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Winter Resources for the Elementary Classroom

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

It’s important for students, especially young learners, to understand the changing of the seasons and the rhythms of the year. These lessons can frame all kinds of learning from numeracy to literacy. In winter, we can deploy activities that engage the changing seasons and holidays to boost learning.

In fact, neuroscientist Judy Willis suggests that the nature of changing seasons can be harnessed to encourage learning. And, of course, the modern school year itself is based on the changing seasons.

There are a number of useful online resources, repositories, and ideas that you can use or customize for your classroom based on the seasons. Let’s explore some options.

Engage the Youngest Learners

Seasons are an important idea to convey to PreK students. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) discusses the power of seasonal learning in a blog post from Kathryn Maisonville:

As we moved into winter and the landscape yielded to the cold weather, we spent one morning talking about the changes occurring outside. This led to children’s questions about the lack of birds—why some remained while others left the area. The children’s inquiries and observations were full of interest and knowledge. We had found our new topic!

This set of activities from PreKinder includes “activities, lessons, and printables for Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten.” Learn new vocabulary with winter word cards, find winter-themed books perfect for your age group, or even surprise your students with instant snow.

Embrace Diverse Topics

As the NAEYC article indicates, teaching about the seasons isn’t limited to just winter holidays and changes in the weather. Broader lessons about the environment, like Maisonville’s students observing a lack of birds, can open up early lessons in scientific inquiry, even the scientific method, for example.

  • Julie Smith, “The Techie Teacher,” has complied a number of winter activities focused on tech, but which can teach math, creative writing, and more.
  • The Connecticut Education Association has lessons plans ready to go for grades K-12.

Embed Excitement

Just need to add a little excitement to the day? Try one of these activities to mix it up in your elementary classroom.

Don’t Forget to Ask Santa!

And of course, don’t forget about TCEA’s live chat with Santa! As part of our annual tradition, Kris Kringle himself will visit TCEA headquarters on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 to answer your Christmas questions. Learn more about the event in this blog post.

Have seasonal activities or resources you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments!

More Winter Resources from TechNotes

unsplash-logoPhoto: Ethan Hu
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Good TeachingRobotics

Bee-Bots in the Early Childhood Classroom

by Angel M. Herring, Guest Author
written by Angel M. Herring, Guest Author

The first time I saw a Bee-bot, I was intrigued.  I was not sure what it was, but I knew that I needed one. It was adorable, with its flashing lights and noises and I knew that my students would love it. I am an ESL (English as a Second Language) Pre-K teacher, and I am always looking for new and exciting ideas to use in my classroom to help the students buy into the idea of learning.  

Buzzing with Ideas for the Bee-Bots

As I learned about Bee-Bots at the summer Elementary Technology Conference in Galveston, I fell more and more in love with them.  I knew that they would be a big hit with the kids. When I realized that we could design our own floor mats to fit our specific needs, I was hooked. Being able to customize what we need for our learning has been such an eye-opener and a great learning experience for me and it has helped the students in all subject areas.

At the end of the conference, my mind was spinning. I was beginning to imagine all the ways I could use these adorable little floor robots in my classroom. Instantly, I went to work on creating some mats for the class to use to meet district requirements. We would need one for every subject from phonics and math to science and social studies.  Since my students are ESL learners, we use lots of photos to help us learn and build a foundation in vocabulary. They have loved looking at the bright-colored photos, and it has helped inspire conversations between the students, which in turn has helped them with their social and emotional skills.

A Hive of Activity

In the photo below, the students are working on a foundational skill in math. We are using the digits from 1 to 10, as well as a subitizing ten frame. The small cards are the digits from 1 to 10. The student can choose to code to the matching digit or the matching ten frame. I created it this way in order to allow for some differentiation.  

When coding the robot, students can move it forward, backwards, and turn either way. They know the rules include keeping their Bee-Bots on the floor at all times and using the buttons to make him turn and move. They have to count the number of times it must move to get to the right spot. The Bee-Bot blinks and makes noise when it is finished with the command the students entered. If they have coded it correctly and it arrives at the desired number, we celebrate with a silent hand cheer. If the Bee-Bot does not make it to the correct desired number, the students move him back to the original spot, select the clear button, and try again. This is also a great way to incorporate problem-solving skills. 

Using these Bee-Bots in my classroom has become a favorite of all the students. Their faces light up with excitement when I bring them out of their hiding place. When we make learning fun for our students, they retain more, have fewer behavior problems, and go home with a smile on their faces. When I see my students smiling, I know all is right in the world, and it warms my teacher heart. 

Photo: Boris Smokrovic

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Digital BreakoutGood Teaching

Falling for Digital Breakouts

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

The days are cooling down, the leaves are turning beautiful colors, and football season has kicked off. Fall is here, even though the thermometer has hit 98º as I write this. But officially, the calendar does state that fall has arrived. Instead of heading for the goal line or intercepting the football, how about grabbing an apple cider and tackling a digital breakout?

The Game Plan (What is a digital breakout?)

A digital breakout does not require a physical box and locks. Instead, this type of breakout needs a web page on a Google Site. The page contains images, text, and hidden hyperlinks that students can use to solve digital puzzles. A Google Form is used to create the digital locks. In order for a Google Form question to act as a lock, the question needs to have the response validation selected. You can find this option by clicking the Skinny Snowman (three horizontal dots) in the lower right-hand corner of each question. The most common locks are Direction, Color, Number, Word, Letter, and Date. 

Texas State Symbols

Opening Digital Locks

Here is one process for finding the answer for a digital lock. Let’s say you have a Six-Letter Lock on a digital breakout themed around the state of Texas.  Students use the website to find the answer. They might first think that the Six-Letter lock is Austin because there is an image of the capitol building with information about the city. Could the word be Austin? A student would type Austin in the Google Form under that particular lock. If it is not the correct word, students keep looking for more clues that would lead to a different six-letter word. Perusing down farther on the website,  there is a group of state symbols as pictured above. Which word has exactly six letters? Could one of those state symbols be the Six-Letter Lock?

 Do be aware that there are “red herrings” in most digital breakouts that will distract players and could lead them on a wild goose chase.

Tips for Making Digital Breakouts Easier for Everyone

A digital breakout can be a little confusing at first because directions are not provided or spelled out specifically. It helps for students to work in pairs (two brains process information differently, which really helps in finding answers). Try working out a digital breakout as a class first to model possible strategies. Find my easy breakouts here.

Breakouts for Fall

Fall Is Here Breakout

The Boo Breakout

The Gobble Gobble Breakout

The Merry Merry Breakout

Bonus: Apollo 11 Moon Landing

Remember that if you need a hint or two, please email me at preimers@tcea.org. And be sure to check out our other digital breakouts here. Happy Breaking Out!

More Digital Breakouts

Featured image created by TCEA.

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Rox's Secret Code
AndroidCoding/Computer ScienceiOS Tips and TricksRobotics

AR with Rox’s Secret Code

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Anytime you can combine augmented reality, cute robots, and coding fun, you are guaranteed student engagement. And that’s exactly what the Rox’s Secret Code app does. Available free for both Android and iOS, the app was designed to work with the book by the same name and teach coding to both girls and boys ages 4 to 8.

The book is the story of a code whiz who originally creates a “Chorebot” to help her clean her room, but is forced to readjust the code when the robot begins to act out on its own. Although the launch page of the app asks if the students already own the book, purchasing it isn’t necessary to enjoy the app.

How Rox’s Secret Code Works

Rox's Secret Code

Students first must design their own robot, building it from a variety of pieces that are available. The robot appears in AR immediately and is fun to see. My first robot is to the left. You can see it appearing over my laptop in my living room. The next step is to give the robot a name. Then you can take a photo of the robot itself or a selfie with you and your robot.

 

Introducing Coding

Your bot is now ready to begin learning to code. Students play with coding blocks and learn coding principles by making it pick up toys. The coding skills in the learn mode are put into action in the play mode, where they drag the “move action” blocks, which include move, rotate, and grab, to the code line. Once kids complete the code line, they activate their robot and watch it follow their directions. Rox informs players when there’s code missing or when the move action block does not match the robot’s path towards the finish line. The game becomes a bit more challenging, prompting for more move action blocks, when kids consistently code correctly.

Rox's Secret Code

While playing, students develop organization, planning, and sequencing skills, which transcend the world of coding. The graphics are colorful and appealing and Rox is available to talk the students through the activities. It’s especially wonderful that the app is available free. If you teach young students, I encourage you to take a look at it.

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seesaw
AndroidChromebooksGood TeachingiOS Tips and TricksWeb 2.0 Tool

Learning to Juggle with Seesaw

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

Are you a juggler when it comes to education?

Have you ever wanted one spot to keep track of everything as a teacher? Sometimes, we educators feel learning something new is “just one more thing to add to our plate.” But being a digital leader means sharing and collaborating effective, efficient ideas and tools. Seesaw Learning Journal is such a tool. It even can help educators communicate effectively and efficiently with both students and parents.

Seesaw is a platform to encourage student engagement online, where they can showcase their voice and ownership in their work. It is a student-driven online journal that can be used in many ways and is available through the web, iOS, and Android.

Ups and Downs of Seesaw

seesawThere are several benefits to using Seesaw. Students are able to showcase their best work for parents, peers, and teachers. Students are able to explain their masterpieces, and take pride in ownership through their use of camera, video, drawings, and notes, especially when they know it is being published. This helps shy students who want to speak but are not very vocal. Teachers benefit from Seesaw by being able to use the student journal as a paperless storage for work samples, to show and discuss at parent conferences, and even use as an assessment tool. Additionally, teachers can make private notes and give feedback.

Seesaw is also user-friendly for families. Parents can see and comment on all their child’s masterpieces, and they can communicate one-to-one with the teacher. Best of all, multiple parents or any family member can join and comment. I have one student right now that has her grandma, aunt, and mom connected, and they all comment on her work!

The core Seesaw service is free for teachers, families, and students. It is a key part of their mission to impact as many students as possible. They also offer Seesaw Plus and Seesaw for Schools, which are optional paid upgrades for teachers and schools who want to do even more with Seesaw. You can view a comparison of Seesaw, Seesaw Plus, and Seesaw for Schools features here.

As for the disadvantages of Seesaw, if students are signing in through a class QR code, they are not able to edit previous work. This requires the teacher to navigate this extra step. The appearance of the dashboard needs to be updated to be more appealing to the student. The disadvantage for the teacher is printing out invitations to the parents. You must download the entire class PDF file, not just one student’s, in order to send the QR code home. The con for the parents is the lack of push notifications on iOS and Android. On tablets, students are not able to draw on a still picture while recording their voice. For example, when my kindergarteners are reading a list of sight words, I like them to check them off as they read. They can on Chromebooks, and it may come Android soon.

Using Seesaw Learning Journals

Teaching students to use Seesaw Learning Journal is an easy task, even for kindergarteners. First, students can sign in either by email (recommended for grades 3-12) or by QR codes (recommended for grades PreK-2 ). I teach kindergarten, and in my classroom of 19, the students log in and add their “Wow Work” (best work) themselves on Chromebooks and tablets by signing in with a class QR code.

Next, students can add content by camera, video, notes, Google links, drawings, or even by uploading a PDF. My students this past week chose their “Leaf Projects” to showcase. They appsmashed with Chatterpix and uploaded it to Seesaw. Some then chose to type a sentence about their projects; others choose to type describing words. It was their choice, their voice, and they have ownership in their work.

Third, students have a choice when it comes to assignments within the “Activities Tab.” The assignment can be specifically for a certain student or be the same for the whole class. Finally, the student logs in and clicks his name, then his activity tab. After they complete their assignment, they save it to their Seesaw account.

Grown-Up Growth

Teaching the adults to use Seesaw is my favorite. After using Seesaw for six years now, my interest sparks each year as Seesaw is updated.

As a teacher, the class is set up by entering your students’ names and their email addresses, if you chose for them to sign in with emails. The teacher is then able to let students upload their work and can give feedback and comments about their work. Teachers also have the option of giving the students more power by letting them comment on their peer’s work. This is recommended as long as a digital citizenship lesson has been provided.

Next, teachers get to differentiate student work in the activities tab by only assigning certain work to certain students or the whole class. The activities tab provides teachers with a single place to see who has completed and turned in their assignments and who is still working on them. Teachers can also tag certain TEKS/objectives to certain activities. This makes it easy to pull up reports on a certain TEK and see if you need to reteach that concept, or if your students are grasping the lessons.

Seesaw has a plethora of activities already made for you. They are sorted per subject, per grade level, and are available to add to your students’ accounts. No reason to reinvent the wheel! The teacher can simply copy and adjust it to the student’s needs. The Skills tab on Seesaw is a great way to assess a child on a four-star scale.

Staying Connected

Another great part for teachers is the parent communication. For years, I used Seesaw, Class Dojo, and Remind for parent communication. I was all over the place, with some parents connected to this one but not that one. The last two years, I have only used Seesaw, and all my parents are connected in one place.

This makes it easy to send out announcements for the class, to send flyers home, or even a quick message. You can communicate to the parents/families, or just to the students, or just to one parent. It is a great way to send weekly personalized messages out on how their child is learning and participating in class. I also send out a weekly announcement on what their child is learning in my class for that week. I was able to embed my link to my Google document to sign up for parent/teacher conferences and was able to get real-time feedback.

As you can see, there are many pros and just a few cons to using Seesaw Learning Journal. Overall, Seesaw is user-friendly for the students, parents, and teachers. Give it try!

Laressia Martin is an educational technology leadership expert and elementary educator. You can learn more about her on her website or on Twitter.

“Vitz-9572”by Jon.Proehl is licensed under CC BY 2.0

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LEGO
STEM/STEAM

The LEGO Rocket Challenge

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

LEGO has a wide variety of classroom applications. One way that the company encourages educators to use the popular construction tool is through the six brick challenge. In these challenges, LEGO builders are asked to complete a variety of tasks, but are limited to using only six bricks.

As a LEGO Education US Master Educator in the 2018 cohort meetup held in Chicago, I was challenged to create a duck using only six bricks. Every Master Educator was given the same six bricks, but the resulting ducks were anything but the same.

Fast forward to the 2018-19 school year. As a learning technologies coach, I am tasked with working with Burleson ISD educators to implement technology in various forms across the curriculum. A third-grade educator, Julie Broadway at the Academy of Nola Dunn Elementary, invited me to come and share a brick challenge with her students who had recently been on a field learning experience at NASA in Houston. I developed a series of cooperative challenges based on building a rocket.

Build a Rocket Challenge

Each student was handed a square base plate (as a building structure) and 10 LEGO bricks. The bricks were randomly chosen and were put into snack-sized baggies so that they would not be dropped or lost. Each child was tasked with building a rocket using only the bricks he or she had received (the base plate did not count toward the ten) in a five-minute time period. Students were then given three minutes to write a description of their rocket design.Rocket Challenge

After the build, students were asked to turn and talk with a shoulder partner, explaining the design and listening to the shoulder partner explain his or her design. Then the pair was challenged to create a new rocket out of the twenty bricks, but the design had to incorporate at least one element from the two original designs. Again, a five-minute timer was set and students were then asked to write a description of their design.

The turn and talk was repeated with a pair at their desk cluster and the design challenge expanded to forty bricks. The process was repeated again, and we concluded with groups of eight students using 80 bricks to complete their rockets.

The only requirements were the limitations on the number of bricks used and the incorporation of previous design elements in the next iteration. All other design choices were at the discretion of the students.

Amazing Outcomes

One amazing thing that happened was that many of the students chose to use their materials more effectively. Often pairs or groups would use one brick to link multiple base plates to build a larger surface area for construction. As more bricks became available, the designs became more complex and incorporated supplementary materials including transport vehicles, launching pads, and support structures, concepts that they had learned about during their field experience at NASA.

Perhaps the best part of this challenge was the timing of when it occurred. The classroom teacher and I had asked the campus principal if it would be possible to schedule this during makeup STAAR testing days on the campus. The students in the classroom were not involved in STAAR makeup and it was a “quiet” day,  with students asked to keep voice levels down to a minimum. The principal had granted permission, and while the classroom was buzzing with activity, the noise never exceeded acceptable levels.

You can do the brick challenge as well. The number can be based on the number of bricks you have available – five, six, ten, or twenty — it’s up to you!

Task Card Jackpot

Check out the challenges from LEGO Education US Master Educator Lindsay Foster. She has designed many task card sets and has willingly shared the following:

L. Foster

Lindsay Foster has 19 years of educational experience, including kindergarten through fifth-grade tech apps, as well as generalist experience in various elementary grade levels. As a Learning Technologies Coach, Foster uses her skills to help K-12 students and educators build meaningful and engaging learning experiences. Speaking at various local and state conferences including TCEA, TCEA ETC, FETC, MACUL, and TXGoo, she loves to share what students and educators are doing in the classrooms where she teaches and coaches.  

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boom cards
ChromebooksGood TeachingiOS Tips and Tricks

Using Boom Cards in the Primary Classroom

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

Helping primary students take charge of their own learning can be difficult. But now there are Boom Cards. Boom Cards are self-checking digital task cards that provide immediate feedback to young students. Teachers have access to the data through Boom’s reports feature, giving them a powerful tool to use to make decisions about instruction.

Top Tips for Using Boom Cards in Your Early Childhood Classroom

So what’s the best way to use digital task cards in your kindergarten (or younger) class? Here are some strategies for incorporating digital learning with our young learners.

boom cardsAudio Alert

Listen to Boom Learning‘s (@BoomLearning) Della Larsen (@larsenclass) and Melissa Bucher (@iheart4th) (shown right) share at the 2019 TCEA Elementary Technology Conference on how to make instructional decisions based off data. They discuss Boom Cards and share stories from their classrooms.

Strategy #1: Morning Work

In my classroom, my students trickle in and I need some quality activities for them to complete while they wait for everyone to arrive and get settled. I put out a few Chromebooks and iPads in a work center. My kids can easily sign in and complete a deck independently before we start our day.

Strategy #2: An Extension of Reading Groups

One of the most challenging tasks for me when I started teaching was trying to figure out what the rest of my class should be doing while I was meeting with reading groups. My go-to answer? Boom Cards. Whether I am reviewing beginning sounds, reading and blending cvc words, or identifying letters, I can extend the lesson easily with Boom Cards. As soon as my kids are done with me, they head to the tech table and get a little extended practice. I can go back and see their work and check for understanding with the reports feature. It’s easy to determine if I need to move students to a different group, reteach a concept, or provide targeted intervention.

Haven’t seen Boom Cards? Check out this video to see them in action.

Strategy #3: Learning Centers

I give my kids 60 minutes of centers every day. I want them at the art center, the block area, and dramatic play. However, I also have a word work and math center. I don’t have to worry if my kids are actually completing the task I set for them. Boom keeps them accountable. I can feel confident because I can check the reports to see exactly what mistakes they might be making.

boom cards

Strategy #4: Whole Group Instruction

Do you have an interactive white board? Boom Cards work great for whole group instruction. I can have great discussions about math or numbers and begin to really understand student thinking as we work through a problem together. No white board? No problem. Just project the Boom Cards on the board and let the discussion begin.

Strategy #5: Homework

With Boom Cards, you can stop copying homework packets and actually sit down and eat your lunch during your lunch break. Parents can access Boom Cards from home. All they need is their child’s login information and some type of screen. Your kids can actually access decks on their parents’ phones. No more lost papers, or missing folders. I can then check their reports to keep them accountable for completing the work.

The applications for using Boom Cards in your classroom are limited only by your imagination. The Starter membership plan is free and includes one section with five students and five self-made decks. The Basic plan includes three sections with up to 50 students and five self-made decks for just $15/year. There are two other membership levels, Power and Ultimate, with the most expensive only costing $35/year. Give Boom Cards a try and see how they can work in your classroom.

This is a guest blog by Della Larsen. Della is a primary teacher with over 30 years of classroom experience. She is passionate about reaching every child regardless of their skills. She has spent boom cardsmuch of her time supporting teachers just starting on their digital journey. You can follow Della on Twitter @Larsenclass or feel free to reach out to Della with any questions at DellaLarsensclass@gmail.com.

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Sumo-bot action at the McCoy Elementary competition.
Robotics

Sparking Elementary Invention with Sumo-Bots

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

Looking for a robotics challenge to finish out the school year? Why not hold a Sumo-Bot competition?

Last May, I was invited to McCoy Elementary School in Georgetown, Texas to see the sumo robots in action. The little bots moved across a ring, attempting to push the other out, just like the traditional form of Japanese wrestling. After the competition, I chatted with G/T teacher Tina Bertucci, and she gave me the lowdown on their robotics adventure.

Tina started our conversation with, “I have been doing LEGO robotics for a long time with my G/T kids. But then, Janae Pierce, the librarian, and I got together and we wanted to have this opportunity for all students, not just gifted and talented.”  

Janae started the pilot program with ten LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 kits. Students met in the library the first year with a 7:30 a.m. start. Tina said, “They loved it!” Several grants later, and all that student enthusiasm has taken them where they are now.

How the Competition Works

The Sumobot Bracket on paper for audience viewing.
Photo by author.

Starting the third week of school, the five fifth-grade classes at McCoy Elementary spend 45 minutes of their Friday science class learning about robotics. They follow a simple curriculum which meets the time allotted for robotics. Starting in  February, they get down to business on the Sumo-bot Challenge.

That’s right. Sumo-wrestling robots.

New teams are formed with three to four students. The teams have four weeks to design and build their sumo bots. The next four weeks are then spent on programming.

The McCoy Sumo-Bot Competition is a two-day event. The first day of competition starts in each classroom with double elimination game play. The two winners from each class will then move forward to compete the next day. Tina and Janae created the bracket for the McCoy Elementary Sumo-Bot Competition final competition.  The lunchroom is the place to be with all the fourth and fifth graders, invited guests (parents and grandparents), and school administrators. I was so honored to be a special guest. 

Rules for the Sumo-Bots

McCoy Elementary allowed me to share the rules they have created for their Sumo-Bot competition. Check them out, and consider what rules you might use in the classroom.

  • Robots must start facing directly away from each other, not touching, in the center of the arena.  On “Ready, set, LEGO!” each team will press the start button simultaneously.
  • The robots will proceed in combat until one unit is disabled or removed from the ring. A robot is considered “removed” from the ring when the drive system falls off the edge and touches the floor. One whose body hangs over the edge is not considered “off” until it physically tips off the edge and touches the floor.
  • A sumo-bot that disables or removes the enemy gets a win credited to it, and if a robot “suicides,” the other robot gets a win credited to it. Should one robot become disabled (flipped on its back or side, for instance) and is unable to move, the ring officials will award the victory to the remaining robot.
  • If the judge determines that both robots are stuck in an entanglement or deadlock for at least one minute, the judge will call for a Reset. If the judge declares a Reset, the clock is stopped, the robots are put back in starting positions, and the robots will be reactivated and clock restarted.
  • A match is over after five minutes or after one “Win” occurs. If there is no victor after five minutes, teams will reset and start over.  At the end of each round, the contestants are responsible for making sure the ring is clean and ready for the next round.
  • The judgment of the ring officials is final.

Create Your Own Sumo-Bot Ring

After attending the competition, I wanted to add the Sumo-Bot Challenge to the Mission Possible Summer Camp: LEGO EV3 Robotics. The only item necessary to complete the addition of the Sumo-Bot Challenge was a Sumo-Bot ring. Following are my step-by-step directions to make your own.

Step 1: Gather Your Materialssumo-bots

  • 2 oz. white acrylic paint
  • 8 oz black acrylic paint or 1 can of spray paint
  • Painters tape
  • Foam brush
  • 36” circular piece of wood. (1x36x36)

The paint, tape, and foam brush can be easily be found at Walmart. Hunting down a piece of circular wood was a bit more challenging. I finally found the perfect piece of wood at Lowe’s. Not all the stores carry this product, so it is best to look online at their availability. I had to travel to San Marcos to find one. My best advice is to get online and check out both Home Depot or Lowes.

At the time I was looking for one, Home Depot carried these round panels, but only in 24” — which is too small for the LEGO EV3 robots.

Step 2: Tape the Outer Edge to Paint the Inner Circle

First, you will need to mark off a two-inch rim from the edge. There are many ways to do this, but I used a ruler and made a small mark every inch. Then I took my blue tape and taped from mark to mark around the board. I taped all the way to the edge in case I overshot my spraying ability.

Step 3: Paint the Large Inner Circlesumo-bots

I took my spray can of black paint and sprayed the center. Let the paint dry completely.

Note: My spray paint might have been old as it left fine particles on the surface. I brushed them off, but my advice is to use the black acrylic paint.

Step 4: Prep and Paint the Edge White

sumo-bots

The next step was to place another ring of blue tape along the edge of the inner black circle. I took more time on this taping as I wanted to make as smooth a rounded edge as possible. Go ahead and use your foam brush for the white paint. Let the first coat dry completely and then give it a second coat. For the last step, carefully peel off the blue tape.

If you make a sumo-bot ring, please email me at preimers@tcea.org with additional tips and tricks you can share with future builders. And feel free to send pictures of your Sumo-Bot Competition, as I would love to hear how your contest goes!

Featured image and sumo-bot ring photos by author.

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elementary technology
Professional Learning

Island Time: Previewing the Elementary Technology Conference

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

Educators know that the end of the school year doesn’t mean the end of their work. In fact, crucial elements of planning and professional learning happen during the summer break. It’s often a time to catch up on things you missed during the semester, like new trends in elementary technology integration or the latest tips for using the apps and devices in your classroom. But professional learning doesn’t have to be tedious — it can even be fun.

That’s the notion behind the Elementary Technology Conference (ETC), formerly known as Tots and Technology, June 9–11, 2019 in Galveston, TX. The conference is designed for teachers, technologists, librarians, administrators, and more, all united by a mission to explain and exchange the latest and best ideas for integrating technology into the elementary classroom.

No More “Sit and Get”

elementary technology“Most presenters try to have a collaborative atmosphere in their sessions,” says Janet Corder, half of the duo known as J2 Training, along with Joan Gore. Janet has spent more than 30 years in education, including many years on the TCEA board. “Probably too many to count,” she notes.

Corder and Gore will be featured presenters at this year’s conference. What makes ETC different, she says, is the small-scale, collaborative atmosphere. “A lot of times, professional learning is just ‘sit and get,’” Corder notes. But with 80 fun-filled sessions at ETC, there’s a “freedom of choices.”

In addition, the focus on elementary education means sessions better-tailored to the unique needs of PreK–5 educators. “You’re not in there with calculus or algebra teachers,” she says. “All the sessions are geared toward a younger grade level.”

Learning on Island Time

It’s hard to make professional learning feel stuffy with a group of energetic, inventive, elementary technologyand excited elementary educators. It’s even harder when you’re in Galveston. Corder calls it “a whole lot more relaxed” than your typical professional learning scenario.

Having a small range of grade levels and a manageable-sized group of attendees fosters the summer-camp vibe, she says. “This conference is so much more fun, and I think it’s more applicable. They offer such a variety.”

Not only do interactive, cutting edge sessions make it feel like summer time fun, so does the beach. Here are a few reasons outside the conference halls that may inspire you to register and rejuvenate.

Adventure: The island offers a bevy of action-packed activities. From speedboat tours to helicopter rides, the thrill of skydiving to the calmer joys of exploring Galveston’s historic Pleasure Pier, there’s no shortage of options for thrill-seekers.

Beach life: Make new friends on a dolphin tour or explore the island from horseback. Enjoy harbor tours or just lounge in the sand. No matter your style, Galveston is saving a spot on the beach for you.

Historic treasures: Galveston, at one time the most populous Texas city, boats an array of historic architecture alongside unique museums, like the Galveston Naval Museum or the impressive new Bryan Museum.

Intrigued? Check out more info on our typical attendees (and why we think you should attend) on our ETC page. Ready to register? Click here.

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Content AreasGood Teaching

Resources to Celebrate Earth Day in Elementary

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

For the 24 years, I taught elementary grades, one of my favorite holidays of each year was Earth Day. I created badges for my kids to wear and we always celebrated with an activity or two because we still need to protect and be a champion for our home planet. If you are looking for elementary resources for celebrating April 22nd, check out the following:

Earth Day Picture Books

  • The Earth Book, by Todd Parr
  • One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia, by Miranda Paul
  • The Tree Lady, by H. Joseph Hopkins and Jill McElmurry
  • The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry
  • Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg

Videos

TED-ED Videos

Launched in 2012, TED-ED supports teachers and sparks the curiosity of learners with an online warehouse of short, animated videos with questions and resources. The TED-ED lessons are free to teachers and are organized by theme or subjects. The videos and lessons area is a creative collaboration between educators and a wide range of experts. 

Five TED-ED Lessons to Watch on Earth Day

Earth Day to every day: Four TED-ED Lessons to help you save the world

Wonderopolis

WONDEROPOLIS is an informational website that asks and answers interesting questions about our wonderful world. Each day, a new “Wonder of the Day” question is posted and explored in a variety of ways. The site offers great resources for teachers and parents, designed to get students to think, talk, and find learning moments together. The following “wonders” will work well for Earth Day.

Earth Day Activities and Projects

Screenshot by author.

What is your favorite Earth Day activity? Please share your ideas and I will certainly include them in this blog post.

Image by Martin Eklund from Pixabay

More Earth Day Resources

Six Resources for Earth Day
Digital Resources for Earth Day
Get Ready for Earth Day
Earth Day Digital Breakout

Featured image designed by TCEA.

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