Get Kahoot!

You know how sometimes, taking quizzes or reviews can be rather, well, blah?  Sometimes it's like pulling teeth to get the kids to engage in the task.

There is a solution!

And even better, it's a FREE solution!

I found Kahoot! last year, either through my twitter network or at Macul (can't remember at this point!) and took to it like a duck to water.  (Can you tell we're working on figurative language?!) Kahoot! is awesome.  It's like Jeopardy for kids, only more exciting (cue mysterious music!)  It's simple enough to use with kindergarteners, yet, exciting enough to use with 8th graders.

Last year I actually had my fourth graders create their own Kahoot! quizzes that we then took as a class.  They loved being question writers, and I loved watching them pay such close attention to the text to write the best questions.

This year, the class regularly requests Kahoot! whenever we have to take a review or quiz.  Because I am actually 1 to 1 right now iPad wise, it's super easy to indulge that request!  Worry not, though, if you are iPad free, as Kahoot! works on any device that connects to the internet, from iTouch to Netbook.  Even better is that there are hundreds of thousands of pre-made quizzes you can use.  (When I first discovered Kahoot! there were less than 100,000!)

Here's what the class had to say after their first experience with Kahoot! this year -- Tweetwrite: Kahoot!

Don't be scared - this is one of those technology tools that would be a great first step into the world of integrating technology into the classroom, I promise!

Lets! Get! Coding!

Last year, Hour of Code spurred on an incredible journey of coding that lasted for the remainder of the school year.  In fact, it struck me so strongly that this year, coding has become a regular part of our week.  As in, scheduled into our specials schedule, untouchable, dedicated coding time.

Furthering this, is the fact that I have two of the most amazing Thinkers that are helping with this venture.  Leo is now in 9th grade, and I was lucky to spend two years with him in my class.  His younger brother, Barry, was also in my class for a year, and between the two of them, they've taught me more about coding and tech than most adults have taught me!

Working with their schedule, we have set aside time every single Monday from 3:00 - 3:40 for "coding class."  During this time, the third graders are being introduced to coding via Code.org and Scratch.

Last year, between January and May, the 4th graders were able to create video games that are playable (some are posted on Tweetwrite!)  This year, while they may be in 3rd grade, my goal is the same - that they create their own video games.

So far?  So good!

We're only seven weeks in, and we're already rocking!

P.S.  In case I haven't mentioned it before, one of my favorite elements of coding is when kids take it off the computer.  What I mean by that is they take the skills they employ while working on code, and apply it elsewhere.  Biggest skill?  Perseverance.  They will move things one pixel at a time until it's correct, but give up in two seconds if a math problem is tough.  After about a month of coding?  The perseverance is much more present!