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This website gives many interactive websites to use in your classroom that are on Google Slides. I really love the games and plan to incorporate that into my future classroom.

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The ULTIMATE Google Slides teacher resource

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Google Slides has so much potential for powerful technology integration in the classroom. Check out our resources for TONS of ideas and activities!

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This website tells you how to create interactive lessons through Google Slides. I plan to create interactive slides so that my students can participate and have fun with learning, so this website was helpful.

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In this video and podcast episode, I'm going to share with you a little-known secret-how to create drag and drop activities with Google Slides.

My favorite G Suite tool is Google Slides, not because it is an easy-to-use presentation tool, but because it does so much more than

just create presentations.

I frequently refer to Google Slides as the Swiss Army Knife of G Suite. It really is the most flexible tool in the entire suite.

Over the years, I have used Slides to create eBooks, cheat sheets, images, infographics, and drag and drop activities for students like Magnetic Poetry.

There are many ways for teachers to use this idea to create learning experiences for students.

The littles can practice counting by moving apples from an apple tree into a basket, as shown in the example tutorial below.

Label the parts of a frog in science.

Creative writing with a limited word bank.

Manipulate shapes and graphs in math.

Lable a numberline or timeline with a word bank.

Use a graphic organizer to analyze and organize information.

Don't spend a bundle on TPT when you can create your own!

These simple tips will help you see the possibilities of Google Slides and how you can create interactive lessons for your students.

How to Create Drag and Drop Activities with Google Slides

You can listen to the audio podcast version of this tutorial or watch the YouTube video.

If you are an experienced Google Slides user, play the podcast version below or in your favorite podcast app.

If you need more hands-on guidance, watch the screencast video tutorial below.

Be sure you are subscribed to the Shake Up Learning Channel, so you don't miss any new videos!​

The key to making drag and drop assignments is creating a background template that cannot be moved. Then add the other elements that students will click and drag around on the canvas. These elements can be images, a word bank for labeling or organizing, graphic representations of just about anything.

In the tutorial, I will show you how to create a very simple example to help you understand the features. You can create activities for any grade level, including more advanced activities than the primary example below.

This episode is sponsored by WriQ.

WriQ gives a 360-degree overview of every aspect of student writing so teachers can provide meaningful and accurate feedback to each student.

WriQ, the latest innovation from Texthelp, grades papers digitally in Google docs - saving you time for other precious instructional activities.

WriQ is establishing a new revolution for writing assessment, so join a growing community of teachers and try WriQ today.
Visit: text.help/shakeupwriting
Steps for Creating Drag and Drop Activities with Google Slides

Note: Creating drag and drop activities with Google Slides can be very simple or very intricate. Depending on what you want to create, these steps could vary.

STEP 1: Plan Your Activity and Align to Your Learning Goals

There are a million ways to use this functionality in your classroom. Before you get too excited and create a super cute background with your favorite bitmoji, take a moment to think about an activity that aligns to your learning goals.

This activity will most likely involve students moving objects, shapes, images, or even images of words into certain areas of a background. That background can be anything you want! My advice is to start simple so you understand the possibilities and improve your skills as you go.

Most importantly, choose an activity that is going to help students reach the learning goal(s) for your classroom. Dig deep into your curriculum to make this meaningful and not just using tech for tech's sake!

STEP 2: Create Your Background Image on a New Blank Slide

To keep things simple, we are going to create in Google Slides but it is worth mentioning that you could also create in Google Drawings. (These tools are very similar!)

Open a new Google Slide deck. (Tip: go to https://slides.new to open a new slide deck.)

The first thing we want to create is the background of the activity. This part will be locked and not moveable for students.

Start with the background color if you want something other than white.

To change the background: right-click (or control-click) on the slide, then click on "Change Background."

Insert the other images and objects that you want in the background of your activity. (Tip: Search for images inside of Slides (File>Insert>Image>Search the Web) to find images that are filtered for commercial use with modification.)

Layer all of the elements you want on your background. Keep in mind the background will remain stationary or "locked" in the activity. We are not adding the moving parts yet.

In the example below, I added a sky blue background, green grass as a shape, a text box for the student's name, and an image of a tree and basket.

Once you have your background elements in place, go to File>Download and download as a .PNG file (recommended for clipart style), or .JPG file (recommended for photography).

STEP 3: Create Your Activity Template

Create a new Google Slide deck.

Add a blank slide and upload the image your created as the background so it is "locked," and students cannot move it around. (Right-click (or control-click) on the slide, then click on "Change Background," then choose the image you just downloaded.)

Add the elements and objects that you want students to drag and drop, or move around to different areas on your background.

Note: If you want to create a type of word bank or answer choices that students cannot edit, you will need to create these as images in Google Slides or Drawings. You can learn how to do this in my FREE online course.

Below I added the apples and an empty text box over the name box.

Want to try it? Make a copy of my template to see how it works or use the template link. (Please do NOT request access.)

STEP 4: Assign to Students in Google Classroom

If you are using Google Classroom, you can use the option to "Make a Copy for Each Student," to create individual files for each student.

New to Google Classroom? Check out these must-have Google Classroom skills!

Or, you can use one collaborative slide deck and duplicate the slide template for each student in your classroom. This is a great way to see all of your students work in one location. And this allows students to comment on each others work or work collaboratively, depending on the type of assignment.

Podcast Question of the Week

"How can you use the interactive features of Google Slides to engage your students in new ways? What will you create? What will your students create?"

Post your answers in the Shake Up Learning community or on your favorite social platform.

Access all of the podcast questions of the week here.
Related: How to Go Fullscreen with Interactive Google Slides
Learn More About Google Slides!

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K-12 teachers are going to LOVE THIS COURSE!

This class is perfect for beginner to intermediate users to take their skills to the next level and become a Google Slides Master!

(Prerequisite: basic knowledge of slides, how to access and create new slides.)

Learn All About the Course

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3 BONUS Lessons!!!

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Bonus 2: How to Create Magnetic Poetry with Slides and Drawings

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How to Create Drag and Drop Activities with Google Slides - SULS027

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In this video and podcast episode, I'm going to share with you a little-known secret--how to create drag and drop activities with Google Slides.

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This website is Nearpod itself. I've learned a lot just by practicing a lesson on there. I definitely want to use this in my future classroom so that I can be interactive and engaging with my students.

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Interactive slides

Make any slides-based lessons interactive and gather data on student understanding by adding formative assessments, simulations, and dynamic media.

Or choose from thousands of ready-to-teach, customizable, standards-aligned lessons from teacher favorite brands.

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Nearpod: You'll wonder how you taught without it

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Real-time insights into student understanding through interactive lessons, interactive videos, gamified learning, formative assessment, and activities -- all in a single platform.

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This website provides many positive reasons to use Nearpod. I never knew what this website was so looking at this website taught me a lot about the pros of it. I think the videos, games, and VR is something that would be great to use in a classroom.

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Guest blog post by Jen Kimbrell

My job as an instructional technology facilitator provides me the opportunity to assist teachers in infusing technology into the curriculum. I am fortunate enough to work with over twenty classrooms that are 1:1. Having a device for every student has been such a blessing to my teachers and students. I have seen such a tremendous change in the way teachers are interacting with students in the classroom. Many of my teachers are becoming facilitators. They are guiding students to create, think critically, and collaborate.

However, this does not happen overnight. Receiving a classroom set of iPads can be overwhelming. I always advise my teachers to start small. Choose a core set of apps and stick with them until students are more comfortable with the routines and procedures of the devices.

One of my favorite apps to get started is called Nearpod. Nearpod is an application tool that takes your presentations to a whole new level. Teachers can take already existing PowerPoints or PDFs and upload them to the Nearpod site to create enriched multimedia presentations with interactive features. Some of the features include adding quizzes, drawing tools, and video to the lesson. Teachers can then share the content with the students and control the activity with the Nearpod app. Students have the capability to receive the content from the teacher on their device for a great interactive lesson. There are many reasons to love this application but here are my top five reasons why Nearpod is a great way to start the journey of using devices in the classroom

1. Nearpod works on ANY device, whether students have iPads, computers, or other tablets. This is great especially for schools that allow students to bring their own devices.

2. The teacher has complete control of student devices. Yes, I said complete control. Before the lesson, the teacher provides a code for students to join the session. Once joined, the students submit their names which allows the teacher to see on the teacher iPad the names of the students that have joined. When all students have joined, the teacher can share the first slide of the presentation and begin the lesson. Students are only allowed to see the slide the teacher shares which ensures students are on task. If students try to go to the next slide the application will not allow them to do so. The students can exit the application but the teacher is notified when this occurs. This is a nice feature when just starting a 1:1 classroom or working with students in small groups, especially as it relates to classroom management.

3. Students can annotate slides to explain their thinking about a particular topic. For example, if teaching a math concept, students can show how to solve the problem by drawing it out using the pen tool feature. When the student uses the drawing tool, the student has the ability to submit their work. The teacher then has the capability of choosing a student response to share with the other students. This response can be seen on all student devices. Students can also take a quiz or poll directly on the device. Best of all, the information is saved to the Nearpod website for teacher analysis! The students' annotated slides are also saved.

4. Only have a few devices? No problem, use them in small groups. I've seen the app used for guided reading groups, researching a science project, or collaborating on a math problem. The sky is the limit! There is also a premium version that costs around $120.00 annually that will allow students to use a homework code to work at their own pace without teacher control. This code can be used at home as well so students can review the lesson again and again. Other premium features include adding websites, audio, and longer video recordings.

5. The last reason why I love Nearpod is the plethora of already-made teacher resources created just for Nearpod. These resources can be found in the Nearpod store on the app or go to http://content.nearpod.com. There are lots of great free and paid lessons for all grade levels.

If you are interested in learning more about Nearpod and how to create your own, please check out a blog post I wrote about the subject. Have you used Nearpod in the classroom? I would love to hear what you think about this incredible app!

Jen is the K-5 instructional technology facilitator for the North Little Rock School District in Arkansas. Prior to this position, she was a K-5 literacy coach and a first grade classroom teacher. She is has a master's degree in Early Childhood Education and is National Board Certified. Jennifer is the creator of the Tech with Jen blog where she enjoys sharing strategies for using technology in the classroom.

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5 Reasons to Use Nearpod in the Classroom

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Nearpod is an application tool that takes your presentations to a whole new level. Teachers can take already existing PowerPoints or PDFs and upload them to the Nearpod site to create enriched multimedia presentations with interactive features. Some of the features include adding quizzes, drawing tools, and video to the lesson.

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This website taught be a lot about AR apps. It provided several books that can be used in them and also showed examples. A lot of the stories it provides would be great to use in a classroom and it would be really engaging for students to read it through AR.

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Remember the heydays of Pokémon Go? Pokémon Go success was a worldwide phenomenon. Developers combined digital content and real-life objects for a blockbuster hit. Augmented Reality was the glue that merged video games, outdoor activities, and fun in perfectly balanced proportions. And, Pokémon Go showed that smartphone-obsessed users happily spent their time outside walking in pursuit of the next Pokémon Go challenge.

Innovation with technology:

Not all people love reading. Yet, full-length books remain popular, surviving in the era of television and digital media. Technology has been the publishers' helping hand for years. Technology keeps providing them with new ways of telling stories.

Looking back, books have come a long way from printed, text-only editions through illustrated albums and pop-up books to fully interactive multimodal stories. Now it's smartphone's turn to partner with books.

This is where Augmented Reality app development services help: Augmented Reality for publishers is the next big thing.

Books that combine text, pictures, and digital content is the latest trend and in great demand.

Many readers prefer vivid, intriguing illustrations to engage their imagination and boost creativity-a challenge for some when books have only words.

Augmented Reality book publishers have accepted the challenge.

What is possible with AR today?

To answer this question, we have analyzed which book categories are best-suited for AR. Also, we have collected a list of Augmented Reality books for your inspiration. Stay tuned!

iStorm: Wild Weather and Other Forces of Nature

The Good Fight: America's Ongoing Struggle

My Very Hungry Caterpillar AR

Thomas AR World

The Golden Rule: A Duggin Adventure

The Little Mermaid

Masters of the Sun: The Zombie Chronicles

Popar Dinosaurs 4D Smart Book

Jurassic World - Where Dinosaurs Come to Life

Alice in Wonderland

Crayola Color Alive

Ravensburger Augmented Reality Puzzle 3D

Bonus section: must-try AR visualization apps:

Do you too want an AR book?

Contact us for an estimate.

1 What books can benefit from Augmented Reality apps?

Augmented Reality is the exact point where readers become participants.

Augmented Reality adds new dimensions to almost every book, so it is read and reread, played and replayed again and again and again. And we all know, that repetition is the mother of learning.
Want you child to learn? Join the AR book train!

AR: the new growth direction for book publishers.
Augmented Reality makes it possible to add extra content that engages users to learn more on a topic:

animated 3D models

video and audio explanations

website links with interactive content

short notes on important facts

Calculator

2 AR books you might like to read

Below are several types of books that have already benefited by adding AR

Digital storytelling.

Augmented reality greatly helps different kinds of narratives. With an AR app, readers get more context about things they might have incorrectly imagined. For example, they can see how ginormous Moby Dick compares to the doomed Pequod or how Old Jolyon Forsyte was attired.

Children's literature.

This is the most successful use case of Augmented Reality for publishers to date. Children are curious. They love picture books. They love playing. They LOVE making up stories! A perfect match to become engaged AR book readers.

Gamebooks.

Users can choose an option and enjoy watching a short video flashback. The app can also show animated characters. The app showcases their skills and progress, plays different storylines, and much more. As result, AR increases playability.

Gamebooks.

Users can choose an option and enjoy watching a short video flashback. The app can also show animated characters. The app showcases their skills and progress, plays different storylines, and much more. As result, AR increases playability.

Pop-up books.

This Augmented Reality-like technology has been around for a long time on almost everyone's bookshelves. Now, static pictures appear in three dimensions, move, and even interact. The book is thin. The content, rich and engaging.

Illustrated atlases.

Children (adults too) can enjoy seeing different animals, historic buildings, the human body, and hundreds of other amazing things placed on the dining room table. View them from different angles, watch short videos, or read quick facts.

Coloring books.

Now children can color a character and interact with it on a device screen. They even make it respond to their touch. Or, they can play a mini game featuring the character they have just colored.

Augmented puzzles.

AR can be used in publishing beyond illustrated books. Puzzles, perhaps? Indeed. Players spend long hours composing a picture from thousands of tiny cardboard pieces. As an extra reward after they finish, they can aim their smartphone camera at the finished puzzle and enjoy a 360-degree picture of their achievement.

Playing cards.

Playing cards can also be interactive. Use them to play mini games, model animals, monsters, gameplay characters, collect, or make up battles and more.

3 Augmented Reality books currently published

How do you know Augmented Reality works today, not sometime in the distant future? The best way is to look at Augmented Reality books that are already out.

Check out the list below of Augmented Reality for publishers. AR made the difference for these books. Yes, it was exactly AR that prompted customers to choose that book from the bookshelf.
01 iStorm: Wild Weather and Other Forces of Nature
In her book, Anita Ganeri has collected a variety of climate disasters, from earthquakes through wildfires to thunderstorms. This Augmented Reality book for children explains how nature at its most devastating works.

Each book page describes a single phenomenon, including why it is never safe to stand near a real tornado (just ask Dorothy). Using the free app, users can activate an AR tornado and learn more about its nature. AR illustrations destroy nothing in your house and raises children's awareness of natural disasters and how they affect our Earth.
02 The Good Fight: America's Ongoing Struggle
Rick Smolan and Jennifer Erwitt have written a book to show how much US society has accomplished as a nation in its struggle toward freedom and equality.

In order to bring the stories to life, Smolan and Erwitt collected over 180 memorable photos. They enhanced 60 of these photos with more context provided through videos and audios. These extra materials are available through The Good Fight Viewer app. When the reader points a camera at a selected photo, the app displays relevant material.

This way, authors celebrate the successes society has made and illustrate the point of how fragile each accomplishment is.
03 My Very Hungry Caterpillar AR
Several generations of children have enjoyed adventures of a book character, a very hungry caterpillar eating its way through a brief, but gloriously food-filled life. The new generation of preschoolers can raise their very own caterpillar until it turns into a butterfly.

The app reproduces the main storyline in an interactive way. App developers offer an intuitive, child-friendly design, and wide range of activities aimed at awakening children's curiosity to nature.

The app provides a non-competitive game: no dashboards, no right or wrong way to play. Just to play and enjoy.

his free AR app complements the famous series of books about Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends. This app works specifically with The World of Thomas book, a marker-based AR book.
Via the app, users can see Thomas in life-size dimensions and take selfies with him.

They can also play with other characters in the book. They can fly Harold the Helicopter around the room. And even organize a mini race while driving trains to the station.

In order to activate 3D models, users must find special red boxes (markers) in the book, put the book onto a flat surface, and point the camera at the book.
05 The Golden Rule: A Duggin Adventure
just as in The World of Thomas, this Augmented Reality book for children is also based on interactive storytelling.

Through an AR app, authors wrote an immersive story about a little koala and his friends.

The app offers children fun animations, sounds, and stories. This helps increase attention span, and focus. It also helps develop motor skills, language, and problem-solving aptitude.

The app also uses marker-based AR in which book illustrations activate AR scenes.

Founders for the Danish startup, Bookandmagic, previously worked on Lego's AR app before they started their own entrepreneurial venture.

Basically, children can read the classic fairy tale. The app encourages them to do more. App users ignite their imagination by interacting, playing, and learning. Every illustration is a door into an interactive adventure.

Readers enjoy a detailed, magical, 3D universe. They can play sidequests, or search for hidden objects. The book is also an opportunity for the entire family to spend fun time together.
07 Masters of the Sun: The Zombie Chronicles
Will.i.am, known for his works with the Black-Eyed Peas, has presented a futuristic zombie thriller. He strived to integrate several technologies into one solution.

This graphic novel was published by Marvel as a traditional book with both AR and VR apps included. Augmented Reality adds special effects to comic book pages. With its help, zombies come alive and book characters start speaking with familiar voices. Many well-known celebrities performed the voice-overs.

Why do they participate? For the sheer novelty and technological creativity of the venture.
08 Popar Dinosaurs 4D Smart Book
Popar offers an illustrated book to help children discover ancient reptiles.

Children can point the camera at an illustration, discover just how large dinosaurs were, and how they really looked. They can play games of logic and read informative notes, thus gaining knowledge in a fun, easy way. And, they can take photos and share them with friends.

Included are a series of smart books by Popar. Each interactive smart book is accompanied by a special, free Augmented Reality app to enhance children's creative perception.
09 Jurassic World - Where Dinosaurs Come to Life
This is the official book tied to the movie, Jurassic World. Readers can use book illustrations to activate models of different dinosaurs. They can choose between single user, dual user (two friends - two dinosaurs), and life-size mode.

Dinosaurs "come alive"! They roam and roar. Users can take snapshots and share them with friends.

The app contains quite an extensive list of Augmented Reality dinosaurs. It is also available to those who do not own the book. You could download a sample trigger and start your AR experiences. (Unfortunately, the app no longer works properly.)

One of the best AR books is Alice in Wonderland by Design Media, UK and Parramon, Spain. And, it's a pop-up book!

Because of the fantastic nature of Lewis Carrol's story, this story perfectly suits an Augmented Reality book. The Augmented Reality mode (Virtual Reality mode also available) lets readers follow the storyline with interactive illustrations, play games, etc.

Activate your smartphones and follow the White Rabbit (but not Jefferson Airplane's)!

Crayola has a collection of amazing Augmented Reality coloring books with many of children's favorite characters including Frozen, Avengers, and many others.

Children can animate pictures in three simple steps: color a favorite picture, scan it with a tablet or a smartphone, and interact with a 3D model on the screen having the same colors.

Color Alive had such great success that Crayola introduced Easy Animation Studio. In addition to a coloring book, children get a new AR app and a mannequin. Children color a picture, then activate the app, and make a snapshot. The children can then animate the picture using a mannequin. They can change the mannequin's postures or make it move. The picture on the screen changes accordingly, so children can take different snapshots. They can even produce their own movie!
12 Ravensburger Augmented Reality Puzzle 3D
This is an extra for puzzle fans: a series of Ravensburger thousand-piece landscape puzzles accompanied by an AR app. When all the puzzle pieces are in their proper place, players activate the AR app and enjoy extra content. For example, the app provides an astonishing view of a Paris night together with notes on the visible landmarks such as the Seine, the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame Cathedral.

4 Bonus section: must-try AR visualization apps

Technically, these AR startups do not relate to publishing. But we couldn't resist including them for you. They could fit in perfectly with book illustrations.
01 Histovery
Three cheers for a French-based startup, Histovery, with its inspiring example of Augmented Reality storytelling. They created an iPad app showing visitors how Chateau du Chambord looked during the time of King Francis I of France (1494-1547). The Histopad app, offered as an extra service, makes it possible to recreate a historic atmosphere showing things that do not exist in real life for example, wall tapestries, coffers (also used for a mini-game), benches, tables, and much more.

This startup was a success on Kickstarter and keeps rocking on. AstroReality offers a 3D-printed, painted Earth model and an Augmented Reality app with in-depth information on several categories. These include wind and weather, geological patterns, animals and migration, plants, environment and climate change, anthropology and human experience-plus paleodata.
The educational interactive AR globe is suitable for all ages, but even more so, for enthusiasts curious about what happened before and what is happening now to our planet.

Pokémon Go made Augmented Reality a recognizable and fun-filled technology. The fusion of books and Augmented Reality has a promising present and future. Augmented Reality mobile apps help readers engage their imagination by making characters seemingly come alive.

Even more important: just as Pokémon Go is good for one's health because it makes players walk long distances and interact with other people, Augmented Reality storybooks help children learn in an enjoyable way. They don't even realize they are learning: they are just enjoying the wonderful world of books. The app supplies them with information which they are more likely to read because it is structured, context-based, and right at their fingertips. No need to scan the whole Internet to find relevant information.

Here is great news about augmented reality software development : simple apps do not cost too much. While the next Pokémon Go or Ikea app might require months of labor-intensive development, a simple AR app can be completed in just a month. So, you can present it to your clientele-and, perhaps, almost immediately enjoy a spike in business.

Do you want the same or similar features for your app?
Add AR to your business

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Augmented Reality Apps for Books: Bringing Life Into Printing

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Augmented reality books combine physical and digital content to introduce augmented reality in education. Augmented reality companies make solutions for AR books.

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This website also provides great examples of AR but it also explains how using AR could improve students reading skills and the want to read in general. I want to use this in my classroom for sure because I know that a lot of students would actually enjoy reading this way.

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What do teachers do to get books into the hands of their students?

We ALL have or had students who struggle to find a passion for reading. Teachers will do anything to get an appropriate book into the hands of their students. We give students a reading interest inventory to find out their likes and dislikes. We go to the school library and pull a collection of books to bring back to our classroom. We even head to our local libraries to bring in books from outside of the school building with the hope that our students get excited about at least one of the titles.

Why do some students detest reading?

Many reasons contribute to this question but more often than not it is because they struggle. They struggle with decoding which obviously affects comprehension. Some students can decode but have difficulty making meaning out of the text they read.

On the other side of the spectrum, you have students who are really good readers but still don't enjoy getting down with a good book. Often times these students are used to being stimulated by video games and tech based activities. What can we do about this without replacing reading with completely digital content?

Why should I make augmented reality a part of my classroom library?

Having a few books that contain an element of augmented reality (the ability to product a unique interactive experience) to supplement the text is a great way to target struggling readers as well as those who simply don't enjoy reading for few reasons:

Seeing images, figures and diagrams come to life can help assist comprehension

Increases background knowledge

Increases curiosity

Increases excitement for learning new things

It is ENGAGING!

With that being said, I DO think it is important for children to learn how to build their reading stamina with books alone--no technology involved.

Here is an example of one of the books I mention below (same one displayed in the picture above):

Children's Books with Augmented Reality

A few years ago I was walking through the library at one of my schools and noticed the Guinness Book of World Records book that was on display. These books were MY all time favorite to read as a child. As I approached the book I noticed the 3D advertisement sticker on the front. I was THRILLED. I immediately opened my iPad, downloaded the app and called the librarian over. We spent a solid half hour flipping through the pages ooohing and ahhhing as the text literally came to life right in front of our eyes! So first up on my list are the Guinness Book of World Records Books. All books posted below are Amazon affiliate links.

It seems as though the 2016 & 2017 editions do not contain the AR component😓
Let me know if you are able to find it!

This book is appropriate for beginning readers. The main character, Ernie, wishes to be someone else throughout the book. Eventually he finds the joys of being himself. (This book reminds me a lot of Edward the Emu) Ernie's Wish attempts to makes concepts come alive like counting (pine cones drop from the tree one at a time and the voiceover asks how many they counted), colors (flowers change colors when they are touched), animation (Ernie flies off the page using a jetpack when he wished he could defy gravity), etc.

This is another book for beginning readers. It is about a little boy who refuses to go to bed because he would rather play. His parents decide to take him on a trip around the world with the hopes that he will eventually tire out. Each page is animated and the text is read aloud to the child! You can demo three of the pages for FREE by clicking HERE.

This is another great AR book for small children! This book brings the alphabet to life through print, audio and video. It reminds me a lot of the app, AR Flashcards, that Anita Goodwin blogged about HERE.

This book is ideal for any child who loves fairies (I know several girls who would be obsessed with this book😍). This one is a little different since it uses a computer's webcam instead of an app along with software that comes as a CD (no internet required). Each page spread contains three different animations.

This is a story of a knight and his friends who discover an ancient treasure map. Together the friends embark on a journey to find the most valuable treasure in the world.

This popular film is now available in a children's book and contains several 3D animations! Students will have a blast seeing their favorite characters pop out of the pages.

This is another popular film that has turned into a 3D experience! This book tells about all of the characters from both Monsters Inc. movies. It isn't a story but text appears that tells all about the furry friends.

Explore the wildlife and their habitats with this beautiful book! Learning truly comes alive with this nonfiction text. It also comes with a full set of interactive cards.

Students will have fun learning all about the basic functions of blood cells that will open their eyes to the microscopic world.

Students will take a journey through the solar system as they learn about the history of Moon exploration as well as many other exciting facts.

This book is the PERFECT text to use when teaching severe weather. Students will experience the severity of different kinds of storms and will feel like they are right in the action.

This book will make students feel like they are walking with dinosaurs! I used this one a few weeks ago during a tutoring session and the little boy I was tutoring was absolutely amazed. I hate that I didn't get any pictures of it in action😓

This book captures all of the wonders of science. Learn about atoms, elements, sound waves, gravity and so much more!

This book would be great for any geology unit as it explores issues of our planet and its origin.

Where was this book when I taught Ancient Egypt in 2nd grade? Students will enjoy 3D images, music and games as they explore the world of Egypt 5,000 years ago.

These books are great for students in grades 1st-3rd and teach them how to create origami greeting cards, ornaments, decorations and more. They can use a smartphone or tablet to scan specific pages to watch videos for each project.

I could keep going! Would any of these titles interest YOUR students?

Check out these three Google Drive products that would be great to implement with ANY of these books:

If you enjoyed this post then you might be interested in checking out my Top 10 List of Technology Themed Read Aloud Books ☺

Follow me on Pinterest to get more techie ideas:

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Augmented Reality Children's Books That Will Engage Students

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Augmented Reality Children's Books that will engage students. Grab a phone, iPad, or tablet and spice up your library with these titles that would be great for the elementary classroom!

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This website talks about what Word Cloud is and how to use it. I also learned that word clouds can be used to teach vocabulary and even math. Visuals are always good to teach from and I want to use them in my classroom so that students have the chance to learn through this organizer.

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What is a Word Cloud? are created based on the frequency of words in a text. In order to create a word cloud, a template can be created using free website . Teachers can select a passage from a text students have read and copy and paste it into the text box on the site. The background color, layout, and font can be edited. Word clouds enable students to see key words, create headings, and provide prompts for discussion ( Echevarria , Vogt, Short, 2014). The more the word is used in the text, the larger it appears in the word cloud. Students integrate both visual and verbal information while integrating the use of technology as they create their own designs. provides support in a variety of different languages, which is especially helpful for students who are English Language Learners. Word clouds or can include key vocabulary words from a unit or theme and can be displayed in the classroom. Word clouds can also be used in introducing new stories or for making predictions. to make predictions is especially useful for students who are because it allows students to create their own predictions about particular content or discuss unknown words prior to reading.

Visual Representations

This image is an example of a word cloud for Little Red Riding Hood. This could be used to get s tudents excited about a new story or for making predictions about a text they are about to read. After students read a text, the assessment given could be to create a Wordle based on the main idea and details or theme.

Content Area Examples

Word clouds can be integrated in vocabulary, comprehension and writing. tudents can create a that includes new or unknown words to improve vocabulary, or look at the largest words in the word cloud to better understand the main idea and smaller words to analyze the details. This would improve overall comprehension, which is especially important for students who are . Those who are ELL would also benefit from using word clouds to make predicti ons. When it comes to writing, can be used as a self-assessment tool. Students can plug their writing into a word cloud site and see whether their intended main ideas came across as important, or incorporate new words for those that are often repeated throughout their writing.

A way to adapt the use of word clouds lesson vocabulary. Before starting a new math lesson, a word cloud can be displayed as students identify and discuss both familiar and unfamiliar words related to a particular concept. This activates prior knowledge and also serves as a formative assessment, because it gives insight as to what students already know and still need to learn. Students who are benefit from discussing targeted vocabulary as well as background knowledge, because it builds confidence. Students can also create their own word cloud during math as a review for previously taught content. After a math lesson, students can create a as a class by brainstorming words that describe what was learned.

strategy could easi ly be adapted in social studies when introducing new content or discussing famous speeches I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King, Jr . Rather than reading the entire speech, students can see a visual of the main ideas presented. Students who are can better comprehend the main ideas of speeches by focusing on key words and phrases that are easier to read. could be made using the U.S. Constitution, the thirteen original colonies, U.S. presidents, and more.

Science- Word clouds could be adapted for use in scien ce when introducing new content such as planets, the sun, stars, properties of matter, and more. Similar to other content areas, an be used to activate students' prior knowledge about particular science content or to review previously covered material. Students can work together to brainstorm and put together their own word cloud to illustrate what they already know or what they learned.

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What is a Word Cloud? Word c louds are created based on the frequency of words in a text. In order to create a word cloud, a template can be created using Wordle (Jonathan Feinburg ; www.wordle.net )...

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This website allows you to create a word cloud. Using this to understand how it works helped me see the creativity and benefits of it. I think it would be cool to have students create their own word cloud based on a certain topic.

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This website provides many ways to use QR codes in the classroom. I never realized how many lessons and activities they can be integrated into. I think having them to check answers, find videos, and find new information would be really fun for students to do.

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Technology is here to stay, and there is nowhere that's truer than in classrooms from Pre-K through college. QR, or quick response, codes are one way to bring technology into your classroom and make learning more interactive and accessible. Students can use iPads or other school devices to give the QR codes a quick scan, bringing them to learning materials and activities that will enhance your classroom curriculum. There are numerous free online QR code generators to help you get started.

Here are a few fun and easy ways to use QR codes in your classroom.

1. Make learning stations

Place a few QR codes around your classroom that will take your students to short videos that reinforce concepts or websites that give further instruction and examples of what you're teaching.

2. Provide extension activities

Teachers always have one or two students that tend to finish everything really fast and then get bored. Have a few QR codes that provide extension videos, activities, or challenges so those early-finishers can stay engaged while everyone else finishes.

3. Check answers

Create QR codes that link to the answer key for assignments. When used selectively, students can check their answers, see what they did wrong, and then correct their mistakes.

Have a few QR codes that connect to photographs of what you're teaching so students can get a visual picture. You might include a picture of the brain when teaching about the human body or include photos of various historical landmarks when teaching important events in history.

5. Go on virtual field trips

Enable students to go on virtual field trips with just one scan! Now your students can have zoos, botanic gardens, famous places, and locations around the world literally at their fingertips.

6. Make book reviews

Add a few QR codes to your reading area to help students explore books they might be interested in reading. You might also use them to provide lists of books similar to the ones your students already love.

7. Streamline research

Create a file of information for your students to access and then make a QR code that links to all that information in one place. This saves the time of your students having to do research and directs them to the types of credible materials you want them to rely on.

8. Set up a digital gallery

Give parents and other loved ones a chance to see student work by making a digital gallery. Take photos of great examples of work, art projects, and other activities and make a slideshow others can access using a code.

9. Communicate with your students

Take a video of yourself explaining an important concept or, for younger kids, do a read aloud. Provide a QR code that takes students to the video.

10. Copy the museums

Many museums have little cards or displays that give important information about what you're seeing. Copy that idea in your classroom and around your school. For example, you might hang up important landmarks in your state or town with QR codes that provide historical facts, or you could hang up photos of the teachers in your school with ones that link to interesting facts about them.

11. Create fact cards or invitations

If you have an important school event coming up, such as parent teacher conferences or a holiday concert, make a QR code that links to all the facts you need your families to know. You might also make one with all the information families need to be successful in your class. Send the QR code home with students so parents know exactly what's coming and when.

12. Save paper

Instead of printing every single piece of paper you normally would, make QR codes that explain project expectations and deadlines, provide your syllabus, and more. You can also make them for your yearly school calendar and hot lunch menu, or give them to parents when they need all that important back-to-school information.

However you use QR codes in your classroom, your students will benefit. Start with the basics and some some fun with it!

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12 Amazing Ways to Use QR Codes in the Classroom

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QR, or quick response, codes are one way to bring technology into your classroom and make learning more interactive and accessible. Students can use iPads or other school devices to give the QR codes a quick scan, which can take them to learning materials and activities that will enhance your classroom curriculum.

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This website talked about why using QR codes in education is beneficial. I never realized how much they can do for it. It's such an easy resource for students to find research and stay engaged. I want to have QR codes up for students and maybe even parents to have access to important information.

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Technology is here to stay, and there is nowhere that's truer than in classrooms from Pre-K through college. QR, or quick response, codes are one way to bring technology into your classroom and make learning more interactive and accessible. Students can use iPads or other school devices to give the QR codes a quick scan, bringing them to learning materials and activities that will enhance your classroom curriculum. There are numerous free online QR code generators to help you get started.

Here are a few fun and easy ways to use QR codes in your classroom.

1. Make learning stations

Place a few QR codes around your classroom that will take your students to short videos that reinforce concepts or websites that give further instruction and examples of what you're teaching.

2. Provide extension activities

Teachers always have one or two students that tend to finish everything really fast and then get bored. Have a few QR codes that provide extension videos, activities, or challenges so those early-finishers can stay engaged while everyone else finishes.

3. Check answers

Create QR codes that link to the answer key for assignments. When used selectively, students can check their answers, see what they did wrong, and then correct their mistakes.

Have a few QR codes that connect to photographs of what you're teaching so students can get a visual picture. You might include a picture of the brain when teaching about the human body or include photos of various historical landmarks when teaching important events in history.

5. Go on virtual field trips

Enable students to go on virtual field trips with just one scan! Now your students can have zoos, botanic gardens, famous places, and locations around the world literally at their fingertips.

6. Make book reviews

Add a few QR codes to your reading area to help students explore books they might be interested in reading. You might also use them to provide lists of books similar to the ones your students already love.

7. Streamline research

Create a file of information for your students to access and then make a QR code that links to all that information in one place. This saves the time of your students having to do research and directs them to the types of credible materials you want them to rely on.

8. Set up a digital gallery

Give parents and other loved ones a chance to see student work by making a digital gallery. Take photos of great examples of work, art projects, and other activities and make a slideshow others can access using a code.

9. Communicate with your students

Take a video of yourself explaining an important concept or, for younger kids, do a read aloud. Provide a QR code that takes students to the video.

10. Copy the museums

Many museums have little cards or displays that give important information about what you're seeing. Copy that idea in your classroom and around your school. For example, you might hang up important landmarks in your state or town with QR codes that provide historical facts, or you could hang up photos of the teachers in your school with ones that link to interesting facts about them.

11. Create fact cards or invitations

If you have an important school event coming up, such as parent teacher conferences or a holiday concert, make a QR code that links to all the facts you need your families to know. You might also make one with all the information families need to be successful in your class. Send the QR code home with students so parents know exactly what's coming and when.

12. Save paper

Instead of printing every single piece of paper you normally would, make QR codes that explain project expectations and deadlines, provide your syllabus, and more. You can also make them for your yearly school calendar and hot lunch menu, or give them to parents when they need all that important back-to-school information.

However you use QR codes in your classroom, your students will benefit. Start with the basics and some some fun with it!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
12 Amazing Ways to Use QR Codes in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
QR, or quick response, codes are one way to bring technology into your classroom and make learning more interactive and accessible. Students can use iPads or other school devices to give the QR codes a quick scan, which can take them to learning materials and activities that will enhance your classroom curriculum.

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This website provides many manipulatives for math. There's graphs, time, number lines, etc. There are so many things to choose from that can be used to teach a topic in a different way. These manipulatives can be easier for students to understand as it provides visuals and common interests. I would definitely use the bug catcher number line and the stopwatch.

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These virtual math manipulatives support teachers to model abstract mathematical concepts for deeper student comprehension. Similar to manipulatives that have been used for decades by teachers in classrooms, these online math manipulatives for elementary school classrooms offer numerous advantages while retaining the benefits of the classic manipulatives. According to Moyer, Niezgoda, and Stanley (2005):

"Virtual manipulatives are uniquely suited for teaching mathematics with young children. A Web connection makes them free of charge and easily available. Some virtual manipulatives have the potential for alteration. For example, users can color parts of objects; they can mark the sides of a polygon or highlight the faces on a Platonic solid. This interactivity allows all children to be engaged in the problem-solving process. Some virtual manipulatives link symbolic and iconic notations by saving numerical information or providing mathematics notations that label the on-screen objects. The click of the mouse on many virtual manipulatives gives children access to unlimited materials. And clean up is easy - children simply click an icon and the onscreen objects disappear."

Our online manipulatives include an interactive clock, two color counters, 3D dice, probability spinners, graph builders, fraction bars, base ten blocks, and more! We also recommend some of our art activities that can be used as teaching manipulatives, such as Cube or Build that allow kids to make designs using blocks to learn concepts like area, perimeter, or volume or Mirror to teach symmetry to early learners.

Toy Theater is trusted by teachers around the world to provide safe and effective online educational activities. Free to use, priceless for teaching.

Moyer, P. S., Niezgoda, D., & Stanley, J. (2005). Young children's use of virtual manipulatives and other forms of mathematical representations. Technology-supported mathematics learning environments, 67, 17-34.

Visit classplayground.com for Printables and more information about Manipulatives.

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Virtual Manipulatives | Mathematical Modelling | Toy Theater

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Original teaching tools aimed at supporting teachers in the elementary school classroom. Two color counters, 3D dice, probability spinners, graph builders, fraction bars, base ten blocks, and more! Trusted by teachers around the world. Free to use, priceless for teaching.

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This website provides many visuals to teach math. I think students could understand math better if these manipulatives were used in the classroom. They get to see and do it themselves which helps a lot of students. I think the whiteboard app on this website would be really helpful in showing students the work and process of a problem.

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Sharing in an app allows educators to pose problems and investigations for students by using an 8-character code or link. Students can share their thinking with their teachers and classmates. Share codes remain available for continued use for 18 months from the date they are last accessed.
Watch the video to learn how sharing works.

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Sharing in an app allows educators to pose problems and investigations for students by using an 8-character code or link. Students can share their thinking with their teachers and classmates. Share codes remain available for continued use for 18 months from the date they are last accessed.