How to Make Class Movies Truly Interactive using Today's Meet

My movies in Social Studies have gone from a strictly viewing experience to a "watch and listen, write, read and respond" experience.

I create a room using the website, Todays Meet, and students quickly sign in without passwords.  They are encouraged to take all of their notes within our class backchannel.  I'm thrilled at all of the interaction and reflection that takes place during this process.

As you can see above, students are even encouraged to add hashtags to further display some of their reactions to the movie.

How do you use backchannel sites like Today's Meet in your classroom?

Create a Vocabulary Spinner with the Decide Now! App

The app, Decide Now! has been a terrific addition to my vocabulary instruction.  Any time I introduce a new word to our academic vocabulary list, students immediately add it to their "vocabulary wheel" within this app.

Students use this resource in my room the following ways:

• Selecting words for sentences
• Charades
• Vocabulary games
• Quizzing themselves or each other

How would you use this with your students?

Note:  This app is usually $0.99.  However, today (1-25-14) it is free!

Strengthen Vocabulary with "Move & Match" App

Move & Match is an iPad app that I recently started using for vocabulary activities with my students, though you can use it for just about anything.

There are two sections to this app, "Make" and "Use."  In the "Make" section, they simply add pictures and type in words.  When they open the file they've created in the "Use" section, they can move and match their pictures and words.

With vocabulary, I have students continuously add words and different pictures.  They then mix and match them to write or say sentences using these words.  Students also use other classmates' iPads to mix and match their words and pictures, as well.

Making a QR Code is Easy!

QR Codes are so easy to make!  Yet, it seems like many teachers are still apprehensive to make them.  Here's how:

1.  Simply go to the website QRstuff.com.  Below is a screenshot of what you will see. 

2.  Copy the URL you'd like to use and pasted it into the "2 Content" section directly below.  

3.  Then, click on the second option (Use our qrs.ly URL shortener), and press the "Download QR Code" button on the right.  Your QR code will be downloaded and ready to be used!