In a time before social distancing, we were able to capture our last classroom in maker action with one of the participants of the Creativity Project class, Keri Annis and one of her library classes at Pierce Elementary in Cedar Rapids.

In this challenge, students tackle the idea of creating models from a fairy tale that could move.  The students created pigs that could move or roll into the three houses in sequence with the story.

To get started, students randomly drew a card from a bucket that either had a pig or a house on it.  Then, they found the student who had the same card as them and that's how they found their partner and prompt for this maker challenge.  Quick and easy way to jump in and start creating!

We love a makerspace mash-up and this episode, the students incorporated green screen technology to place their models in a fairy-tale setting.  Check out what the students created in the student edition below.

The three little pigs are so popular! We have actually used them in a prior Think, Make, Innovate and there are so many different interpretations of the story, which is an amazing test of creativity in itself.

Here are some unique versions we have stumbled across:​

• The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
• The Three Pig Ninjas
• The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale

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Have you come across a unique version of The Three Little Pigs or another fairy tale that could inspire movement?  Leave us a comment and help get our creativity moving! 

Our Maker Community wants to see what you make! Please email pictures and videos to makerspace@gwaea.org. You can also tag @DLGWAEA on any social media platform! And make sure to use... 

​#HaveFunMaking!

​~Amber and Mindy

Schools are closed but the need to communicate with staff, parents and students is still a priority. To meet that need, lots of people are turning to Zoom. It has become the go-to video conferencing tool for millions of people during the COVID-19 outbreak. However, it's also one of those tools that have hidden gems that are just waiting to be explored. In this post we are going to cover 10 Zoom tips you might not know!

If you go to the Settings in your Zoom app and click Video from the sidebar, you will see an option called Touch Up My Appearance. If you check this box, you will see a video filter applied to your webcam. Essentially, the purpose of this filter is to soften your skin. It won't make you look ten years younger, but many people prefer this version to the standard webcam view.

Learn More: Touch Up My Appearance

Did someone drop a Zoom meeting on you at short notice? Do you wish you had more time to tidy that messy spare bedroom? Fear not. Virtual backgrounds are here to save the day. Simply go to Settings > Virtual Backgrounds and choose an image (or a video) to use as your background. You can use one from the Zoom gallery or upload your own. Although you can do this in front of a green screen, you don't have to, so long as your lighting is good and your background is not too busy. Simply uncheck the box that says, I have a green screen.

Learn More: Virtual Background

If you want to create a webinar, record a podcast, or simply save a record of your meeting for future reference, you can record your Zoom call. This option is available to free and paid subscribers. You can then upload your recorded video to Google Drive, YouTube or other cloud platforms. All you need to do is click the Record button on your meeting toolbar to start recording. You can pause or stop the recording at any time. The media is saved to your Documents folder on your computer where you will see two folders; one that has the video and one that just has the audio.

Learn More: Local Recording

If you created and scheduled the Zoom call, then you are the meeting host. This gives you some super powers that you can help you bring order to your remote meeting. You can also delegate some of these powers to another person in the meeting by making them a co-host. So, here are a list of some of things you can do as a meeting host in Zoom from the Manage Participants window:

• Mute participants: a quick way to make silence all background audio
• Request that a participant unmutes: Hover over a participant and click More for this option
• Stop a participant's video: Hover over a participant and click More for these option
  
• Request that participant starts their video: Hover over a participant and click More for these option
• Prevent participants from screen sharing: click the arrow next to Share Screen and click Advanced Sharing Options. Under Who Can Share, choose Only Host
• Rename a participant: Hover over a participant and click More for this option
• Choose to play an enter or exit chime
• Lock the meeting to prevent anyone new from joining

Learn More: Managing Participants in a Meeting

As you probably already know, it is sometimes just best practice to remain muted for much of the meeting if you are not the one who is talking. This cuts down on background noise and other interruptions. However, being muted doesn't stop you from interacting and adding your voice to the conversation. You can do that with the Reactions button on your toolbar. From here you can choose a thumbs up or an applause emoji to let the speaker know that you are on the same page as them. The reaction will display for 5 seconds and will be visible to everyone on the call who can see your video. For more options, you can also use non-verbal feedback options.

Learn More: Meeting Reactions

If you're setting up office hours, or you want to have the same meeting at the same time every week without creating a new link for everyone, you need recurring meetings. Here's how it works:

• Open the Zoom app for Mac or PC (or on the web)
• Click Schedule to setup your meeting.
• Under the title of your meeting, click the Recurring Meeting checkbox.
• Then, fill in the rest of your details and click Schedule.

This will open your default calendar app, (Outlook or Google Calendar), where you can use the recurring event options in your calendar to choose the times you want this meeting to be held. The meeting will repeat for as many times as you need it and the same URL will be used for each meeting. You can also invite people to the meeting from your calendar so that they get all the meeting info they need.

Learn More: Scheduling Recurring Meetings

If you want a quick way to to take attendance at a Zoom meeting, don't take attendance, because Zoom does that for you. Simply log in to your Zoom account on the web, click Reports, then Usage Reports. This lets you filter your Zoom meetings by month. Find the one you want, then click on the number of participants. This shows you who attended, how long they were in the meeting and even their attentiveness score. The data can also be downloaded as a CSV file if required. You need a Pro, Business, or Education plan in order to take advantage of this feature.

If you have your whole staff on a Zoom call and you want to divide and conquer by splitting up a task so that small groups can work on it, you can use Breakout Rooms. You will find this option on your Zoom toolbar at the bottom of your screen. Breakout Rooms need to be initiated by a host or a co-host, but once activated, you can manually choose who goes in what group, or you can have Zoom randomly assign people to groups for you. There is even an option to upload your groups ahead of time so that they are ready to go when you start your meeting.

Learn More: Getting Started With Breakout Rooms

Zoom's built-in annotation tools can be used while screen sharing or on a virtual whiteboard. They are also collaborative so everyone can annotate at once, (although this can be disabled if required). When you share your screen, you will see the Annotate button at the top of your screen on the screen share toolbar. If you are viewing someone else's screen, click View Options from the same toolbar at the top of your screen, and then select Annotate. This will give you access to a whole slew of annotation tools that you can use to markup screens, images, and more. Annotations can also be saved as a screenshot at any time by clicking the Save button from the Annotations toolbar.

Learn More: Using Annotation Tools on a Shared Screen or Whiteboard

It's not enabled by default, but if you log in to your Zoom account on the web, you can turn on something called Remote Support. This allows you to request control of another participant's computer. Once they approve, you can control control their desktop, a specific application, or even request a restart on their computer. This can be great to help a teacher troubleshoot computer problems or fix and it can all be done remotely.

Learn More: Remote Support Session

If the link for your Zoom meeting is public, and you are unsure about who might join your Zoom meeting, you can enable the Waiting Room feature. This puts all attendees in a virtual waiting room where they need your approval in order to join the meeting. If you don't see a name you recognize, you don't need to let them join your call. You can approve all attendees at once, or individually as you see fit. You can enable the Waiting Room before your meeting starts, or do it once you have started your meeting. So, if you are a little nervous about unwanted people crashing your party, this can be one method you can use to make your room a little more secure.

Learn More: Waiting Room

Jonathan Wylie (@jonathanwylie)
Digital Learning Consultant
Grant Wood AEA

If you want to get your kids thinking creatively when they are at home from school, the free activities from Jarett Lerner are a great place to start. Lerner is the author of EngiNerds and its sequel, Revenge of the EngiNerds, as well as the author of the forthcoming Geeger the Robot early chapter book series. When he is not hard at work writing (and illustrating) books, he is creating free activities for kids to download from his website. Each activity gives students the chance to express their creativity and show some critical thinking. They are also ideal for unleashing your inner artist and practicing language arts skills.

If you visit jarrettlerner.com/activities, you will find dozens of free downloads that the author has created for kids of all ages. They were designed to be used in educational and/or private settings, so they are prefect for use at home or at school. He has blank comic book pages, "Finish this comic" comics, and a whole slew of drawing and writing prompts. You can see a couple of examples below.

My kids have enjoyed using Lerner's activities while home from school as part of the COVID-19 school closures. My wife and I will also join in because these are truly something that the whole family can do together. They are great conversation starters, a fantastic way to practice storytelling skills, and a fun way to exercise your child's imagination.

Now, worksheets are not normally a popular activity in my house, but these are so much more. You don't have to do them every day but these could be a great way to freshen up your homeschool activities and bring some much needed variety. Most can completed in 10-20 minutes, so they are great to have on hand if you are looking for a fun transition activity or even a quick way to pass time while you are making lunch for the kids. To give you a flavor of what the finished product looks like, here are a couple of "Finish This Comic" comics that my wife and daughter worked on last week.

These learning activities can also be a great opportunity to spend some time away from screens. That may sound strange coming from a Digital Learning Consultant, but everyone on our team will tell you the same thing. Kids need a healthy balance between online and offline activities.

So, head over to jarrettlerner.com/activities and see what you can find for you and your family!

Jonathan Wylie
Digital Learning Consultant
@jonathanwylie

Disclaimer: This information is written specifically for parents and caregivers at home with students during school closures for COVID-19. We encourage educators to share this information with their classroom communities. Educators looking for content connections and resources to integrate card and board games into their curriculum should contact their Digital Learning Consultant for additional information and support.

You’ve built a fort, cleaned rooms, watched Netflix, and started a daily schedule. Now what? What else can you do with your kids to keep them happy and maybe even learning something? Dig out those old board games from the back of the closet and find a deck of cards. 

Team Rogers are big fans of tabletop gaming and card games. Not only are we all together, but we’re engaged in the 4C’s (Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Creativity) without feeling like it’s school or learning. I’m always amazed at the strategy, humor, and language that sneaks into our home when we’re playing games together at our dinner table.
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Here are some ideas to help you get started or extend your current gaming experience:

KEEP IT SIMPLE
Use the games you have. Play by the rules.

• Deck of Cards: Bicycle Cards has a great resource of card games you can play with kids. Our family loves games like Rummy that requires kids to use critical thinking, logic, and sequencing skills. 
• Common Card Games: Games like Uno, Skip-Bo, and Phase-10 reinforce skills like pattern recognition, turn-taking, and communication with other players.
• Common Board Games: Dust off Monopoly, Candyland, Scrabble, Connect 4, or Chess & Checkers to get kids using their negotiation, language, and logic skills.​

GET CREATIVE
Change the rules of common card/board games. Try something new.

• Add Rules to Common Card/Board Games: Take the card and board games you already have and challenge each other to add a new rule. Each family member could take turns justifying and persuading the others before a family vote.
• Try Free Print and Play Games: PNPArcade.com keeps an updated list of free print and play games for you and your family to try. Potions Class was created by nine-year-old kid named Owen who also created an online tutorial to teach the game rules. 
• Connect and Play Card/Board Games Online: Brooklyn Game Lab is hosting a live stream and providing print and play sheets so families can connect through gaming. They shared on their website that “Most of the content will have an element of participation. We will play games with you. Tell stories. Share interests. We will draw and dance and try our damnedest to bring some levity and joy into your homes. And the homes of anyone who needs it.” Team Rogers is really excited about giving this a try!

DELIVER THE FUN
Add a game to your next grocery pick-up or package delivery. Set up a porch swap game trade with friends.

• Quick and Inexpensive Games: No matter which store you’re ordering from, you can’t go wrong by adding Qwirkle Rummy, Patchwork Doodle, or Sushi Go. All three games are quick plays and will engage families in pattern recognition, critical thinking, spatial reasoning, and creative expression.
• Trade Games with Friends: Our family uses a site called Board Game Geek to keep track of our game collection. If you’re already a big fan of tabletop gaming, why not set up a game trade. You can keep your social distancing by setting up a porch swap of games and share reviews with each other later.
• Purchase with Content in Mind: If you really want to focus on a topic, you can reach out to your Friendly Local Game Store (FLGS) and ask about content specific games. (Our FLGS is providing curbside pick-up and delivery right now!) Here’s a list Gina Rogers and I created last spring for teachers with content connection ideas. I’m a big fan of Elizabeth Hargrave’s game Wingspan, which has lots of facts about bird species and habitats, and any of the Fluxx games like Anatomy Fluxx, Chemistry Fluxx, Math Fluxx, and Nature Fluxx.

Bottom line, get out a card or board game and have fun! Playing games together creates a sense of safety and belonging which both parents/caregivers and kids need right now. And you might just sneak in a little learning, too, if that makes you feel better.

You can also check out this Wakelet with Card and Board Games Resources. I will continue to add resources as I find them.

Feel free to contact Corey Rogers (@corey_rogers) or Glen Rogers (@glitglatglen) on twitter for game recommendations or to set up a game trade in the Iowa City area. #bettertogether

~ Corey Rogers, Digital Learning Consultant
​@corey_rogers

What does Making or Maker Experiences mean to you?
We'd love to hear your thoughts!  Add a comment below to join in on the conversation and make sure that you are following along with #MakerMarch all month long.
And remember #HaveFunMaking!

~Amber Bridge, Digital Learning Consultant
@abridgesmith

A few years ago, while I was still in the classroom, my initial understanding of ‘Blended Learning’ was simply ‘doing centers.’ As a seasoned primary teacher, I shrugged my shoulders at a practice I felt I already had a firm grasp on. However, as time marches on, I find myself reflecting on what my students were doing during literacy centers and realized, in fact, I was not the 'Centers Sensei' I proclaimed to be. Although my students were compliant and probably having some fun, I’m not sure the activities I planned were actually practicing standards-based skills or furthering understanding. My students were quiet. My students were busy. But what tweaks would I make today to make it more meaningful? As I continue to deepen my understanding, I asked Jess Quandahl, a fellow Blended/Personalized Learning teammate and Literacy Consultant, to help me plan a more blended/personalized approach to something I was very familiar with--The Daily 5. 

When Jess and I sat down together, we created a checklist of important points to focus on while we planned for this station rotation model. This checklist could be used not only for planning Daily 5 stations, but for the planning of any centers or rotations. This list helped us to design around the literacy standards addressed in core instruction, while also keeping in mind accountability, which can often be a pain point during a centers or station rotation model. 

• What do we want the students to know?
• ​How will they demonstrate/practice?
• Where will I build in voice and choice?
• How will I know what they know?
• What tools will I use?

​The following is an example of how we used the checklist to plan for a three day station rotation in a K-2 classroom.

When looking at the K-2 Literacy Standards, we chose

• Reading Standards for Literature 1 (RL.1)
• Writing Standard 1 (W.1)
• Speaking and Listening Standards 5 and 6 (SL.5, SL.6)

with the assumption that the core instruction is centered around these standards and that the centers/stations are to further proficiency or to demonstrate proficiency in these standards. 

For this centers approach (or station rotation), we make the general assumption that routines, procedures, and expectations have been modeled and practiced prior to the usage of these activities. Jess and I would also like to point out that when planning these activities, any text or writing prompts could be plopped into this table. When a new activity or center is created, make sure to allow for time to establish (or reestablish) expectations.
Below you will find an example of a three-day hybrid playlist that incorporates choice. You will notice that there are must-dos and may-dos on this choice board. Each section allows for students to choose an option to allow for more voice and choice. Within each section a purpose is stated for the learning activity based on a standard. This makes the choice board fairly text heavy and might not be advantageous for all learners. However, all students should be aware and understand the purpose for each learning opportunity they engage in.  Descriptions of each section are below the graphic.

You can also find this hybrid playlist here.

Read to Self: Students may reread the whole group text by reading the pictures, reading the words, or retelling the story. Students may choose to read a story from their personalized book box. Additional option: you may want to have an audio recording of the story available for students to listen to the story, if needed. By clicking on the link or scanning the QR code in this box (with mobile device), students can have immediate access.

Listen to Reading: There are hyperlinks and QR codes for students to access digital stories.
Showing students how to turn on Closed Captioning also gives them access to the text to follow along.

Work on Writing: Students are able to draw or write, depending on need. Standard W.1 requires students to state the name of the book, an opinion, supporting evidence, and a conclusion (depending on readiness). Make sure students know they will be sharing with a partner on day three. They also have the option to share to a larger audience through Seesaw.

Read to Someone: Using writing from day one and two gives the writing more purpose! Make sure students are aware they will be sharing their writing with an audience. It’s important to have modeled how to ask clarifying questions or to give prompts to get them started.

Work on Designing: Collaborating over writings from day one and day two, students can choose one character from a story read earlier in the week. Then, students design a t-shirt the character would like to wear. This could include a slogan, a picture, or maybe a t-shirt that solves a problem for the character (for example, keeps them dry in the rain).

Word Work: Students will choose one or two words to input into a Frayer Model to demonstrate understanding of the word. Students can choose to work independently or with a partner.