The Digital Scoop

Online Activities to Help Students Develop Perseverance and Problem Solving Skills

I have been thinking a lot about ways I can encourage perseverance in my students.  We talk about it a lot, but I find often until they are faced with a big challenge they don't totally understand what it means to persevere.  I found a few online activities that are both fun and challenging in the best way!

c 

I introduced my 1st grade students to the Big Escape Games from TVO Kids.  Students are left in a room or area to find hidden clues and solve a puzzle.  I love that the game changes every time you play by hiding the clues in different locations.  Students often play the same version repeatedly for the challenge of new hiding places for clues.  Students definitely need perseverance to find all the clues and solve the puzzle.  

Big Escape 1

Big Escape 2

Big Escape 3

Big Escape 4

 

Goldburger To Go

 

 

My 2nd grade students needed something a little bit more challenging.  I decided to introduce them to Rube Goldberg Machines.  I started by showing them the beginning of this YouTube Video:

 

We talked about how the machines worked and how they involve a lot of "tinkering" to get them just right.  I then showed students the following puzzles:

Dish It Out- I added this one to provide some easier puzzles for students to try before attempting the others.

Rube Goldberg Burglar Catcher Machine- This puzzle has 4 areas to adjust to make the machine work correctly.

Goldburger to Go Machine- This puzzle has 13 areas to adjust to make the machine work correctly. 

My students both loved and struggled with these!  They loved the idea and readily attempted to solve them.  They often struggled the fact that the puzzles were extremely challenging and took a long time to solve.  They started to see what perseverance means.

I know there are other Rube Goldberg Machines and other escape puzzles online.  Do you have a favorite?

 

First Week Procedures are a Hoot with Kahoot!

I both love and dread the first week of school.  I love seeing the kids again and getting reacquainted.  I dread going over the same procedures and routines every hour with a different group of kids.  

This year was different...I used Kahoot! to create a procedures game for the students to play and play we did!

I signed up for a free account and created a 9 question review game.  I included things like procedures for leaving the room, getting a drink, and getting help.  I was able to use this the first day of school because most of my students have had me as a teacher for several years.  

I launched the Kahoot! on my laptop and projected the game on the board.  Each student goes to https://kahoot.it/ enters a game pin, creates a nickname (we used first names), and joins the game.

Students can see the question and answers on the projected screen and not on their device.

 They see only see the colors and shapes corresponding to the answer choices on their screen.

I used my procedures Kahoot! with my 2nd-5th graders and they all had a blast!  I plan to pull it out mid year as a way to review and refresh procedures.

Teachers can also download student answers in a spreadsheet.

I plan to use Kahoot! as a fun way to review concepts and skills.

Do you Kahoot!? :)

Problems and Proof It!

First off, if you tried the Symbaloo webmix link in the previous email and it wasn't working, here is the correct link:

NETA 50 Tech Treasures Webmix

Next, I would like to share a bit more about one of the treasures I recently shared at NETA.

 

The Problem Site is really no problem at all!  It's a great place to find all sorts of brain teasers and challenges.

I could see this used by teachers to find problems for daily class challenges.  I could also see using it as an extension activity when students complete work early.

Another site which links from The Problem Site is Proof It!

Proof It offers a daily 10 question quiz in proof reading sentences for errors.  Each sentence contains one error and you are timed to see how fast you can find the error.  This would be a fun and different way to do daily editing.

Have fun challenging your brain to a workout!

Sight Word Ninja App

I recently downloaded the Sight Word Ninjas app (currently free!) from Grasshopper apps and I know the kids will love it!

I know kids will have fun slicing through sight words!  

As a teacher, I love the fact you can customize the words given.  You can turn words and/or sets of words on and off.  This way you can increase the difficulty of the game as the school year progresses.

I have never had a bad experience with a Grasshopper app and Sight Word Ninjas is no exception!

 

Loving the Heads Up! app

Warning!  The app in this post may lead to loud and engaging fun!

I am always looking for fun and engaging activities to use with students when we are in line waiting.

Heads Up  is one of those activities!  My students beg to play Heads up when we have any spare minute.  

iTunes- $.99

Google Play- $.99

Heads Up is a simple guessing game.  Hold your phone or iPad up and the students have to give you clues so you can guess the word on the screen.  

We have used the Animals and Just for Kids card decks.  I also purchased a Make Your Own deck for an additional $.99 and plan to use it for some curriculum related vocabulary.

I have found that having an entire class give me clues leads to a lot of yelling!  I tend to ask 4-5 students to give me clues and then move to another set of students.  They love giving clues!

Math Facts Practice Symbaloo

I recently created a Symbaloo webmix for basic math fact practice.  My students have been loving it and I thought yours might as well!

:) 

C is for Cookie!

Cookie is my latest discovery for interactive curriculum activities geared towards Preschool through First Grade students.  Cookie contains games, stories, videos, and more.  It's truly a technology treat!

The games provide practice in a number of math and reading skills, such as, addition, subtraction, vowels, and alphabet writing.

I did not sign up for a free Cookie account.  I was able to use every game or activity I clicked on. 

From the site:  At cookie, child experts and educators design interactive online games for kids. Our learning games for kids help in building skills needed for success in school. While playing our fun educational games, kids learn to read with phonics, build skills in math, language, social studies, science and much more. Our educational videos encourage children to keep learning, even after school hours.

Who doesn't love a good cookie!

Smart Tutor Prefix/Suffix Games

The Smart Tutor web site offers several free activities from their reading and math programs.  I will be adding the following two games to our NeSA practice site.

Guide the balloon to gather gems and create words with prefixes and suffixes.

Practice making words with prefixes at the Skate Park.  Students are given a definition and asked to make the word to match.

Love for the Lorax

I have very fond memories of reading The Lorax when I was younger.  Since next week is Read Across America Day and a new Lorax movie is coming out, I thought it would be fun to post some Lorax inspired ideas!

 

Online Activities

Official Lorax Movie Web Site- watch the trailer, play games, and learn about all things Lorax!

Energy Star Kids and the Lorax- online coloring book, word find, and hidden object find.

Lorax Save the Trees Game

YoKids Lorax Matching Game

 

iPad/iPhone Apps

The Lorax Storybook App- Wonderful digital version of the classic story. $3.99

The Official Lorax App- iPhone app based on the upcoming movie.  Hold the phone up to your mouth, and talk. The Lorax’s mouth and moustache will move along with your voice.  You can also take photos and give people a Lorax moustache. FREE

Truffula Shuffula- Simple match three game with a Lorax movie theme. FREE

 

Lessons and Downloads

Read Across America at Target- watch a short video of movie cast members reading a few pages from the book, download a reader's guide and activities, or take a Which Seuss Character are You quiz.

Seussville:  The Lorax Project- Discussion questions for the book, planning for the Lorax Student Earth Day event, and resources for celebrating the book and Earth awareness.

Seussville:  Read Across America- Printable activities to use in your classroom.

Apples 4 the Teacher Lorax Lesson Plans - nice collection of lessons and downloads for the book.

HP Creative Studio:  The Lorax- Fun printable activities.

If you need more inspiration or ideas be sure to check out this Pinterest Lorax search.

Happy reading!

 

Monster Hangman

Monster Hangman is a fun word game from Scholastic.  The game is just like regular hangman except with a monster and three difficulty levels to choose from.

This would be a great warm up or transition activity with a projector.