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No matter the age -- kindergarten to high school senior -- students are pretty familiar with social media. In fact, many of them can think in terms of tweets, snaps, pins and videos. They know what they have to say, and they have an idea of how to say it with a certain kind of post.

If they can think in terms of social media posts, can we let them demonstrate their learning in that way, too?

In many cases, the answer is yes!

And, thankfully, they don't need the app to create the experience! In each of the examples below, students can do an activity that feels like posting on social media without actually signing up for or using the app.

This concept is a big part of the social media chapter in my book, Tech Like a PIRAT E, which is all about making learning memorable with technology. In this post, each of these social media experiences is recreated with a tool that so many students DO have access to -- Google Slides.

How to assign these templates to students

1. Click the "Get the template" button for the template you want. Here, you'll make a copy of the template into your own Google Drive.

2. Create an assignment for your students in Google Classroom or your learning management system (LMS) like Canvas or Schoology.

3. If Google Classroom: attach the copy you made of the social media template and choose "Make a copy for each student" in the three dots menu button for the attachment.
If you can't do this in your LMS: Click the "Share" button in the top right of Google Slides. Under "Get link", click "Change to anyone with the link". Make the link "Anyone with the link" is a viewer. Copy the link. Paste the link in your assignment instructions. In the link, delete the word "edit" and everything else after it at the end of the link. Type the word "copy" right at the end of the link.

4. Students get their own copies of the template and get to work!

14 FREE social media-inspired Google Slides templates

N E W T E M P L A T E !

Get the book on this subject!

Tech Like a PIRATE shares seven key ways to make learning with tech UNFORGETTABLE! You'll get practical ideas, downloadable templates, step-by-step tutorials and more. Your students will be engaged and begging for more!

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©2023 Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller.

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14 social media-inspired Google Slides templates

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Students use social media all the time. Let's put those skills to use! In these social media-inspired Google Slides templates, they can show what they

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We express ourselves in different ways. On Flip, you can use our simple and fun built-in camera to record your thoughts, add effects and share within your Flip group as video, audio only or text in your web browser or mobile app.

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Flip is a video discussion and sharing app, free from Microsoft.

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Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a video discussion and video sharing app, free from Microsoft, built for classrooms and beyond. Learn more.

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millions use Screencastify to create amazing videos

/* Sets tab pane to display block instead of default display:none */ /* Allows CSS opacity transitions */ .w-tab-pane, .w--current { display: block; } /* Any .w-tab-pane that does not have webflow .w--curent sets opacity 0 */ .w-tab-pane:not(.w--curent) { opacity: 0; } /* Any element with .w-tab-pane that has .w--tab-active sets the opacity 100% */ .w-tab-pane.w--tab-active { opacity: 1; } /* Set the opacity transition to 1 second ease-in */ .w-tab-pane { transition: opacity 1s ease-in; }

Educator, student, marketer, engineer, gamer. Whatever part you play, you'll have simple, yet powerful screen recording and editing tools.
Learn more

Easily share your creations in multiple channels. Let more viewers watch, pause and rewind on their schedule while maximizing time by eliminating unnecessary meetings.
Learn more

Collect video assignments to ensure any team or student is heard. Track viewing activity and add interactive questions and more to ensure your message is understood.
Learn more

Educator, student, marketer, engineer, gamer. Whatever part you play, you'll have simple, yet powerful screen recording and editing tools.
Learn more

Easily share your creations in multiple channels. Let more viewers watch, pause and rewind on their schedule while maximizing time by eliminating unnecessary meetings.
Learn more

Collect video assignments to ensure any team or student is heard. Track viewing activity and add interactive questions and more to ensure your message is understood.
Learn more

loved by everyday video creators

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Screencastify | Screen Recording and Video Editing

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Screencastify is the leading screen recorder for Chrome. Install the extension to record, edit, and share videos in seconds. Create video class assignments, training and tutorials, and make business communication faster.

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Tech Like A PIRATE“Don’t just teach a lesson. Create an EXPERIENCE.”-Dave BurgessMy new book, “Tech Like A PIRATE”, encourages teachers to provide those

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Tech Like A PIRATE"Don't just teach a lesson. Create an EXPERIENCE."-Dave BurgessMy new book, "Tech Like A PIRATE", encourages teachers to provide those

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Collaboration is cemented as one of the four C's in education, right along with communication, critical thinking and creativity.

When it comes to digital collaboration, one characteristic highlights almost all of our approaches.

Sitting.

A lot of sitting.

The concerns with obesity and Type 2 diabetes are well documented, along with the harmful effects of too much sitting on the brain.

How can we make a small step to get students out of their seats - and encourage them to share with an audience of their peers?

Meet the digital gallery walk

It's a simple idea, but it can be a powerful one. The digital gallery walk lets students display, share and discuss work much like a visit to an art museum.

1. Students create a digital artifact of their learning. Some examples we've covered include infographics, stop-motion animation, classroom friendly Instagram Stories, Caption This! image activities, or icon boards.

2. When everyone is finished, students display their work on their screens. If they created in Google Slides, they might click the "Present" button to enter presentation mode.

3. Students stand up and leave their devices on their desks.

4. They circulate the room, stopping at their peers' desks (and devices) to check out their work.

5. (Optional) Students can use the comment button in many apps/sites (especially G Suite) to leave feedback. They're like digital sticky notes.

Why does this work?

The digital gallery walk goes beyond the traditional way we think of collaborating with our digital creations. Often, we share digitally, letting students view each other's work on their own devices. We encourage students to view and interact individually at their seats.

This gets students to move. The brain benefits from this can extend into the next activity.

It encourages them to have face-to-face conversations - an art they have less and less opportunities to practice in a world filling up with digital communication.

Plus, it's a change of pace.

How to extend the digital gallery walk

Want to add a new dimension to a digital gallery walk? Give students extra opportunities?

Add comment conversations. While student work is on the screen, encourage the students that visit to write comments. In G Suite, look for the black speech bubble with the plus sign. Students who view the work can add a comment with feedback (what they like or what they'd change). They can give an additional detail. They can share their opinion or their personal experience with the topic. Then, the original author can circulate back to his/her own work occasionally to view comments and reply back to them.

Create poster sessions. In a class of 25 students, pick five at a time (five rounds) or six (four rounds) or eight (three rounds) to deliver a short presentation about what they've created to a small group. They can also answer questions. Students can rotate around to hear other students' presentations. After that round is finished, pick another group of students to be presenters. This type of presenting is less formal than a presentation in front of the whole class. It's more interactive. Plus, it's less intimidating because the groups are smaller!
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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The Digital Gallery Walk: Collaboration on their feet - Ditch That Textbook

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Collaboration is cemented as one of the four C's in education, right along with communication, critical thinking and creativity. When it comes to digital collaboration, one characteristic highlights almost all of our approaches. Sitting. A lot of sitting. The concerns with obesity and Type 2 diabetes are well documented, along with the harmful effects of too much sitting on the brain.

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Creative ideas for using QR codes in the classroom

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Creative ideas for using QR codes in the classroom

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Creative tips for the interactive classroom

Photo credit: The Daring Librarian via flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

As mobile learning becomes more and more prevalent, we must find effective ways to leverage mobile tools in the classroom.

As always, the tool must fit the need. Mobile learning can create both the tool and the need. With safe and specific structures, mobile learning tools can harness the excitement of technology with the purpose of effective instruction. Using QR codes for instruction is one example of this.

A Quick Tutorial

QR stands for Quick Response. It's basically a quick, scannable barcode-like image that takes you to a specific digital destination. The one to the right, for example, will take you to a QR code generator. There you will be able to create all sorts of QR codes. (Feel free to search the web for them.) Before that, however, you will need an app that reads the QR codes. There are plenty of free QR code apps to download for Android and Apple Products. Just search. To read them, all you need is a phone with a camera. Free makes teachers happy, and of course makes the implementation of these practices easier. QR codes can send you to a link, mobile number, email, SMS, bookmark, link and more. Mary Beth Hertz did a great introductory blog on QR codes and mentioned ideas like scavenger hunts and advertising for the classroom. Below are some more ideas to give you a starting point for using QR codes.

1. Create 21st Century Resumes

Have students use QR to create resumes that link to other content such as their professional website or portfolio. All schools do some level of resume building and technical writing. Help them bring it into the 21st century by creating a resume that requires interaction. Not only will this help engage them in technical writing, but also their work will be innovative.

2. Show Exemplars

You can create QR for linking students to examples of quality work, whether it's PowerPoint or slideshare for a class presentation, or people speaking a foreign language specific to your current lesson.

3. Provide a Service

Integrate QR with a PBL or Service Learning project where students can create the codes that will link to the content they create. If students helped create awareness around spreading germs, for example, they might put the codes around the school or in a parent newsletter. They can take it a step further by creating codes for a local business or organization.

4. Make Your Classroom Greener

Save a few trees! Instead of making more printouts than everyone needs, give your students a QR that takes them to the instructions, announcement or assignment. It can save you space on your wall, and keep your classroom greener.

5. Incentivize and Praise

Award prizes by having students scan a code leading to an animation or badge. When they pass a test on commas, perhaps they get a code that takes them to a badge for Comma Guru! Students can even create their own codes to award each other. When a student sees something great happen, they can give a code that links to messages such as "Good Job from Andrew" and "Thanks for doing your part for the team."

6. Make Learning Stations

Put codes in different areas of the room that will take students to different online activities, videos or content. Using a great tool like the discussion protocol of reciprocal teaching (PDF) or a graphic organizer will help facilitate their interaction with the linked content.

7. Check Answers and Reflect

Have students check their answers by scanning the QR code after completing a test or assignment. As a teacher, you can visually confirm when students are checking their work and can also check in to see how they are doing. This will help track individual learning and can provide an opportunity for you to facilitate student reflection.

8. Provide Extension Assignments

A great way to provide optional activities for students who want to excel is to simply put the code on the class assignment and let them follow it to the extension activity or question. It won't take up much space, and might facilitate a little excitement about the extension assignment.

9. Compile Research

Have students create codes linking to items discovered during research. These could be posted in class wikis on a specific topic, or on a wall in the classroom. It helps give them ownership of the research process and literally creates "walls that talk."

10. Create Interactive Labs or Dissections

Codes attached to a skeleton model or dissected pig can take students to important directions or content. Or vice versa. Maybe this will help them to create the lab themselves or make a model for the class lab.

11. Differentiate Instruction

Perhaps you have a poem for students to analyze. You can provide additional scaffolding with a link to a recitation or focused questions to get them started. Use the QR to help you manage differentiation of the various strategies in your tool belt of teacher practices.

12. Vote

QR codes can be a great voting tool allowing students to vote by simply scanning the code as they enter or exit the classroom. This can save time, and it gets your students up and moving.

QR codes are a great arsenal for the teacher tool belt. Just remember, this technology is a tool and needs to fit a purpose. It can help create engagement in a lesson, manage your classroom, be part of student work or facilitate inquiry in a project. Please comment below and give us some or you best examples of how you use QR codes in the classroom. I like to say, "The wisdom is in the room." You are all rockstar teachers, so I would love to hear your ideas.

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Blogger and PBL specialist Andrew Miller offers an array of creative suggestions for using Quick Response codes in the classroom.

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Activity #1 Jamboard Link for Twitter Activity 

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Activity #1 Jamboard Link for Twitter Activity 

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The version of the browser you are using is no longer supported. Please upgrade to a supported browser. Dismiss

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As someone who utilizes a lot of digital resources, I am always looking to try out new engaging classroom video activities. Each school year I end up switching grades or I'm assigned a split grade. This means I end up teaching several of the same students for more than one year. I hate repeating the same lesson activities with students so I need to be on the lookout for new ideas. Enter the unboxing video! This is a fun classroom video activity that involves students creating their own unboxing videos.

We got the idea to use unboxing videos from Ditch That Textbook who has an amazing website with a wealth of knowledge. I highly recommend checking out his site. He goes into more detail about all of the tools students can use to create their unboxing videos as well as other classroom video activity ideas. His post also lists a variety of ways that you can use this concept. We let students choose what they wanted to unbox and I've included our Slide Deck below in case you want to make a copy to use with your own students.

My kids LOVE to watch unboxing videos. They will watch other kids opening toys, families opening snack subscription boxes, and my oldest loves to watch iphone unboxing videos. I knew this would be a fun classroom video activity for my students! Right now we happen to be distance learning but originally my coworker, Kristan and I had planned to do this with in person teaching. We were going to have our students "unbox" their desks as a means to get them to clean them out. Then we ended up getting locked down so we worked together to come up with a plan for students to do this at home.

How we got started with the videos:

We decided to let students create their unboxing video with whatever items they wanted at home. When we presented the unboxing video assignment to them, they were over the moon excited. Their wheels started turning right away and I almost had to mute them all!

To begin with, we had them watch snippets of a bunch of different unboxing videos. We made a list of criteria for what made a good unboxing video. Then they made jot notes about what they wanted to include and then they got to filming. Our videos focused more on the subscription box style of unboxing videos so we had students include a "note to receiver". We used this video assignment to get writing, media literacy, drama, and oral communication grades.

The video recording tool we used was Flipgrid. It has a ton of creative elements that students can use in their videos. It also allowed us to do a follow up assignment where students recorded video comments on their peers videos. They had to leave two stars and wish.

This classroom video assignment was so much

You can grab your copy here of the template we made to use for our student's more general videos. Head over to Ditch That Textbook and grab their free template too. No matter which template you use, I highly recommend reading their blog post about classroom unboxing videos and definitely buy his book! You won't regret it!

Looking for more digital acitivites? Check out my collection of Digital Google Classroom ready resources.

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Classroom Video Activity: Unboxing Videos

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As someone who utilizes a lot of digital resources, I am always looking to try out new engaging classroom video activities. Each school year I end up switching grades or I'm assigned a split grade. This means I end up teaching several of the same students for more than one year.

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Free Online QR Code Generator to make your own QR Codes. Supports Dynamic Codes, Tracking, Analytics, Free text, vCards and more.

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WeAreTeachers _ Ideas, Inspiration, and Giveaways for Teachers

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Is it fun to create a story with characters and scenes?

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Interactive tool to write and publish your own books online!

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Another example on a simple visual biography

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The Right & Wrong Way To Use Technology For Learning

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Click and play!

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How this "Virtual Dice roller" works

Roll the dice online with this great tool! It is very easy and totally free. If you want to play a game with dices and you realize that you have lost them, or if you want choose something at random, roll the dice and they will make the decision! You can select the number of dice to use and design your own dice, with the number of faces you want!

What can I do with this roll dice online

This roll dice simulator is for whatever you want, for board games like monopoly, the game of life,snakes and ladder game and all those games where dices are used. You can also play generala game, the ten thousand, or any game you can think of. And you can also use them to choose at random in any activity.

How to roll the dice online?

Get the best of our app to roll dices online. Follow these steps to configure it as you like.

1. You must generate the dice, choose how many faces you want your dice to be. They can be from 2 to 20 faces (these will be called d20 to the one with twenty faces, d3 to the one with three faces and so on)

2. You select the number of dices to use, you can use up to 20 dices in each roll!

3. You roll the dice totally free by pressing the button that says "roll", you can also use the space bar.

4. Once you have rolled the dices, the result will appear immediately

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Roll the dice online with this great tool! It is very easy and totally free. If you want to play a game with dices and you realize that you have lost them, or if you want choose something at random, roll the dice and they will make the decision!

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This is a great way to let them play in classroom and actions can be changed to fit a certain subject.

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Who doesn't enjoy family feud? it's a great way to let students interact with each other .

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Enjoy worksheets for amazing activities - PYP

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Enjoy worksheets for amazing activities - PYP

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Can you guess the character_ · SlidesMania

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You will need that one day! Who buzzes first can answer the question.

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BuzzIn.live - The simple online buzzer system!

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Free Avatar Maker on Canva

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Free AI Avatar Generator and Online AI Maker | Canva

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Create a free AI avatar with this fun, online AI avatar generator and give your virtual persona a unique spin.

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Aw snap! Google Earth isn't supported on your browser. You may need to update your browser or use a different browser. Please see our system requirements for more information. Chrome is a great choice and you can download it here.

Or if you're feeling adventurous, you can try Earth anyway by choosing an option below.

Learn more about Google Earth.

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Aw snap! Google Earth isn't supported on your browser. You may need to update your browser or use a different browser. Please see our system requirements for more information. Chrome is a great choice and you can download it here. Or if you're feeling adventurous, you can try Earth anyway by choosing an option below.

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very easy and simple!

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Your Ultimate Guide for Elementary Unplugged Coding Activities includes 20+ projects that teach real coding concepts while emphasizing computer science mindsets - all with minimal prep and zero tech devices required.

How can you teach coding without computers? The key is to provide hands-on, engaging learning experiences that encourage children to think like a coder. This means projects that foster resilience, critical thinking, logical reasoning, and creative problem solving skills for students- the same skills used by computer scientists every day!

Printable coding worksheets for elementary students

Perfect for when you need a ready-to-go mini-lesson! These unplugged coding activities worksheets were inspired by Kodable. Click here to learn more about Kodable.

Activities ranging from 5 - 30 minutes long and can be completed without any tech device

Sequence Unplugged Coding Activities

Definition: Sequence is an order of events

Activity 1: Code a Friend
Partners | Materials: None

1. One partner is the "coder" and one partner is the "robot".

2. The coder decides on a simple task for their partner "robot" to do; the simpler the task, the better, like "walk across the room."

3. Next, the coder gives their partner "robot" step-by-step instructions, also known as an algorithm, to complete the task. "Robots" need to remember that they can only do exactly what their coder tells them to do.

4. If one of the steps is incorrect or not specific enough, this will result in a bug in their algorithm and it will need to be redone.

5. Switch places when finished.

Coding Connection: Computers need an explicit sequence of instructions to do anything! As a result, there will be bugs and the program won't work correctly if instruction (code) is not clear enough.

Activity 2: Origami Without Instructions
Individual | Materials: Square paper (origami paper preferred)

1. Take a square piece of paper and fold it into the shape of a fish - no cutting, gluing, or looking at references!

2. When done, reflect on the process - How did it go? What was easy? What was difficult? How long did it take?

3. Then, take another piece of paper and fold it into a fish again, but this time, refer to these step-by-step instructions.

4. Reflect again - How do the two fish compare? Which process was easier or faster? Which process would you choose if you had to do it again?

Coding Connection: When creating paper animals, a clear sequence of instructions will help save time and minimize mistakes. This is also true for computer code, because a computer needs step-by-step instructions written in code to perform tasks.
Pairs or Group | Materials: Treasure, paper and pencil

1. One person hides a piece of "treasure" (this could be anything!) in an indoor or outdoor space.

2. Next, the treasure hider writes out instructions explaining how to find the hidden object. The instructions need to be very clear so the finder knows exactly what to do - otherwise, they won't get to the treasure! Example:

3. Take 10 steps STRAIGHT

4. Turn RIGHT and take 5 big hops

5. Turn LEFT and crawl 8 times

6. Dig 2 inches down to find the treasure!

7. Once the instructions are written, the finder follows them exactly.

8. If instructions aren't clear enough, the hider may need to find the bug and fix it so the finder can successfully reach the treasure.

9. Switch places when finished.

Activity 3: Treasure Obstacle Course

Coding Connection: The treasure finder needs very clear instructions for how to find the treasure, just like computers need very clear and concrete algorithms to execute their tasks.

Hold

Conditions Unplugged Coding Activities

Definition: A condition is and exception to a rule. A conditional statement is an "if... then...." statement that changes how code is executed. d
Pairs or Group | Materials: None

"If I jump once, then you jump once!"

1. One partner is the leader and one is the follower.

2. The leader starts by giving simple instructions in the format of an If...Then...statement. For example: "If I touch my nose, then you touch your nose" or "If I jump once, then you jump once" etc. Try out a few actions.

3. To increase difficulty, the leader can specify outcomes that are different than the condition. For example: "If I jump once, then you jump three times" or "If i spin in a circle, then you clap your hands".

4. Once the pair has come up with a few actions, the leader can perform them at random! See if the follower can keep up, without forgetting what action to perform with each direction from the leader.

5. Switch roles when finished.

Activity 1: Follow the Leader
Individual or Pairs | Materials: Paper, drawing supplies

1. Come up with a rule - something that always happens in the same way. For example, "I go to school on Mondays".

2. Then, come up with an exception, also known as a condition, to this rule. For example, "If it is a holiday, then I don't go to school on Monday." Write the conditional statement at the top of a piece of paper.

3. Use the rest of the paper space to illustrate the conditional statement. In this example, you could draw a picture of your favorite holiday.

4. Repeat this process 3 times so you have three conditional art pieces!

5. If working in pairs, one partner can come up with the rules, and the other can come up with the condition and draw the image. Then, switch roles.

Coding Connection: A new condition from the leader can change the action performed by the follower, just like a condition in code can change the path a computer program takes.
Pairs | Materials: None

1. Rock paper scissors is a hand game played between two people. At the same time, each player forms one of three shapes with an outstretched hand. These shapes are "rock" (make a fist), "paper" (flat hand), and "scissors" (make the number 2)

2. The winner is decided using a set of conditional statements:

First, If rock and scissors are played, then rock wins

Then, If scissors and paper are played, then scissors wins

Next, If paper and rock are played, then paper win

Finally, If the same object is played, then the round is a tie

1. Play three rounds. Using the conditional statements listed above, players will determine the winner of each round. TIP: Doing this activity in school? Have your students complete this handout to track the conditions!

2. As an extension, make up brand new actions (instead of rock, paper, and scissors) and decide what conditions result in a win!

Activity 2: If This, Then...Art!

Coding Connection: A condition is an exception to a rule. The way a program runs is based on rules and conditions, just like how real world events can change based on certain conditions too!

Activity 3: Rock, Paper, Scissors
Individual, Pairs, or Groups | Materials: Paper and pencil (optional)

"Spin 2 times, Clap 5 times, Wiggle one time!"

1. The learner decides if they want to create a fun workout routine or a dance routine.

2. Come up with three physical actions to perform. For a workout routine, this could be a jumping jack, pushup, and sit-up. For a dance routine, this could be a spin, clap, and wiggle.

3. Decide how many times each action should be repeated, or "looped". For example, "spin 2 times, clap 5 times, wiggle one time".

4. Perform the routine all together, looping each action the designated number of times. Then, try looping the entire routine at least twice!

5. As an extension, invite a partner to execute the same commands and perform the routine together!

Coding Connection: The outcome of the game is determined by the conditions set before it starts. The same is true in coding, where the outcome of a computer program is determined by the conditions outlined in the code.

Hold

Loops Unplugged Coding Activities

Definition: A loop is a command that repeats a part of code a certain number of times.
Individual | Materials: Paper and pencil, printer (optional)

1. Pick a simple song for which you know the tune and lyrics. For example, "Happy Birthday" or "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".

2. Look at the printed lyrics or sing the song, and try to find lines that are repeated multiple times. For example, in the "Happy Birthday" song, the line "Happy birthday to you" is repeated 3 times.

3. Next, sing the song again, but this time replace all the repeated lyrics with the word "Function". So the Happy Birthday song would go "Function, Function, Happy birthday dear _____, Function"

4. Count the number of times the word "Function" comes up!

5. For an extension, replace the word "Function" with some brand new lyrics that you invent, and come up with a remixed song!

Activity 1: A Loopy Routine

Coding Connection: A loop can be used to repeat a physical action, just like a loop in coding will repeat a portion of code a certain number of times.
Individual | Materials: Multi-colored beads, string

1. Cut a piece of string so it is just longer than wrist-size. Tie a knot at the end of a string.

2. Decide on a pattern of 3 beads that you want to repeat multiple times in your bracelet. For example, Pink-Blue-Pink. We can call this set of beads a "function".

3. Start stringing beads onto the yarn. After 5 beads, add your first "function". In this example, this means the pattern of Pink-Blue-Pink.

4. Add 5 more beads. Then, add your function again. Repeat this process until the string is full with beads.

5. Tie a knot on the other end and display your finished bracelet!

6. Observe - How many times were you able to repeat the function beads?

Hold

Functions Unplugged Coding Activities

Definition: A function is a defined set of steps that result in a single outcome and can be used more than once.

Activity 1: Lyrical Function Finder
Individual, Pairs, or Groups | Materials: Basket for collecting (optional)

Property = Color. Value = "Yellow"

1. Head outside into nature.

2. First, pick a specific property by which you want to categorize nature objects. Examples include color, shape, texture, smell, etc.

3. Then, choose a value that you will search for. For example, if the property is "color", then the value could be "yellow" or "purple".

4. Collect nature objects based the property and value selected

5. When finished, challenge a partner or family member to guess the property value you identified. Did they guess right?

6. As an extension, try instead to collect a wide range of nature objects. Bring them back to a work space, and categorize them by different properties. For example, first sort by color, then sort by shape, and by texture. How many categories can you identify?

Multi-day projects that integrate numerous coding concepts and mindsets

Coding Connection: Many songs have a hook or chorus that includes the exact same lyrics and repeats in multiple places throughout the song. Similarly, there are certain lines of code that a programmer might want to repeat throughout a program. To do this, they use a function!

Activity 2: Beaded Bracelets

Construct a board game using recycled materials like cardboard, plastic containers, bottles, foil, etc.

Create an accompanying instruction manual. Rules should include step-by-step instructions for how to play (sequence), define what causes things to happen in the game (conditions), and describe the physical game features (properties).

Coding Connection: Each bead represents a line of code. Programmers will often want to use certain lines of code again and again throughout a program, so they store that code in a function. The repeating bead pattern is one easy way to visualize this process!

Think of a storybook character and describe their characteristics (properties).

Write a fiction story about your character with a clear sequence of events from start to finish.

Choose an event in the middle of the story and think about what the ending of the story would be if that event changed.

Create a second ending based on this new condition. The path the story takes will depend on the condition the reader chooses!

Hold

Design a tool that helps solve a real-world problem.

Use recycled materials, nature objects, or craft supplies to physically build the tool.

As you build, identify certain actions that you need to repeat (loop) in order to build it correctly.

Write out or verbally describe the algorithm that someone else could follow to create the same tool (sequence).

Properties Unplugged Coding Activities

Definition: A property is a characteristic of an object.

Activity 1: Nature Scavenger Hunt

Coding Connection: In code, properties can determine the output of a program, or what a user sees. Similarly, an objects' properties in the real world can impact how we see and compare them.

Encourage learners to apply what they've learned with creative culminating unplugged coding activities - Still no tech required! (recommended for 3rd grade and above).

Activity 1: Build a Board Game

Activity 2: Write a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Story

Activity 3: Invent a Useful Tool

Share your Unplugged Coding Activities

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Unplugged Coding Activities | The Ultimate Guide for Elementary | Kodable

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Your Ultimate Guide for Elementary Unplugged Coding Activities includes 20+ projects that teach real coding concepts while emphasizing computer science mindsets - all with minimal prep and zero tech devices required.

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Bring their attention with this cool type of videos!

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Students can shoot how to videos for a science project, PE exercise, art project or simple wellness video.

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Contributors: John Schulman, Barret Zoph, Christina Kim, Jacob Hilton, Jacob Menick, Jiayi Weng, Juan Felipe Ceron Uribe, Liam Fedus, Luke Metz, Michael Pokorny, Rapha Gontijo Lopes, Shengjia Zhao, Arun Vijayvergiya, Eric Sigler, Adam Perelman, Chelsea Voss, Mike Heaton, Joel Parish, Dave Cummings, Rajeev Nayak, Valerie Balcom, David Schnurr, Tomer Kaftan, Chris Hallacy, Nicholas Turley, Noah Deutsch, Vik Goel, Jonathan Ward, Aris Konstantinidis, Wojciech Zaremba, Long Ouyang, Leonard Bogdonoff, Joshua Gross, David Medina, Sarah Yoo, Teddy Lee, Ryan Lowe, Dan Mossing, Joost Huizinga, Roger Jiang, Carroll Wainwright, Diogo Almeida, Steph Lin, Marvin Zhang, Kai Xiao, Katarina Slama, Steven Bills, Alex Gray, Jan Leike, Jakub Pachocki, Phil Tillet, Shantanu Jain, Greg Brockman, Nick Ryder, Alex Paino, Qiming Yuan, Clemens Winter, Ben Wang, Mo Bavarian, Igor Babuschkin, Szymon Sidor, Ingmar Kanitscheider, Mikhail Pavlov, Matthias Plappert, Nik Tezak, Heewoo Jun, William Zhuk, Vitchyr Pong, Lukasz Kaiser, Jerry Tworek, Andrew Carr, Lilian Weng, Sandhini Agarwal, Karl Cobbe, Vineet Kosaraju, Alethea Power, Stanislas Polu, Jesse Han, Raul Puri, Shawn Jain, Benjamin Chess, Christian Gibson, Oleg Boiko, Emy Parparita, Amin Tootoonchian, Kyle Kosic, Christopher Hesse

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We've trained a model called ChatGPT which interacts in a conversational way. The dialogue format makes it possible for ChatGPT to answer followup questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests.