I am such a huge fan of Steve from www.flippity.net. Let me tell you, this guy is an absolute superhero in my book! I cannot believe how he wields his Flippity spreadsheet knowledge like a superpower when it comes to creating tools for educators? It’s mind-blowing!
Steve’s ability to transform ordinary spreadsheets into a treasure trove of interactive educational resources is nothing short of magical. From flashcards to quiz shows, progress indicators to random name pickers, he’s got it all covered. And the best part? It’s all free and incredibly easy to use!
As a Director of Professional Development, I’ve seen countless tech tools come and go, but Flippity stands out from the crowd. Steve’s dedication to empowering teachers with user-friendly, versatile tools is truly inspiring. He’s constantly updating and adding new features, always with educators’ needs in mind. His two latest tools are the Flippity Group Game (think the New York Times Connections) and Flippity Video Game.
Flippity Group Game
The Flippity Group Game is a word puzzle that challenges players to categorize 16 words into four distinct groups of four, each connected by a common theme. If you are familiar with the New York Times Connections game – this is the puzzle maker for this game. Due note in the NYT Connections you are allowed to make only four wrong guesses and the game is forfeited, but in Flippity you can make over 20 mistakes. (I gave up making wrong guesses at 21.) Each group is assigned a color which is revealed when you choose the four words correctly.
A few more details on exactly how this group game works:
Each category is defined by a unique connection between its four words. These connections can be diverse and creative, including:
- Shared characteristics (e.g., animals with black and white coloring)
- Linguistic features (e.g.,similar phonetic qualities, spelling patterns)
- Semantic relationships (e.g., synonyms)
- Cultural references (related to movies, books, music, etc.)
- Wordplay (anagrams, homophones, palindromes)
I also wrote a blog on the benefits of using this type of word puzzle in classroom.
Flippity Group Game Directions
The steps are quick and easy.
- Enter four items in four categories (you have a limit of about 16 characters)
- Click the generate button
- Bookmark and save the link to re-use the Group Game.
Here are two examples of the Flippity Group game I have created:
Flippity Video Game
Steve provides the demo and the instructions to make your own game. I’m not a gamer, so please drop a comment as I would love to hear how you would use this video game in your classroom. I bet your idea will be a spark for the rest of us. Just like the other Flippity tools there are four main steps to use this resource:
- Modify a Google spreadsheet template.
- Enter your content
- Publish the spreadsheet
- Save the link and share out.
If you haven’t checked out Flippity yet, you’re missing out on a game-changer for your classroom. Trust me, once you start using Steve’s creations, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without them. It’s like having a secret weapon in your teaching arsenal!
So here’s a shoutout to Steve, the unsung hero of educational technology. Your Flippity spreadsheet superpowers are making waves in classrooms across the globe!