Learn how to add a timer to Google Slides with this video tutorial. This tech tip can can help students manage time in your classroom. In just a few clicks, classroom productivity can be enhanced.
How to Insert a Timer to Google Slides Video
When picking the video timer to add to the slides, double check the timer sound first. There have been many occasions when I've had a timer that's made the worst sound. Sometimes it's even sounded like the fire alarm going off!
How to Use a Digital Interactive Notebook in the Classroom
When I was a classroom teacher, I needed a way to integrate non-fiction resources to help build background about topics for literacy and science.
There were plenty of books in the school library that we were using, but I also wanted students to access information using online resources.
Soon, I came up with a digital interactive notebook template that I could send to students with a variety of resources to engage and learn from.
These can be an asset in your classroom and be used in any content area.
Digital Interactive Notebook: What is it?
A digital interactive notebook is a way to combine all of your digital resources for students in one file that is already organized for you! Students have access to all the links and places to respond within one paperless platform.
There are still benefits to interactive notebooks that involve cutting and pasting. Having digital options allows for less prep time and assigning quickly to students.
Using this technology option also helps build students’ digital literacy skill; copy & paste, resizing images and toggling between website tabs are just a few skills students will continue to practice.
Digital Interactive Notebook: How Do I Prepare One?
I prefer creating my templates in Google Slides and save the template as the background. I then add the moveable and editable pieces on top that I want students to access.
The same templates I create in Slides can also be downloaded and used in Seesaw or Powerpoint.
If you are using a premade template, there are some steps I typically go through to make sure the content fits my needs.
Delete, add & duplicate slide templates that you think will work best for your content
Layer & link your content over the top
Delete any unwanted text boxes and tables. The design in the background is ‘glued down’ to protect the rights of the original artists
If you are worried about the original being shared with students, make a master copy of your edited notebook as a backup.
Share your final notebook with your students on the digital platform of your choice
If possible, the checklist on the last slide works well printed out. However, this isn’t necessary and can be filled out digitally.
Digital Interactive Notebook: How do I assign it?
There are many ways to share digital interactive notebooks easily with students. Here are some of my go-to ways:
Share the link with students in Google Classroom, Seesaw, Schoology or other platforms your school uses!
When posting in Google Classroom, make sure to click ‘Make a Copy for each student’ before posting!
Create an activity in Seesaw. With Seesaw Plus & For Schools, you can create multi-page activities that work well for digital interactive notebooks.
When using PowerPoint, share in Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Teams using other Microsoft tools.
Digital Interactive Notebook: Are there templates I can use?
I have created a growing collection of templates that you can edit and use to fit your content needs.
These sides are already organized for:
Before exploration reflection
Vocabulary
Videos
Photograph Observations
Graphs & Analysis
Individual Articles
Paired Selections & Comparison
Maps & Noticings
Podcasts & Reflection
Scientific Process
Engineering Design Process
Data Analysis based on Observations
Labeling an Image
Analyzing quotations
Digital Creation
As a bonus, there are student checklists to help students keep track of their progress for each slide. There are also video tutorials to share with students (or use while you're creating) to help you with Google/PowerPoint creating.
Creating & Editing a Text Box
Using the Shape and Line Tools
Inserting Your Own Images
Inserting Images from Google
Adding & Duplicating Slides
Each template includes various digital file types to meet your sharing needs: Google Slides, PowerPoint & Seesaw.
All Seesaw files are pre-loaded into activities. Upon purchase, you'll get the share link to copy & edit and add to your Seesaw Activity library, then assign to students. I saved you A LOT of steps!
Digital Interactive Notebooks: Are there any that are already created for me?
Yes! I also have content specific digital interactive notebooks that have all the resources linked inside for you. Check out my growing collection here!
This Back to School STEM Activities guide is to help you find resources that will be perfect for your STEM & Technology instruction. Whether you are teaching in-person, hybrid or remotely, I have resources already created to meet your needs.
Back to School STEM Activities Shopping Guide: How to Get the Most Out of It
Print this out to read it like a magazine or view digitally
The clickable Table of Contents will direct you to a topic you’re interested in learning about more
All images are clickable and will take you directly to the product they are show
All images also have a corresponding number. Find the corresponding description for that page to read more about it
7 Tips to Creating a Classroom Website for Teachers
Majority of businesses these days have a website; it’s the digital version of a business card. Think of your classroom the same way by creating a classroom website for teachers that works.
Building a classroom website that you can actually use is easier than you think. No coding skills are required. In fact, your classroom website should be a working document and something that you (the classroom teacher), the students and their families should be interacting with year round.
This isn’t a “create in August and never look at it again” kind of thing. Let your website fo the talking and answer questions that you get emailed about the most.
Classroom Website for Teachers: #1 Let them learn about you
Typically when you hear about a new product, place or service, you head their website and click on the ‘About’ section first. Create an ‘About Me’ section on your classroom website; typically your first page tab. The families of your new students are going to want to do the same thing. They want to know who their kid is spending their time with all day! Share a short typed bio, but also try other mediums as well!
Classroom teachers get A LOT of emails daily and it can be hard to keep track of all the information to relay it effectively to parents. Create the ‘Home’ page of your website as a place to store all of the weekly announcements.
Send your weekly email out to parents to direct them to your website for the new announcements for the week. This will help families be accustomed to going to your site to answer their questions and have one place to keep track of everything.
Over the course of the school year, families will be looking to your website first because they know you most likely have the information posted there. In turn, less emails filling up your inbox!
Classroom Website for Teachers #3 A Hub for your lessons
Make this website work for you. Create a ‘Lessons’ tab where you post videos, presentations & digital materials that go along with your lessons. This will help keep all of your materials in one place as you are teaching.
This can also help students share the lesson with their families. Also, help families stay connected as to what they are learning in class (and even be an extra homework helper). You will also be grateful for this section on your website when students are absent for a few days or if your principal wants to know what your class is up to for the week.
#4 Get rid of those paper schedules
When I was a classroom teacher, I remember all of the piles of paper I would print for parents to take home the first week. One of those was a schedule, and of course, there would be changes throughout the year.
In turn, I quickly realized that I didn’t need to print paper schedules for families any more and could easily post it on my website. That way, when changes came up, I could quickly update my website in a couple of minutes. No more waiting at the copier to print 25 schedules that most likely end up in the trash or get lost in backpacks!
Classroom Website for Teachers #5 No more homework mysteries
It’s important for students to be responsible for knowing what their homework is daily/each week. Having students write down assignments is an important skill. However, what if they left early for the day? What if the bell rang and they couldn’t write down all the information? What if the students left their planner at school?
There are endless scenarios that can happen. Simplify homework communication by creating a ‘Homework’ tab on your classroom website. Post the assignment and any relevant resources that might help them accomplish the task. Parents WILL THANK YOU!
When assigning homework, direct students to your website. Depending on the age of your students, let them access the information independently to help them learn how to use a website to gain information.
Try using Google Classroom as a way to house all your assignments while referring to them on your website.
Google Classroom is also a great place to house all of your assignments. You can refer students to your website for general information, then go to the platform to get all the materials. If you need help with Google Classroom, I have a free, 3 part video series you can access here.
An additional tip is to think of ways you can make part of your homework digital. An easy way to start is with your weekly reading log. We want to hold students accountable for their reading, but have them respond digitally. Again, less paper everyone has to manage and the end goal is the same.
#6 Provide resources for when you’re not around
When you show the class an awesome video clip for your science lesson or start reading a new read aloud book, often kids want to relay that information back to their families. However, by the end of the day, they might forget what you actually shared with them!
Create a ‘Resource’ tab on your website. Post relevant links, videos, online games and printables for students to access at home. Again, these can be a great homework helper! This will also bring the content to life for families as to what you are teaching all day.
#7 Streamline monthly team newsletters
‘If your school requires a monthly team newsletter, or even if you want to start one, this is another great opportunity to utilize your website. Your team is most likely going to type the newsletter anyway, might as well post it on your classroom website.
Honestly, this may be the least looked at part of your website, but you have it documented and all in one place. What will also be nice is when you create your classroom website the next school year, all of the information will be easily stored in one place.
Next steps:
You might be thinking, “Ok Naomi, this all sounds great, but how do I set this up and make sure my website looks nice? Oh, and I don’t want to use a platform that I have to pay for or is super complicated!”
Friend, I had the same exact comments when I was a classroom teacher! With trial and error, I figured out a classroom website system that worked for me, my students and their families.
I want YOU to have access to this process to save you hours of time when researching best website practices, and actually get to creating your content. No coding skills are required!
I’ll give you step-by-step videos and checklists to guide you through the website creation process. In addition, I’ll also help you create a classroom website for teachers like you that you’ll actually use all year. Long gone are the days of creating a classroom website in August and never looking at it again until the following school year!
When teaching a STEM or technology lesson, what are the best robots for kids? Here is a list of recommendations by a current K-5 STEM teacher that are worth purchasing.
These robots aren’t listed in any particular order. However, all are favorites to use with elementary students.
This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through the link, no extra cost to you, but I receive a kickback from purchases.
Of course, these little guys are ADORABLE! These chunky robots are easy to manipulate and code. They are perfect for any elementary student who is just starting out with coding.
With Bee-Bots, students can visually see where the robot is headed with the arrow keys. To deepen coding knowledge, students can write the code with the arrow cards that come provided or even write on a whiteboard.
There are separate mats grids that can be purchased separately. They aren't cheap, but they are very durable as well and you can place any content cards underneath the plastic top to integrate any subject area with your coding. You could try creating your own!best
This robot doesn’t require a device to be coded and there aren’t any updates to manage. As a classroom teacher, this is the best starter robot.
I have 5 of these robots on deck in my classroom and they have been used by hundreds of students. In Kindergarten, I disguised them as The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Students rolled a dice with the food on it. They then had to code the “caterpillar” to the square that had the matching food. Even after the amount of use my Bee-Bots get, they still work beautifully.
Bee-Bot Additional App
Another added bonus, if you have access to iPads, there is a FREE iOS app that extends the learning with Bee-Bots. Again, this isn’t necessary for use with Bee-Bots.
Think of the Bee-Bot robot as the concrete representation of coding & the app is the abstract version. This is great to implement if stations are a part of your teaching; one group can work with the physical robots while another code on the app. You can even have a 3rd station where students use arrow coding cards and code their partner, the human robot. (You can grab this lesson here!)
The hardest part I’ve seen with the app is students understanding their left and right directions
This is Bee-Bot's older sibling. If you don’t have either one, Bee-Bot or Blue-Bot, I would recommend spending the extra money and going with Blue-Bot. This robot is the upgraded version and still doesn’t need a device like Bee-Bot.
What makes them a bit more “extra” is their ability to record sound and interact with other Blue-Bots. They also are clear so students can see the inner workings of the robot and spark their curiosity.
Best Robots for Kids #3: Dash
Robot Name: Dash
Price Range:
Type of Device Based Coding: Device required. Can be programmed with a tablet or computer
Again, these robots are super cute and durable as well. The best part is when they get plugged in after sitting uncharged for a while. They start talking your ear off and sound like the little aliens in Toy Story.
This is a product I definitely believe in. In fact, I am a Wonder League Ambassador (2019-2020, 2020-2021) #wondersquad Side note: I’m not getting paid to write this post. I just love these little robots so much!
This robot has many different apps to challenge students in a variety of ways in their coding journey.
If you are looking to host a STEM after school club, this robot is the way to go. You can create your own challenges, or use the challenges presented in the Wonder League Robotics Competition.
This competition is 100% free and your team has the option of uploading videos of completed challenges in action. However, that’s not necessary but having access to the challenges is wonderful.
When getting started, the Dash & Dot coding challenge cards are wonderful. I used these the first year my students ever used these robots. They are self paced and build off one another.
I only had two sets of cards, but a lot more kids than that! The cards are double sided so I took a picture of the front and back of two cards together. I then inserted all the images into a Google Slide and shared with students through Seesaw.
I had students code in partners; one robot and two iPads. One iPad was for coding the robot. The other iPad was logged into Seesaw where partnerships could swipe through the coding cards and also take video of their robot in action.
As a side note, Seesaw is one of my top favorite apps to use in the regular classroom as well as the STEM classroom. Seesaw is forever free, but you can get an extra month of Seesaw Plus by signing up with my link here.
Accessories
There is a wide variety of accessories that you can grab to enhance your experience with Dash.
If you are looking at cost and what to start with, the bulldozer is the best attachment to start with. Dash can kind-of push items without it, but it can cause other issues.
Here is another print file for a different bulldozer design. I haven’t tried them out quite yet, but I’m definitely going to print a set and see how it goes!
There is also an older sibling of Dash & Dot; Cue. This is for more advanced types of coding that some of your older students may be ready for. Having a couple of these on hand would be a great investment later down the road.
Best Robots for Kids #4: Dot
Robot Name: Dot
Price Range:Prices vary $80
Type of Device Based Coding: Device required. Can be programmed with a tablet or computer
Typical Age Range Used with: Kinder-2nd grades (but can be fun to interact with Dash in the older grades and extra challenges)
Most common question I get from my students, “Is Dot the head ripped off of Dash?”
The answer is “No” (with a side of laughing). You CAN take off the stand Dot sits on which makes him into a little ball.
This robot actually doesn’t move around on it’s own, unlike the robots described above. There are a variety of apps also available for Dot, just like Dash.
Dot and Dash can interact with one another, but you don’t need one without the other. If you are trying to decide between the two, go with Dash. There is more you can do with Dash cross-curricular lesson planning.
The coding cards that I mentioned using with Dash when first starting out with Dot is also a good fit. The challenge card sets are for Dot & Dash. They are labeled clearly as to which robot to try the challenge with.
On the Wonder app or in the Creativity Kit there are some fun games that can be played with Dot. These are great for whole group lessons for younger students. This can be a way to introduce different coding elements, a class incentive to earn or an indoor recess game.
Accessories & Apps
There aren’t as many accessories for Dot and most of them are costumes to make it look even cuter. The best accessory is the Building Brick connector which can be used with Dash as well.
Once your students have some coding experience, either with other robots or even coding online with Scratch your students can be successful with Sphero.
There are many different types of Sphero out there. I had the original Sphero first (the white ones) and they stopped charging and connecting to my devices. If you can afford newer ones, go with that option.
There are a few apps to choose from. I found that the Sphero Edu app worked best for a classroom setting and used “real” coding. It can be overwhelming at first for elementary student eyes, but with anything, start slow to go fast!
Lesson Ideas
Inside the Sphero Edu app, there are ideas to try. With my 5th grade students, we went through the Engineering Design Process (EDP) while learning about the Iditarod. Students were posed with the challenge: How can you create a sled that Sphero can pull through the Iditarod race?
After going through the (EDP) students came up with interesting designs which posed new challenges when coding. This lesson had high engagement and the 5th graders the following year asked if we could be doing “that sled lesson”.
Another lesson I taught in 4th grade with Sphero was snowflakes. Again, another Engineering Design Process challenge where we explored the science and math behind snowflakes. The coding involved a lot of angles and symmetry.
Additional Accessories
There are a few accessories to try with Sphero (listed above). However, when getting started with Sphero in the classroom, accessories aren’t necessary.
One accessories that is worth the investment are pool noodles. These can be used to block off various corners and exits for Sphero. There are moments when there is a bug in the code and Sphero will quickly roll away and hit something. The noodles will keep the robot safe from knicks and impacts.
If you have never tried integrating robotics, have a very limited budget and/or don’t work with a large amount of students during the week, this is a great robot to start with with younger students.
On the flip side, if you are the opposite to the above statements and have a larger budget, Bee-Bots or Blue-Bots are a better investment. They are pretty much the same concept when it comes to its directional coding buttons.
I have some Code and Go Mice in my classroom that were purchased prior to my hiring and they don’t get used very often. I have them on hand if there is an odd number of students when using the Bee-Bots. However, the wheels wear out quickly with a higher amount of use. Also, when the battery dies, you’ll need a small screwdriver on hand to take off the panel and replace them.
For my students who want a Bee-Bot at home, I actually recommend to them the Code and Go Mouse. Parents are more willing to spend its inexpensive price (in terms of a robot), and it doesn’t typically get as much use as it would in a classroom.
Type of Device Based Coding: Device required. Can be programmed with a tablet or computer
Typical Age Range Used with: 2nd-5th grade (If used every year, 4th and 5th might get tired of them)
Types of batteries: Consumable batteries. Can use rechargeable kind.
Additional {Optional Attachments}: Can purchase replacement parts or use other LEGO
Why I recommend them:
There is no doubt that most kids love LEGO. This kit is a great combination of building and coding. While the kits are expensive, they are extremely durable and have a familiar feel with kids. Of course, they can be used year after year if the pieces stay organized and separate from your LEGO mixed buckets.
If you are a classroom teacher, it would be worthwhile to get 12 sets for your entire grade level to rotate and share. If you are in the STEM or Technology classroom, these kits are HIGHLY recommended and worth the investment 100%.2-3 students working on a kit is the most successful option.
Lesson Ideas
The app comes with a wide variety of lessons and starter builds when working with this kit. With the time I have with students, I’ve done the beginning builds that are offered on the home screen for students. This is a great lesson all about following directions in order, collaboration and fixing mistakes when things don’t work the first time.
The app is designed for students to go through the building directions then adding in the coded elements. As of now, the coding isn’t super complicated and is block coding.
LEGO also has an annual competition that you can register for: First LEGO League Jr. There is the option to sign up to participate in a local competition. Upon registration, there is the option to purchase the WeDo 2.0 kit. These kits don’t need to be returned and are kept by the club leader.
When thinking about classroom supply budgets, this could be a great way to get the kits into your room for future use after hosting the club.
What I liked about this club is it was all written out for you as a leader and didn’t require extra planning. Make sure you have A LOT of club sessions; the building and collaborating is time consuming.
When I first walked into my K-5 STEM classroom, I was shocked by the limited amount of resources that were in my room for the younger students. There were Bee-Bots on hand, which is amazing, but I knew my brand-new Kinders needed a different jumping off point with robot coding. I also didn’t want them to tire from the Bee-Bots so quickly either.
Students attach different segments to the Code-a-Pillar’s main body. Once the student presses play on its back, the Code-a Pillar will read through the code and light up each section as it is being played out.
Emojis are a modern day version of hieroglyphics; they visually convey a lot of meaning and emotion. Learn how to use the emoji chrome extension, and bring this tool into the classroom.
Emoji Chrome Extension: Getting Set Up
First, add the extension in your Google Chrome toolbar. Chrome extensions are like little apps that you can use to enhance your experience only when using this web browser.
{Optional} Close out of Chrome & restart computer to ensure extension was added properly with full functionality
Emoji Chrome Extension: Organizing your Google Drive
Google Drives can get messy fairly quickly. However, there are ways to streamline organization and keep it visually appealing and easy to access. Of course you can color code your folders (which you can watch that video tutorial here)
Why not make your Google Drive organization EVEN BETTER by adding in an emoji in the title? With color and a picture, it will make searching for your go-to files so much easier (and a little more fun!)
Struggling readers and even strong readers love pictures. No matter what reading level someone is, having a visual to match the words increases reading comprehension.
Use emojis when labeling assignments and directions. My favorite places to do this are in Seesaw and Google Classroom. While I love both of these platforms immensely, both streams can get overwhelming quickly. Try and match the emoji to the assignment name and the kids will be even more excited to click on the assignment.
Often when I am swiping through student posts on Seesaw while watching The Bachelor, I’ll throw in some emojis to help students pay attention to the comments I am giving them. The emoji keyboard on your phone is also great asset for the classroom!
Emoji Chrome Extension: Student Responses
For most written assignments, I don’t encourage students to use emojis within their work since the goal is to have them write in complete sentences. However, when it comes to quick assignments where I want to know their thoughts on a topic, using an emoji might be more appropriate.
This is a topic as a classroom teacher you want to be very clear on the boundaries and when emojis are/aren’t ok on certain assignments.
I also have Google Tools Scavenger Hunts to help students learn the basics of Google Drive, Docs, Forms and Slides. Assignments that are typically created with these tools are easily integrated into Google Classroom. Help your students feel successful when navigating them.
Stop Motion is one of the oldest filming techniques and was viewed as magic of its time. Do you remember Gumby or A Year Without a Santa Claus? Both are examples of intricate stop motion.
So why try stop motion with your students?
It brings stationary objects & topics to life
You only need minimal tools
Teaches patience & problem solving
Even when I have done stop motion with my classes, they even think that their own work is magic as well! I even used paper as the only prop for filming. Students had to create a video to teach others about a given topic. Here is my favorite about the human heart. {No sound.} They took over 200 pictures with tiny movements to make this possible.
Below are some typical questions that I've been asked when getting started with Stop Motion.
What devices & software do you suggest to use with this resource?
I would start with iPads or an iPhone. However, the same app can be purchased for Mac & Windows. I use the Stop Motion Studio {Free & Paid iOS app}, however, this resource can apply to any other stop motion app that you might already have.
What if I only have a few devices in my classroom?
Limited supplies shouldn’t limit what you can do with kids. This can be a great opportunity to create stations in your classroom. I do this ALL the time with my STEM classes. I teach you a few others ways to make this happen successfully in your room?
I teach in a Gen Ed classroom, is Stop Motion for me?
Y.E.S., YES!!! Technology & STEM should not be limited to just in the “specials” class. This can honestly be used across all content areas.
Are there ways to differentiate?
Definitely. Partnerships help with differentiating A LOT! Often times, my students who struggle with regular classroom instruction thrive with using technology. I would encourage the use of pairs to help with typical problem solving issues as well. Again, using guided tech groups are a great way to meet student learning needs. I find that working with students with technology in smaller settings is highly successful.
What is the youngest that you can start stop motion?
I think that you can go as young as kindergarten, depending on the task. With explicit instructions, the use of guided tech groups, you can definitely use this with all ages. I WOULD NOT suggest whole group with really young students. They can sometimes become lost with multiple steps. Want more inspiration and guidance? Check out my Stop Motion 101 Resource.
With over 100+ pages of content, I have put together the ins-and-outs of this tech tool from the teacher's side, ways to implement in all content areas, detailed lesson plans, student resources, examples, vocabulary are more! Click here to download it for yourself! Stay marvelous! Naomi from Marvelous Ms. Meredith
The best resources to add to your STEM school supply list.
Perfect for:
Teachers wanting to implement STEM in their classroom
Materials to add to school redesign of their STEM lab
STEM classrooms that need a supply refresh
This list of 20 resources are what I recommend for elementary students. There is a mixture of consumable and non-consumable items to fit your needs.
STEM School Supply List: Consumable Materials
These are my Amazon affiliate links. When you purchase through my link, it's no added cost to you and I get a little kickback in return. Win-win!
Case of Play Doh: Use by itself or integrate with other materials. Great addition to Stop Motion animation (which you can read more in my blog post here)
Masking Tape: Set clear expectations of how much tape can be used during projects or this will run out within a week
Velcro Dots:Perfect for labeling materials and also creating reusable STEM activities
Marbles:Technically, these are reusable. However, I seem to replace these each year as they roll into unseen corners in the classroom.
Felt Squares: These are a great size for little hands and this particular brand is a harder felt which is great for multiple designs.
Neon straws:Any straw works to build with, but neon is way more fun and colorful.
When collecting other consumables for your classroom, donations are a great way to get started. Here is an editable makerspace supply letter that can be sent home printed or digitally to families in the community.
STEM School Supply List: Reusable Materials
These are my Amazon affiliate links. When you purchase through my link, it's no added cost to you and I get a little kickback in return. Win-win!
Brain Blox Wooden Planks:A cheaper version of Keva planks and work great for any STEM challenge. Comes with an idea guide that students can refer to during free choice.
Colored Domino Pieces: They don't have dots on them, but this package comes with A LOT! A colorful building material students love.
Mixed bucket of LEGO:Of course, asking for donations might get you some as well. This is a great starter kit when on a budget. Add a bucket or two each year to add to the mix.
iPad Tripod:Improve student video quality with a steady camera. This tripod also has adjustable heights and easy to store when not in use.
Bee-Bot Robots: Great for beginning coders and, very durable and rechargeable.
Every year as a classroom teacher, I always stressed out about having the perfect gift for my students to give to their families during the holidays or at the end of the school year. As a person who enjoys giving gifts myself, I try to ensure that my gifts are purposeful and unique. I believed in the same concept as to what I was going to have my kids make. While I am a big fan of crafting, with 24 children, it can go bad real quick. Also thinking about how much it was going to cost each student to make their gift can get expensive! After some thoughtful planning, I thought of a way to integrate students' use of technology into their family a gift to save time, money and still create something personal.
That's where I came up with the Selfie Station Calendar. With a new year approaching, a calendar is very useful! I know that teachers will often times have their kids decorate each month with a little art project, but honestly, that seemed like a lot of work to me.
Instead, each month was decorated with their child and different props to represent each month. My first year doing this project, I brought in some items like sunglasses, hats, and all sorts of crazy stuff and a parent helped me take 12 different themed pictures of each child. As this project evolved each year, it's been more student centered and less work for me. After all, it's THEIR gift that that students are giving to parents! What did you use for the calendar? I created a calendar template for each month using Google Slides. The top portion I left empty for students to insert their pictures. I shared this template with the students in my class using Google Classroom so that it made a copy for each one of them. This also was great management when students needed tech support and I could hop onto their piece and work with them to solve the problem.
When the calendars were finished, I could easily find each students' name and print. Another added bonus was for students who had divorced parents, I could easily print multiple copies and they didn't physically have to make more than two. What did you use for the props? As I mentioned in the beginning, my first year doing this project, I brought in all sorts of random stuff I found at home and in my classroom. Any costume item that I owned was in my room for over a week. As this project evolved, I actually created my own printable props that were themed for each season of the year. This actually turned out a lot better because students had more prop choices for their photos, I could store them easier in just one file in my filing cabinet, and they actually turned out to be more vibrant and photogenic!
I printed and cut out each theme, sorted them by months and wrote in pencil on the back which month the prop represented. I then sorted the months around the room and students would grab one prop at a time to take their photo for that month. How did they actually add their pictures?
Students helped one another face their computer camera at the proper angle to take a picture for each month of their calendar and then insert in to template. You can have students make their own calendar or work together collaboratively and have a class calendar! That way, you will only need to print one! How did you manage their projects to ensure they were finished in time? Since my 3rd graders hadn't ever done a gift like this before, there was a huge amount of buy in. They also thought that the props and my example calendar was funny so they were super excited to make their own. I also started this project the month before break so I could print and bind each calendar and then have students wrap them. That way if students were absent, I had plenty of time for them to make to make it up.
As far as the prop management went, I told students that they didn't necessarily have to go in order for their calendar. That way not all the January props were gone at once!
We worked on these for about 30 minutes a day for 3 days and the majority of my class was finished. Those who finished quicker were able to help others or even type in important events within their calendar. How much did this gift cost you? Zero dollars. That's right! Since I made the props and calendar template myself, it was free-99. I also had the benefit of having colored card stock paper to print on for the props and binding I could use to bind the calendars. I did have to print in black and white a couple of years because of restrictions we had on our school's color printer. They still looked really cute! I also told the kids that they could definitely print in color at home and send to other family members as well.
I know that the cost might vary for different classrooms, especially if you use my template and props to get you all set up. Overall, this is a low cost project that is highly engaging for your students. There was a reason why I did it many years in a row. The families absolutely LOVED them!
How have you used a selfie station in your classroom?Let me know and send me a message on Instagram @marvelousmsm
Stay marvelous!
Naomi from Marvelous Ms. Meredith
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Learn how to add a timer to Google Slides with this video tutorial. This tech tip can can help students manage time in your classroom. In just a few clicks, classroom productivity can be enhanced.
