Not another poster... Throwback Post

One year ago we posted about alternatives to poster projects, such as interactive Google Slides, Info graphics & Fictitious Social Media profiles.

Mrs. Bothun's high school students ran with the idea this year in their "If the heart was an amusement park" assignment.  I was lucky enough to have visited and witnessed some really great interactive presentations.

Cardiovascular Candyland was one of my favorites.  It sent students through a tour of the heart with comprehension checks along the way.  If questions were answered correctly, the tour continued.  If incorrect the participant was redirected to review information and asked to repeat the question.

Other students took the same concepts and applied it as if the human heart was an "Escape Room". Yet again, another great example of a presentation where the audience had some say in how the presentation was led.  Something like this would be very cumbersome with a stereotypical, linear presentation that goes from slide 1 - 20.

Cick here for a video segment of Cardiovasular Candyland!

Mrs. Bothun's interactive presentations, as well as Mrs. Wensel's VR/360 Tours are both featured on the Tech Showcase.  Be sure to check it out and let us know if you have something for display! 

Rethink Google Slides

Google Slides aren't just for presentations anymore!

Go through the presentation above to find out more or click here to open the presentation in a new tab.

Have an idea for using Google Slides in your class?  

Contact a Tech Coach to help you get the ball rolling!

ActivInspire connects with Classflow

Remember these guys? 
Wow! They were really the cat's pajamas! 

But now, their batteries are dying, kids don't remember how to text with a number pad, etc... 

So how do we gather feedback from our students with all these fantastic flipcharts we already have? 

This button right here should be at the top of your ActivInspire Flipchart.  
(If not, let a techcoach know you need updated!)

Go ahead!  Click Connect!

Now just click the "G" to sign in with your @smdutch.net account!

Here comes the money!  Your class code.  Best part - it NEVER changes!  So, make that poster for your classroom that says: 

classflow.com/student 
> Join
> Q9772 (use your unique class code)

*Students do not need an account & you don't have to pre-prepare anything!

All the student needs is a device with the Internet and you are in.  

Use your Express Poll button to send out these types of questions on the fly.  No prep needed.

- Multiple Choice
- Text Response
- Numeric Response
- Sort in Order 
- True / False 

Students will receive a copy of your slide with a place to submit an answer.  All the data comes to your flipchart with an immediate pop up graph of responses.  

AND - as if there couldn't be more - the responses are stored in a separate page at the end of your flipchart for you to reference later for individual data collection.  

Unique ideas I used last week: 

- Send the slide to your students to take notes without squinting to see the board.  Send them a Yes/No question to find out when they are finished copying.

- Instead of sending students to the board to go over answers, have a representative from each group send their answer to the board as the response to a text or numeric question.

'Tis the season to RECEIVE!  Contact a techcoach for a demo before break!

Looking for Some PioNears

You've been in your students' seats before. You know, the two hour webinar you signed up for to get Act 48 hours that put you to sleep. The speaker who talks and talks and talks and finally starts to sound like the adults from Charlie Brown. It doesn't have to be that way for your students! We are working with 21st century learners whose lives center around technology. Why not bring the technology to them in your lessons and connect with them on a whole new level???  Nearpod is an interactive teaching tool that you can use to create, engage, and assess. (PioNears are those educators who spread the Nearpod love far and wide and help others integrate this technology into their own classrooms.)


Here are the basics of how Nearpod works: 
1. You create (or download-for a fee) interactive lessons.
2. You share your lesson and students can access it via desktops, tablets, smart phones, etc.
3. YOU control the pace of the lesson in real-time.
4. The students interact with the lesson and submit responses as your lesson requires.
5. Formative assessment can be included in the lesson and you can provide immediate feedback.


This quick, one minute video shows a veteran teacher's testimonial of why he chooses to incorporate Nearpod in his classroom: https://vimeo.com/95197111

To get the full effect, you need to see Nearpod in action yourself! Once you create a Nearpod, you'll have access to a free "Getting Started with Neapod" Nearpod. If you have two devices available, use one as your teacher device and log onto the other as a student by going to www.nearpod.com/student
When you start the sample Nearpod on your teacher device, you'll get a PIN to use to access the lesson on  your student device. From there, you will be able to see things from both the teacher and student perspective. Nearpod is an innovative way to incorporate BYOD into your classroom and to keep your students engaged and motivated!

Some things to keep in mind:

• Students need devices, but the district has given us lots of options: computer labs, BYOD, Surfaces, Chromebooks, iPads and more!
• You can create and share Nearpod lessons with team members. Divide and conquer the content as you create interactive lessons your students will love!
• Nearpod will work with any grade level or subject area.
• There are lots of premade Nearpods out there=less work for you!

If you have an questions, please don't hesitate to ask! If you've used Nearpod before, please share your experiences in the comments below!