#games4ed discussions cover ways in which gaming can be used in education. Games mirror the way the human mind was designed to learn. They motivate players to take risks and actions, persevere through failures, set and achieve increasingly difficult goals, and devote attention, time, and effort to acquiring knowledge and skills. All this while the game is tracking the player’s actions and assessing the player’s achievements and skills. Isn’t this what we want from education?
Hello #games4ed! I am so happy to be here learning more about games in the classroom. I am currently located in Grove City but am from the Philadelphia area. I am a pre-service teacher at grove city college. My favorite outside game was hop scotch and four square!
Hello everyone. I'm answering honestly, I am an indoors person. I cannot even thing of an outdoor game to share :o Some elarning to do tonight for sure. #games4ed
A1 We used to go outside for reading in the spring, years ago, during Spanish 4, also when doing some fun projects about childhood, needed a playground :) #games4ed
A1: Since I do not have a classroom I don't have much to add. I can remember in science in elementary school we created butterfly's and let them go into the outdoors. Other than this I would love to hear all your ideas! #games4ed
A1: We've done some writing marathons outside. In the past, I used to do some teamwork/leadership activities with students outside, but haven't for a while :( #games4ed
A1: Now that i think of it, there are two things I do outside. 1 . The Deer Lion simulation (which is kind of gamy), and a digestive system model (not very gamy but gross enough to count) #games4ed
A1. My class often took field-trips to the state arboretum in Virginia which happened to be close to my school. There we would explore plant and animal life by playing games. #games4ed
The butterflies are a great idea! I could imagine a lot of observation activities that could work with a unit like that watching behavior of butterflies and insects #games4ed
I was wondering what the dark pic was all about. Hopefully the power will be back soon. It appears that you did charge your phone (or laptop) though :) #games4ed
A2 #games4ed The positive effect on mental and physical health, social interactions, and skills which make you successful in the work world. Read “Last Child in the Woods”.
A2 kids are happier and more controlled when outside a lot, encourages more hands on active learning, makes learning more out of the box for them #games4ed
A2 what can I connect with what we are doing, especially now with doing more #AR#VR definitely lots of options, great to get Ss active in learning, exploring, have fun #games4ed
Q2: I have a wonderful court yard out my classroom windows and it is such a tease to see it all winter and know you can not go outside. Just the motivation of now the weather is turning and things are changing. #games4ed
A2: Speaking from non-experience, but thinking about the benefits of less screen and fluorescent time, and more sunshine and fresh air. Kids being able to be louder than usual and letting off steam. #games4ed
Totally agree. So much research out there about the benefits of nature and the importance of kids being out in it and being allowed to just explore! #games4ed
A2. Everyone is pushing for the use of more technology in the classroom. Which I agree is great, but I also think that with the increase of tech, nature begins to be neglected. #games4ed
We are learning about transparent, translucent and opaque objects. We made a wind chime ,all handmade, using transparent, translucent and opaque objects. We are going outside tomorrow to see what happens when the sun's path of light is passing through our wind chimes.#games4ed
You can always take the technology outside with you. There are all sorts of microscopes and lenses out there that attach to phones and tablets. Ss can get amzaing images with these and share them out. #games4ed
A3: I know here on campus many professors jump at the opportunity to take the class outside when we have sprinkles of nice weather. I see a lot of them using the architecture as seats and even bringing their own chairs from the classroom out #games4ed
A3: I've used the football field and lawn, but I should push myself to take a school van out since we're on the very edge of town. We've got rivers and creeks nearby that I haven't taken an advantage of yet #games4ed
A3) we use almost anywhere! We did slope equations using the field bleachers, identified trees around the campus, use the sidewalks as chalkboards...#games4ed
I'd forgotten all about using sidewalk chalk! I'd done it years ago but haven't for a long time. Thanks for the great tip! I need to do that again! #games4ed
A3) we use almost anywhere! We did slope equations using the field bleachers, identified trees around the campus, use the sidewalks as chalkboards...#games4ed
A3: We do have a big lawn, and being in CA our school is pretty open. Almost every classroom door leads outside, so we definitey could be outside more. However, we are mid-suburb to taking them anywhere requires driving/chaperonnes/permission slips, etc. #games4ed
A3 - We are so lucky to have an outdoor rock circle that is designed as an outdoor classroom! Perfect spot to meet with elders or just break out from the confines of the classroom! #games4ed
A3 - We are so lucky to have an outdoor rock circle that is designed as an outdoor classroom! Perfect spot to meet with elders or just break out from the confines of the classroom! #games4ed
A4. As a prospective ELA teacher, a great activity would be to taking a class outside and encouraging them to do a descriptive writing piece about the environment they are observing. #games4ed
A4: I think having a scavenger hunt or some type of hide and seek idea where students find whatever the lesson is. I think these would be good for tying in subjects you wouldn't think be outdoors #games4ed
A4 I’ve used PE game creation a lot, it gets them outside, the have to write rules, create the official game zone and map it out, write it all up then we test, process, change test again and add to our PE routine when it’s “just right” #games4ed
That's what it was. Should definitely create something using @GooseChase. I know I looked into it, but then forgot to fllow through. Thanks for the reminder. #games4ed
In reply to
@Rdene915, @mpilakow, @GooseChase, @GooseChase
There are so many things you can do as an ELA teacher from theater outside to writing activities based on the environment #games4ed - you might even do a LARP based on the book you are reading
A5: I think that it can. Ss can use their mobile devices to take pictures, or perhaps have a @Flipgrid where they are commenting on the experience. #games4ed
Yes, I am glad that you mentioned this because I am all about AR and then add a little Pokemon Go and you can transform your classroom - imagine if you did a poetry hunt a la Pokemon Go & Ss had to search out poems #games4ed
A5 does not defeat it, depends on purpose, I had Ss create a welcome to our town video, so they walked around and spoke in Spanish, filmed./edited, and had fun doing so outdoors #games4ed
A5: Going into this chat I would have said that technology defeated the purpose. With some of the ideas that have been shared already I can see how it really does enhance the learning! #games4ed
A few years ago we gave our kids proscopes (attached to their iPads) and sent them outside to capture life. We got some amazing images, including a pill bug's face! There was lots of bark and rocks too, but magnified, even they looked cool! #games4ed
Exactly what I was thinking earlier today! And cooler, what I just thought of, if we could find poems that correlate with the place we put them in AR...I might have to have an option for students to do this! #games4ed
A5. To be honest, I questioned how tech and nature could mix. Until someone commented in this chat about the microscopes that can work with smartphones to make them more portable for outdoor use. #games4ed
A5 - 2: You can even have them take 360 pictures, which could be really cool to talk about or integrate learning about different perspectives. #games4ed
I was torn thinking of that question. Tech can definitely enhance it, but I agree that sometimes kids just need to be out and immersed and away from screens. #games4ed
it is an app or a website. You can use it to identify life outside. Plus sometimes there are citizen science projects that your kids can participate in. #games4ed
Just answered my own question. https://t.co/sbbGdItlzP Love the brief peek, especially that whole bit about citizen scientist. Bookmarked. Thank you! #games4ed
A6 Not sure about your schools, but I always felt like there were 50 million things going on outside that could be distracting, heh! Had to be very intentional with the goals of going outside when we did it! #games4ed
A6 it takes a while to have expectations get set, sound doesn’t cary as well so Ss must be listening for T. We had a start location, freeze signal and an end council location and once learned made it super easy #games4ed
A6: A few that I could think of would be weather and controlling behavior. Without personal experience I feel like students would become more likely to misbehave in the new environment #games4ed
Q6. Weather! Make sure that the weather is perfect before you go out. Too cold or too hot and students are impatient. Also try to limit distractions such as the playground if its not being used in the lesson. #games4ed
A6: That whole bit about being respectful, responsible and safe. You have to be intentional and explicit before you can leave the confined space of the classroom. #games4ed
I would also suggest looking into projects from @SciStarter They have some great kid friendly ones. I have had kids count squirls in their backyard and parks or images to explore much farther away. Not a game persay, but still great fun involved. #games4ed
In reply to
@MarianaGSerrato, @Flipgrid, @SciStarter
A6 Just like technology, WHAT you are doing outside has to be more engaging than what is already outside. If WHAT you are doing with technology is less engaging than being off task, students will be off task. #games4ed
I knew I had to be in the chat today :) As I explained at the start, not an outdoorswoman, but now getting excited with all these cool things to do. Thank you #games4ed
A7 #games4ed Our Roots&Shoots group learned from experts, applied it to their mission, and then presented. I believe in all the benefits of putting students in front of an audience.
A7 I would be down for some reality-show style "confessionals" into the camera during/after the outdoor activity. Bonus points for including an appropriate outside artifact in the video! #games4ed
A7: I think the best way would be to do it while they are still outside. Maybe take a few minutes when the activity is done to reflect on what we did before heading back inside #games4ed
A7 I always do a short council/ debrief with the class before we go inside (what worked, what didn’t, what changes are we making for next time) #games4ed
A7. If the tech is available, give students mobile devices to film what they're experiencing outside and create a short film when they return to the classroom. #games4ed
An annotated image. Go out with a goal or purpose. Students take an image of something that represents or meets that goal and then annotates it to show their thinking and connections made. (If you don't write about it you are only playing) #games4ed
Kasy and Emilee are great Ts and interested in working with tech and projects. I love them both and you two can provide such great foreign language guidance! #games4ed
In reply to
@irvspanish, @kasyepke, @emilee_stoner, @Rdene915
An annotated image. Go out with a goal or purpose. Students take an image of something that represents or meets that goal and then annotates it to show their thinking and connections made. (If you don't write about it you are only playing) #games4ed
A7: I love having my students blog to share their reflections across the #games4ed landscape so why not reflect on outside play that way. Draw comparisons, break down the mechanics of their outside play, share about inventive / creative play
A7: As many have mentioned, @flipgrid would be a great idea for kids to speak/debrief either while still outside or as they come back inside. What was learned, what was done, what can they share, etc. #games4ed
A7. If the tech is available, give students mobile devices to film what they're experiencing outside and create a short film when they return to the classroom. #games4ed
A8 #games4ed I’m hoping to make a connection with someone interested in tech/ nature to get some ideas going. I’m involved with a unique new “Friends of the Parks” group. It pulls in people from all walks of life. That’s why I like it.
A8: My favorite take away from tonight is purely the idea that tech can be incorporated into the outdoors. I loved hearing all the ideas that people had that enhanced the outdoors instead of taking away from it! #games4ed
A8: Really liked @PerkyScience idea for Ss creating an annotated image of something outside - reminds me of @jmattmiller's digital comics on Google Slides too #games4ed
A6: I have 3 graders. At first they are going to be like the dog in Up! Squirrel! Just like a classroom, they have to be taught rules and procedures.#games4ed
A8. Technology and nature can be integrated seamlessly. They can actually be used to complement one another. And students thrive from exposure to the outdoors. #games4ed
Yes, June conferences and I get to see all my twitter colleagues in person. I cannot wait to see you at @USMSpark - your session in on my calendar! #games4ed
Does that mean you may make it to #iste18? Anyone here getting to @g4c or #XR4C ? While I’m at it how about @scratch conference? And of course @minefaire (NJ and Denver in August!) #games4ed
In reply to
@mpilakow, @Mr_JSpike, @G4C, @scratch, @minefaire
I know @mrmatera and I are gonna host an informal board game meetup sometime during #ISTE18 as well. Picture an underground breakdance competition, but with Secret Hitler instead of dancing. #games4ed
Looking forward to meeting so many of my twitter peeps there. Thanks for letting me know when the game night is. I was afraid it was going to be Tuesday night so I was trying to figure out how to stay another day. #games4ed
In reply to
@Mr_JSpike, @TeachingFactor, @mpilakow, @USMSpark
Thank you to the #games4ed community tonight. I loved reading all of your ideas for outdoor games and activities for the classroom! I hope you all have a great night!
