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Easy to set up activity to have kids introduce themselves for the year ahead!

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You are all amazing people, and I am eager to learn more about each of you. Please help me do so by carefully answering the questions below. 1. Click on the (...) symbol to the right under the banner and select 'Copy story' to have your own version of this template.

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Digital Citizenship Superhero HyperDoc (Grades 2-5)

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https://twitter.com/creativeedtech/status/1154103340634013696

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The first day of school is met with excitement as students reconnect with old friends, share about their summer and look ahead to another year. As teachers, we work hard to make that first day a positive experience for our students. And we want to keep that excitement and engagement going as we head into those first weeks of school and beyond.
What activities make the first day of school different and innovative so that kids want to come back on day two and three and four? And how do we infuse technology, creativity, and hands-on activities into our lessons?
In a recent back to school themed #Ditchbook chat, we asked the community to share their ideas, activities, and icebreakers for those first few weeks of school and beyond.

Participants shared ideas like:

the play-doh challenge

selfie activities

Flipgrid introductions

STEM challenges

...and SO many more!

Check them out in the summary of this week's chat below! Also be sure to check out our back to school Pinterest page filled with ideas from the #Ditchbook community.

Want to get in on the next #DitchBook Twitter chat?

Back to School - Curated tweets by DitchThatTxtbk
For notifications of new Ditch That Textbook content and helpful links: Interested in having Matt present at your event or school? Contact him by e-mail! Matt is scheduled to present at the following upcoming events:

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50+ back to school ideas, activities and icebreakers

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It's back to school time again and teachers are preparing for that big first day. How do we create unforgettable experiences for our students that will build community and start our year off with a bang? Here are loads of ideas and resources from fellow educators!

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There is nothing kids look forward to more than sitting through six classes of syllabus lectures and rule speeches on the first day of school.

Starting off the school year with a list of what not to do, or a rules lecture creates a culture of compliance. I want out of the box thinking, risk taking, boundaries being pushed with innovative ideas. Which led me to write and share "Back to School 2.0". I hope you will find something useful and inspiring, that helps you to set the desired tone for your own classroom during that important first week of school. I would also recommend reading Don Wettrick's blog post "Create Culture First: Not Rules".

In this post you can explore ten free lessons/ideas for starting the year with creativity, inspiration, critical thinking, mystery, goal setting, collaboration, self reflection, and humor.

A word about Hyperdocs: when you see a button that says hyperdoc, what that means is you can click on it and see a teacher created lesson in Google slides or Google Docs. If you like what you see, just click on <file> <make a copy> to add it to your Google Drive. Once you have made your own copy, you will want to replace links to shared spaces like Padlet, Answer Garden, Google forms, and shared slide decks with your own links. If you don't do this, your students will be submitting their work to the teacher who created the lesson.

Last year I started the first day of class with a Play-DOH challenge. The lesson idea originates from Dave Burgess' book "Teach Like a Pirate". I created a digital version of this lesson, which you are welcome to copy and use in your own classroom by clicking on the "Play-DOH HyperDoc" button below.

I used Animoto to create a video of my students creations:

This summer I discovered BreakoutEDU. These escape room style games teach critical thinking, teamwork, and problem solving skills. Students must solve problems to find clues that open the locks-on a box, because you can't actually lock them in the room. It is serious fun for all ages. Teachers love it during staff development meetings too. ​Check out the BreakoutEDU website and join the Facebook group too. The group is very active and really helpful. The lessons on the website are free, but you will need to get a kit (box/locks). I went the open source route to build my kit.

The Marshmallow Challenge is a great way to get to know your students. You can learn how students solve problems, who has leadership qualities, as well as how they work together. I created a video using Educanon, now Playposit, to introduce the activity and some group norms. This was a great way to not only get the class to listen to the rules of engagement, but it also to gives them a space to reflect on the activity afterwards.

I use the video clip from Ghostbusters to illustrate "Group Norms" and I am listing the norms covered in the video here as well. Click on the button below to use the Ghostbusters Group Norms Video.Reflect on your groups performance in this challenge. What went well? What would have improved your groups performance? If I gave you a new kit, what would you do differently?
Group work norms:

1. Everyone should contribute equally to the group.

2. No one person should dominate the group. Give others a chance to speak and participate.

3. Encourage group members to find different ways to solve the problem.

Group work norms:

1. Be open to other people's ideas and be willing to compromise.

2. It is completely fine to disagree, so long as other different ideas are valued and respected.

3. Challenge the idea rather than the person. Instead of saying, 'That doesn't make any sense!' try 'Can you explain the reasoning behind that idea?'

Group work norms:

1. Take time to build consensus with the group before moving forward with a plan.

Group work norms:

1. Be willing to work with a variety of people.

2. Help each other to get all of the work done.

Group work norms:
Share victory AND defeat.

​
Last year when we did the marshmallow challenge I went into my closet to get my measuring tape and came out with a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man beanie on...and the class went wild (in a good way)! It's the tiny details in the delivery of your lessons that let kids know that learning is going to be an adventure in your class.
**NOTE: One of the character's says "sh*t" in the video clip. I warn students that it's in there beforehand, but if you work with younger students you may not want to use the video as an introduction to the marshmallow challenge.

More information on the Marshmallow Challenge:

Those silly Facebook quizzes, like which Game of Thrones character are you, are a guilty pleasure of mine. I know there is no merit to them; yet still I want to know which Disney villain I am. I made my own quiz for my students to take, along with some other personality and learning style inventories. I put these quizzes into this Hyperdoc which I hope will allow us to have more balanced groups for class projects.

Have you got an idea for a great way to start the school year? Leave a comment and share it with others:

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There is nothing kids look forward to more than sitting through six classes of syllabus lectures and rule speeches on the first day of school. Starting off the school year with a list of what not to do, or a rules lecture creates a culture of compliance.

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Can you solve "Einstein’s Riddle"? - Dan Van der Vieren

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Use Eduprotocols to build culture, connections, and critical thinking skills during the first weeks of school.

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2020 Copyright. All Rights Reserved. The Sponsored Listings displayed above are served automatically by a third party. Neither the service provider nor the domain owner maintain any relationship with the advertisers. In case of trademark issues please contact the domain owner directly (contact information can be found in whois).

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By: @beardsleyteach

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By: @beardsleyteach

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By:@MsMarshallCMS

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Extend this amazing idea by Heather Marshall and have students record @flipgrid videos or videos on Padlet to share their creations!

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G Suite

Google Classroom was created to focus less time on tech and more time on teaching. And it certainly has lived up to its billing.

Classroom has streamlined the classroom workflow and makes communication easier between teaches and students. At its core, Google Classroom does a few things and does them really well

It creates a central home for class activities.

It lets teachers create assignments (and other class activities).

It collects assignments from students.

It helps teachers grade assignments and provide feedback.

It returns assignments to students.

Have you set up Google Classroom in your classroom? If not, now is the time!

This guide will show you how to set Google Classroom up in a matter of minutes and perform the main tasks. It will even address a few things Classroom will NOT do, as it's not a fully-featured learning management system.

Consider keeping this post open in one tab in your browser and Classroom in another so you can refer back. Feel free to click on the screenshots below to see the full-sized versions. Also, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post for a link to this guide in a shareable ebook format, plus links to even more resources.
Let's get started!

How to Use Google Classroom

⚙️ Tutorials to get you up and running

🛠 Organization tips and tools

💡 TONS of activities you can use right away

🚀 Ideas to take your skills to the next level

How to set up your class in Google Classroom

Follow these steps to set up your Google Classroom

Google Classroom is now available for Google for Education accounts as well as regular Gmail accounts. Anyone with a Google account can now use Google Classroom.

2. Click on the "+" button in the top right to create your first class.

(It's next to the checkerboard icon you use to access all of your apps.) Then click "Create class."

If you're getting started for the first time, your screen will likely look like the one above.

If you have some classes already, they'll display on this home screen. You can add new classes with the "+" button.

3. Add information about your class.

You must add a name for your class. This is how your students will identify your class when they open Google Classroom.

Use the "section" field to differentiate between different classes of the same type. Many teachers will use this field for the class period. (This field is optional.)

The "subject" field lets you choose from a list of class subjects or type your own. (This field is optional.)

4. Once your class is created, students can start joining it.

NEW invite students with a link! Students can now join your class using a special invite link. Just click on the class code and click "copy invite link". You can drop this link in your distance learning classroom chat box or email the link if you already have a group email list set up.

Students can join your class with a join code (above). This is a quick, easy way to get students into your class. By displaying the join code (click [ ]), students can log in to Google Classroom, click the "+" button and "Join class" to enter the join code. Then they're added to your class.

You can invite students to your class by email. This is a good option if students don't meet in person for your class. To do this, click the "People" tab at the top. Then, click the "Invite Students" button (an icon with a person and a plus). You can invite students individually with email addresses or by groups if all students are in a Google Group.

5. Customize your Google Classroom.

There won't be any students in your class the moment you create it. This is the time to get creative and have some fun with it! Click "Select theme" on the right side of the header. It will open a gallery of header images you can use to spice up your classroom.

You can also upload a photo to display at the top of your Classroom. You can use an image of your class or something that pertains to your class. Some teachers will create a custom header image with important information and fun graphics. Use this template to create a custom header.

Do More with Google Classroom

Teach better. Save time. Make a difference.

The short how-to tutorials on Google Classroom are EVERYWHERE. But how do we teach well with it? In this book, you'll find practical ideas to do great teaching with Google Classroom and thrive.

Using Google Meet in Google Classroom
Google has added the ability to enable Google Meet right from your Google Classroom!

How to generate a Google Meet link in Classroom

1. Click on the settings icon in your Google Classroom. From there scroll down to "General"

2. Click "Generate meet link".

3. Toggle on "visible to students" if you want your students to be able to see and access this link when they log into Classroom.

4. Once the link has been generated you can copy the link if you want to share it through another platform. You can also reset the link from here as well.

How to use Google Meet for elearning, online learning

When students are learning from home, Google Meet can be the connection you need with them. Here are ideas for using it.

How to use Google Classroom in everyday class
After your class is set up and students join, you have a fully functioning Google Classroom. Congratulations!
But you don't want to stop there. Here are some things you can do in your Classroom:

1. Add an announcement.

This is a good way to communicate with your class and give them up-to-date information. Announcements are posted to the class stream, but there isn't a grade associated with them.

Go to your class Stream and click on "share something with your class". Add the text for your announcement. Add any files (attached or from Google Drive), YouTube videos or links you'd like. Then post it (or schedule it for later).

2. Create an assignment, quiz, question, attach material, or reuse an old post.

This is where students get to work! You can create a graded (or ungraded) question for students to answer, a quiz, OR assignment for students to do. You can create them under the "Classwork" tab (above). You can also attach material you want the students to see or reuse an old post.

Things to include in your assignment or question (above):

A descriptive title for your assignment. (Pro tip: It's good to number your assignments to eliminate confusion.)

A description. This is helpful for students who were absent and for referring back to a previous assignment later.

Points. Choose how many points the assignment/question is worth (or use the drop-down menu to make it ungraded).

A due date. Choose when the assignment is due (or don't use a due date).

A topic. (We'll get to this in a moment ...)

File attachments. Attach files, add files from Google Drive, include YouTube videos, or give students a link.

Assign the assignment immediately, schedule it to post automatically later, or save your assignment as a draft to finish later.

3. Organize your class with topics.

If you have different chapters, units, subjects, etc. within your class, you can categorize your assignments and questions by topic to keep everything organized.

Under "Classwork", click the "Create" button and add a topic. Then, whenever you create a new assignment or announcement, you'll be able to add that topic to it.

4. Grade and return work.

Once students have completed work, you can provide feedback and grade the assignment. Click on the "Classwork" button and click on the assignment to view student work.

Here are some of the actions you can take ...

1. Sort the assignment by students who have turned the work in or all students who were given the assignment. (Just click on the big number.) Or, you can sort by other options with the drop-down menu below the big numbers.)

2. Open and view student work by clicking on it. Inside student documents, slide presentations, etc., you can add comments directly to the file. Or ...

3. Type and view private comments to the student by clicking on the student's name. You can also see when files were turned in with the history.

4. Add a grade to student work.

5. When you're all done, return work back to students. Be sure you've checked the box next to their names and click the "Return" button.

10 ways to make GOOD Google Classroom assignments BETTER

Understanding and utilizing Google Classroom's features can help you make the most out this widely used tool. Here are 10 tips for creating even better assignments for your students.

Google Classroom tips and tricks

Here are some ideas for maximizing your use of Google Classroom ...

1. On your "Classes" page (click the three lines menu button and "Classes"), click and drag your class cards around the page to reorder them.

2. Whenever you see a folder icon, click it to open that class's Google Classroom folder in Google Drive. This is where student work lives when it's turned in.

3. Assignments with due dates automatically go on your class's Google Calendar. Click a calendar icon to view it.

4. Want to make an individual copy of a file for every student in an assignment? (i.e. You have a graphic organizer you want ALL students to complete.) Google Classroom is like your digital photocopier. When you attach the file to your assignment, use the drop-down menu on that file and choose "Make a copy for each student."

5. Know the difference between the types of comments you can leave in Google Classroom. Check out the graphic below!

6. The Google Classroom mobile app is your secret tool for giving students quick, easy, instant feedback. Check out all you can do with it.

7. Adjust the settings for your class using the gear icon from your class's home screen. You can change your class name, display the class code, decide what actions students can take in the stream, and decide whether to display deleted items.

20 tips to use Google Classroom effectively and efficiently

Google Classroom can be even more powerful with a few tips and strategies to make it efficient and effective.

Looking for even MORE G Suite resources?

Get our FREE ebook!
101 Ways to Ditch That Textbook with G Suite, tons of practical, creative ways to use Google tools in the classroom.

The Google Classroom Quick-Start Guide ebook

Top Google Classroom blog posts

Here are some of our most popular posts with even more Google Classroom tips and tricks:

For notifications of new Ditch That Textbook content and helpful links:

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The Google Classroom Quick-Start Guide + resources, tips and tricks!

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G Suite Google Classroom was created to focus less time on tech and more time on teaching. And it certainly has lived up to its billing. Classroom has streamlined the classroom workflow and makes communication easier between teaches and students.

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Have students introduce themselves so you know how to pronounce their names.

Have them tell you one thing they think you should know about them.

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Extend this amazing idea by Heather Marshall and have students record @flipgrid videos or videos on Padlet to share their creations!

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Use Eduprotocols to build culture, connections, and critical thinking skills during the first weeks of school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
2020 Copyright. All Rights Reserved. The Sponsored Listings displayed above are served automatically by a third party. Neither the service provider nor the domain owner maintain any relationship with the advertisers. In case of trademark issues please contact the domain owner directly (contact information can be found in whois).

# data[].attributes.body
Extend this amazing idea by Heather Marshall and have attendees record @flipgrid videos or videos on Padlet to share their creations!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There is nothing kids look forward to more than sitting through six classes of syllabus lectures and rule speeches on the first day of school.

Starting off the school year with a list of what not to do, or a rules lecture creates a culture of compliance. I want out of the box thinking, risk taking, boundaries being pushed with innovative ideas. Which led me to write and share "Back to School 2.0". I hope you will find something useful and inspiring, that helps you to set the desired tone for your own classroom during that important first week of school. I would also recommend reading Don Wettrick's blog post "Create Culture First: Not Rules".

In this post you can explore ten free lessons/ideas for starting the year with creativity, inspiration, critical thinking, mystery, goal setting, collaboration, self reflection, and humor.

A word about Hyperdocs: when you see a button that says hyperdoc, what that means is you can click on it and see a teacher created lesson in Google slides or Google Docs. If you like what you see, just click on <file> <make a copy> to add it to your Google Drive. Once you have made your own copy, you will want to replace links to shared spaces like Padlet, Answer Garden, Google forms, and shared slide decks with your own links. If you don't do this, your students will be submitting their work to the teacher who created the lesson.

Last year I started the first day of class with a Play-DOH challenge. The lesson idea originates from Dave Burgess' book "Teach Like a Pirate". I created a digital version of this lesson, which you are welcome to copy and use in your own classroom by clicking on the "Play-DOH HyperDoc" button below.

I used Animoto to create a video of my students creations:

This summer I discovered BreakoutEDU. These escape room style games teach critical thinking, teamwork, and problem solving skills. Students must solve problems to find clues that open the locks-on a box, because you can't actually lock them in the room. It is serious fun for all ages. Teachers love it during staff development meetings too. ​Check out the BreakoutEDU website and join the Facebook group too. The group is very active and really helpful. The lessons on the website are free, but you will need to get a kit (box/locks). I went the open source route to build my kit.

The Marshmallow Challenge is a great way to get to know your students. You can learn how students solve problems, who has leadership qualities, as well as how they work together. I created a video using Educanon, now Playposit, to introduce the activity and some group norms. This was a great way to not only get the class to listen to the rules of engagement, but it also to gives them a space to reflect on the activity afterwards.

I use the video clip from Ghostbusters to illustrate "Group Norms" and I am listing the norms covered in the video here as well. Click on the button below to use the Ghostbusters Group Norms Video.Reflect on your groups performance in this challenge. What went well? What would have improved your groups performance? If I gave you a new kit, what would you do differently?
Group work norms:

1. Everyone should contribute equally to the group.

2. No one person should dominate the group. Give others a chance to speak and participate.

3. Encourage group members to find different ways to solve the problem.

Group work norms:

1. Be open to other people's ideas and be willing to compromise.

2. It is completely fine to disagree, so long as other different ideas are valued and respected.

3. Challenge the idea rather than the person. Instead of saying, 'That doesn't make any sense!' try 'Can you explain the reasoning behind that idea?'

Group work norms:

1. Take time to build consensus with the group before moving forward with a plan.

Group work norms:

1. Be willing to work with a variety of people.

2. Help each other to get all of the work done.

Group work norms:
Share victory AND defeat.

​
Last year when we did the marshmallow challenge I went into my closet to get my measuring tape and came out with a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man beanie on...and the class went wild (in a good way)! It's the tiny details in the delivery of your lessons that let kids know that learning is going to be an adventure in your class.
**NOTE: One of the character's says "sh*t" in the video clip. I warn students that it's in there beforehand, but if you work with younger students you may not want to use the video as an introduction to the marshmallow challenge.

More information on the Marshmallow Challenge:

Those silly Facebook quizzes, like which Game of Thrones character are you, are a guilty pleasure of mine. I know there is no merit to them; yet still I want to know which Disney villain I am. I made my own quiz for my students to take, along with some other personality and learning style inventories. I put these quizzes into this Hyperdoc which I hope will allow us to have more balanced groups for class projects.

Have you got an idea for a great way to start the school year? Leave a comment and share it with others:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There is nothing kids look forward to more than sitting through six classes of syllabus lectures and rule speeches on the first day of school. Starting off the school year with a list of what not to do, or a rules lecture creates a culture of compliance.

# data[].attributes.body
Use Eduprotocols to build culture, connections, and critical thinking skills during the first weeks of school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
2020 Copyright. All Rights Reserved. The Sponsored Listings displayed above are served automatically by a third party. Neither the service provider nor the domain owner maintain any relationship with the advertisers. In case of trademark issues please contact the domain owner directly (contact information can be found in whois).

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Create or borrow a #Fliphunt idea to get your kids moving the first days of School! @Kerzi

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Use Eduprotocols to build culture, connections, and critical thinking skills during the first weeks of school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
2020 Copyright. All Rights Reserved. The Sponsored Listings displayed above are served automatically by a third party. Neither the service provider nor the domain owner maintain any relationship with the advertisers. In case of trademark issues please contact the domain owner directly (contact information can be found in whois).

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Padlet: Time to Take a Selfie Icebreaker 

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Padlet: Time to Take a Selfie Icebreaker 

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https://catlintucker.com/2018/07/selfie-icebreaker/
@Catlin_Tucker

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Padlet: Time to Take a Selfie Icebreaker - Dr. Catlin Tucker

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Do you struggle to learn your students' names at the start of the school year? If so, this is an icebreaker activity you should try! First, teachers create a Padlet wall, title it "Time to Take a Selfie," and provide a prompt with questions for students to answer.

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Create or borrow a #Fliphunt idea to get your kids moving the first days of School! @Kerzi

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Extend this amazing idea by Heather Marshall and have students record @flipgrid videos or videos on Padlet to share their creations!

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Thought starters

1. How does Ms. Wessling get to know her students in just ten minutes?

2. What does Ms. Wessling share about herself? Why do you think she does this?

3. How could you adapt the wish activity for use in your own classroom?

School Details

Johnston Senior High School
6501 Nw 62nd Ave
Johnston IA 50131

Data Provided By:

Teachers

English Language Arts / 10 11 12 / Teacher

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Sarah Brown Wessling shares how she uses the first ten minutes of class to build community. On the first day of school, Sarah begins by greeting students and taking attendance. She then tells students about herself and how it is her 20th year of teaching.

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Use Eduprotocols to build culture, connections, and critical thinking skills during the first weeks of school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
2020 Copyright. All Rights Reserved. The Sponsored Listings displayed above are served automatically by a third party. Neither the service provider nor the domain owner maintain any relationship with the advertisers. In case of trademark issues please contact the domain owner directly (contact information can be found in whois).