Creating Dating/Friendship Profiles for Concepts, Characters, Vocabulary, and More

A year ago, at TCEA 2017, I attended a session presented by Andy Simpson, a Technology Specialist with Fort Worth ISD. The session was on Using Humor for Higher Order Thinking. There were a lot of fun and creative ideas presented, but the Dating / Friendship Profile concept stuck with me and I wanted to share (I don't know what took me so long). 

The idea behind the concept is to have students to use humor to create a dating or friendship profile for a concept they are learning about. Here is the example that he shared in the presentation:

Fun, right!?! This got me thinking that it doesn't need to be limited to just concepts, which might be something that he mentioned in the presentation, but I forgot. You can have students use this to create profiles for novel characters, historical figures, vocabulary words, math terms, and so much more. 

Have the students analyze the person/concept to really figure out the likes/dislikes, hobbies, skills, etc. Let the students get creative with how they present the information and definitely encourage humor as part of the profile.

Here is an example created by Suzy Pessia, a teacher at my school. She used this as a model for her health science students. Click here to see more of her students' creations. 

Google Drawing or Google Slides are excellent tools students can use to create these profiles. Here are a couple templates I created. Click on the links below the image and it will force you to make a copy of the template, so you can adjust as needed and share with your students. 

Make a copy of this template here

Make a copy of this template here

Let the students get creative and have fun with this project.

Creating Educational Memes

Memes are an image combined with text, used to make people think or laugh. Students know and love memes, so why not have them create their own educational memes on a concept they have just learned. 

Here is my example:

There are meme generator websites out there, but I have found that most are blocked with our school filter. If you are a Google district, have students use Google Drawing to create their meme. They can find an image free to use by going to Insert > Image > Search the Web. After the image has been added, they can add text boxes to write their blurb.  

Comic Strip Creation with Free Template

A creative way for students to demonstrate understanding of a concept, reading, etc. is for them to design a comic strip with the information. In order to create a comic strip the students must using higher order thinking skills and think critically about the information to use. 

There are websites out there, such as Storyboard That, that allow a limited free version, but I think Google Drawing or Google Slides is a perfect fit. Here is the comic strip template I created in Google Drawings. 

Share the template with students as a starting point and have them: 

• change the size and color of the boxes
   
• insert image

• add/delete speech bubbles

15 Integration Ideas for Teaching with Maps

Last Tuesday's #gafechat discussion I posed various scenario questions. One of the questions pertained to students learning about various locations in the world via maps. 

Here are the technology integration ideas that stemmed from our discussion. 

Have the students...

1. use Periscope to see the world through the eyes of someone else. (@AlexaSchlechter)
2. use My Maps to build collaborative maps with placemarks, video and images. (@alicebarr, @THLibrariZen, ShakeUpLearning, LISDTechie)
3. show the different locations with streets, buildings, etc. via Google Earth.(@MLunoff)
4. take a screenshot of the map using Awesome Screenshot Minus and annotate/add text. (@SPFTech_Treglia)
5. build a tour around the world using Google's TourBuilder, so they can add text, images, videos and more. (@jcalvert4, @LISDTechie)
6. add maps to a Google Drawing or Google Slides and collaboratively add information about the location. (@MLunoff)
7. build a map using Google Maps and a Fusion Table. (@VCSataylor)
8. explore the locations via Google Maps/Earth street level. (kilgoretech)
9. find locations via a scavenger hunt on Google Maps that ties to political and cultural geography. (@MattHarrisEdD)
10. use Screencastify to record a video explaining how they used websites to identify the locations. (@MLunoff)
11. identify locations via GeoGuessr, a game that requires you to guess a particular location based on street view. (@bluebutterflysm, @MathDenisNJ )
12. create an interactive map using batchgeo.com and Google Forms. (@kilgoretech)
13. label a map using Thinglink - a tool that allows you to add text, videos, images and more. (@curryhj2000, @AlexaSchlechter) 
14. use Google Cardboard to experience locations around the world. (@LISDTechie)
15. use Scribble Maps to build an interactive map. (@LISDTechie)

Here are some addition resources to help with your integration:

Around the World in 60 Minutes by Michelle Armstrong

Example using Fusion Table (shared by @VCSataylor)

Golden Treasure Series on Geography by Kasey Bell

Batchgeo.com and Google Forms tutorial

Tour Builder Information/Tutorial

Google Maps Information/Tutorial

Revision History: Great Feature in Google Drive

Revision history gives teachers and students a record of the additions, changes and deletions that are made on a Google document, spreadsheet, slide, or drawing. You must be an owner of editor of the file in order to access revision history. 

Here is a quick demonstration on how it works:

New Look When Sharing a Google Drawing

Google Drawing has changed its look when you go to share the file. Click here to see the changes.