10 End of the Year Activities for Elementary Students

(Edited: May 4th, 2025)

The end of the year is a challenging time for everyone. Whether you’re shuffling state mandated assessments, preparing to move into a new room, or just clinging onto whatever focus your students have left - it’s important to remember one thing: Don’t count down the days. Make them count! We reserve these activities for the last ten days of school. Our students love them, and we hope that yours will too!

Please note: This blog post was hand-crafted and was not created using AI.

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Virtual Reality Field Trip Day

Activity length: All Day

All that’s required to participate in our VR Field Trip Day is a computer / device and a wifi connection - no bus necessary! We wanted to make the experience unique, so the first stop our students make is the airport. They must “check in” before proceeding through “security.” Once they get through, they’ll see a departure sign indicating that all flights are now boarding. Time to head to the gate! Once the student arrive at the “gate” they will choose which destination they would like to visit. To head to that destination, students just click the image at the “gate” which will automatically take them there. Students can easily “hop on another flight” to a different destination (or go back to the tab that has the “gate” opened) at any time.

While they’re at their destinations, they can complete this packet. These activities may be done on paper/pencil/crayons or digitally. The students can add a picture of each destination in the polaroid frames (there are two pages: two pages with 5 frames, and one page with ten - just pick which one you want to use and delete the other), and include the location on the label. Students can also design a sticker to put on their suitcase for each destination. The sticker should describe the destination and should reflect what they saw on their trip. Next up is a pair of binoculars, where the student will illustrate or design an image of their favorite destination. It wouldn’t be a trip without a souvenir, so now they’ll have to design a t-shirt from one of the destinations they visited. Last but not least, double check to make sure that you have visited all ten locations!

Artist Day

Activity length: All Day

Artist Day is the day where we build the confidence of our artistic abilities. First up, we read about what artists do. There are several books available for free on Epic For Kids. We enjoyed reading: “Artist Studio,” and “A Squiggly Story.” Once we’ve read these, it’s time to put our skills to the test. We’ve curated some of our favorite drawing tutorials from YouTubers, “Art For Kids Hub.” The students can pick and choose which videos they would like to watch. Then, they illustrate these on blank pieces of paper. Check out one of the videos below, and be sure to find their other content on their YouTube page here.

The fun is only just beginning, though! Students can upload their illustrations to MetaDemoLab. This will scan their illustrations and create an animation of their work. But, let’s level up! Download the video file and then upload it to Canva as a video file. once it’s uploaded in Canva, remove the background. Then, add a different background of your choice. Now your illustration is wandering in a far away place! Check out the tutorial below to see how it all works!

Wild Life Day

Activity length: All Day

Wild Life Day is dedicated to learning about two related animals: Elephants and Manatees! We kick things off by watching back a previously recorded Flip (RIP!) Live event on Manatees from the Mote Aquarium. You can check out both events to the left and below! .

After watching, students use Canva, Google Slides, Powerpoint, Adobe Express, or paper to create an ideal manatee habitat. After that, we watch the second Flip event. This time the topic is Elephants brought to us by The Elephant Sanctuary. Afterwards, repeat the same activity, designing an ideal habitat for Elephants. Now, with both habitats in hand, share your designs on a Wakelet or Padlet board. Students can use the comments to explain what both animals need in the habitats and why it’s critical for their survival. Check out some of our student examples made in Canva below!

Dance Day

Activity length: 1-2 Hours

Q: What kind of music do rabbits like to dance to? A: Hip-hop! Dance Day is a day dedicated to self expression for all students. We start off by reading several books. We liked these from Epic for Kids: “Artist Studio Dance” and “Dance, Dance, Dance!” After reading through these, students create their own dance moves. They can practice their moves by using their device’s camera on Padlet. Then, when they’e ready, they can create a video tutorial on Padlet of how to do their dance, along with how it should look. After that, they can watch each other’s videos and learn one another’s dances!

Weather Day

Activity length: All Day

Weather Day is dedicated to all the types of weather that the summer months bring. We’ll focus on: Thunder & Lightning, Wild Fires, Tornadoes and Hurricanes. Epic for Kids has a TON of content on each of these categories, but to save you some time, we’ve curated collections of each below. Click on an image to download the collection.

We like to have the students work in groups for these activities. Give each student a copy of the packet found here. Students pick one type of weather and then they’ll take turns reading through the books on Epic. When they find important details, they can screen shot them and add them into a collaborative Wakelet collection (see below). Using the content they have collected, they can choose important details about their weather type. These can be recorded on the circle map. We encourage the students to narrow down their facts to 6 key details. These six details can then be recorded onto the flow map. The next page has the students providing a five day forecast. Students can draw images on each day, and predict a high and low temperature. The last two pages are called the “teleprompter” pages. This is where students can create a script to read as if they were a meteorologist providing a forecast. This script can be used to create a weather video.

To find your local weather radar, type “_____(my state)____ weather radar gif” on google. Then, click on images to generate GIF files of your local radar. Right click and save the image of your choice, but remember to provide credit from the original source. To create a meteorologist video, students can use Canva, WeVideo, Adobe Express or Do Ink’s Green Screen. Simply upload the GIF file as the background, then add a green screen video of your student as the foreground layer. If you’re using Canva, remove the background of the student, and now they will appear in the weather radar. If you’re using WeVideo or Do Ink, just set the chroma key to the appropriate green color.

Once students have created their video, they can share their work on a Padlet or Wakelet board. Doing so will allow them to view each other’s work and easily provide an opportunity for you to share student work with families.

Water Day

Activity length: 2-3 hours

Water day is the day that we learn about some of the ocean’s most endearing creatures: Sea Turtles! We’ll start off the day by reading some books on Sea Turtles. You can download an entire collection of books from Epic by clicking here.

After we’ve built up some background knowledge, we’ll watch this Flip (RIP!) Live Event from The Mote Aquarium on Sea Turtles. Click here for the event!

After the event, we have our students design Sea Turtle hatching warning posters on Canva. There are lots of inspiring templates to help get the creative juices flowing. Just search for “turtle poster.” These can be shared around school to raise awareness and encourage students to be respectful while visiting beaches over the summer months.

To top everything off, we enjoy spending some time on this website. The Deep Sea starts at the surface of the ocean and plunges deep below, giving facts about different depths in the water. You can check it out by clicking on the image to the right, or right here!

Create Day

Activity length: 2-3 hours

Create Day is best paired with the book, “I Need My Own Country,” by Rick Walton. In this book, the readers are encouraged to create a very special place of their own, by you guessed it - creating their own country! You can get a preview of the book by clicking here, and purchase the book by clicking here.

After reading the book, students can complete the “I Need My Own Country” packet. This may be done digitally or on paper. First, students will design a flag for their country. Then, they’ll illustrate what their currency will look like. Last, they’ll assign jobs to their family / friends. After they’ve developed their country, it’s time to invite tourists! Create a commercial on Canva that encourages people to visit your country. Download your video, then share it on either Wakelet or Padlet. This will allow students to share each other’s country and even vote for “the most desired vacation spot!”

We know that some students will finish an activity like this before others, so here’s an idea for those who do…Let them design the next iPhone! Check out this website, “Design the Next iPhone,” and your students will become the creators of tomorrow’s technology! Check it out by clicking here or the image below!

Wonder Day

Activity length: 2-3 hours

Wonder Day is for any child who has ever asked “Why?” — and any adult who has attempted an explanation. We kick things off with another read aloud. Today’s selection is called “Just Because,” by Mac Barnett. This is a storybook for dreamers who are looking for answers beyond “Just because.” You can preview the book by clicking here, and purchase it by clicking here.

Next up, students brainstorm some of their biggest wonders. They can ask questions similar to what they read about in “Just Because,” like, “why do birds fly south for the winter?” Don’t worry, most of these same questions can be answered on one of our favorite websites: Wonderopolis! Click here to head to the website, and then search for the questions found in the book. Students can read these on their own (Immersive Reader can help them!), or try reading some as a while group.

After that, we watch Flip’s Live Event with the Mote Aquarium entitled, “Does it Snow in the Ocean?” This event describes what ocean animals do during the winter. Students will learn more about animals like sharks, sea turtles and reptiles. You can watch the event by clicking here.

Last up, we log onto a Padlet board and have a little bit of fun. We call this activity, “Wrong Answers Only.” In this topic, students post questions (like the ones covered today) and then classmates respond to their video with the wrong answer. It’s a little silly, but encourage the students to get creative with their responses. Make the poster wonder if that could actually be true!

NASA Day

Activity length: All Day

How do you go about hosting NASA Day? You “planet!” Get ready for an out-of-this-world day! NASA Day is the day is dedicated to all things space. We kick things off by reading some books about NASA astronauts. Check out our collections by clicking on the images below, or here (Mae Jemison), here (Buzz Aldrin), and here (Neil Armstrong).

After we gain some knowledge about these astronauts, we read two space-themed books: “Earthrise” by James Gladstone, and “Eight Days Gone” by Linda McReynolds. “Earthrise” highlights the Apollo 8 mission which captured the iconic photo of Earth rising from the rear of the moon. “Eight Days Gone” is about the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. You can preview “Earthrise” by clicking here, and purchase it by clicking here. You can preview “Eight Days Gone” by clicking here, and purchase it by clicking here.

After reading both books, students can re-create the Apollo 11 moon landing on Canva. They can take things to the next level by animating the astronauts, gear, or maybe even a passing comet or two! Have them explain what occurred, then they can download the project as a video. Next, save the video and then share it to Microsoft Flip. Students will be able to view each other’s work and share their thinking.

Now that they have some background knowledge, invite them to blast off on a mission to the International Space Station! All that you need is a computer / device and wifi. This website will take them on a VR tour throughout the entire space station. It also includes hotspots, or areas where additional information may be accessed. Click here to access the VR Reality Tour!

Another fun activity for learning all about launching into outer space is this website from Neal.fun. “Space Elevator” takes you from ground zero, all thee way into outer space - explaining sharing facts along the way. Click here or the image to the right to check it out! Lastly, if you students are having a hard time grasping

the size of space, or objects in space, let them check out this website. “The Size of Space” sequentially places all things space related. Check it out by clicking on the image to the left, or right here!

Adventure Day

Activity length: 2 hours

Adventure Day is the day where students get to travel around the world being tourists! The Adventure Day menu features tourist attractions like The Georgia Aquarium, Eiffel Tower, Boston’s Children Museum, National Portrait Gallery and more! Click here or the image to the left to access the Adventure Day page!

While visiting these destinations, students can complete the packed either digitally or on paper. The packet features tickets where students can explain where they visited, picture frames for students to illustrate photos, a coffee cup souvenir, and a fanny pack where they can design commemorative buttons for each location. To download the pack, click here!

-- Please follow us on social media and tag us with how you’re using these end-of-the-year activities in your classroom! 👓👗

For more tips, tricks and lesson ideas for making learning more interACTIVE, check out our books The InterACTIVE Class and Flipgrid in the InterACTIVE Class on Amazon!

15 Things to Embed to Make Content Easier to Access!

Embedding apps is a great way to keep your content organized, but more importantly, it can help keep your students focused when working on tasks. The option to embed from apps is becoming increasingly more popular, and you may even be able to embed some of the apps you’re using right now! Here are 15 different ways we love to embed!

Please note: This blog post was hand-crafted and was not created using AI.

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What does it mean to embed something?

According to BigCommerce.com, Embedding refers to the integration of links, images, videos, gifs and other content into social media posts or other web media. Embedded content appears as part of a post and supplies a visual element that encourages increased click through and engagement. The key takeaway here is that your embedded content appears to be a part where you are posting it. In other words, it’s being housed by wherever you are placing it.

Embedding & Hyperlinking

So why embed over hyperlink? By embedding your content, your students will not have to leave one app to visit another to complete a task. Everything is organized and in one place. Hyperlinking your content is not a bad thing, it just adds another step for students. Embedding creates a streamlined experience. So, let’s take a look at what some of our favorite embedding combos look like!

Padlet Embedded into Canvas

Take your Padlet boards and place them right into a Canvas page! Here’s how:

1. Create or find the Padlet board that you’d like to share, then click on the share icon.

2. Click on Embed in your blog or website.

3. Click Copy Padlet embed code.

4. In the Canvas page, click the cloud icon (if you don’t see a cloud icon, click the three dots to expand the toolbar).

5. In the pop up window, paste the copied embed code from Padlet then click the blue “Submit” button.

6. Your Padlet board is now embedded into your Canvas page! Click “Save” to keep the changes.

Padlet Embedded into Book Creator

Adding your Padlet boards into Book Creator can help keep track of student work. Here’s how!

1. Create or find the Padlet board that you’d like to share, then click on the share icon.

2. Click on Embed in your blog or website.

3. Click Copy Padlet embed code.

4. Log into Book Creator, then open or start a new book. In the book, click on the + icon, followed by “More.” Scroll down until you see “Embed,” then click it.

5. Paste the copied embed code from Padlet, then click “Confirm.”

6. The Padlet board is now embedded into the book.

This embed is only a hyperlink out to the Padlet board. While it will not allow students to interact with the Padlet content directly in the book, it will provide an organized way to revisit your Padlet boards.

Padlet Embedded into Classroom Screen

What is Classroom Screen?

Classroom Screen is a free tool (with a paid option) that educators can use to project in front of the class. Users can pick a background to be projected from a collection of images, animated gifs, or upload their own image. Classroom Screen provides many options to add to your background such as: a timer, random name generator, sound level alarms, and our personal favorite - embedding.

With Classroom Screen, you can set a class timer to give students time to create, then give them additional time to respond. This alleviates stress that students may face when trying to finish their work. With Classroom Screen’s embed feature, you can add a Padlet board right into your Classroom Screen. Here’s how it works:

1. Open the Padlet board that you want to embed, then click the share icon.

2. Click on Embed in your blog or website.

3. Click Copy Padlet embed code.

4. Launch Classroomscreen, then click More located on the bottom toolbar. Then, click Embed.

5. Paste the embed code, then click Run Code.

6. Now, the Padlet board is embedded into the Classroomscreen workspace.

This is a true embed - meaning users can interact with it in real time. So, educators can embed this into a Classroomscreen workspace, start a timer, and then the embed will refresh itself so that every time new content gets added, it appears on the screen.

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Nearpod Embedded into Canvas

(Note: this requires a paid Nearpod account and the use of Student Paced lessons. It will not work with “Live participation” lessons)

Nearpod users can now expedite the login procedure for their students by embedding lessons right into Canvas. Doing so will eliminate the need for a join code. Here’s how it all works:

1. Open the desired Nearpod lesson that you would like to embed into Canvas.

2. Click on “Student-Paced.”

3. On the next window, click the Embed icon.

4. In the Embed window, select a preferred embed code size. We recommend large. Then, click copy.

5. In a separate tab, open the Canvas page that you would like to embed the Nearpod lesson into.

6. Click on the cloud icon which will open the embed menu (if you don’t see the cloud icon, click on the three dots to the right of the menu bar).

7. Paste your copied embed code into the box, then click “Submit.”

8. Your Nearpod lesson will now be embedded into Canvas. Click “Save” to update the changes.

9. Now, the lesson will be available for your students via Canvas!

Wakelet Embedded into Canvas

Share your Wakelet Collections right within Canvas! This live embed will allow students to make changes to the Wakelet collection without having to re-embed it afterwards. In other words, changes will be available as they are made - without having to go through this process again. Here’s how it all works:

(Note: Your Wakelet Collection must be set to “Public” in order for you to embed it)

1. In a Wakelet Collection, click the “Share” button, then click “Embed.”

2. Chose your preferred settings, then click “Copy Embed Code.”

3. In a separate tab, open the Canvas page that you would like to add the Wakelet Collection to. Then, click on the cloud icon.

4. In the embed window, paste your copied code from Wakelet. Then, click submit.

5. Your Wakelet collection is now embedded into the Canvas page! Click on “Save” to update the changes.

Canva Embedded into Canvas

Embedding Canva into Canvas will take your Canva creations live on any Canvas page! This live embed means that anything that you update on the Canva end will automatically update on the Canvas end. So, if you make changes to the Canva creation, you won’t have to worry about re-embedding it! Here’s how it all works:

1. Open a Canva creation, then click on the three dots located on the top right side of the screen.

2. In the search bar, type “embed,” then click the embed icon.

3. In the next window, click “Embed” to take the creation live.

4. A few options will open up on the next window. Click and copy the HTML embed code (the smart embed will only work on selected platforms, so the HTML code is a safer route).

5. In a separate tab, open the Canvas page that you would like to add the Canva creation to. Then, click on the cloud icon (if you don’t see the Cloud icon, click the three dots to expand the menu bar).

6. In the embed window, paste your copied code from Canva. Then, click submit.

7. Your Canva creation is now embedded into the Canvas page! Click on “Save” to update the changes.

Buncee Embedded into Canvas

Buncee creations can be added to Canvas, too! There’s a lot of embed options (which we love!), so you have complete control of how things look and work. Options include autoplay and dimensions of the embed. Here’s how it all works:

1. Open a Buncee, then click the “Share” button located in the upper right side of the screen.

2. A new window will pop up. Click on “Code.”

3. Under “Code” click “+ Show Options.”

4. Select your preferred embed size (there are also options to autoplay the Buncee).

5. Then, in the same window, click “Copy” next to the Embed Code bar.

6. In a separate tab, open the Canvas page that you would like to add the Buncee creation to. Then, click on the cloud icon (if you don’t see the Cloud icon, click the three dots to expand the menu bar).

7. In the embed window, paste your copied code from Buncee. Then, click submit.

8. Your Buncee creation is now embedded into the Canvas page! Click on “Save” to update the changes.

Ed Puzzle Embedded into Canvas

Ed Puzzle is a video assessment platform tool that allows teachers to find or create videos and then generate questions that go along with the video. The result is an engaging formative assessment that your students will actually like! Keeping Ed Puzzle embedded into Canvas will help keep everything organized in the same place. Here’s how it all works:

(note: You will need to set up a class in Ed Puzzle prior to the steps below)

1. Select. the video that you would like to embed from Ed Puzzle.

2. Click “Assign”

3. Select the class that you would like to assign the video to, then click “Assign.”

4. On the next screen, click “Share assignment.”

5. (Optional: We recommend changing the embed code size to large) Under Embed Code, click “Copy code.”

6. In a separate tab, open the Canvas page that you would like to add the EdPuzzle video to. Then, click on the cloud icon (if you don’t see the Cloud icon, click the three dots to expand the menu bar).

7. In the embed window, paste your copied code from Ed Puzzle. Then, click submit.

8. Your Ed Puzzle video is now embedded into the Canvas page! Click on “Save” to update the changes.

PowerPoint Embedded into Canvas

Do you have a PowerPoint deck that you’d like to give your students so that they can follow along? Embedding it into your LMS is the perfect way to deliver that content while keeping everything organized. Here’s how to embed PowerPoint decks into Canvas:

(Note: You will need to use PowerPoint Online (a Microsoft 365 account) to use this embed. You may also need to adjust your share settings for this to work correctly)

1. In your PowerPoint online deck, click File.

2. Next, click “Share” then click “Embed.”

3. On the next screen, select your preferred embed size. Then, copy the Embed code.

4. In a separate tab, open the Canvas page that you would like to add the PowerPoint deck to. Then, click on the cloud icon (if you don’t see the Cloud icon, click the three dots to expand the menu bar).

5. In the embed window, paste your copied code from PowerPoint Online. Then, click submit.

6. Your PowerPoint deck is now embedded into the Canvas page! Click on “Save” to update the changes.

Google Slides Embedded into Canvas

Google Slides users can get in on the embedding fun, too! In just several clicks, you can take your Google Slides deck and embed them into Canvas. Here’s how:

1. In your Google Slide deck, click “File,” then click “Publish to the web.’

2. Click on Embed, then select your preferred settings. Once you have everything set, click “Publish.” (If you’re asked if you are sure you want to publish, say “yes or ok.”)

3. On the next screen, copy your embed code.

4. In a separate tab, open the Canvas page that you would like to add the Google Slides deck to. Then, click on the cloud icon (if you don’t see the Cloud icon, click the three dots to expand the menu bar).

5. In the embed window, paste your copied code from Google Slides. Then, click submit.

6. Your Google Slides deck is now embedded into the Canvas page! Click on “Save” to update the changes.

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Wakelet Embedded into OneNote

You don’t need an LMS (learning management system) to embed apps. If you’re a Microsoft user, you can embed Wakelet collections right into a OneNote file. The best part of all - this is a ⚡️LIVE⚡️ embed, meaning that any changes made to the Wakelet collection will automatically change in the OneNote file. Additionally, you can embed multiple Wakelet collections into one - OneNote file. Here’s how it all works:

1. In a Wakelet Collection, copy the URL located at the top.

2. In a separate tab, open the OneNote file that you would like to add the Wakelet Collection to. Then, paste the URL anywhere on the OneNote file.

3. Press enter to start the live embed.

4. Repeat this process to add additional collections to the OneNote file.

Buncee Embedded into OneNote

This embed takes the cake as the most creative! Most embedding is done on the educators end, but not this one (although educators can definitely do it, too). With the Buncee and OneNote embed, students have the ability to take their Buncee creations and share them in one central location for others to see. Here’s how it all works:

1. Open a Buncee, then click the “Share” button located in the upper right side of the screen.

2. A new window will pop up. Click on “Code.”

3. Under “Code” and next to Link, click “Copy.”

4. In a separate tab, open the OneNote file that you would like to add the Buncee creation to. Then, paste the URL anywhere on the OneNote file.

5. Press enter to start the live embed.

6. Repeat this process to add additional Buncees to the OneNote file.

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Canva Embedded into Classroom Screen

Need to post your directions on the board? Perhaps you need a timer to go along with it? This embed will be your saving grace! Embed your Canva creations right into Classroom Screen. Here’s how:

1. Open a Canva creation, then click the three dots.

2. In the drop down, type “embed.”

3. Click the “Embed” icon.

4. On the next frame, click the “Embed” button. This will take your creation “live.”

5. Now, next to HTML Embed Code, click “Copy.”

6. In a separate tab, head over to ClassroomScreen.com and start a new screen (or open an old one).

7. With your Classroom Screen open, click on “Media” from the menu options running along the bottom of the screen.

8. A new window will open. Click “Embed.”

9. Click inside the embed area and paste your Canva code.

10. With the code pasted, click on “Run code.”

11. Your Canva creation will now appear! You can move the Canva creation around by clicking on the arrows (located at the bottom), or stretch the creation out by clicking the arrow on the bottom right - then dragging it to the desired location.

12. Now, Canva is embedded into Classroom Screen!

Buncee Embedded into Classroom Screen

Buncee creations can also be embedded into Classroom Screen! This is great if you have different tasks that you share for your student to perform daily. For example, if you have different tasks for multiple groups, you can create a Buncee and then share it on the Classroom Screen background. Here’s how it all works:

1. Open the Buncee creation that you want to embed, then click “Share.”

2. In the pop-up, click “Code.”

3. Click “+Show Options” and then select your preferred size.

4. Once you have selected your size, click “Copy” next to the Embed Code bar.

5. In a separate tab, head over to ClassroomScreen.com and start a new screen (or open an old one).

6. With your Classroom Screen open, click on “Media” from the menu options running along the bottom of the screen.

7. A new window will open. Click “Embed.”

8. Click inside the embed area and paste your Buncee code.

9. With the code pasted, click on “Run code.”

10. Your Canva creation will now appear! You can move the Buncee creation around by clicking on the arrows (located at the bottom), or stretch the creation out by clicking the arrow on the bottom right - then dragging it to the desired location.

11. Now, Buncee is embedded into Classroom Screen!

Wakelet Embedded into Classroom Screen

This embed is great if you need to post several different Wakelet collections in the same place. For example, you could group your students and then provide differentiated tasks on Wakelet - all of which are embedded onto Classroom Screen. Here’s how it all works:

(Note: you will need to make your Wakelet collection either Public or Unlisted for this to work)

1. In a Wakelet collection, click the “Share” button.

2. In the pop-up window, click “Embed.”

3. Select your preferred settings, then click “Copy Embed Code.”

4. In a separate tab, head over to ClassroomScreen.com and start a new screen (or open an old one).

5. With your Classroom Screen open, click on “Media” from the menu options running along the bottom of the screen.

6. A new window will open. Click “Embed.”

7. Click inside the embed area and paste your Wakelet code.

8. With the code pasted, click on “Run code.”

9. Your Wakelet collection will now appear! You can move the Wakelet collection around by clicking on the arrows (located at the bottom), or stretch the collection out by clicking the arrow on the bottom right - then dragging it to the desired location.

10. Now, Wakelet is embedded into Classroom Screen!

11. BONUS: You can add multiple Wakelet embeds onto the same Classroom Screen!

-- Let us know if you’re using any of these ideas in your classroom! Be sure to follow us on social media (@TheMerrillsEDU everywhere) and tag us! 👓👗

For more tips, tricks and lesson ideas for making learning more interACTIVE, check out our books The InterACTIVE Class and Flipgrid in the InterACTIVE Class on Amazon!

Tips, Tricks and Templates to Use with Microsoft this Fall!

Teaching throughout the pandemic was the world’s greatest PD event for educators. But, now that most of us are gearing up to return to in-person learning next year, how can we continue to use some of the technology and tools that we learned about throughout remote learning? How do tools like Microsoft Teams, Word and PowerPoint still fit into every day use in a “normal” classroom setting? It’s something that is on all of our minds entering next year. So, to help, we’ve created a video series dedicated to helping! We’ll share two new tips, tricks and/or templates per week from now until the end of July - just in-time for the new school year. Check everything out below!

(click on any subheading to jump to that section)

• Automatically Convert a Word Document into a PowerPoint

• Using Dictation in Microsoft Tools

• Ways to Use Microsoft’s Whiteboard in the Classroom

• Monitoring Social and Emotional Learning with Microsoft EDU

• Using Immersive Reader in PowerPoint

Also, check out our recommended blog posts and tutorials:

• How to Embed Nearpod Presentations into Microsoft Teams

• How to Make a Custom Microsoft Teams Background

• 6 InterACTIVE Ways to Use Microsoft Forms

• How to Use Reading Progress

• Creating a Virtual Classroom with Microsoft Teams

• Number Talks in Microsoft Teams

How to Convert a Word Document into a PowerPoint

Teaching writing throughout the pandemic was probably one of the hardest subjects for us both. With students both in-person and virtual, we had to rely on Microsoft Word to produce student artifacts that could be transferred digitally (and edited if need be). This trick helped take our students writing and “publish” it into something that they could edit, create and share. The result was something that everyone could be proud of! Learn how it all works below!

Using Dictation in Microsoft Tools

Dictation can now be found in many of Microsoft’s tools. Learn where to find it and how your students can take advantage of this feature below!

Ways to Use Microsoft’s Whiteboard in the Classroom

Microsoft’s Whiteboard is perfect for collaboration and real-time creative thinking. Learn how you can integrate this into your classroom immediately!

Monitoring Social and Emotional Learning with Microsoft EDU

Learn how this Microsoft tool can help you monitor your students’ feelings in just a few clicks! Reflect will help both you and your students returning back to school this fall!

Using Immersive Reader in PowerPoint

Immersive Reader can now be found in PowerPoint! This impressive technology can read out loud any text on the slides and can even translate it into different languages, making your content accessible to all! Learn how it all works in PowerPoint below!

Recommended Blog Posts
and Tutorials:

How to Embed Nearpod Presentations into Microsoft Teams

Organization in any classroom is key and with this tip, you’ll be able to keep your Nearpod presentations embedded right into Microsoft Teams. Check out our blog post and tutorial below for more info!

How to Make a Custom Microsoft Teams Background

Microsoft Teams is constantly providing updates to its platform, but the latest is one that users have been begging for: the ability to upload your own backgrounds. Now, you can create a personalized scene and Teams will virtually place you directly into your image. Learn how it all works and find a free background from our curated list!

6 InterACTIVE Ways to Use Microsoft Forms

There are many hidden gems within Microsoft EDU, and Microsoft Forms is one of them! Here are six interACTIVE ways you can use them!

How to Use Reading Progress

Learn how Microsoft is revolutionizing how educators administer running records and assess their students reading skills. NO MORE RUNNING RECORDS!

Creating a Virtual Classroom with Microsoft Teams

With the help of Microsoft Teams we can expand our classroom walls and bring our students into a different type of interACTIVE learning environment. Learn how to do more with Microsoft Teams!

Number Talks in Microsoft Teams

Are you looking for ways to improve mental math and fact fluency with your students? Then, Number Talks may be the perfect exercise for your class! Pair this activity with Microsoft Teams for full-on engagement!

Check out the entire video series below!

Check back soon for more updates and be sure to follow us on social media or join our mailing list to be the first to know when new content is posted!

-- Stay tuned for more on how to use Microsoft tools in your classroom! Be sure to follow us on social media (@TheMerrillsEDU everywhere) for more! 👓👗

For more tips, tricks and lesson ideas for making learning more interACTIVE, check out our books The InterACTIVE Class and Flipgrid in the InterACTIVE Class on Amazon!

Create Your Own Breakout Game Using Wakelet, Buncee and Flipgrid!

What does Wakelet, Flipgrid and Buncee all have to do with each other? The answer is alot! But, in this post, you’ll learn how to connect all of these tools to create a truly unique experience for your students: A Breakout!

In this blog post you’ll learn:

(Click on any subheading to jump to that section)

• How to Set Up Wakelet for Branching

• How to Add Buncee into Your Wakelet Collection

• Setting Up Flipgrid for a Wakelet Student Breakout Game

• Download the 🔥FREE🔥 Wakelet Collections

• See it in Action: Classroom images and video from the Wakelet, Buncee and Flipgrid Breakout Challenge

How to Set Up Wakelet for Branching

The key to setting up your Wakelet / Buncee / Flipgrid challenge is using branching, which allows you to send users to different questions depending on their previous answers. For example, if you have a multiple choice question, the correct answer will take you on a different path then the incorrect answers. This is how the Wakelet collections need to be set up.

Start off by mapping out how you want your branching to work. Where will your students go when they answer correctly? Where will they end up if they answer incorrectly? Here’s an example of the beginning stages of what ours looked like (this obviously evolves as you go on).

Once you have your branching and mapping figured out, it’s time to start building the Wakelet collections. Start off by building your first collection by calling it, “Challenge 1.” On Challenge 1, students are given a question and four different answer choices. We recommend keeping the first challenge relatively easy, this was your students feel confident and remain engaged early on.

Before you save everything, be sure to click on the settings icon located on the top left. Make sure you have toggled the Collaboration feature on. Doing so will allow your students to leave work for others to see. This is handy if you have students that might struggle and could use a helping hand from their friends.

When we toggle this feature on, we ask that our students share their strategies - but do NOT share their final answers (for example, they work out that 2+2 = a mystery number - never giving away the answer). This step is completely optional, and you may decide that you don’t want this feature enabled. It’s totally up to you!

Now that you have your first challenge created, you will need to create two additional Wakelet collections - one for the correct answer and one for the incorrect answer. When creating the incorrect collection, be sure to provide a link back to the previous challenge (so that your students can try again). When setting up the correct response, you will want to include the next challenge below the “correct” answer. This is also where your students can be tipped off on what is to come (the first letter of the term “Flipgrid” changes color - indicating that they will need to answer the challenges correctly in order to change the color of each letter in the word. Now they are ready to move onto the next challenge. Repeat the steps above as needed!

How to Add Buncee into Your Wakelet Collection

One of the best integrations with Wakelet is with Buncee. Educators (or students) can post a “live” Buncee into a Wakelet collection. So, in this example we have placed a Buncee project right into Wakelet (copy the share link from Buncee clicking “code”). The students use the hyperlinked items from Buncee to click and find the correct answer. In our example, we chose the books as the correct answer. But, we made the challenge a little more interesting…most students thought the correct answer was “books,” but it was actually the number 8. So, when the students got to the final step, they weren’t able to get in unless they figured out that there was 8 books and needed to use the number 8 instead of the term “books.” This may not have been obvious to them at first, because clicking on the books lead them to the next challenge - indicating that they had the correct response. It was just a fun little twist to throw at them! See if you can figure it out below! 😜

Someone has come into the classroom and left a mess! There are clues everywhere! See if you can solve this puzzle:

I have letters and numbers but I’m not a computer keyboard

I’m sometimes stored in a case but I’m not a cellphone

I contain paper but I’m not a ring binder

I have a cover but I’m not a pillow

Lunch? No thanks. We already eight.

Click on the image that you think is the correct answer. Be careful!

Setting Up Flipgrid for a Wakelet Student Breakout Game

Once you have all of your Wakelet collections / challenges set up, you’ll need to set up a new Group on Flipgrid. From the educators dashboard, slide the toggle button onto Groups. Then, click the blue “Create a Group” button. Enter the information accordingly, then under permissions select Student Username. For the first and last name use something generic like Winner Winner. The next step is important! For the username, enter all of the numbers of the Wakelet challenges. So, if you used 2+2 for challenge 1, 3+3 for challenge 2 and 4+4 for challenge 3, you would enter: 468 (and so on). Set your preferred notifications, then click the blue “Create Group” button.

In your new group, create a new Topic by clicking on the blue “Create a Topic” button. This will be where your students will end up once they crack the code. In our example, we had the students do something fun - show us a victory dance! It was a fun way for us to see who was able to successfully complete the challenge and add some more engagement.

Another tip: you will want to either delete or hide the auto generated Flipgrid Topic that gets created when you start a new Group. Deleting or hiding this topic will guarantee that your students land on the appropriate Topic (since there will only be one Topic in the group). Once you have this set up, you are ready to share your challenge with your students!

Download the 🔥FREE🔥 Wakelet Collections

A bit confused about the above? Short on time? We’ve got you! You can download ALL of the Wakelet collections by clicking here or the image below! Tip: You will need to edit the link to the final Flipgrid challenge with the link to your own Flipgrid Group.

Also, this is a live collection. Please do not add any content, as it could mess up the experience for others.

See it in Action: Classroom images and video from the Wakelet, Buncee and Flipgrid Breakout Challenge

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-- Stay tuned for more on how to use Wakelet breakout activities in your classroom! Planning on trying this out? We’d love to see how you’re using it! 👓👗

For more tips, tricks and lesson ideas for making learning more interACTIVE, check out our books The InterACTIVE Class and Flipgrid in the InterACTIVE Class on Amazon!

Holiday Wishes with Wakelet

The holiday season is one of magic, and this year especially we see many unrolling that magic earlier than normal. In addition to the lights and holiday music, many already have their personal decorations up and waiting for the special day. With all the confusion and craziness around, why not make one thing easier—holiday wish lists! With Wakelet, this fun tradition can be modernized and updated for the digital age.

Creating a wishlist is easy with Wakelet’s friendly platform. Simply log in, and begin by creating a new collections. Name it and add some fun holiday flare or the photo of the person it belongs to. (This is great if you are going to make several for various family members) Once you have the initial set up complete adding items to the wishlist can be done by hitting the green plus sign. Users can add links (great for things we fine while searching through social media) or add text and just write in and explain the gift ideas personally.

Tip: When adding links and other forms of media, try adding in specific information for the gift such as size, color. etc.

When finished, before clicking DONE and saving the list you will want to change it from PRIVATE to either UNLISTED or PUBLIC depending on how you are going to share it. If you are just sending the links to loved ones, then you could keep it unlisted and the list will only been seen by those who it was sent to. Public will make it viewable to everyone who comes across it.

If creating lists as a family, try taking each individual collection and putting them together in their own space. Follow these steps:

1. From the Wakelet educators dashboard, click on “+” sign

2. Add a Space name, then click the green Create button!

Using Wakelet for wishlists could be used in so many ways. Think small and create and share between your immediate family, or think larger by using for a school wide Secret Santa or for a fun way to shower a teacher with small gifts she handpicked herself.

And if you are one who loves the traditional hand written wishlist, any Wakelet collection can be downloaded as a PDF and printed as well!

Stay #interACTIVE!

-👗➕🕶️

For more tips, tricks and lesson ideas for making learning more interACTIVE, check out our book The InterACTIVE Class on Amazon!

12 Ways to Use Wakelet Spaces!

“Spaces” is here and we are REALLY excited about it! “Spaces” is Wakelet’s brand new organization and collaboration feature. In this blog post you’ll learn:

(click on any subheading to jump to that section)

💥What are Wakelet’s “Spaces?”

💥How to Create a Space on Wakelet

💥How to Add Members / Contributors to Spaces

💥 12 Ways to Use Wakelet Spaces

💥What are Wakelet’s “Spaces?”💥

Wakelet’s “Spaces” is an organization and collaboration feature that is built directly into the Wakelet platform. With just several clicks, users can create a “space” to house content to be shared. Now users with lots of collections in their Wakelet accounts can move content around into a Space that is applicable, keeping everything tidy and clean. Collections can be moved into a Space by hovering over the collection icon and clicking the three dots, then “Move Collection.”

💥How to Create a Space on Wakelet💥

Creating a “Space” on Wakelet is simple and can be done in just several clicks. To get started, follow these simple steps:

1. Log onto your Wakelet account

2. On the left hand panel, click the “+” sign located under your profile picture.

3. Edit / change the image and the name, then click “Create”

4. Your Space is now visible on the left hand panel under your profile picture

💥How to Add Members to Spaces💥

Collaboration within Spaces is easy! Here’s how you can add members to start collaborating with your Spaces collections:

1. From a Wakelet Space, click on “Members”

2. Click on the green “Invite Members” plus sign

3. Share the Spaces link, code, or QR code with your students / colleagues

💥12 Ways to Use Wakelet Spaces💥

Here are some ways that you can start using Wakelet Spaces in your classroom:

Virtual School Supplies: Create Spaces for virtual school supplies that the students can use. For example, create a space for Math manipulatives where students can find links to things tools like: base ten blocks, hundred chart, number lines, etc. Click here or the image below for a FREE collection of virtual student supplies that you can add for yourself!

Planning with your Team: Create a Space for each subject where you and colleagues can add content to be used when teaching / planning lessons. You can have multiple profiles listed as contributors or editors, making it easy to collaborate with your team.

Group Projects: Educators can create a collection, then share the collection to students working together in a group. Students can add content to the group project, and the educator can easily monitor the progress.

Student Portfolios: Create a Space for each student and allow them to add content that they would like to share. Share the link with families to open the window to the classroom! (Tip: the URL of collections never change, so the portfolios can be bookmarked by families for quick access)

Easy Differentiation: Our current favorite way to use Spaces is for delivering differentiated content to our students. Create a Space that meets the needs of a student, or group of students. Then, create a collection for your subjects. When your students log onto the Space, they will be able to view what has been shared in the Space. Additionally, you can allow them to add content by enabling collaboration. If you have several groups who are close in regards to their instructional needs, you can copy collections and then move them into multiple Spaces - that way you won’t need to recreate your content from scratch for each group.

Units of Study Collections: Create Spaces for each of your units of study. Build the content appropriately, but be sure to invite your students to help. Providing this creative outlet pushes the creation > consumption mindset.

Formative Assessments: Build your end-of-the unit assessments by creating Spaces for each. The ability to keep them organized is convenient for educators and enable collaboration is an engaging way to assess your students.

Newsletters: If you’re working in an asynchronous scenario, it may be beneficial for families to have access to older newsletters in addition to the most recent. Create Spaces for each month where families can find your past (and present) newsletters.

Science Experiment Comparisons: Group your students and create a Space for each group. Provide an experiment for your students to complete, and have your students added as contributors to the Spaces. Then, the students can compare their results with their group. Before completing the assignment, share out the results from the other groups’ Spaces so that all students can compare to the rest of the class.

Professional Learning Umbrellas: Create separate Spaces for platforms and add content to each. For example, if you’re looking to learn more about Microsoft Teams, create a Space for it and then add the content to keep it organized.

FAQ Spaces for Virtual Families: Just like the professional learning umbrellas, create Spaces for various apps. Build “how-to’s” for each app, and then share with your classroom families so that they can troubleshoot through any potential issues that they may run into.

Integrate with Microsoft Teams or Google Classroom: Educators can easily share a Space into Microsoft Teams or Google Classroom. From the Space’s front page, click “Share” where you will find the share link. If you’re using Google Classroom, you can share it directly from Wakelet. Microsoft Teams users (for now) will need to copy the URL and paste it in Teams. However, there could be an update coming soon that would streamline that process. Stay tuned!

Looking for other ways to make teaching and learning relevant through the use of technology? Check out our book The InterACTIVE Class!

Collaborating in Wakelet!

Wakelet has placed a great deal of focus on collaboration, and now educators have the ability to control who gets to manage the content being shared. In this blog post you’ll learn:

(Click on any subheading to jump to that section)

1. How to Add a Contributor to a Wakelet Collection

2. How to Add Someone Without a Wakelet Account as a Contributor

3. How to Add an Administrator to a Wakelet Collection

How to Add a Contributor to a Wakelet Collection

The first thing that you’ll need to do to add a contributor to your Wakelet collection is to click on the “Invite” button on the top left of the screen. Once you click this, a new window appears. Now, click “Via name or email.” From here, you can invite friends to gain access to your collection. If the person you’re looking for doesn’t appear in the list of names, you can search for them using the search bar located at the top of the window. Once you’ve found the people (or person) to share with, click the “+” and then click on the green “Send” button. Wakelet automatically sends an invite to the people (or person) you’ve selected.

Something to note: A Contributor can only add and change their own content. If you can’t find someone using the method above, that might mean they don’t have a Wakelet account. To learn how to add contributors without Wakelet accounts, see below.

Ideas for adding a contributor:

• Give students contributor privileges to manage a group project collection during remote learning

• Allow students to maintain portfolios that you can moderate

• share out lesson ideas, planning, and more without fear of anything getting deleted

How to Add Someone Without a Wakelet Account as a Contributor

A Wakelet account is not required to collaborate on collections. This means you could invite students to add content - without having to create a class. The set up is quick and easy!

Once you have a Wakelet collection ready to be shared, click the “Invite” button on the top left. After you click this, a new window appears. In this window, you have several options to share your collection:

Sharing the URL

1. Click “Copy link” and share out the URL

2. When contributors access the URL, they will be prompted to add their name. Once they do, they are ready to start collaborating!

Sharing a Code

1. Share the code (located to the right of the QR Code) with the contributor(s).

2. Have the contributor(s) log onto wakelet.com

3. Click on “Enter Code” at the top of the screen, then enter your shared code.

4. Contributors will be asked to provide a name. Once they do, they will be able to add content!

Sharing a QR Code

1. Right click on the QR Code, then select “Save As” to download the QR Code. (Don’t forget where it gets saved!)

2. Display the QR Code where the contributors can access it. Have them scan the QR Code.

3. On the next screen, they will need to enter their name. Once they do, they are ready to start adding content!

Ideas for collaboration with those who do not have wakelet accounts:

• Share a wakelet collection with your class and have them collaborate on a topic

• Have your class conduct research together

• gather evidence

• support an arguement

How to Add an Administrator to a Wakelet Collection

If you’re working with a teammate who will need editing access to your Wakelet collection, you can now assign them as an Administrator. An admin can add, change, edit and remove any content in a collection. To get started, follow these steps:

1. From your Wakelet collection, click on “Invite.”

2. Once the new window opens, click “Via name or email.”

3. Type the name of the person you’d like to add as an administrator. (Note, they must have a Wakelet account)

4. Once you have found their name, click the drop down menu (to the right of the pencil icon) next to their name. Select “Administrator.”

5. Last, click the “+” sign to the right of their name. This will automatically send the individual an email notification to join the collection.

Ideas for adding an administrator to a wakelet collection:

• Co-teaching situations

• Planning with your grade level team

• Sharing resources for multiple classes

• School-wide resoruces

For more #interACTIVE lesson ideas, check out our book The InterACTIVE Class on Amazon!

Sub-Collections in Wakelet!

Wakelet collections are quickly spreading throughout the world of #EdTech, and educators are sharing incredible ways to utilize this tool in the classroom. One of Wakelet’s most recent updates allows educators to create collections, and then share a code to the collection with their students. Using the code, students are able to access the collection and then add content in the form of a sub-collection. If you’re familiar with the login process behind apps like Nearpod or Classkick, this has the same type of feel. Students do not need accounts, they simply enter their name and start adding their information. Check it out below!

For a breakdown on how this feature works, check out Wakelet’s blog post by clicking here, or the gif above!

How to use Wakelet in the classroom?

The ability to generate sub-collections opens the door to many new options, especially when it comes to collaboration. For example, you could create a collection and then develop a prompt. Next, assign it to your class by sharing the collection code. The class can work together to share strategies.

Let’s break it down…Here’s a math example where I started a new collection. I’ve created a word problem that I want my students to collaborate on. The students log on using the code I’ve shared. As they work, they will edit the collection that I started (don’t worry, they can only add items - not delete them), by adding content of their choice.

So, each student has created a sub-collection where they have added their own content to help explain their strategy - all within the prompt I created in the original collection. Both the educator and the student can click on a sub-collection, which will open it in a new tab.

Jessica has shared the strategy above. This is now a sub-collection. But, there’s more good news! For classrooms utilizing Flipgrid’s school email grids, students can even add videos using the Shorts Camera integration! Check out what Adam did to share his strategy below.

He used the Flipgrid Shorts camera to record their thinking for each step. There are plenty of options for uploading content such as: paste URL, text, YouTube, images, pdf’s, Google Drive files, OneDrive files, and more. So, your students have many options when building their sub-collection.

After your students have submitted their work, your collection will look like the image below. You can toggle back and forth between the sub-collections - and even more importantly, SHARE! Here’s where you can connect a broader audience, especially with your students’ families.

Check out the list below with ways that educators are using sub collections. We’ll keep this updated as we find new ideas!

For more on this, and Wakelet tips, check out www.wakelet.com, and follow @Wakelet on Twitter.

For more #interACTIVE digital lesson ideas, check out our book The InterACTIVE Class on Amazon!