has reading comprehension questions, vocabulary lists and discussion questions.  Once the articles are assigned through ReadWorks Digital, teachers can track students progress on assignments, see responses to questions, and grade those responses.

Below is a short video introduction to ReadWorks Digital:

2 New Features in Google Slides

There are 2 new features to Google slides.  Both features are accessible in the presentation mode enhancing the presentation experience of Google Slides:

• Laser Pointer: The new laser pointer feature overlays a red dot with a trailing line that can be controlled by touch (if your display allows for touch...SMART boards, tablets, etc) or with the trackpad or mouse.   Turn the laser pointer on or off using the presentation toolbar while in presentation mode:  

• Live Q&A session: This feature will allow presenters to start a live Q &A session with an audience during a presentation with Google Slides.  You can then present the questions at anytime and participants can ask questions from any device:

Google Slides-More Than Just Presentations

Many of us think of Google Slides as just an application for creating slideshow presentations. However, with its great design tools and collaboration features it can be used for more than just presentations (I provided a few examples below).  Within Google Slides, you have the ability to customize the page size (See video below:  select file>page setup>customize size),  opening up the possibility to create a variety of other documents...newsletters, books/magazines, infographics, bookmarks, etc.  Once the page size has been determined, add text boxes, shapes, images, and hyperlinks just as you would've a slide presentation.   Easily add new pages and move content around the page with little formatting required.  Having the ability to post the link allows you to instantly share your creations online.  

Here are a few examples/ideas for using Google Slides other than as a presentation tool:

• ONLINE NEWSLETTERS: Set the page size to 8.5 x 11 inches to make each slide the same size as a piece of paper.  Add your content (images, text boxes, shapes, etc) and post the shareable link.  Add new editions of the newsletters as the first slide.  This will allow the latest issue to be the first slide that is read, but allows for viewers to see previous posts in later slides. 
• COLLABORATIVE BOOKS/MAGEZINES:  Set the page size to 8.5 x 11 and add collaborators to the Google Slide.  Each collaborator will contribute to the book by adding their own slide(s)/page(s) to that one Google Slide presentation.  Post the link of the completed book to easily share online or print copies to distribute hard copies.  They will look great because of the page size you selected. 
• BOOKMARKS:  I have not tried this one yet, but the idea stemmed from a conversation I had with our librarians on a summer project they were working on regarding summer reading. Set the page size to the size you would want your bookmark (i.e-1"x 6").  Add your content (images, text boxes, shapes, etc) and post the shareable link.  Easily add a two sided bookmark by adding an additional slide.  

Kahoot! Cool New Features: 1 New and 1 Sort of New

As we approach the tail end of the school year and exams are looming, many of you are beginning to think about reviews.   Kahoot! could lend itself as a nice resource.     I know many of you have already used it in your classroom and others of you have at least seen it and have shown interest in using it.   Over the years, Kahoot! has made a number of updates to their application...two of which are worth checking out:

• Ghost Mode (Semi-New Feature launched earlier this school year):  Allows students to play games multiple times against their first (or second, etc.) attempts.   Once a game of Kahoot! is finished you will now see a "PLAY AGAIN" button that contains a ghost icon.  Once you click this button, the same game is launched which now includes your live class as well their ghost from the previous session (the ghosts play alongside live players and the ghosts answers and answer times will be exactly the same as those the players entered in the previous game).   What a great way to reinforce learning through repetition. 
• Team Mode (New Feature just launched this month): Allows students to play a Kahoot! session as a team.  Students get into small groups and sign in with one device per team.  They create a team name and type in all the names of the players on the team.  Team mode differs from the Classic mode in that  it allows time for teams to discuss after the question and response options are displayed on the board before the answers get displayed on their device to answer.  This mode seems to provide a fun way to create reviews while also focusing on collaboration, teamwork, leadership skills, and good communication.  

Website:  https://getkahoot.com

5 Free Teacher Tools from the Library of Congress

I recently read a blog post about 5 free resources available from the Library of Congress and thought I'd share them:

1. Student Discovery Sets:  These are ebooks that bring together historical artifacts and one-of-a kind documents on wide range of topics, from history to science to literature.  Interactive tools let students zoom in, draw to highlight details, and conduct open-ended primary source analysis.  Each set has full teaching resources available 
2. Shadow Puppet EDU:  This is a free app that allows students to create video slideshows, adding their own narration and text.  The videos can be up to 30 min long and can include up to 100 images.  Shadow Puppet EDU has partnered with the Library of Congress to give students access to a collection of images.  
3. Aesop's Fables:  This is a free Android or iOS app that provides access to a collection of Aesop's Fables. 
4. Primary Source Sets:  The Library of Congress provides plenty of primary source resources (from topics like Baseball in America, Jamestown, Jim Crow Laws, etc.
5. Lesson Plans: The Library of Congress provides teacher created lesson plans using the Library of Congress primary sources.   Lesson plans range from elementary school to high school 

New Feature in Quizlet (quizlet.live)

For anyone not familiar with Quizlet, it is a free website providing learning tools for students, including flashcards, study and game modes.  It was created by a high school sophomore in 2005 and currently has over 40 million study sets.  If you haven't used Quizlet before, you may want to check it out.  Our Junior School teachers are using it extensively in their classrooms.   The purpose of this post however was not to introduce Quizlet, but more to introduce a new feature Quizlet recently launched that may get more of you trying this application...this new feature is Quizlet.live

This new "Live" feature allows you to gamify any Quizlet review study set.  Here is how it works: Students enter a game pin and their name on quizlet.live.  Once students have joined a game, they are randomly assigned to an animal-themed team of 3 or 4 students (teachers are able to reshuffle the teams if they'd like).  Once your students organize themselves around the room near their teammates (for easier communication), the game can begin. 

Teammates work together to match correct answers faster than the other teams. For each game, twelve possible answers are spread across each teammate’s screen. Everyone on the team gets the same question but only one student has the answer. And so, they need to communicate with each other to find the correct answers in the least amount of time.

WOW!! Sounds like a fun way to run a review in class and promote mastery learning.  Not only are students working together to learn the hard content, but they are also learning skills such as communication and collaboration!!  I would be intrigued to hear feedback from anyone who tries using Quizlet.live in their class.

Quizlet website: https://quizlet.com/latest

Learn more about Quizlet live: https://quizlet.com/features/live

To join a session visit: https://quizlet.live (students do not need to have an account to play)

3 Ways to Use Video in the Classroom

Using video in the classroom can be powerful and allow us to make meaningful learning experiences and connections.  I am sure at some point you have all used video in your classrooms.  Here are 3 ways you can incorporate video projects in your classroom that I gathered from an EdSurge Article:

1. Flip your classsroom:  Lessons are recorded ahead of time and students can watch lessons as many times as they need at at their own pace.  Create your own videos using Screencast-o-matic, QuickTime, SMART Recorder, etc. or supplement using existing content from Khan Academy, YouTube, PBS Learning Media etc.  Flipping your classroom will allow you to free up time for in class discussions, projects, etc. 
2. Jazz up student assessments:   Allow students to show mastery by having them record themselves showing their learning in unique ways (i.e.-have them record themselves reading passages, labs/science experiments, or responses to a topic/question).  In addition, use platforms like EdPuzzle which allows you embed quizzes directly into video clips.  Better yet, have students demonstrate mastery by creating their own assessments in videos.  
3. Bring video into student projects and storytelling:  Incorporate more storytelling into the projects you are currently using in class.  Present.me is a free online website that allows you to upload content (PDF, PowerPoint, etc.) to an online platform and record video of yourself presenting the information. Another good application is Videolicious.  This is a free user friendly tool for taking pictures to tell stories.  

BONUS:  Add excitement to a parent weekly newsletter or email by creating a video.  Using green screen apps like Touchcast or Do Ink will allow you to create amazing video projects.