This semester was so much fun! There were so many projects that I absolutely loved creating that it really makes it difficult to pick my top two favorites. However, my overall favorite, was by far, our If-Then Adventure Story. This was way too fun to create. When I originally read the prompt, I was nervous thinking about how we teachers, from several different schools, would have time to actually sit down on and complete this. Oh great, a group project. A situation I can't control! 😆
The prompt was to tell an interactive story in which the main character is the reader and determines where the story is going to go. The platform was to use Google Slides and each slide left the reader a decision in which direction they wanted the story to go. When the reader chooses an option, they will click the link that will take them to the next slide of the story.
Seems simple enough to create, but working in a group, with people that were never in the same building, could be rather difficult. So we began brainstorming ideas of potential characters, setting, and plot lines on a Google Doc. Through the doc, we were able to discuss the ideas and determine where we wanted our story to go.
We clearly were thinking of warmer weather when we were brainstorming.
Once we had chosen our character, setting, and plotline, we jotted down a quick summary of where we wanted the story to go and we were ready to start our Google Slide.
This is where it became more difficult because where one person's story goes affects everyone else's. We decided that we wanted it to become almost like a game where the end result was that you either avoided your student for the entire trip or you came face to face with them and it was "Game Over."
However, as we were writing, we kept thinking of the same plot line. So we decided to conference call each other and discussed what our individual plotline would be and how we would all end. We continued to work for about an additional hour while on a conference call with each other, and that was a wrap. Check out our final product!
My second favorite project was difficult to pick because I really liked everything we did this semester. All year my 5th grade accelerated students were working on a digital portfolio of what we have learned so far this year. Since this semester's course was collaboration, I decided that I would let the students work in groups. I put them into groups of 2-3 students and they were to create a quiz, on a Google Doc of what they had learned this chapter. They were to include an answer key. The only catch was, they were not allowed to talk. Everything had to be done on the comment section of the Google Doc so that I could see the collaboration that went into it. We discussed what appropriate feedback was and how to be respectful to one another. We also discussed what it meant to be a good group member and how everyone needed to have a job.
I loved that I could provide feedback in real-time right on their work.
The prompt was to tell an interactive story in which the main character is the reader and determines where the story is going to go. The platform was to use Google Slides and each slide left the reader a decision in which direction they wanted the story to go. When the reader chooses an option, they will click the link that will take them to the next slide of the story.
Seems simple enough to create, but working in a group, with people that were never in the same building, could be rather difficult. So we began brainstorming ideas of potential characters, setting, and plot lines on a Google Doc. Through the doc, we were able to discuss the ideas and determine where we wanted our story to go.
We clearly were thinking of warmer weather when we were brainstorming.
This is where it became more difficult because where one person's story goes affects everyone else's. We decided that we wanted it to become almost like a game where the end result was that you either avoided your student for the entire trip or you came face to face with them and it was "Game Over."
However, as we were writing, we kept thinking of the same plot line. So we decided to conference call each other and discussed what our individual plotline would be and how we would all end. We continued to work for about an additional hour while on a conference call with each other, and that was a wrap. Check out our final product!
My second favorite project was difficult to pick because I really liked everything we did this semester. All year my 5th grade accelerated students were working on a digital portfolio of what we have learned so far this year. Since this semester's course was collaboration, I decided that I would let the students work in groups. I put them into groups of 2-3 students and they were to create a quiz, on a Google Doc of what they had learned this chapter. They were to include an answer key. The only catch was, they were not allowed to talk. Everything had to be done on the comment section of the Google Doc so that I could see the collaboration that went into it. We discussed what appropriate feedback was and how to be respectful to one another. We also discussed what it meant to be a good group member and how everyone needed to have a job.
I personally loved it because I was able to do all of the grading online as well as provide feedback to students. When I asked the students how they liked this portfolio project compared to the others, I was shocked to hear how much they enjoyed it! I feel like they put in so much more work than some of the other projects this year but it was their favorite!
The best part of this project was that it taught my students so much more than just the math of it. They learned about collaboration, teamwork, respect, asking good questions, providing feedback, creating checkpoints and accountability.
View a final sample of some student work.
I loved that I could provide feedback in real-time right on their work.
What a fabulous post. Thank you for being so open to working so hard and trying new things. Your students are very lucky to have someone leading them committed to improving their own teaching and learning.
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