The first 5-15 minutes of class is often spent taking attendance, passing out papers, checking homework, etc...here's a way their laptops can keep them quiet and engaged from the moment the bell rings.... Set up a daily routine that requires the laptop FIRST THING...
Use your class page to post instructions for the day, and to provide links if needed. Set up a week/month of these at a time so you are on autopilot each day.
Make it something they must be accountable for, like a daily blog entry, Gizmo activity or QUIA quiz. Message board discussion/debate/reflection. Geography search/answer. Listening to a podcast with headphones then posting a relevant question. See Laura for more ideas!
Set a stop time so they must engage quickly and not waste time. You can always extend it if needed but keep that a secret :-)
This came up in one of my many quality discussions with Patty. I'd been noticing that many of our frosh/soph laptop students seem to feel they only belong in class on special occasions. Then when that special occasion arises, it's not charged, it's left at home, or they have not reported a repair issue to David. If they were using it regularly their classes EVEN FOR A FEW MINUTES for practice or reinforcement, they could be held more accountable for these things. And at the same time they are immediately on task, quite and engaged. And you have simply added a layer to your first 10 minutes without decreasing your "teaching"time.
More ideas include:
• Blog entry as a short write or journal exercise
• Google earth or Stratalogica search and q/a
• Message board post responding to a debate topic or challenge question
• Listen to a recorded podcast or video and respond via message board (language? Econ? Current events?)
• Math/science gizmo or online task
• Take a review quiz using a Google Form (fun and you view all the answers online)
• Watch TED.com selected “talk” then respond on message board or drop box
• Khan academy section for review or pre-teach
• Find inspiring video or photo and share on a class blog
• Create a wordle of something you are studying or reading
• Quietly read something online or that you posted on your class page before getting started
• Watch a youtube video of movie scene or play of the literature/historical period you are studying
• View art in a gallery, specifically from a country or time period or depicting an event
Use your class page to post instructions for the day, and to provide links if needed. Set up a week/month of these at a time so you are on autopilot each day.
Make it something they must be accountable for, like a daily blog entry, Gizmo activity or QUIA quiz. Message board discussion/debate/reflection. Geography search/answer. Listening to a podcast with headphones then posting a relevant question. See Laura for more ideas!
Set a stop time so they must engage quickly and not waste time. You can always extend it if needed but keep that a secret :-)
This came up in one of my many quality discussions with Patty. I'd been noticing that many of our frosh/soph laptop students seem to feel they only belong in class on special occasions. Then when that special occasion arises, it's not charged, it's left at home, or they have not reported a repair issue to David. If they were using it regularly their classes EVEN FOR A FEW MINUTES for practice or reinforcement, they could be held more accountable for these things. And at the same time they are immediately on task, quite and engaged. And you have simply added a layer to your first 10 minutes without decreasing your "teaching"time.
More ideas include:
• Blog entry as a short write or journal exercise
• Google earth or Stratalogica search and q/a
• Message board post responding to a debate topic or challenge question
• Listen to a recorded podcast or video and respond via message board (language? Econ? Current events?)
• Math/science gizmo or online task
• Take a review quiz using a Google Form (fun and you view all the answers online)
• Watch TED.com selected “talk” then respond on message board or drop box
• Khan academy section for review or pre-teach
• Find inspiring video or photo and share on a class blog
• Create a wordle of something you are studying or reading
• Quietly read something online or that you posted on your class page before getting started
• Watch a youtube video of movie scene or play of the literature/historical period you are studying
• View art in a gallery, specifically from a country or time period or depicting an event
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Thanks for your input!