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This website explained many different uses that teachers can use Google slides for. I learned how to create stop motion animation on Slides. I think this could be an interesting introduction assignment for students who are instead in animation.

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If you are new to Google Slides, you will want to start with our Getting Started with Google Slides article.
Many people underestimate Slides as a teaching tool. Using it for slide presentations in standard lecture-type classes is only the tip of the iceberg. In fact, one educational technology blogger calls Slides the "Swiss army knife of G-Suite" because it can be repurposed to do all kinds of interesting things. This article introduces some of the possibilities, adapting from the many techniques invented by K-12 teachers.

Tried-and-True: Using Slides for Lectures and Presentations

A classic thing to do with Google Slides is, of course, to use it for its stated purpose: to create a slide presentation and present it in class.

We recommend using some additional strategies with class slide presentations:

Share your presentation with your students by clicking the yellow "Share" button on the top right. Students can use it to review later. You may wish to publish it to the web first so that when people open the link they see a preview, not the Slides interface with all the editing tools.

For interactive class activities, try sharing the slides with your students and giving them permission to edit. You can create blank slides where they can add their ideas! (Google Jamboard is also an option for this technique.)

Single slides can be a great addition to "soft starts" of your class meetings (that is, connecting with students who arrive early for some informal chat). Learn more about soft starts.

Use slides to provide clear instructions and prompts for in-class discussions and activities. This has two advantages: you don't accidentally skip over moments when you want to pause lecturing and discuss a specific point, and students can refer back to the slides if they forget the question or prompt.

Pre-Class Slides for the Flipped Classroom

If you're flipping your course, Slides are a great tool for providing pre-class preparation materials. You can turn your presentation into a video using Panopto and/or by creating a Google slides presentation with auto-advance and audio (see below to learn how to do that). The watch-ahead component does not have to be a video - a Slides presentation will often do just as well or better.

You can enhance your students' class prep materials using some of the "Level Up" techniques below.

Stop-Motion Animated Diagrams and Demonstrations

When we teach in person, we sometimes "animate" diagrams we draw on the board by adding to them, erasing parts of them, drawing arrows, labelling, circling to emphasize, etc. This "animation" helps our students to understand the various steps of a process or the way something changes over time.

Google Slides can fulfill the same function in a flex-hybrid classroom, with the added bonus that your explanation will be available for students to review later if they need to.

Here's how to create a stop-motion animated diagram in Slides:

1. Create a new presentation with an initial slide with the diagram you want to animate.

2. Duplicate that initial slide (Slide>Duplicate slide) and move/add/erase/change the parts of the diagram as needed. (The shape, image, text box, and line icons in the top menu are very helpful - if you don't see them, you can also access these features by clicking "Insert.")

3. Repeat this process as many times as necessary. (Tip: Make sure the movements and changes in your diagram are small enough that when you play the "animation", it isn't too jerky.)

4. Click "File" and then select "Publish to the Web." (Tip: Yes, you have to publish to the web to make the animation play. Because of this, it's not a bad idea to add a copyright to the footer to protect your IP.)

5. You will be taken to a screen on which you can choose the rate at which your slides will auto-advance. You can also select the option to have the slideshow begin automatically and to restart automatically after the last slide (looping). Choose the settings that will work best for you.

6. Click "Publish." If a confirmation box appears, click "OK."

7. After you click Publish, a new link will appear in the window. You need to use this link instead of clicking "Present." (Clicking "Present" will show the slides, but without auto-advance or looping.)

8. If you want to edit your content after you publish it, go back and repeat this process and copy the new link.

The quickest auto-advance setting you can use is one slide per second, so this technique is not suitable for creating exciting content, but it's a wonderful tool for those of us who want to make a simple animation without having to go through a steep learning curve.

Don't feel like making an animation yourself? Have your students create animated diagrams instead to demonstrate their understanding of a concept you've just explained. (Sneaky version: use your students' animations next year - with their permission, of course.)

Here's a sample animation from teacher Matt Irwin.

Add Polls and Assessment Questions to Slides to Increase Engagement

Student engagement and inclusion can improve when you use techniques like polls and backchannel chats, especially in a virtual environment. Learn more about inclusivity and "active learning" in virtual and hybrid teaching.

You can incorporate interactive questions and assessments into a Slides presentation. If you already use slideshows in the classroom, you may put discussion questions in your slides; in virtual environments, you can embed polls directly (or you can provide poll links to students by another means).

To make this work, you will need to ask your students to have your presentation open on their laptops or smartphones so that they can click on the link from their screens.

For quick polls to spark engagement and assess comprehension in real time, you can use PollEverywhere, which allows students to respond to survey questions using their mobile phones. Here's how you use the PollEverywhere Google Slides Add-On once you've downloaded it.

You can likewise link to a Google Form. To see and and show Google Forms survey results in real time, click on the link on your own screen. Click "Responses" and then "Summary" to show the results to your class.

If you want to give your students an actual graded quiz during a Google Slides presentation, set up a quiz in Canvas, post it to the appropriate Module so that students can access it later as well, and then add the URL of the quiz into the text of a Google slide. As with Google Forms, students will need to have the presentation open on their laptops or smartphones so that they can click on the link. They will then need to sign into Canvas to take the quiz.

Digital Poster Sessions and "Gallery Walks"

Designing Posters

For classes that include poster sessions, Slides is a great tool for designing posters - it has the same "aspect ratio" (i.e. ratio of horizontal to vertical) as typical 4×3 horizontal posters.

Displaying Work in a Digital Gallery or Poster Session

Students can "mount" a digital image on a single slide like they'd mount a physical piece of art on a wall or a poster on an easel. They can also mount multimedia content on a Slide, too - particularly other forms of media from Google Suite. This works well for any kind of sharing.

If you would like students to create a shared digital gallery or poster session, Google Sites may be a better bet. Learn more about creating a digital gallery in Sites.

Create Illustrations

Geographic shapes in Powerpoint and Slides can be used to create complex illustrations, an interesting exercise for designers and comics artists. Rhetoric scholar and artist Erin Kathleen Bahl demonstrates how she uses Powerpoint's shapes to create illustrations (including her Little Yellow Bird comic).

Graphic Novels

Use Slides to have students create graphic novels and present them to the class. Students can illustrate by the method above, or using photographs of hand drawings. A fun idea from ShakeUpLearning: students can even add audio to their graphic novels.

Add Slides to Google Sites, a Blog, or Canvas

This is another great idea from our primary school colleagues that will work well at any educational level.

At the college level, you can assign your class to collaborate on creating a Wiki about a shared topic - and a Slides presentation can be one option for students to contribute.

Here are instructions for adding a Slides presentation to a blog post and instructions for adding a Slides presentation to a Google Site.

Use the instructions in the Google Apps tab of our article about embedding content in Canvas to embed a Slides presentation anywhere on Canvas.

Idea Collection and Brainstorming

Sticky Note Board

If you like to use sticky notes on a whiteboard in an in-person class, you can use Google Slides to replicate this technique in a virtual classroom, or an in-person classroom if you want to be sure students retain work on an ongoing project. This is a classic strategy used by many teachers who do not want to lose the contents of their classroom's chalkboards after class. Google now offers an even better way to do this using Jamboard.

Interactive Notebooks

This is similar to "sticky notes," but handy if you're trying to collect ideas on a number of different topics.

You can also do a multi-slide " interactive notebook " to which students can add content as they need to. The slides can be in sticky-note format or anything else that seems appropriate to you. Jamboard is also an option for this kind of exercise.

Lock the Background of a Slide

Lock the Background of a Slide to Create a Drag-and-Drop Assessment

This is a very interesting idea that might be especially good for science courses.

On Google Slides, you can create a slide background and then lock it so that others can't change it.

This background could be an image, a diagram, or anything else you want your students to show that they understand. You can then add moveable elements to the Slide that can be dragged around by anyone with editing privileges. These elements can be images, arrows, text boxes with labels for things depicted in the background - whatever you wish.

As a learning activity or even an assessment, you can challenge your students to drag the movable elements around the slide and position them to demonstrate their understanding of a concept.

Lock the Background of a Slide to Let Students Mark Up a Text Passage (or Solve a Math Problem)

You can do this either as an assignment or as a group exercise in real time. You set the text or the initial problem as a locked background and students can annotate it using text boxes and drawing tools.

You can set up a presentation made up of identical slides, assign each slide to a different group of students and then show all the slides at the end in front of the class to compare the ways the different groups approached the annotation.

Here's a video that demonstrates this technique - it shows a primary school example, but this technique lends itself to work at any level.

Lock the Background to Play with Magnetic Poetry

You can also do " magnetic poetry" using the same "drag and drop" idea. Here's a fun template by Kasey Bell, or you can make your own.

Create a "Virtual Office" in Slides and Embed It in Canvas

We encourage personalizing Canvas courses, especially the home page, with an interesting graphic, instructor bio, or other "hook" for the class. One other possibility is creating an image-based virtual space that's like inviting students into your office.

This is fun and easy - and it introduces your students to you before they even meet you on the first day. It can also be used to help students do the most important things you want them to do - contact you, set up appointments, read your Canvas bio - whatever you think is important that you want to emphasize in this fun way.

We provide detailed instructions on creating and using a virtual office, thanks to the OIE team, including Deborah Bloom and Elin Melchior.

Create Images for Use in Other Applications

You can use Google slides to create images such as flowcharts, Venn diagrams, etc. that you can then save as an image file and use in other applications.

To save a slide as an image, go to File > Download as > JPEG image or PNG image. Save your image to your device.

Tip: If you change your background to "transparent" your image will have no background in JPEG/PNG format and can be pasted nicely into other things. To do this, click on File > Change background, then choose Transparent. (Thanks to TheEduBlogger.com for this idea.)

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Creative Uses of Google Slides - The Center For Learning & Teaching

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If you are new to Google Slides, you will want to start with our Getting Started with Google Slides article. Many people underestimate Slides as a teaching tool. Using it for slide presentations in standard lecture-type classes is only the tip of the iceberg. In fact, one educational technology blogger calls Slides the "Swiss army [...]

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This website show many ways to utilize Google slides. One being a Portfolio Showcase. This could be a great way for art students to show their progress throughout the class. If I were to use this in my classroom this could be part of their final grade. A slide showing their project and explaining the process and what media they used.

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Google Slides, a powerful and versatile presentation tool, has revolutionized the way teachers engage and educate their students. With its user-friendly interface and collaborative features, Google Slides offers countless opportunities for creativity and interactivity in the classroom. From creating dynamic presentations to facilitating collaborative projects and even assessing student understanding in real-time, Google Slides enables teachers to enhance their instructional methods and empower students in their learning journey. In this article, we will explore various creative ways in which teachers can leverage the features of Google Slides to deliver engaging lessons, foster collaboration, personalize instruction, and showcase student work. Get ready to unlock the full potential of Google Slides and transform your teaching experience.

Teachers can use Google Slides in various creative ways beyond presentations and agenda slides. Here are some ideas:

1. Interactive Lessons: Create interactive lessons with clickable elements like buttons, links, and images to engage students in an active learning experience.

2. Collaborative Projects: Assign group projects where students collaborate in real-time within a shared Google Slides presentation.

3. Digital Storytelling: Have students create digital stories or comics using Slides by combining text, images, and animations.

4. Flashcards: Design digital flashcards for vocabulary, math problems, or historical events to help students study.

5. Quizzes and Polls: Build interactive quizzes or polls within Google Slides using the "Forms" feature to assess student understanding.

6. Mind Maps: Create visual mind maps to illustrate complex topics and relationships between ideas.

7. Virtual Field Trips: Curate a virtual field trip experience by embedding videos, images, and information about different locations or historical events.

8. Graphic Organizers: Develop graphic organizers such as flowcharts, concept maps, or timelines to help students organize information.

9. Portfolio Showcase: Allow students to showcase their work, such as art projects, essays, or research, in a portfolio-style presentation.

10. Classroom Games: Design educational games like Jeopardy or crossword puzzles using Google Slides' interactive features.

11. Visual Summaries: Encourage students to summarize their learning visually by creating summary slides for lessons.

12. Literature Analysis: Analyze literature by creating character profiles, plot diagrams, or thematic analysis slides.

13. Science Experiments: Document and analyze science experiments with text, images, and graphs.

14. Digital Posters: Create digital posters for classroom displays or presentations during special events.

15. Newsletter or Announcements: Use Slides to design class newsletters or announcements with dynamic visuals.

16. Exit Tickets: Create exit tickets at the end of a lesson to gather quick feedback from students.

17. Peer Editing: Facilitate peer editing by having students provide feedback on each other's work within a shared presentation.

18. Virtual Tours: Take students on virtual tours of historical sites, museums, or landmarks using images and descriptions.

19. Daily Agendas: Besides regular agendas, use Slides to display daily learning objectives, tasks, and activities.

20. Student Self-Assessment: Encourage students to assess their own understanding by creating self-assessment slides.

Google Slides offers a versatile platform for educators to enhance the learning experience by incorporating multimedia, interactivity, and collaboration.

1. Introduction to Google Slides and its Benefits for Teachers

Understanding Google Slides

So, you've heard about Google Slides, but what exactly is it? Well, think of it as the cool sibling of PowerPoint, with a lot more pizzazz and a fancy online twist. Google Slides is a free web-based presentation software offered by Google as part of its G Suite. It allows you to create, edit, and collaborate on presentations with ease.

Advantages of Using Google Slides in the Classroom

Now that we know what Google Slides is, let's talk about why teachers should be as excited as a kid in a candy store about using it in the classroom. First of all, it's a game-changer in terms of accessibility and convenience. You can access your presentations from any device with an internet connection, meaning no more panicking about forgetting your USB drive or carting around your laptop.

Google Slides also offers an array of interactive and collaborative features that make learning more engaging and enjoyable. You can embed multimedia elements like videos, images, and even interactive quizzes to spice up your presentations. And the best part? You can invite students to collaborate in real-time, fostering teamwork and creativity.

2. Interactive Presentations: Engaging Students with Multimedia Content

Gone are the days of boring slide decks filled with text and bullet points. With Google Slides, you can bring your presentations to life by adding multimedia elements. Embed videos to demonstrate concepts, insert images to evoke emotions, and include audio to keep your students on their toes. Just remember, a cat video every now and then won't hurt.

Using Animations and Transitions Effectively

Animations and transitions are like the sparkly sprinkles on top of a cupcake. They add that extra wow factor to your presentations and keep your students engaged. So go ahead, play around with slide transitions to create seamless flows between your content, and use animations to reveal information bit by bit. Just be careful not to go overboard and turn your presentation into a disco party.

3. Collaborative Projects: Fostering Teamwork and Creativity in the Classroom

Creating Group Projects with Google Slides

Remember the days when group projects meant endless email threads and mismatched PowerPoint slides? Well, Google Slides is here to save the day. With its seamless collaboration features, you can assign group projects to your students and watch as they work together in perfect harmony. Each student can contribute their slide or even work simultaneously on different parts of the presentation. It's teamwork made easy!

Encouraging Collaboration and Communication

Google Slides not only allows students to work together but also promotes collaboration and communication skills. Students can leave comments on each other's slides, provide feedback, and collaborate in real-time. It's like having a virtual classroom where everyone can share ideas and learn from one another. Who knew presentations could be this exciting?

4. Interactive Quizzes and Assessments: Gauging Student Understanding in Real-Time

Building Interactive Quizzes in Google Slides

Assessments don't have to be soul-sucking experiences for both teachers and students. With Google Slides, you can use Forms to create interactive quizzes that make learning fun and engaging. Use the built-in features like multiple-choice questions, drag-and-drop activities, and even interactive games to assess your students' understanding. And hey, if they're having too much fun, it's just an added bonus!

Using Add-ons for Real-Time Feedback and Grading

Say goodbye to the days of manually grading stacks of paper. Google Slides offers various add-ons that can make your life as a teacher a whole lot easier. Add-ons like Flubaroo and Form Publisher can provide real-time feedback and even automate the grading process. You'll have more time to relax with a cup of coffee and less time drowning in a sea of ungraded papers. Cheers to that!

5. Virtual field trips: Expanding learning opportunities beyond the classroom

Creating virtual tours with Google Slides

Ever dream of taking your students on a field trip to the Great Wall of China or the depths of the Amazon rainforest? With Google Slides, you can bring the world to your classroom! Create interactive virtual tours by embedding images, videos, and text into your slides. Take your students on a journey through different locations and cultures without ever leaving the comfort of your classroom.

6. Digital portfolios: Showcasing student work and progress

Building student portfolios with Google Slides

Gone are the days of bulky paper portfolios. With Google Slides, you can create dynamic and visually appealing digital portfolios to showcase your students' work and track their progress. From artwork to written assignments, your students can easily compile their best work in one place. Plus, they can collaborate with you and their peers, receiving feedback and making revisions in real-time.

7. Differentiated instruction: Tailoring lessons to individual student needs

Personalizing learning with Google Slides

No two students are the same, which is why differentiated instruction is crucial in the classroom. Google Slides offers a range of features that allow you to adapt content to meet the diverse needs of your students. From providing audio recordings for auditory learners to incorporating interactive quizzes for visual learners, you can tailor your lessons to engage and support every student.

8. Tips and tricks for optimizing the use of Google Slides in the classroom

Mastering shortcuts and time-saving techniques

Using Google Slides efficiently can save you precious time and make your lessons more seamless. Learn handy keyboard shortcuts, such as pressing Ctrl + D to duplicate a slide, or Ctrl + K to insert a hyperlink. Explore other time-saving techniques, like creating templates for commonly used slides or utilizing the Explore feature to find relevant images and information for your presentations.

Google Slides offers several keyboard shortcuts to help you navigate and work efficiently within the application. Here's a list of some useful keyboard shortcuts for Google Slides:
General Shortcuts:
Ctrl + Z (or Command + Z on Mac): Undo the last action.
Ctrl + Y (or Command + Y on Mac): Redo an undone action.
Ctrl + C (or Command + C on Mac): Copy selected text or objects.
Ctrl + X (or Command + X on Mac): Cut selected text or objects.
Ctrl + V (or Command + V on Mac): Paste copied or cut items.
Ctrl + A (or Command + A on Mac): Select all items on the current slide.
Delete or Backspace: Delete selected items.
Ctrl + F (or Command + F on Mac): Find text within the presentation.
Slide Navigation:
Ctrl + N (or Command + N on Mac): Create a new slide.
Ctrl + Enter (or Command + Enter on Mac): Start a new line of text within a text box.
Ctrl + [ (or Command + [ on Mac): Move to the previous slide.
Ctrl + ] (or Command + ] on Mac): Move to the next slide.
Text Formatting:
Ctrl + B (or Command + B on Mac): Bold text.
Ctrl + I (or Command + I on Mac): Italicize text.
Ctrl + U (or Command + U on Mac): Underline text.
Ctrl + Shift + C (or Command + Option + C on Mac): Copy text formatting.
Ctrl + Shift + V (or Command + Option + V on Mac): Paste copied formatting.
Alignment and Bullets:
Ctrl + E (or Command + E on Mac): Center-align text.
Ctrl + L (or Command + L on Mac): Left-align text.
Ctrl + R (or Command + R on Mac): Right-align text.
Ctrl + Shift + L (or Command + Option + L on Mac): Create a bullet point list.
Slide Show:
F5 (or Command + Enter on Mac): Start the presentation.
Esc (or Command + . on Mac): Exit the presentation.
Spacebar or Enter: Advance to the next slide during a presentation.
Backspace or Left Arrow: Go back to the previous slide during a presentation.
These keyboard shortcuts can help you navigate and work more efficiently in Google Slides, whether you're creating presentations or giving a slideshow presentation.

Integrating Google Slides with other educational tools

Google Slides can play nicely with other educational tools you use in your classroom. Integrate your slides with Google Classroom, allowing for easy assignment distribution and submission. Use third-party add-ons like Pear Deck or Nearpod to make your presentations interactive and engaging. The possibilities are endless when you combine the power of Google Slides with other educational tools. In conclusion, Google Slides is a game-changer for teachers looking to incorporate creativity, collaboration, and engagement into their classrooms.

Bonus advanced Google Slides tips for teachers that may not be commonly known:

1. Speaker Notes for Private Notes: You can use the speaker notes section to add private notes or reminders for yourself during a presentation. These notes won't be visible to the audience but can be a helpful reference for the presenter.

2. Link to Specific Slides: You can create links that jump directly to specific slides within your presentation. To do this, select the text or object you want to use as a link, click "Insert" > "Link," and choose "Slides in this presentation." Then, select the slide you want to link to.

3. Master Slides: Utilize master slides to create consistent formatting throughout your presentation. This is especially useful for maintaining a uniform look and feel, such as using the same header and footer on each slide.

4. Image Masking: Google Slides allows you to crop images into various shapes. To do this, select the image, click "Format" > "Mask," and choose from a variety of shapes or even custom shapes.

5. Word Art and Drawing: You can create custom text designs and drawings using the Word Art and Drawing features in Google Slides. Access these features through the "Insert" menu.

6. Transitions Between Slides: Add subtle slide transitions to make your presentation more visually appealing. Click "Slide" > "Transition" to choose from various transition effects.

7. Animations: Animate objects on your slides to add visual interest and emphasize key points. Use the "Slide" > "Transition" menu to apply animations to objects, text, or images.

8. Auto-Advance for Timed Presentations: If you're recording a timed presentation or want slides to advance automatically during a live presentation, set slide timings. Click "Slide" > "Transition" > "Automatically After" and specify the duration for each slide.

9. Collaborative Q&A Slides: Create interactive Q&A slides where students can submit questions during a presentation. Use the "Slide" > "Q&A" option to enable this feature.

10. Embed Video Playlists: Embed YouTube video playlists directly into your slides to curate a collection of educational videos. Use the "Insert" > "Video" option and select "By URL" to paste the playlist URL.

11. Voice Typing: Google Slides has a built-in voice typing feature. Click "Tools" > "Voice type speaker notes" to transcribe your spoken words into speaker notes.

12. Version History: To track changes and revert to previous versions, click "File" > "Version history" > "See version history." This can be especially useful for collaborative projects.

13. Publish to the Web: You can publish your presentation to the web, making it accessible to a broader audience. Click "File" > "Publish to the web" to share a link or embed it on a website.

14. Export as PDF with Speaker Notes: When exporting your presentation as a PDF, choose the option to include speaker notes. This can be handy for sharing a presentation with others while retaining your notes.

These advanced tips can help teachers make the most of Google Slides for creating engaging and interactive presentations and lessons.

The versatility and accessibility of this tool allow educators to go beyond traditional methods and explore innovative ways to deliver content, assess learning, and showcase student work. By embracing the various features and techniques discussed in this article, teachers can unlock the full potential of Google Slides and create a dynamic learning environment that inspires and empowers their students. So, go ahead and start exploring the endless possibilities that Google Slides has to offer - your students will thank you for it!

FAQ

1. Can Google Slides be accessed on different devices?

Yes, Google Slides is a cloud-based tool that can be accessed on various devices such as computers, laptops, tablets, and even smartphones. As long as you have an internet connection, you can log in to your Google account and access your presentations from anywhere.

2. Can I collaborate with other teachers or students using Google Slides?

Absolutely! Collaboration is one of the key features of Google Slides. You can easily share your presentations with other teachers or students, allowing them to view, edit, and contribute to the content in real-time. This enables seamless teamwork and encourages active participation.

3. Can Google Slides be used offline?

While Google Slides is primarily an online tool, you can enable offline access through the Google Slides app. By downloading and installing the app on your device, you can work on your presentations even without an internet connection. Any changes made offline will automatically sync when you regain internet connectivity.

4. Are there any limitations to the number of slides or file size that can be used in Google Slides?

Google Slides offers ample storage space and supports a large number of slides in a single presentation. While there may be practical limitations based on the performance of your device, Google Slides provides a robust platform for creating extensive presentations without worrying about file size or slide count restrictions.

So, there you have it, creative ways for teachers to make the most of Google Slides. Whether you're spicing up your presentations with multimedia elements, fostering teamwork with collaborative projects, or making assessments interactive and fun, Google Slides is your trusty sidekick. So go forth, dear teacher, and unleash your creativity in the classroom!

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Creative Ways for Teachers to use Google Slides

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explore various creative ways in which teachers can leverage the features of Google Slides to deliver engaging lessons, foster collaboration, personalize instruction, and showcase student work. Get ready to unlock the full potential of Google Slides and transform your teaching experience.

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This website explains specific ways to use Nearpod for certain subjects. It mentions using the drawing feature to solve math problems. I think this feature would work great in an art classroom. Students could practice drawing methods, while the teacher could see everyone's answers the students process.

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NearPod has changed the way that information is presented and how students are engaged. Teachers can provide students with interactive polls, short answer questions, the chance to draw their answer, and learn at their own pace (Homework). My last post focused on how you can use the new
Virtual Field Trips feature in NearPod to engage students. Today I would like to share with different ways you can have students use the Drawing feature in NearPod to engage students and help them demonstrate their understanding.

Multiple choice questions often benefit great test takers, but discriminate against students who need to show what they know in different ways. Why not use the drawing feature to help all students show what they know? Ask a question and give students a choice in how they respond. The Drawing feature provides students with the flexibility to show what they know through drawing, writing, or typing their answers.

Take a screenshot of a sentence and use the drawing feature to have students diagram sentence structure. For example, have students use red to underline verbs, green to underline nouns, etc. Take a screenshot of a paragraph and have students practice their editing skills.

Use the drawing feature to have students solve math problems. The CCSS emphasizes word problems. Why not use NearPod to see what strategies your students are using to solve problems? For example, you might want to take a screenshot of a word problem and have students analyze and solve the problem. I used to hate when my teachers sent me to the board to solve a problem and I got it wrong; however, NearPod lets students take risk. Their answers can be shared anonymously with the class. This is a great way to show what worked and what did not work when solving the problem.

Upload a picture of the human body, an insect, or computer. Have students use the drawing feature to label and diagram each part.

Upload a picture and have students identify all of the nouns in the picture. Practicing adjectives? See if students can identify the adjectives in your photo.
5. Adjective or Noun Practice Anyone?
Are you starting a new topic? In the past, I have often had my students do a graffiti activity, writing down everything they know about a particular topic. This is a great way to see what they already know, make connections, and even identify misconceptions.

6. Activate Background Knowledge Are you trying to have students understand how everything ties together and relates? Why not have students use the drawing feature to create their own graphic organizer? You may even want to take a screenshot of the graphic and post it to your website.

Are you going through a story, history lesson, or science experiment? A certain element of surprise almost always engages students. Why not use NearPod as a way for students to predict what will happen next? Have students draw, write, or come up with solutions to problems as a way to enhance your lesson.

These are only a few ways that you can use this tool to engage students. Do you have other ways you like to have students use the Drawing feature? I'd love to hear the creative ways that you use it in your classroom.

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8 Ways NearPod Can "Draw" Your Students to Engagement

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NearPod has changed the way that information is presented and how students are engaged. Teachers can provide students with interactive polls, short answer questions, the chance to draw their answer, and learn at their own pace (Homework). My last post focused on how you can use the new Virtual Field Trips feature in NearPod to engage students.

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This website explains how to use the virtual reality feature with Nearpod. For example, virtual field trips. If I were to use this feature I could take students through an art museum and so students could get a closer look at artworks. Of course there are local museums we could visit, but taking a virtual trip to museums around the world could show students the range of works around us.

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By Wenjing Huang, Mandarin Teacher, George School, Newtown, PA.

Virtual Reality, or VR, is a computer-generated simulation of an environment or 3-dimensional image where people can interact in a seemingly real way. When we talk about virtual reality in the classroom, the first tool that comes to my mind is Nearpod. Nearpod provides VR Field Trips and 3D objects along with a library of standards-aligned VR lessons for different subjects. Teachers can integrate them immediately and seamlessly into their curriculum instead of creating a VR trip from scratch. Whether onsite, online, or in hybrid classes, Nearpod VR works on any device. Using VR headsets makes the experience more immersive, but it is not required to engage students in this visual and hands-on learning experience.

Name of the tool

Nearpod

URL

https://www.nearpod.com/

The app is free to download from the app store.

Primary purpose of the tool

Nearpod VR (a feature of Nearpod reviewed previously in The FLTMAG ) provides users with a virtual environment where they can explore and extend their learning using a computer and virtual tools.

Cost

Nearpod basic account: free

Gold: $159/year

Platinum: $397/year

Platinum Plus: Custom pricing for schools and districts

Nearpod is free to use with a 100 MB limit on storage.

Ease of use

Very easy to use: educators sign up with an account to use Nearpod with its VR feature. Learners use the link provided by the teacher to join. Nearpod VR works on any devices such as Macs, PCs, Chromebooks, iPads, iPhones, etc.

Nearpod Features

Virtual Reality field trips: take students anywhere in the world without leaving their seats.

3D objects: add a new dimension to digital learning to encourage hands-on and meaningful learning.

Other interactive content and activities: combine all Nearpod's interactive features to increase students' engagement, simplify formative assessments, and foster positive competition among students.

Nearpod VR Field Trip

When logging into Nearpod, you first select the blue icon "Create" and choose "Lesson," then it guides you to a blank lesson where you can add Content & Activities.

When adding "Content," a list of choices will appear, which includes VR Field Trip and Nearpod 3D.

If you choose VR Field Trip, a search box will allow you to search for the destination you would like to visit (this includes museums, Wonders of the World, national monuments, cities, world heritage sites, landmarks, etc.) Once you choose a destination and click "done," the VR Field Trip is automatically saved as a slide in your Nearpod lesson. When you go back to visit this slide, you will be able to preview this VR site by clicking "Enter VR". In addition, you can add different VR Field Trip destinations to your lesson.

When you choose to add Nearpod 3D from the "Content" menu, it also gives you a list of options by categories that connect to different subjects such as history, biology, and astronomy. Language teachers who are teaching content-based classes may find these objects useful. I outlined an idea for using 3D objects in a language class at the end of the article.

After you've added your 3D object and previewed it, you will be presented with shortcuts to rotate it.

Other Nearpod Activities

You can combine Nearpod VR and regular features to extend or enrich your students' learning.

Basically, a VR Field Trip, a 3D object, or an activity (listed in Picture 9) are all elements that can be added to your Nearpod slide deck.

Collaborate Board: use this tool to set up an interactive board for learners to brainstorm, share texts and images, and like/dislike each other's posts.

Open-Ended Question: prompt students to use higher-order thinking skills by using follow-up open-ended questions that learners respond to by recording or typing their answers.

Draw It: incorporate drawing for learners to visualize their ideas or to label a background image that you have uploaded.

Time To Climb: increase engagement with friendly classroom competition through this "game-like" assessment.

Nearpod also lets you integrate videos and websites from Nearpod Content before or after your VR Field Trip or 3D. Once the lesson is completed, you will be able to share it with learners synchronously (through live participation) or asynchronously (as a self-paced lesson).

During a VR Field Trip or 3D tour, you can also click at the top right of the screen to launch the synchronous whiteboard (Nearpod Platinum Plus account only) and type or draw explanations to enhance learners' understanding of the lesson or to address questions.

Novice Level

VR Field Trip can easily be integrated into novice-level classes to hook learners' interests. For example, a sample Chinese I learning objective is "I can identify four countries in the VR field trip and describe where I am by using simple sentences."

Students explored the four VR Field Trip sites listed below on their own devices. Then they used the vocabulary of countries' names (China, France, U.S., and Italy) that they had learned to complete follow-up listening, reading, speaking, or writing activities in Nearpod:

Matching Pairs: match the country pictures with the correct Chinese words.

Drag and Drop: group the Chinese words according to different categories given (such as verbs, question words, and countries).

Open-Ended Question: listen to the teacher's pre-recorded questions (such as "Where are you in this VR Field Trip? Do you know ...? Do you like ...?") and record or type the answer in Chinese.

Fill in the Blanks: read the Chinese sentences and fill in the missing words into the correct blanks.

Draw It: use the drawing pens to write the Chinese characters corresponding to the pictures provided.

Picture 14 - VR Field Trips of the Great Wall, Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, and Colosseum

Intermediate Level

VR Field Trip provides intermediate learners with authentic visual prompts to expand their knowledge, broaden their horizons and explore the outside world. For example, in Chinese III, students tour a high school classroom in Taiwan (see below). The learning objective for this lesson was "I can describe a typical high school classroom in Chinese culture by using complete sentences and compare it to the classrooms in my own school."

After the tour, students engaged in follow-up discussions in Nearpod Collaborate Board: I guided them to discuss what they observed, including classroom size, student number, desks and chairs, books, the front board, and other furniture. Students then compared this classroom to the ones at their school by using the Chinese structures provided (see English translations below). They typed their answers using complete Chinese sentences or paragraphs and shared them in pairs. Such activity allows all learners to participate and see each other's language output. As a low-stakes formative assessment, more advanced learners can produce connected sentences or short paragraphs, while other learners can try simple sentences and use some vocabulary they see in others' posts to formulate their own content.

Interdisciplinary Learning

When it comes to interdisciplinary teaching and learning, Nearpod VR, especially its 3D component, can be used as a resource for comprehensible input and modeling. For example, when students in Chinese immersion programs learn geography, the teacher can use Nearpod 3D's Earth to show students how to recognize different countries and continents or to understand the earth's movements.

The second most important festival in Chinese culture is the Mid-Autumn Festival which celebrates family reunions and worships the moon. Teachers can use Nearpod 3D's Earth to help students understand the phases of the moon and use the target language to describe these phases.

Conclusion

VR field trips offer opportunities to explore the world and a variety of subject areas in an immersive way. Learners are placed inside a simulated world and enjoy a combination of VR and traditional activities and assessments from their mobile devices, tablets, or laptops. I hope this article will inspire you to try it for yourself.

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Nearpod: A Simple Tool to Bring Virtual Reality to Your Classroom - The FLTMAG

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By Wenjing Huang, Mandarin Teacher, George School, Newtown, PA. Introduction Virtual Reality, or VR, is a computer-generated simulation of an environment or 3-dimensional image where people can interact in a seemingly real way. When we talk about

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This website explains how to use AR in an art classroom. One example shows the Crayola Color Alive app. Students could draw animals characters, and use this app to bring them to life with sound and movement. This could be a good quick activity for students!

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Last fall, I attended a technology conference where I went to a session on augmented reality technology (AR) and how it can be used in the classroom. I was blown away by the possibilities of this tech concept and its ability to modify our students' current reality into a compelling, virtual experience of interactive information.

What is Augmented Reality (AR)?

If you have never heard specifically of augmented reality, don't fret. Maybe Google Glass sounds familiar. Or, what about Yelp? Both of these examples use augmented reality technology. Even IKEA's 2014 catalog utilizes AR to help customers envision virtual furniture in their homes.

AR can be defined as a "live, direct or indirect, view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data." ("Augmented Reality." . N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2015). Basically, it's an interactive experience using a tablet, phone or anther device that blends the current world with a superimposed technology experience. So, how exactly can you use this in your art room?

AR in your Art Classroom

There are dozens of AR apps, programs and resources out there that can help encourage curiosity and inspire critical thinking and intense creativity in your students. Here are a few augmented reality options that you can start infusing into your art curriculum.

Aurasma seems to be the most preferred education AR app as of late. It is a creation AR app that encourages students (and teachers) to create their own AR in the classroom by allowing the user to add virtual dimension to any artwork through video, animations, music and so on. Using Aurasma is very much like using an advanced QR code reader. Check out Aurasma's site here for more information.

Layar is very similar to Aurasma as, it too, can be used to create videos or animations for "triggers" that you choose from Layar's pre-made content or from your own photos. More information can be found here at Layar's website.

If Aurasma or Layar does not fill the educational need that you are looking for, try Blippar, Daqri or Zappar.

If you want to try an AR activity in your classroom but are feeling a little overwhelmed by the idea of a student-created AR, try something like Crayola's Color Alive. With this fun, AR-embedded app, students can add color, pattern or value to a pre-made image and then see their work come alive with movement and sound when scanned with the app.

coLAR uses the same concept as Color Alive but has a nice array of pre-made coloring sheets to use with your students. There are plenty of cross-discipline examples (check out the cell model) to intertwine art with various other subjects.

Not only can augmented reality be a way to for teachers to promote critical thinking and curiosity within their instruction, but it can also provide an avenue for students to push beyond the obvious with unlimited creative opportunities.

Have you used augmented reality in your classroom? Is this technology something you've been thinking about trying with your students?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

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Augmented Reality Can be a Reality in Your Art Classroom

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Augmented Reality Can be a Reality in Your Art Classroom % %

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This website shows many ways to use AR in art education. One of the ways I found interesting was collaborative art projects. The students can work together on art installations and murals. Using AR enables students to give real time feedback and helps students work together creatively.

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Introduction

Art education is a space where creativity and innovation thrive. Augmented Reality (AR) is emerging as a powerful tool to enhance art education by combining the digital and physical worlds. AR technology allows artists and students to augment their artistic experiences, explore new dimensions, and unleash their creativity in unprecedented ways. In this blog, we will explore the transformative impact of Augmented Reality in art education and how it enables students to harness their artistic potential.

1. Interactive Art Exhibitions

Augmented Reality brings art exhibitions to life by overlaying virtual elements onto physical artworks. Visitors can use AR-enabled devices to scan artworks and unlock additional information, animations, or audio commentary. This interactive experience deepens the engagement and understanding of artworks, offering a multi-sensory journey through artistic expressions.

2. Virtual Art Creation and Exploration

AR empowers artists and students to create and explore art in virtual environments. AR applications provide tools for virtual painting, sculpting, and designing, enabling artists to experiment with different mediums and techniques without the need for physical materials. This virtual art creation fosters creativity, allows for risk-free experimentation, and expands the possibilities of artistic expression.

3. Augmented Reality Portfolios

AR technology revolutionizes the way artists showcase their portfolios. By using AR-enabled platforms, artists can overlay digital representations of their artworks onto physical surfaces, transforming their portfolio into an interactive and immersive experience. This dynamic presentation of artworks captivates viewers and adds a new dimension to the artist's storytelling.

4. Artistic Skill Development

AR apps offer interactive tutorials and step-by-step guides for artistic skill development. Students can access virtual lessons, demonstrations, and practice exercises that help them refine their artistic techniques. AR technology provides real-time feedback and guidance, allowing students to observe and correct their strokes, proportions, and color choices, fostering continuous growth and improvement.

5. Art History and Cultural Exploration

Augmented Reality brings art history and cultural exploration to life. Students can virtually visit famous museums, historical sites, or artist studios, immersing themselves in the cultural contexts that have shaped art movements. AR overlays historical information, audio commentary, and interactive elements, making art history come alive and fostering a deeper appreciation for diverse artistic traditions.

6. Collaborative Art Projects

AR technology facilitates collaborative art projects, even across different locations. Students can work together on virtual art installations, murals, or performances, combining their individual contributions into a cohesive artwork. AR enables real-time collaboration, feedback exchange, and a sense of shared artistic vision, fostering teamwork and communication skills.

7. Augmented Reality Exhibition Spaces

AR opens new possibilities for creating immersive exhibition spaces. Artists can design virtual art galleries or installations where viewers can explore artworks in a digital environment. AR technology allows for interactive elements, such as audio guides, animated artworks, or virtual interactions, enhancing the viewer's experience and pushing the boundaries of traditional exhibition spaces.

8. Enhancing Accessibility and Inclusivity

AR technology promotes accessibility and inclusivity in art education. Virtual art experiences allow individuals with physical disabilities or limitations to engage in artistic activities and exhibitions. AR applications can offer alternative sensory experiences, such as audio descriptions or haptic feedback, ensuring that art is accessible to a wider audience.

Conclusion

Augmented Reality is transforming art education by providing immersive, interactive, and innovative experiences for artists and students alike. From interactive art exhibitions and virtual art creation to collaborative projects and enhanced accessibility, AR technology expands the possibilities of artistic expression, fosters creativity, and enriches the understanding and appreciation of art. By harnessing the power of Augmented Reality in art education, we empower artists and learners to push the boundaries of their creativity and unleash their artistic potential in ways previously unimaginable. The future of art education is intertwined with the dynamic

and transformative possibilities of Augmented Reality.

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Harnessing the Power of Augmented Reality in Art Education

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Art education is a space where creativity and innovation thrive. Augmented Reality (AR) is emerging as a powerful tool to enhance art education by combining the digital and physical worlds. AR...

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This website explains Wordle and how it can be used in the classroom. One example I thought could be useful is including classroom vocabulary in the Wordle. As a future educator, I could use Wordle as a Bell-ringer to refresh students minds on recent vocabulary.

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When historians look back on 2022, chances are Wordle will dominate at least a piece of the conversation. Everywhere you turn, the word game with its now iconic green and yellow squares is there, and that includes inside the classroom! Teachers across the US are putting their own twists on Wordle to teach phonics, vocabulary, and a whole lot more. Wondering "how do you use Wordle in the classroom?"

We asked teachers to share some of their clever Wordle ideas for teaching!

What Is Wordle?

Maybe you've managed to escape the hottest craze since the popping fidget toy? Wordle is, in short, a viral word game in which players are given six chances to guess a five-letter word. Guess the wrong word but have a few of the letters correct?

If the letter is in the correct spot, the box containing the letter will turn green - letting players know to reuse that letter right in that spot.

If the letter is in the final word but not in the correct spot, the box will turn yellow, letting them know they can try again.

If the letter is just plain incorrect, the box will turn grey, so players know not to use it again.

The word game was created by Josh Wardle (hence the name), a Welsh software engineer who introduced it to the world in late 2021. By early 2022, Wardle's game became so massively popular in such a short amount of time that it was scooped up by the New York Times, which now runs its own version.

Kids have started playing the game on their own, and teachers have too. So it was only a matter of time before they took it and made it their own!

How Teachers Use Wordle in the Classroom

Whiteboard Wordle

It was a student's question that prompted Emily Halbig to create a Wordle-type board on her classroom whiteboard. The sixth-grade ELA and social studies teacher from Watsonville, California was asked by a student if she played the popular game, prompting other kids in the class to pipe up with questions.

"I did one with them and they were hooked," she told Teach Starter. "I remember one of the first days they got it on the last line and the cheers were so loud it was like they'd won the Super Bowl!"

At first, Halbig was using Chrome to play the real thing with her classes, but soon students were arriving in her classroom having already figured out the answer on their own devices.

"I figured I needed a way to come up with my own words and saw another teacher had done it on chart paper. So I thought why not make a reusable whiteboard version?" Halbig said.

As for where she gets the words from - this exercise is all about the students. Each student wrote five-letter words on index cards, and Halbig pulls at random from the stack to determine the daily word. To keep the kids on her toes, she mixes things up so period one students get words from period three and vice versa.

CVC Word Fun

The original game may be all about five-letter words, but no one said you can't drop the box count down to three to practice CVC words with your younger learners! Draw out six lines each of three boxes for young students to write in their words, and you can use green and yellow markers to mark yellow and green.

Want to make word mapping more fun?

If you have bright-colored magnetic tiles in your classroom - the type kids use for building small structures at playtime - grab the green and yellow tiles, and you've got the perfect thing for some on-on-one CVC fun Wordle style! Bonus: The tiles will even stick to your whiteboard!

Draw on Unit Vocabulary

New Jersey school librarian Beth Thomas saw an opportunity to build on unit vocabulary when she noticed kids were playing Wordle on the Chromebooks in the library. With a group of seventh graders researching Lewis and Clark's expedition in her middle school library, Thomas told Teach Starter she opted to start using five-letter words related to the topic at hand - river, canoe, and so on.

"The kids got really excited about trying to solve the puzzle and had all different strategies (many use adieu as their first guess because of all the vowels)," she said. "I kept telling them they had to use what they were learning about the Expedition to help them make good guesses."

Thomas is already fielding suggestions from students that incorporate the subjects at hand, and she's planning to keep it going.

"A student who comes in frequently during lunchtime had an idea for the one on the day we returned back from President's Weekend: penny because Lincoln is on it," Thomas said. "I will definitely be asking more students to pick the daily Wordle to see if they can stump their friends, and I am already planning on how to incorporate it into other research projects: ecosystems, Ancient India, social justice topics, etc."

You can check out Thomas' series of Lewis and Clark Wordle charts on the school library's Instagram.

Dry Erase Wordle Charts

Don't want to take up space on your whiteboard with your Wordle-type game? Fourth grade teacher Drew Kelley created a dry-erase version for his classroom with standard anchor chart paper! Kelley laminated the paper, and it's the perfect activity for students to work on together while he's working with students during intervention time.

"They use dry erase markers so I can erase it every day after they are done," he explained.

Kelley chooses the words himself, tying them directly into topics he's covering in class.

Dig Into the Archive

New to Wordle, and want to give the original a try? There's just one new World released per day, but you can play old games in the Wordle Archive for free. This makes a great bell-ringer activity for kids on your classroom tablet!

Other Wordle-Like Games

Looking for more fun twists on Wordle for you - or for adapting in the classroom? Give these free games a try!

Looking for more word fun for the classroom? Give our Toggle game a try, and let your students create as many words as they can find!

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Wordle in the Classroom: How Teachers Are Using the Viral Word Game

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When historians look back on 2022, chances are Wordle will dominate at least a piece of the conversation. Everywhere you turn, the word game with its now iconic green and yellow squares is there, and that includes inside the classroom! Teachers across the US are putting their own twists on Wordle to teach phonics, vocabulary, and a whole lot more.

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This website shows the many ways teachers have used Wordle in their classrooms. One example I enjoyed and would use in the future is using scrabble titles. Adding a kinesthetic element helps students with different learning styles enjoy engaging in this activity as well.

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Have you caught the Wordle bug yet? The entire WeAreTeachers staff is playing the daily word game, and we can't get enough. As there are obviously some great learning extensions with vocabulary, critical thinking, and phonics, we asked teachers to share how they're using Wordle in the classroom. Here's what they had to say.

Play a super-sized version on the whiteboard (bonus points for lamination)

I found a good use for the laminator. The 5th graders are beyond excited! #wordle pic.twitter.com/9ls8lPJSoz

- Christina Nosek (@ChristinaNosek) January 24, 2022

Teacher Christina Nosek posted on Twitter that she's been playing Worldle with her fifth graders on the whiteboard. "All you need is chart paper, a marker, a ruler, and a laminator," she says. "What was really cool was all of the discussion this sparked around letter combinations, vowel combinations, and why some things work and some things don't. We had such fabulous discussion about how words are made while we played."

Don't want to DIY? Check out our printable Wordle template

You can print it big or small depending on your needs. The rules of Wordle are simple. You choose a five-letter word of the day. Your students have six guesses to get the word. Cross out incorrect letters in their guesses, circle letters that are correct but not in the right spot yellow, and circle letters that are correct and in the right spot green.

Use Scrabble tiles to add a kinesthetic element

My own third grader has been playing Wordle and likes to have an offscreen place to do some thinking-either a notepad or an assortment of Scrabble tiles, which makes it easier for him to "see" his guesses and potential solutions.

Choose your own word of the day in a digital version

MyWordle.Me is a free site that lets you choose the word and share your customized game with others. Check out this great list of other Wordle variations your students can play, too.

Try an app version first thing in the morning

Many of the adult Wordle lovers we know play to start their days, and it's a great bell ringer for students, too. "We play in homeroom every morning," says Katharine P. "I've gotten several students to download an app that plays the same game called What Word? "

Do you have other ideas for using Wordle in the classroom? Please share in the comments.
Get the Wordle Game!

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How Teachers Are Bringing the Magic of Wordle Into Their Classrooms

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Have you caught the Wordle bug yet? The entire WeAreTeachers staff is playing the daily word game, and we can't get enough. As there are obviously some great learning extensions with vocabulary, critical thinking, and phonics, we asked teachers to share how they're using Wordle in the classroom.

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This link explains 26 ways to use QR codes in the classroom. I think the example I would use in the classroom is an interactive bulletin board. In the art room I could have a board showing many different famous artists, with a QR code taking students to a website with interesting information and facts about the artists.

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26 Creative Ways Teachers Can Use QR Codes in Their Classrooms

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Gone are the days when teachers scribbled different blackboard elements to explain complex concepts. Today, teachers and students are much more advanced and empowered regarding the use of technology.

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This website shows many ways to use QR codes in the art room. One way that was mentioned is using QR codes to provide digital artist statements. I could use this during the school's art show. The QR code could be a video or audio of the artist talking about their artwork. The code could be printed out beside the artwork in the art show.

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Today I'd love to share a bit more about QR codes. I'll go over what QR codes are, how they work and 5 ideas for using them in the school setting. If you'd like, you can download a simple guide for future reference located at the end of this post.

QR Code Basics

Originally used in advertising, QR codes can be found on everything from magazines to cracker boxes. An example can be seen in the image above.

QR stands for "Quick Response." The idea is that you can use your smartphone, iPod or iPad to scan the QR code, much like a barcode, and instantly have access to extra "stuff" like interesting information about a product, or special offers or coupons.

To be able to read QR codes, you need to download a QR Reader app, such as Quick Scan. To create your own QR codes to use in your classroom, you will need to use a website that generates them. There are many free options. QR Code Generator is simple and straightforward. If you'd like something a bit fancier, QRStuff.com is nice. (You can also check out tech guru Kathy Schrock's website for a huge list of QR code resources.)

Classroom Use

The ways in which you can use QR codes in the classroom are only limited by your imagination.

Here are 5 ideas to get you started.

1. Provide supplemental information for your hallway displays.
When you display student work, consider adding a QR code in the corner of your bulletin board. The code could teach viewers about the style of artwork or the materials the students used.

2. Enhance your next art show with digital artist statements.
After selecting the artwork for your next art show, film or voice record each student talking about his or her work. Upload the video or audio files to your website. Then, have students generate QR codes that link to those files. Print the codes and attach them to the work. To make it more manageable, choose one grade level or find a volunteer to help.

3. Promote your art program.
There are a lot of different ways to promote your art program using QR codes. For example, instead of typing out the address to you classroom blog in the next school newsletter, include a QR code that links directly to it. Parents will be much more likely to pay you a visit! Alternately, create a code to use on a business card that you handout at back to school nights or art shows. QR Code Generator even has an option for ordering items like this (business cards, stickers, notepads, etc...). To see a list of products, click the printer icon on the site.

4. Create an artist scavenger hunt for students.
Create a series of QR codes that take students to information about various artists around the web (Alternately, create your own text to link to). Print the QR codes and hide them throughout the art room. Then, have students use their own personal devices, or use iPads to find answers to questions like: Which artist founded the cubist movement? Which artist do we know about because of the letters he and his brother Theo sent back and forth?

5. Create QR activities as part of a free choice station.
Create a set of QR codes with different drawing challenges. When finished with their work, students can scan one of the codes at random, then complete the corresponding promt. Alternately, create a set of QR codes that link to different videos about artists on the web. When finished, students can scan one of the codes, watch the video, then write one interesting fact they learned.

A Step-By-Step Guide

If you'd like, download this simple guide for future reference. Happy coding!
Have you used QR codes in the Art Room before? What did you do? Are there any obstacles to using QR codes in the art room?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

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The Ultimate Guide to Using QR Codes in the Art Room

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The Ultimate Guide to Using QR Codes in the Art Room % %

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This website offers models for many subjects. Including art, I could definitely use this in the classroom! Students could practice symmetry and 3-D building as well as learn about famous artists and their styles. This could be a good quick activity for students to learn more about Virtual Manipulatives.

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Online manipulatives bring all of the learning and fun without the mess. Our math virtual manipulatives help students grasp abstract concepts through modeling. Literacy virtual manipulatives create a fun space for practicing spelling, rhyming, and more!

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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!

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Polypad is a website mostly used in math classroom. But I think it could also work in an art classroom. Students can use this website to see how shapes and patterns work well together. Students could also practice the grid method which is dividing an image into a series of smaller section, which makes it easier for some students to draw.

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Unleash your creativity with the world’s best virtual manipulatives!