Technology in the classroom constantly changes and so are the classroom tech tools that we use every day with our students.

Smart school computer lab management tips for technology teachers and classroom teachers that spend time in their school computer lab.

Has your classroom turned into a 1:1 Chromebook Classroom and you are unsure of how to utilize these devices each day? Come learn about some meaningful ways to integrate these devices into your elementary classroom!

Need a way to engage your students and motivate them to learn. Use try using games to woo them into learning by incorporating technology in the classroom.

Google Chrome Extensions have been a lifesaver for so many teachers this past school year. Check out 10 must-have extensions you'll want!

More and more teachers are hopping on the "paperless classroom train" and it's no surprise that they are seeing amazing success. Their students are more

Integrating art and content in the ELA classroom. Tips and resources.

Check out these 5 No-Prep Reviews Games for any classroom or any subject! Click to see what no-prep review games you can add to your teacher toolbox!

Come learn about my FAVORITE technology tools for digital communication and collaboration with elementary students. Use these tools with Chromebooks, laptops, computers and some can even be used with iPads. Global learning is making its way into the classroom and we need to make sure our students are prepared so they can make the most of these authentic learning experiences!

Games are a tried and true way to engage students. Whether teaching in-person or remotely via a live session like Zoom or Google Meets, teachers know that games, brain breaks, and icebreakers are an awesome way to get students actively involved in learning. With the ever-changing landscape of education, I thought it might be nice to compile some versatile activities that challenge students in really fun ways. Best part? These activities are very low prep and work in a variety of settings. These activities encourage students to listen, solve problems, be creative, and practice critical skills. They're designed to be easy to do with little to no prep. You can easily add one of these games to any lesson as a warm-up, closure, community building activity, or lesson extender. GAMES & ACTIVITIES ⭐How Many? Give students a category and then challenge students to see how many different things they can fit within that classification. At first students will respond with obvious ideas. However, as they brainstorm, their ideas will stretch and their creativity will grow. Students can jot their ideas down on scrap paper and earn points for each unique response when they share out. Here are some categories to get started: occupations, things that are slimy, things that roll, animal noises, articles of clothing ⭐Listen Carefully: Read a short passage out loud to students. Then, have them answer questions based on what they can remember. Make it especially fun by awarding points for every answer that students get right. You can change up this activity by reading two versions of the same story. Mix up some of the details in the second version for students to listen for. Give this activity a try with the passages in this set of FREE Brain Bursts. Add your information below and then check your inbox! ⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟ ⭐Silly Silent Spelling: Practice spelling words in a super silly way. Explain to students that you are going to be giving them a practice spelling test (definitely NOT the real thing). Just like a typical practice test, they'll listen for the word and write it down. However, here's the catch: you're only going to silently mouth the words. Students will need to read your lips to figure out what word they will need to write down. Of course, figuring out a word from a silent cue is not easy. That's what makes this fun. Students will write down some wild guesses as they spell their way through this game. ⭐One Word: Pose a fun question to the class and have them all think of a one-word answer. Then, give every student a chance to share their responses as you call on each of them. Here are some questions to get started: --- If you were a type of dessert, what would you be? --- Where do you feel happiest? --- How would a soccer ball describe its day? --- Where is somewhere that you would like to visit? --- What would be the perfect gift for you? ⭐Mystery Item: This activity is quick and easy to play. To prepare, write 5 or 6 clues about an object. Make the clues gradually increase in their specificity. Then, read the clues to students as they jot down their guesses for the mystery item until you reveal the answer. ⭐Punchline: Start telling a joke to students, and then have them guess the punchline. Find a ton of jokes for kids here. ⭐Strike a Pose: Explain to students that they are going to pretend that they are in a photograph. They will need to imagine that the photo was taken at the height of the event. All they have to do is strike a pose after you give them a situation. For instance, you might say, "haunted house," and then students would freeze in a pose that shows them frightened or terrified. Here are a few situations to try: Dentist Office, Roller Coaster, Last Day of School, Scary Movie, Food Fight, Race ⭐Timed Writing Activities: Engage students with a creative writing prompt. Then, "amp up" the fun factor by adding a timed element. Challenge students to race the clock as they write as much as they can in a fixed time period. Find my favorite prompts here. ⭐And Then...: This is a listening game for the entire class. Students will need to listen to and add to a growing story. You'll start the story with an opener like, "At the zoo, I decided to open the lion's cage, and then..." Next, you'll call on a student to explain what happened next. That student will add one line and the phrase "and then" before selecting another student to add to the story. ⭐Listen and Draw: Students love this activity! To prepare, create a simple illustration filled with shapes and designs. Then, write out the directions for students. Have students complete the activity on a piece of paper. Read each direction to students and challenge them to replicate the illustration you instructed them to draw. (These are included in the exclusive freebie below.) ⭐Class Pet: Pretend that you have a new class pet. Explain to students that they will need to guess the type of animal. Students will need to ask questions and write their guesses on a piece of paper when they think they have figured out the new class pet. ⭐Add the Ending: Engage students as they practice writing and storytelling skills with this activity. First, students will listen to the beginning of a story that you read to them. Then, they'll take over the writing and complete the story. The story starters are a fun way to motivate students to write. ⭐Alien, Tiger, and Cat: Here's an improvisational theatre game that works in the classroom. Explain to students that they can be one of three things: an alien, a cat, or a tiger. If they choose to be an alien, they need to hold their pointer fingers next to their head (like antennae) and say "bleeb, bleeb." To be a cat, they need to rub their wrist along their face (like a cat cleaning itself) and say "meow." Finally, to be a tiger they need to push their hand forward with a claw stance and roar. On your cue, every student will choose and act like an animal. The goal is to get everyone to choose the same animal (which is nearly impossible, but fun to try). ⭐Rapid Recall: Create a list of random words. Then, read the list of words to students. As you read the words, you might have students put their hands on their heads so that you know for sure that they aren't taking notes. Once you've read the words to students once or twice, wait about a minute before letting students write down every word that they remember. (Find ready-made lists in this complete resource.) ⭐Finish the Fact: Share the beginning of a fact with students. Then, challenge them to complete the fact. Have them share their guesses before revealing the complete fact. Find a collection of random facts here. Want a free set of virtual classroom activities designed to be NO PREP and NO COPIES? Just add your name and email below. ⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟ BONUS: Here's one more idea: ⭐Paper Airplanes: Help students practice following directions by challenging them to fold a paper airplane by following your directions. To get started, choose a paper airplane design to have students fold. Then, have students take out a piece of paper. They'll need to listen carefully to each of your directions to make their paper airplane. Wishing you tons of fun in your (virtual) classroom, Mary Beth P.S. Find a TON of ready-made activities HERE.

Are you setting up Google Classroom for a new school year with new students? Then avoid these 5 mistakes! Discover and learn what mistakes to avoid.

Advice from three ESL teachers on the things regular classroom teachers can do to help English language learners thrive in mainstream classrooms.

With the success of my post about how to use google forms in the classroom I thought I would create a post for how to use Google Slides in the classroom. Google Slides is probably one of the most used Google tools in my classroom. I use Google Slides and Google Forms daily. Google Forms […]

Two truths and a lie, storytelling edition is one of the best ideas for ice breaker activities in the high school English classroom.

Using AI for back to school isn't as scary as it sounds. With the right prompts, you can use AI tools to save tons of time and effort for back to school!

Hi everyone, Lots of you, on Facebook and Instagram, have asked me about my centers. Today, I'm here to show you my daily center routine. I should tell you

Canva is FREE for teachers and students, and their templates are beautiful, user-friendly, and great for the classroom! In this 2-part series, Kasey shares 30+ ways to use FREE Canva templates in your classroom, including graphic organizers, choice boards, certificates, and more!

Students come to us on all different levels, which can be a challenge- 3 great ideas on how to teach a mutli-level class.

The best classroom setup ideas to get your class ready for back to school including the best classroom layout and desk arrangements.

We all know and love Kahoot, right? If you do not know about Kahoot then we have a few blog posts with tips and ideas to get you up to sp...

Guest blogger Jennifer Gonzalez proposes the In-Class Flip, a modified version of the flipped-learning model that incorporates the video lecture element as one of several stations that students visit during their class period.

Have you used QR Codes in the classroom yet? Here are a few easy ideas that will get you started using QR Codes in your classroom.

Do you need ideas for distance learning? Whether you use Google Meet or Zoom, these distance learning ideas for your online class meetings will keep your kids engaged.

Have you heard about Canva but still have no idea how to use Canva for Education? Keep reading below to learn about all the benefits of...

Keep your classroom organized, your sanity intact, and your social media channels popping.

5 Creative Uses for QR Codes in the Elementary Classroom

Looking for classroom decor ideas? Have a Cricut? Here's how to use your Cricut for the classroom. Decoration ideas included.

One of the great (and probably easiest) ways to gamify your teaching is through the use of game generators. These are tools that enable you to easily create various educational games without the need for any coding knowledge. And if you are wondering which tools to use, I have recommendations for you!

Looking to add a podcast or two to your classroom? Here are 13 kid approved podcasts for the classroom. Your students will love them!

There are a few elements to building influential student relationships. Keep on reading to find out the six keys to fostering strong connections in your classroom.

Happy Friday! The whirlwind of the back-to-school season has almost calmed in the Petty household. We’re almost settled into our crazy weekday routine of laying out clothes the night before, setting cell phone reminders, packing backpacks and lunches, ensuring that all dance, soccer, and piano requirements are ready to go, enjoying a nighttime read, and finding ... Read More about Cell Phones in the Classroom – My Policy

Quickly Create Custom Wordles for the Classroom

This post focuses on flexible seating in high school classrooms. Classroom design is based on brain research and the infusion of technology in the classroom.This post also shares what flexible seating IS and what it is NOT.

Today’s show is a little bit different y’all. I spent some time with 10 educators talking about 10 awesome ways to use Flipgrid in your classroom [LIVE from ISTE] at the Flipgrid booth. You won’t want to miss the big updates Flipgrid announced at ISTE that Adam “Short-Shorts” Goldberg shares! The educators that stood up to speak shared some amazing tips on how to get the most out of Flipgrid in your classroom. From using it to encourage collaboration on projects, creating global classrooms, and giving students a way to practice giving feedback, the tips were fantastic and unbelievably actionable.

If you were to walk into my classroom, there is a very good chance that music will be playing. Whether that be as background noise or as a classroom management tool, I cannot go without music in my classroom! Click HERE for all of my school appropriate playlists! Our kids now are stimulated 24/7 by all of the technology at their fingertips. They are watching Netflix, while Snapchatting, while playing a video game all at the same time! They go from an overstimulated environment at home, to school where they are expected to be quiet the majority of their day…

Classroom review is a lot more fun with the Four Corners game! I love using this strategy for test prep, icebreakers, and more.

Learn how you can get started with using green screen technology in your classroom. Lots of low budget options, apps, and software are shared!

What do you do for sub plans when you have to leave your Spanish students? Here are 3 ideas to keep your middle or high school classes moving forward and learning without a Spanish-speaking sub when you have to be out of the classroom! There are variations for with and without technology, and a FREE resource!

Games are fun. We love playing them, watching them and even creating them. But how can we bring elements of gameplay into our classroom in meaningful

After our onslaught of state-mandated testing was over, I wanted to start a classroom project the students could really take ownership of....