Hop into Digital Learning Day

Digital Learning Day --Why Should You Try Something New? Because Your Students Will Thank You.

My students thank me all the time for the new “stuff” we are doing this year. Go ahead--take the plunge! Believe me, if you have access to any sort of technology (even one device), then do it. That one tablet or laptop can open up a window to a universe of instructional opportunities. Your students will want to get to that tech center. 

Digital Learning Day is ultimately about bringing equal opportunity to our classrooms, regardless of location or socioeconomic status. It is about the importance of having access to Wi-Fi and up-to-date technology in our schools. Many schools have technology that is not working or that is out-of-date. State and local governments are now focusing on getting it all fixed so that our school children can succeed in the 21^st century.

Here's the challenge: try a new lesson that focuses on discovery, analysis, and exploration. Give your students the gift of a new opportunity by using Google Classroom, MS OneDrive, or an App. And don’t forget to share what you are doing in your classroom on social media to celebrate Digital Learning Day with #futureready. To help you get started, we’ve teamed up to share an amazing selection of blog posts and classroom activities that are designed to propel you and your students into your digital learning adventure.

Digital Learning Day Blog Posts and Resources

Digital Learning Day - Flip it!

Digital learning day . . .

is February 17, 2016! If you are looking for some ideas on how to recognize this day, I invite you to Flip it! Instead of planning extensive activities, why not see what your students already know? I guarantee you will have a few surprises, and you may even learn a few new tricks.

Hopefully you have access to a variety of devices. Be mindful of the fact that though more people have access to cell phones than clean water in this day and age, not every student will have Internet access at home or up-to-date devices. If there are a few students that are eager to share their knowledge, let them. If you notice others hanging back, don't assume they just don't want to participate. They might not have skills they can share - but that doesn't mean they can't learn from their peers.

This is always such a FUN thing to do. I often make completely ludicrous statements when I want to get my kids to open up and share their knowledge. Using humor is also a great way to break the ice and let your students know it's also okay to laugh at yourself. Try using technology terms incorrectly so they can explain the correct usage. Do they know what rebooting is and what a footprint is? If you are wearing boots that day, you can tell them you wanted to create lots of footprints with your new reboots. What?! Or perhaps you can coin a new term, rebootprints, and have your students come up with a legitimate definition for it. 

You can even have scissors and paste out on your desk because you heard that cutting and pasting were important tech skills to have. These might work better with your youngest digital learners, but that doesn't mean they have to have all the fun. Tell your older students your RAM is maxed out, so they will have to take over the teaching reins today.

It's inevitable - we all make mistakes using technology, and the older we get, the more likely this is to happen. Being able to laugh at yourself and move on is an important skill, so model it well! Now for the really fun part:

Student learning happens best when THEY are teaching

Wait, what? It's true, though. When you can really explain something to someone else, that is when you know you KNOW it. You will not believe what your students already know! It might be a shortcut, or a great app they use that you've never heard of, or even a great tip like how to extend battery life. Use some of the questions above if you get stumped. Looking for even more ways to let your students take the lead? Visit this article from teach thought:

7 Creative Apps That Allow Students To Show What They Know

Try Something New for Digital Learning Day

Last but not least, why not try something new! Are you paperless? Are you thinking about incorporating more digital learning in your classroom? Why not try a resource specifically designed for use with Google Drive™? Your students will continue to learn important skills they learned on paper, but it will be paired with technology learning that is increasingly more important in the 21st century. While I am new to creating educational resources for the digital learning market, I'm excited to show you my latest creation for learning Fractions on a Number Line:

This resource can be used with Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. You can set this up as a math station, or if you are a 1:1 classroom, each student can work on their own copy at their own pace and work through the activities.If you have a Google classroom and are working on this skill, I hope you check out this activity! You can find more digital learning resources by searching #tptdigital at Teachers pay Teachers.

Fractions on a Number line with Google Drive

There are 5 different levels with 38 different slides for practicing halves, fourths, sixths, and eighths. A great introduction for third graders in particular, but even my second grader loved this one! One great thing about using a digital resource is that it can be colorful without using a ton of ink. In this resource, I have color-coded all of the fractions. As shown above, sixths are always in blue. This helps as they progress through the material to differentiate between the various fractions, particularly in the comparing fractions activity. In addition to a "back end" activity, where your students can manipulate the 38 slide presentation, there is also a digital interactive notebook (DINB) and a game! With the digital interactive notebook, your students can show what they know about fractions on a number line. Using activities like this (which require their input) in conjunction with practice activities like the game will solidify the concepts for them in a real and meaningful way.

You can click the image below to go directly to the newly updated Fractions on a Number Line resource:

I hope you have fun "flipping it" for digital learning day!

Simple Mindfulness Practice in the Classroom and Beyond

Implement Mindfulness Practice with Your Kids and Yourself

Hello new friends and old! If you are ready to renew your mindfulness practice, or dive right in for the first time, I am so glad you found this post. One way to nurture positivity at home or in the classroom is through mindfulness practice.

What is mindfulness?

If you aren't familiar with mindfulness, it is basically just being aware. It doesn't sound like much, but our brains and bodies tend to get easily distracted by all of the sensory input we experience on a day to day basis. 

How to Get Started with Mindfulness Practice

The most basic way to practice mindfulness is with breathing. For children, this might be too difficult for them, so you can try practicing while you walk around the perimeter of your classroom or at recess. Try to focus on only your breath as you breath in and out, and to feel all of the sensations of your body. Notice your thoughts and try to clear them and come back to just breathing. Notice your body. Are you tense? Try to release any tense muscles and just breathe.

Why should I practice mindfulness in the classroom?

In addition to many possible health benefits, you will train yourself to live in the moment. The past cannot be changed, and the future is not yet written. By living and being present in the here and now, you will be much more likely to notice simple pleasures and simply enjoy being alive. If you can notice negative feelings before they get too strong, it is easier to release them.

Mindfulness can also help us laugh at ourselves and the world - not in a negative way, but just in an awareness way. Being able to laugh and shrug off minor nuisances can make life so much more enjoyable. I'm not saying you should shrug off the big stuff, but that little stuff? It's really not worth it. You are worth more than that.

A Natural Path to Kindness 

When you are more aware of yourself, you will start to notice when tension is forming. By releasing that tension, you will find it easier to practice kindness. That might help you experience less frustration. How many times do you experience road rage or frustration with your kids for not being ready to leave on time or clean up their toys? There is always a nice way to approach a situation, and when you can find that way in the moment, what a lovely victory that is! I'm not saying this will happen all the time, but it can really change the way a day unfolds.

Mindfulness Practice Tools

I have created a set of guided mindfulness cards to get you started! These are designed to be done either at a desk or standing. You don't need a lot of space for these. I created them with classroom children in mind, so the poses and instructions are very basic, but these also work well if you homeschool or are just looking for something to at home with your children to help keep them centered. These are lifelong tools!

You can download a free sample of four guided mindfulness cards here:

Three Simple Mindful Mantras to Get Started

If you need a few mantras to repeat while you start on your mindfulness practice, these are ones that even kids will understand.

1. I am grateful. Think about all of the things you are grateful for. Food, shelter, a sunny day, a smile from a friend, health, etc. Whatever you do have, you can focus on being appreciative of it instead of worrying about what you don't have.

2. I accept. Accept your limitations and your strengths. Accept that today is a new day and tomorrow will be as well. Accept the situation for what it is. Whatever your feelings are, accept them, too. Then you can move on to the next mantra!

3. I release. Once you have acknowledged your feelings, let them go! If you have tightness in your face, notice it and then release it. If you have been feeling unhappy about a relationship, note it but then let those negative feelings drift away.

Here are three more great ones specifically for kids that you'll want to check out from Left Brain Buddha. There are wonderful activities that go with them, too:
Mindful Mantras for Kids

Not just for the kids! Take care of yourself with mindfulness.

Though these cards have cute images and animals on them, this practice is not just for them. Do you spend a lot of time working on your laptop, hunched over helping your students, or texting with friends?

All of that takes a toll on you. Your neck and back will thank you if you practice these exercises several times a day! Take care of you. Love yourself first and then you can send out your love to others much more easily.

Go Deeper with Mindfulness 

If you are looking for even more mindfulness resources, head on over to Mindfulness Matters and More, which also includes nonviolent communication tips, bucket filling activities, and more!

What can I expect with mindfulness practice?

Mindfulness practice is just like any other practice. The more you do it, the better you will become at it. It might seem silly or odd at first, or you might not feel like it does anything for you at first. In time, you will feel renewed and look forward to practicing mindfulness.

Namaste, friends! Pin this post for later:

100th Day of School STEM Activities for Upper Elementary

Are you getting excited about the 100th day of school? This is a fun milestone to celebrate to see how far you've come. Whether you are in the classroom or homeschool, why not take the time to reflect on your year so far and where it is going. I invite you to take a moment to think of all of the challenges you have faced and how you have handled them, and know that you have the strength to face them head on moving forward.

Here is a fun way to celebrate, that even your young students can enjoy. Build a 100 block tower. You may want to have them explore first, to see how they can come up with a stable base, and how to best make it as tall as they can. If the tower keeps crashing, remind them of a time when they struggled but were able to keep at it and succeed. Maybe their tower needs to be a little shorter to be stable and strong, and that's okay!

For your older kids, this is a fun arts and craft activity that can be modified from a typical paper link chain. Why not try a 100 link web? Working together, your students can create a web, and then all hold a piece of it out. What happens when everyone supports the web? It is strong and has a defined shaped. What if you let go? It might not look like much of anything. Working together helps us reach our goals!

 

Are you a 5th grade teacher?

If you have 5th graders, the 100th day in 5th grade is also the 1000th day of school. How amazing is that? What an amazing feat! I created a fun little resource just for 5th graders on their 1000th day of school:

 

100th Day of School STEM Challenges on Teachers pay Teachers

If you are looking for even more 100th day celebration ideas, I would love for you to visit 100 Days of School STEM Challenges! Included are a variety of STEM challenges such as the two listed above, as well as many others to help you celebrate this fun day in style! Instructions, photos, and recording pages are included, as well as a "100 Days of Learning" banner:

 

Celebrate yourself! You are rocking it. You have made it 100 days and are over the hump. Warmly,

New Year's STEM Sale

Start off 2016 right by engaging your students with STEM, and do it with these discounts on December 31, 2015 and January 1, 2016. Seven other bloggers and I are discounting 2 of our favorite STEM resources each, to help you ring in the new year and have a STEMTASTIC 2016! Click on the graphic below to go directly to all of the resources discounted:

I have just bundled two of my top STEM resources into a 20 STEM challenge set. With the bundle discount and the extra 20% off, you are getting one set almost free! The other bundle I have discounted is my STEM Tales BUNDLE!

You can get STEMTASTIC in 2016! This STEM  bundle is ideal for grades 2-6, though these challenges can be done with older students as well (or even used for team building with your colleagues!).

 

 The 20 STEM Challenges bundle includes the following challenges:

→ Design a Bridge

→ Design a Paper Airplane
→ Design a Shelter
→ Tallest Tower
→ Challenging Maze
→ Pompom Launcher
→ Float a Boat
→ Fast & Slow Sled (can be seen in action on this blog post)
→ What a Drag
→ Cantilever Challenge
→ BONUS: All Aboard the Gear Train

→ Design a Zip Line

→ Design a Windmill
→ Fidget Fix
→ Code Creator (create simple code with conditional statement IF ELSE, no computer necessary!)
→ Design a Musical Instrument
→ Bubble Maker
→ Elevator Challenge
→ Design a Hammock
→ Printing Press
→ Windshield Wipers (synthesize a 4-bar linkage)

Pictured above are two of the STEM Tales in action. STEM Tales use a familiar story to inspire STEM learning (Rapunzel, Robin Hood, and Goldilocks). Help Rapunzel escape from her tower, Robin Hood repay his debts and win the archery competition, and build a new bed for Goldilocks! These challenges are ideal for grades 1-3.

You can read more about the resources included in this promotion by clicking on the links below:

Introductory Engineering Design Challenges

Introduce Your Kids to the Engineering Design Process

These two STEM engineering challenges are a great way to introduce your kids to the engineering design process (EDP). If you haven't followed the EDP before, this is the perfect way to start. Want to know more about the process? These are the basic steps (click here to head to the post where you can download the graphic):

See the engineering design process in action here with a STEM fairy tale challenge (the steps will be the same).

The Engineering Design Process for Kids

The engineering design process is a way to solve problems in a methodical way. This simple, 5 step process will become second nature as you tackle more and more engineering design challenges.

STEM Challenge - Design a Transport Device

The first of the challenges is very basic: design a device to transport an object (where you don't use your hands at all). Two of the suggestions are to transport pencils and paperback books, and there are also suggestions for materials to use, though you can always use what you have on hand. All of these devices were made with paper, tape, cardboard tubes, string, and plastic cups.

Here is a fun design where the case slides back and forth. This one worked for both pencils and the books!

I love this idea to make a belt with a pencil holder! Here is the front:

and the back! It can be tied and untied. How fun!

 

Design a Tower STEM Activity

STEM engineering design challenge #2 is to design a power transmission tower. This challenge uses pipe cleaners, which are an interesting building material. They are fairly rigid but can be formed into other shapes by twisting and bending.

The warm up activity has tasks to introduce shaping the pipe cleaners. It's harder than it looks, and it is a great team building activity. This design challenge requires that the students take data in the form of measurements. The tower must fall in a height range (not too short or too tall), and must use a maximum of 50 pipe cleaners.

 

The towers might be on the simple side:

 ...or get really complicated!

You can always modify an engineering design challenge if it is proving to be too frustrating for your kids. We love using magnets for a quick recap/build in a lot of our building challenges!

Once you have worked through the EDP a few times, it will become more methodical and you can use it in future STEM challenges. If you have tried these challenges, I'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

Find more details by clicking on these resources: