The Great Thanksgiving Listen is an initiative that is encouraging and empowering students to create an oral history of the United States by recording interviews with their elders using the free Story Corps app. And while the program requires students be over 13 to publish their work using this specific app, the curricular ideas (check out the toolkit at the bottom of this page) can be modified and used by students of all ages. Discover more in this quick 1 minute video.

The best way to learn more about this movement is to listen to some the heartwarming, and sometimes heartbreaking, stories. Below is a video of one animated story, as well as a link to many of the stories Story Corps has captured over the years. You can sort the stories by collection (i.e. justice, military, parenthood, etc.), date, and more.

Check out the toolkit and podcast below. There are many great resources that you can put to use right away.

Do you want your students to connect with students outside the four walls of their classroom? Consider the value in a global learning community. Discover these amazing resources by watching the following brief introductory videos. When one of the programs sparks your interest and you want to learn more about it, check out the section below these videos to learn how to move forward and engage globally.

Learn more about using these tools to connect globally by watching the  following instructional videos.

Get started! Follow the links below to  connect globally with another classroom.

In short, HyperDocs are interactive, digital documents (i.e. Google Docs or Slides) containing links to activities, videos, and resources that drive and engage student learning. HyperDocs take the teacher lecturing in the front of the room  off stage and encourage students to follow the paths that ignite their curiosity. While students are navigating a HyperDoc playlist, the teacher is able to move about the classroom, working one-on-one or in small groups with students. Discover more in this short video created by West Ada School District, and check out this template for a visual.

How might HyperDocs support your curriculum? Could you create HyperDocs for fast finishers to access? Are you interested in modifying a unit so one day consists of student learning being guided by their choices? Or do you want to make HyperDocs a more regular part of your teaching? Learn more about how HyperDocs could change the way you teach by checking out the examples below. 

Check out the free templates and additional resources below.

Design Thinking is a framework that includes the following phases: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. Watch the video below and follow this link to discover more about the Design Thinking Process.

Learn ways you can integrate Design Thinking across your curriculum below:

The following are resources and books I have found to be inspiring:

​When I was a homeroom teacher, winter break marked the completion of many units and projects. Depending on where students were in the writing process, they would often publish their pieces before or after winter break. If your class is on the same page, the New Year will provide an opportunity to consider how your students will share their completed writing. In this post, I will present you with a variety of innovative ways for your students to publish and share their work with others, beginning with a few samples from my own students.

Below is an example of a student who wrote a biography and presented using a green screen to get in character.

Use foldables to create lapbooks. This works especially well with nonfiction. 

Feature student work with QR codes. In this example, the codes link to the students' finished research papers (linked online through a publishing site called Issuu) and 30 second video clips/commercials introducing their ancient Egypt topics. Scan the QR codes below or click here for a commercial and here for a writing piece.

Teach your students to be responsible digital citizens who are creators, not only consumres, of content. Create student blogs!

Now that I've shown you a few ways my students have published their writing, I will introduce you to samples from other teachers.

Use Stop Motion to animate and bring a story to life. Read Meghan Zigman's blog to learn how.

ChatterPix is a free app that makes a photo come to life with speech. Kids can draw, paint, or collage images. They can also find real photographs online.

Not all writing gets published; so by asking your students to publish their work, you will be presented with the opportunity to talk with your students about the differences between the writing we keep for ourselves and the writing we publish. By having your students share their writing with others, they will be held to a different standard of excellence, and they will rise to the occasion to publish their best work.

Still looking for ideas? Check out 5 more tips here.

Check out the endless possibilities with Makey Makey by watching the video below or heading over to the MakeyMakey website.

Give it a whirl with your students by following the lesson plan below.

Are you looking to build classroom community? Or are you embarking on a geography, history, or culture unit? A digital classroom quilt is the perfect way for students to get to know each other better. 

Follow these instructions create a classroom quilt in no time.

Use these attachments to seamlessly help your students produce Word Foto quilt squares. Be sure to check out the "For Students" section to find a video tutorial aimed directly at students. 

Watch  Veescope Live tutorials.

Replicate my biography unit, culminating in green screen presentations, or create something of your own!

Really great learning happens when things get a little messy. As a homeroom teacher, I like that. But, there is a delicate balance between messy learning and learning that turns into a mess. My goal is to keep learning meaningful and fun for my students while also manageable for me. Though I was always pulled to Genius Hour, part of me felt pushed away from it at the same time. I knew my students would LOVE researching their interests, but my worry was that they would all miraculously have the same interest: Minecraft! I wanted my students to push past that to find an abundance of authentic interests, and in turn have meaningful learning experiences. Thrively helped me to do just that!

Do you want help setting up and activating Thrively accounts for your students? Learn more by watching this tutorial.