It seems now, more than ever, students' attention levels are harder to maintain in the classroom. Almost every day I hear a student talking about a video game, about a text they received, or about a game or app that they have been playing on their hand-held devices. If teachers are to connect with their students, it makes sense to develop activities that uses their students' understanding of current technology to help them learn. Therefore, Wise Guys has developed four activities centered around the most popular uses of technology by students.
iPods
This fun activity includes directions on how students can make an iPod Touch based on the guided reading book, novel unit, independent book, or literature circle book that they are reading in class. It also includes a template of an iPod Touch that the students could use to make their own. This is a great way to assess reading comprehension at the end of the novel.
Texting
This is a 5-page reading comprehension activity that will work with any reading novel. This activity will have your students send "text" messages to the author, a character in the story, a friend about a favorite part, and a teacher about what he/she liked about the story. I have found this to be a very enjoyable activity that encourages comprehension of the story.
Each of the 7 activities includes a detailed description of what is expected. An example activity is when students are asked to text a character. The directions state: “You will send a short “text” message to one of the characters in the story that you are reading (or have read). You can use some of the text abbreviations from the front page or you can create your own. Your message should contain at least one detail/fact/event from the story that would relate to that specific character. When you are done, you will need to explain your text message. If you think you need more space, then write the message on an index card and then staple it to this page. Be sure in your explanation to include what any abbreviations stand for. Your explanation should be at least three sentences in length.”
Included in the packet is a template cell phone for each activity, along with over 30 text abbreviations for the students to use.
This is a two page activity in which your students will use a social networking activity to tell more about the book they are reading.
This is a fun and engaging way to get your students interested to talk more about literature. Included is a direction sheet and a blank sheet for the student to complete.
Get your students interested in the books that they are reading by having them tweet to the teacher! This fun activity has your students tell you the main details about a book they are reading through short tweets to the teacher. Included is: a teacher direction sheet with requirements, tweeting abbreviations, and a place to design a logo. Also included is two pages where the student will tweet the requirements to the teacher.
Watch your students have fun with this activity!
If you are interested to see how we use some of this technology in the classroom see our other blog posts on using Kindle Fires in the classroom.
If teachers are to connect with their students, it makes sense to develop activities that uses their students' understanding of current technology to help them learn. technology in schools
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