Welcome to #XPLAP!!! Tonight we are talking about side quests in the classroom. Please introduce yourself and share the latest quest (some sort of challenge or to try something new) you have taken in your life? #XPLAP
Hi! It’s Jocelyn here from Toronto. I started a new job this year as a digital tech coach for my school board, which has been an amazing quest so far! #xplap
Hey! Josh Stock, 6th grade Language Arts from Olathe, KS. Right now my quest is quite the undertaking, but I'm trying to reevaluate the entire traditional Language Arts teaching model. #xplap
Hey all! I'm Jen, a 6th grade English Teacher from IN! Here is a random challenge I threw at my students to see if they would accept the latest game temptation! #xplap
Had this random challenge on my Google Classroom today! I loved getting them questioning and pondering! Many takers!! I cannot wait to unleash the temptation soon! Expect the unexpected! #hastasticlearning#xplap
It was fun. I tricked my 8 year old into listening. He thought it was in the car radio. His response was he loves surprises and that he wanted to know if I'd still be teaching when he got to 11th grade so,he could play my game 😁 #xplap
A1: They allow students to choose, and allow teachers to differentiate based on interest. They are also super useful to get students engaged, sp the high achievers who may have finished early and are looking for something to do. #XPLAP
A1: Love making quests optional, because allows for more creativity & opp to go above & beyond what is required! Makes more fun too when not for a grade! #XPLAP
Mariah from Liberal, KS. I teach ELA 7th grade. I tried a lot of new things in my classroom just in the past couple of months. #cutthroat classroom being one. And getting a uke on Thursday for my personal life to teach myself #XPLAP
A1: Student choice is where it's at. Giving the students the option to do side-quests or not is huge, especially when rewards are at stake. Rare items or bonus currency give students something other than marks to work towards. #XPLAP
A1 games are by definition voluntary so having optional Side quests allows for a true game. Makes the activity more meaningful and students tend to follow through if they start. #xplap
✨A1: 2 THUMBS UP for all things side quest! Students are encouraged to take their learning above and beyond by challenging themselves! Huge payoffs in content knowledge and fun! Win-win! #XPLAP ✨
A1: CHOICE! Choice is the most powerful tool a game can provide. The mere illusion of choice can make a simple game a GREAT experience. Telltale people know a lot about that! #xplap
Seriously! :) Love hearing that you are trying new things both in the classroom and outside… It is important that we keep growing with our kiddos! #XPLAP Congrats!
A1: Optional side quests allow for student choice and agency! They also encourage kids to take risks, and show others the value of doing work for the sake of LEARNING, not just marks! #XPLAP
Brandon! What a great set up! Tha k you! Here is the signup sheet for #xplapcamp. If you want tagged in the weekly Q sign up here! #xplaphttps://t.co/m8mXk44xnJ
@psamel love the answer… I would add that what they are is invested… Nothing is better then when you have skin in the game… Pun not intended. Can you still say that when you are typing it? #XPLAP
A1: My main side quests right now are my grammar fails that I send to the students randomly on Google Classroom.. I want to improve this element in my game. #XPLAP
A1 the other part of optional is that you can get more creative too. I have a fun hidden side,quest based on Alice in Wonderland that is full of just weird puzzles and poetry. #XPLAP
Student choice leads to higher levels of engagement, motivates students to perform a higher levels, and overall leads to better learning. Why not bring great teaching to #gamification? #XPLAP
I do new side quests each month or unit of study for students - also hoping to pique all different students' interests. February's side quest included 28 acts of kindness #xplap
A1 the other part of optional is that you can get more creative too. I have a fun hidden side,quest based on Alice in Wonderland that is full of just weird puzzles and poetry. #XPLAP
A2: Quality goes way up & they are more receptive to feedback overall because they are invested in the quest. They are more willing to redo & retry required assignments if it will unlock a side quest they are interested in. #XPLAP
A2: Though my Ss tend to play it safe and simply return their work via text in a Doc, some students take me up on my offer to go big during sidequests and record an audio/video file or make a comic strip. May need to give bonuses to those who do so in the future. #XPLAP
Hey Scott… Wondering if you could share your Youtube link again… I couldn’t find it the other day… I want to consume more PD on YouTube… Great platform to connect and learn! #XPLAP
A2: I get a little bit of everything. Sometimes I get amazing creations and sometimes I get something that's just thrown together. I think that's part of the process. As the year goes on I get more quality. #xplap
A2: The side quests students complete always inspire me and go beyond my original thoughts. The more artistic & crafty, I am amazed. The techie ones are limitless #xplap
A2 When the climate is risk free we get more authentic and creative outcomes. Students put more time and effort, without being told to do so, into their project. They care about their learning. #XPLAP
a2) I've gotten some that are really impressive, and some that are pretty simple. Someone spent 6+ hours converting the different types of forces into a piece of art this year. #xplap
A2: When my students are the ones creating… No one asks how long it has to be, if they should color it, or if it has to be memorized… When it is their project, and they own it, they only aim for the stars! #XPLAP
A2: St love to demonstrate their learning in ways that are meaningful to them! When they are free to create and express themselves they blow my mind! #XPLAP
A2: They have so much more fun with it and they create things that I could never have even considered as an assignment. They get to put their own personality in which makes it more meaningful and sweeter to evaluate. They set the standard higher than I normally would. #xplap
✨A2: I AM BLOWN AWAY! ALWAYS! When I give students choice, especially in creativity, I am always blown away by what they produce. It's awesome to see what students are capable of and how they interpret things in ways that I'd never thought of! #XPLAP✨
A2: When my students are the ones creating… No one asks how long it has to be, if they should color it, or if it has to be memorized… When it is their project, and they own it, they only aim for the stars! #XPLAP
A2 You can tell when a side quest has really sparked students due to the high quality of the product and b/c the students can't wait to share it. #xplap
A1: S choice. They can figure out what would be most suitable for them and their personality. They can figure out what would benefit them the most. #xplap
A2: I love seeing the spark in my students when they find one of my challenges! They love the thrill of figuring it out! Its that passion for learning that I adore seeing in my classroom! #XPLAP
Speaking of Spark… Are all the #XPLAP peeps signed up for @USMSpark conference in June… It is going to be EPIC… Early registration discount ends in two weeks. Get your seat before they are all gone! #USMSPARK
A3: I strive give as few directions as possible & avoid attaching a rubric. Simple directions invite creativity & choice & Ss will surprise you with what they create. #XPLAP
Choice is key - allow a free choice if possible. Students are in charge and when I have students are designed, leaders, & teachers they take charge is positive ways #xplap
A3. As a band director I am not good at this. I am planning on doing a genius hour type thing with my kids next year. I'll get better. I promise. #xplap
A3 Still new to, and learning the art of crafting good side quests, but my understanding is that it is another type of pirate #tlap hook, and you want to find ways that connect Ss, with either a challenge or something that might interest them. #XPLAP
A3 Two ways. One, offer a menu of ideas and let them choose for themselves how they want to present. Two, explain the project idea and let them have at it. I'd love more ideas on this topic. :) #XPLAP
I do both - Genius Hour for students to create passion projects but side quests quarterly or each semester for additional XP - each has it's own theme and choice boards. #xplap
A3: Trying to train Ss not to freak out when I don’t give them specific guidelines/rubrics/questions but give them the opportunity to decide what they need to include. Let them choose the method of presenting. Let them develop questions. #xplap
A3: All my side quests are tied to my essential questions in the unit. I leave them pretty open ended to leave lots of room for creativity & freedom of expression #XPLAP
A3 Agency comes from keeping things open-ended. Be flexible and open to student ideas. As a teacher, there isn't much risk with side quests, so give students room to experiment. Propose side quests that help students see the wide range of possibilities. #xplap
A2: I love seeing the spark in my students when they find one of my challenges! They love the thrill of figuring it out! Its that passion for learning that I adore seeing in my classroom! #XPLAP
A3: Like my previous answer, I open up the opportunity to allow Ss to send in their work in multiple ways. I wish they would take me up on the offer more often. Perhaps a multiplier of XP to go above and beyond. #XPLAP
A3: I like to give a variety of side quests that speak to different strengths, and often Ss have freedom in how the final product gets completed. I also let Ss give ideas for side quests. #XPLAP
A4 - My side and quests are all around and about a legend of a mystical stone called The Stone of Truth. Usually Side Quests offer lore and extra items that help in the seek of this legendary item. I try to use pop culture a lot. Last one I named "Do you know the way?" #xplap
a3) Once I just said, here are the objectives, you have six weeks to show me you know them, go. Kids were terrified, probably need a bit more build up than that. #xplap
A4 I have really missed the boat with this one as I haven't really named the side quests, just given short descriptions. I have come up with a few good badge names though. Our perfect scores in the goblin boss battle got an "Everlasting Gobstopper" badge. #xplap
So agree… Many teachers fear giving up that control… I now thrive on the side and love that I have yielded the floor the the students… Powerful way to run a class. #XPLAP
Same here. Sometimes I will tell them a broad topic to learn about and tell them to share it in an interesting way. I also have a Wall of Awesome that I hang the coolest projects on. #xplap
A4: Mine are tied to my Indiana Jones Theme, so they are called Fortune & Glory Quests which works well since they can earn Fortune (Items/badges) & Glory (XP). #XPLAP
This semester I have been naming all the assessments based on popular song titles in our grade book, maybe I should be naming my side quests instead #xplap
A4: not so much a name but a format. I made my sidequests tied to a choose your own adventure story. Their choices differentiated their specific sidequests. I love a good story! #XPLAP
A4: My side quests are called Bakery and Culinary Missions. That's as creative as I've gotten with the name. Ha! May need to amp up my name game! #XPLAP
A4 our side quests lately have been the students creating the next card for our @ProdigyGame - We have levels, different pets and spell cards and they are the ones designing them ... it is literally awesome to see their minds crafting these cards #XPLAP
A4: I did a Titanic simulation for the first time and had “the heart of the ocean” out there. It wasn’t quite a side quest, but I have a great idea for next time now! Students could also earn “learning loot” in a recent activity. #xplap
✨Hmmm.. naming side quests is something I need to think about! I'm actually a total newbie with them in general! There's always something to work on! ✨#XPLAP
A4: I try to name them to deal with the topic and draw interest and give them a picture that might be interesting. Here are a few icons for side quests I use. #XPLAP
A5: I like to launch mine on days when we check the leaderboard & hand out items/badges. It helps get Ss interested b/c they see where they are on the board & immediately want to know how they can move up. #XPLAP
A5 - I haven't done anything related to launch the side quests. But after playing Zelda BOTY I've been thinking that I can hide the quests in actions or achievements they have in the library, and after they find them, it is launched for them. #xplap
A5: Mine are always launched on Google Classroom. I like to collect them in a place that's easy to locate them. Again, maybe an area I should amp up. Ha! #xplap
a5) hoping to have maps for students to travel next year, the side quests could be some optional stops on the map, or maybe random encounters that they could fight or flee from #xplap
A5: I have a side quest board in my classroom for students to take with them - I like the Google Classroom idea, @tishrich I think I should probably go digital since everything else is #xplap
My daughter is calling my on Google Hangout to chat from college! Rare occasion....I'm going to have to exit early, my friends! So sorry! You all are amazing! Thanks @mrmatera for awesome Q's tonight! #xplap
A5 #xplap Ways to Launch Side Quests: @Schoology completion rules to allow them to see "folders/activities" required and which are side quests; build excitement requiring a task or level to be reached before access is granted; have Ss unlock a box or open an envelope wit details.
A5 For our lead mining unit, I did a video informing Ss they were Not to find the galena that was hidden around the school and that no one had better be caught taking it. #xplap
✨A5: BLING IT ON! My students will do ANYTHING for a bling point! ANYTHING. It's completely insane. They will do extra work, go above and beyond, step outside of their comfort zone, etc. I LOVE IT! #XPLAP✨
A5: Side quests are taken in the context of our story. Out in space, our crew is the galaxy’s only hope to save us feom Lord Business! Our Ss love reading what happens next, and choosing our next path… #XPLAP
A5: I had my daughters winged my little pony hooked to the ceiling of my classroom. I attached a string to it so I could yank it down and deliver messages to the class. It was our scout to warn us about enemy attacks. #XPLAP
A5: I Build them into my website on my https://t.co/tJHzMLFXjY The students love finding them and then chatting with others about which ones they might do #XPLAP
A6: For older kids, create a social media campaign (could be a pretend campaign too!) using a hashtag they create that supports or represents the topic! #XPLAP
A6: I tied a few to interesting history stories I’ve read about that are beyond the time we have for our main curriculum. Ex: Astoria Expedition, Whaleship Essex, Henry “Box” Brown, US Exploring Expedition, etc. #XPLAP
A6: In Earth's Place in the Universe, I have a side quest on NASA's current explorations. In Motion, I have a side quest that asks Ss to figure out distance and displacement within San Jose using Google Maps. #XPLAP
I have had Ss design badges for future missions & quests, students create aura book reviews, students write guest blog posts, mine are thematic based and also choice based from a menu #xplap
A6: Try a fun QR code scavenger hunt! I just did a fraction-based hunt with a surprise #LEGO cameo- Batman! A special item is given to those who complete it. #XPLAP
that sounds like you need to expound just a little. which level (of fractions)? and how in depth did you go with the fractions did you add in some mixed numbers? #XPLAP
A6: My students love to make radio shows… They think it is cool. My fav are the radio story shows that they have to create the atmosphere by adding a ton of sound effects. One kid researched how to make your own sound effects and put them in. EPIC! #XPLAP
A5: I'd love to come up with some more creative ways to launch sidequests. Right now I have them just sitting there in plain view. Definitely something to figure out going forward. Digital Breakout rooms come to mind. #XPLAP
A6: I teach middle school students, so I try to have a side quest that connects to each of their other classes at some point in the quarter. For example researching star navigation as it connects to our novel and presenting it to the science class. #xplap
A7: My Ss discover new passions/talents. They also are more willing to dive deeper into our main content. They ask questions more frequently, & engage with the subject more often simply b/c a quest opened their eyes. #XPLAP
A7: With side quests, my students start to see themselves as mini masters in a topic. It is really fun to see them bring that information into the class discussions. #XPLAP
A7: Much like we talked about for engagement and creativity, the enrichment as the Ss use different tools and explore their own passions is inherent in the side quest. #XPLAP
A7 A good side quest can demonstrate learning that goes beyond classroom expectations. Students often ended up with more connections, deeper understanding, or special expertise. #XPLAP
You can create Google Slides with a QR code link. If you want them to go in order, you can password protect it by them goong first to a Google Form. Or skip the whole QR code complication entirely and use paper! Maybe I should make a video to share what I do… #xplap
A6 #xplap Side Quest Ideas: interview family/friend about connections btwn their career and our unit; have the most impactful participation in a class discussion board; share a game/activity related to our current studies; beat the teacher on a "high score" in a game; and more...
Can't wait to check out @soundzabound and @soundtrap! For elementary kiddos, I use online voice recorder. Simple. Easy enough for a lower grade Ss. #chromebooks#XPLAP
A7 #xplap Observations of Enrichment in Side Quests: student ownership, engagement, drive to challenge oneself, surprise themselves and me... biggest is value of learning PROCESS over product as they start to come up with own ideas.
So great to join the #xplap - I have to think about naming my side quests and creating exciting roll outs for them moving forward. Always inspired. Have an awesome night
