I wish you and all yours a wonderful Thanksgiving on November 28th as well as a restful break. Enjoy your family and friends, take time to rest.

I’ll be around only in a limited way, then, back fulltime December 1st.

Create a holiday card for Thanksgiving or Christmas in KidPix or another drawing program and reinforce early writing skills while teaching mouse skills, toolbars and tool use: (more…)

 

A few years ago, I did a poll on the meaning of the word ‘turkey’. This was to demonstrate how powerful symbols are to your students and do so with an authentic use of technology to support discussion on math, language standards, and the holidays.

As a summation to your discussion with students on symbols, idiomatic expressions, geography, farms, or another topic, post this on your class screen. The poll includes lots of definitions for the word ‘turkey’. Have each student come up sometime during the day (or class) and make their choices. The one below is a sample:

What definitions did your students come up with I didn’t list?

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Teaching the days before big holidays is challenging. Students and teachers alike are ready for a break. Both struggle to pay attention regardless of how innovative and engaging are the lesson plans.

I’ve been there often. As a result, I’ve come up with fun ways to support learning while students power through the last few days of school. Here are seven I use during the pre-Thanksgiving season:

• ASCII Art
• Comics
• Holiday Widget
• Team Challenge
• Thanksgiving Poll
• Thinking Games
• Themed

ASCII Art

Time required: Less than one class

ASCII Art is the graphic design technique of creating images by typing the letters, numbers, and symbols defined by ASCII Standards. Holiday examples include this Thanksgiving pumpkin and these holiday bells. Here’s how you do it:

1. Open your word processing program (MS Word, Google Docs, or another).
2. Add a watermark of a picture you’d like to use, preferably a single image rather than one that includes a background. Silhouettes are perfect for this sort of project.
3. Type over the image with the letters, symbols, and numbers that best fit the outline. It’s fine to use one letter throughout (like an X).
4. Add color by highlighting the letters, numbers, and symbols typed over the parts you’d like colored (such as the stem of a pumpkin or the bow on Christmas bells in the linked samples above).
5. When you’ve covered the image with characters, delete the watermark. That leaves just your typing.
6. Save, print, share, publish as is customary in your classes.

Tie-ins: Use this not only for holidays but any academic class by creating an artistic image of the topic being discussed. Click the link for an example of Abraham Lincoln to align with study of the American Civil War or this one of the American Revolution. This is also a fun and authentic way for students to practice keyboarding.

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In these 169 tech-centric situations, you get an overview of pedagogy—the tech topics most important to your teaching—as well as practical strategies to address most classroom tech situations, how to scaffold these to learning, and where they provide the subtext to daily tech-infused education.

Today’s tip: Google extras

Category: Parents

Google search can be used as lots more than a resource search tool. For example, use it to define words by typing the word you want defined and pushing enter:

• Define monarchy
• Define landform

Other tools:

Sign up for a new tip each week or buy the entire 169 Real-world Ways to Put Tech into Your Classroom.

What’s your favorite tech tip in your classroom? Share it in the comments below.

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Need a few websites and apps to fill in sponge time? Here are Thanksgiving websites that will keep students busy and still teach them (click for updated links):

1. Berenstein Bears Give Thanks (app)
2. Canadian Thanksgiving
3. Online/Offline Thanksgiving activities
4. Plimoth Plantation–a field trip of a Pilgrim’s life. Included on this real-life site is a video of the Pilgrim’s crossing to the New World.
5. Thanksgiving edu-websites–CybraryMan
6. Thanksgiving Games
7. Thanksgiving games and puzzles
8. Thanksgiving games–Quia
9. Thanksgiving Lesson Plans
10. Turkey Templates — activities in Google Slides

If you’re looking for projects, you’ll find two on Ask a Tech Teacher:

1. A Holiday Card
2. A Holiday Flier

For more, click here:

• Thanksgiving ASCII Art
• Comics
• Countdown Clock for the Holiday
• Team Challenge
• Thanksgiving Poll

Here’s a gallery of some of the Thanksgiving/Holiday projects:

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Gamification of Education

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free, here on Ask a Tech Teacher:

–summarize with NoteGPT

Summary

Jacqui Murray discusses the integration of technology in K-8 education, focusing on gamification to enhance learning.

Highlights

• 🎮 Gamification enhances learning by incorporating game elements into education.
• 💻 Keyboarding skills are essential for students in a technology-driven world.
• 📚 Vocabulary building is crucial across all subjects for comprehension.
• 🌐 Digital citizenship teaches safe online practices for students.
• 🔍 Research skills promote inquiry and curiosity in students.
• 🏗️ Games like Minecraft and Sim City can teach complex subjects effectively.
• 📈 Engaging students through games can improve retention and understanding.

Key Insights

• 🎓 Gamification is a powerful tool that transforms traditional learning into interactive experiences, making education more appealing to students. This approach fosters engagement and motivation, which are essential for effective learning.
• ⌨️ Mastery of keyboarding is critical, as students will be tested on these skills. Teaching proper keyboarding habits at an early age helps ensure students can focus on content rather than mechanics, supporting their overall academic performance.
• 🔠 A strong vocabulary is foundational for academic success. By encouraging students to decode unfamiliar words in context, educators enhance comprehension and prepare them for standardized assessments.
• 🛡️ Digital citizenship education is essential as students navigate online environments. Teaching them about online safety and responsibility ensures they can engage positively and productively in digital spaces.
• 🔍 Encouraging research and inquiry through dedicated projects like Genius Hour fosters a sense of ownership in learning, allowing students to pursue their interests and develop critical thinking skills.
• ⚙️ Education-focused games must have narrative and character development to be effective. When students engage with games that require problem-solving and critical thinking, they learn necessary academic concepts in a fun way.
• 📊 Statistics show that a significant number of people engage with games regularly. Leveraging this interest in gaming can bridge the gap between entertainment and education, creating a dynamic learning environment that resonates with students.

This video is from a series I taught for school districts. It is now available for free, here on Ask a Tech Teacher. It includes videos on: (more…)

World Kindness Day, celebrated on November 13th each year, promotes kindness across the globe and emphasizes compassion toward others. This day encourages us to look beyond boundaries, religions, and cultures, focusing instead on the simple act of being kind. Founded in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, it is observed in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates.

Promoted by National Geographic, here’s what you should know about Geography Awareness Week:

Too many young Americans are unable to make effective decisions, understand geo-spatial issues, or even recognize their impacts as global citizens. National Geographic created Geography Awareness Week to raise awareness to this dangerous deficiency in American education and excite people about geography as both a discipline and as a part of everyday life.

Each year more than 100,000 Americans actively participate in Geography Awareness Week. Established by presidential proclamation more than 25 years ago, this annual public awareness program encourages citizens young and old to think and learn about the significance of place and how we affect and are affected by it. Geography Awareness Week is supported by access to materials and resources for teachers, parents, community activists, and all geographically minded global citizens.

Here are excellent resources to promote geography lessons:

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As many of you know, I have two wonderful children–one a CDR in the Navy and one a SFC In the Army. I also have a long family history of relatives who fought for America. So today, I salute them and all others who have put their lives and dreams aside to support America’s values and principles. I can’t say it better than these videos:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHGGtSUckaA] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTKmjhJ1__o&fs=1&hl=en_US] [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNqUORIFV4I&fs=1&hl=en_US]

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