#6thchat Archive
#6thchat is used to chat, collaborate, and grow with other sixth grade educators from around the globe. Each session we discuss a topic voted on by #6thchat participants. It's a great way to help grow your PLN and share ideas with others.
Tuesday March 29, 2016
Welcome to tonight's ! Our topic is all about making learning FUN!
Please share who you are, where you're from & what you teach. What's something you do for fun?
I'm Angela from Caroline, AB. I teach the 4 core subjects & for fun I play games, listen to music & find things that make me laugh.
lunch outside and a around campus
We use the Q1, A1 format, but feel free to add questions/insights as you think of them. Our chat will join our growing archive.
Hi Michelle, great to have you along tonight! Sounds like some good fun!
Question 1 is on its way in one minute!!!
I'm a student teacher and I teach biology.I love music especially rabab
Catherine, from Fresno CA. Current college student. Love joining chats to get ideas 4 future teaching.Will have to leave chat early
Catherine, happy to have you join in tonight! We're happy to have you for as long as you can :)
Welcome! It's awesome to have you join us tonight!
A1: Adds creativity, shared experience, social skills & engagement. Ss are less focused at times, if it's not carefully planned.
Happy Tuesday! Glad to be here! I am a 5th grade teacher crashing the party from NJ
Do you moderate this chat, too? You are busy!
Hi Jen! This is my regular gig, so I'm not usually as busy as this week! Good thing it's Spring Break ;P
We LOVE party crashers Phillip! Glad to have you along!
A1: Elements of fun add ENGAGEMENT to my classroom, a creative outlet for ss, and amazing collaboration. It sometimes takes time!
A1: Elements of fun add creativity to class I don't think elements of fun take anything away
Hi, everyone! Stacia from TX. I teach 5-6th grade Social Studies. I read for fun.
Welcome Stacia! We are glad to have you with us tonight! I love reading too!
Sometimes the time comes AFTER the fun! It can be challenging to refocus excited Ss :)
I also love to read for fun!
A1 Brining in experiences is a great way for Ss to learn. Prompts that can help Ss be interactive. Have Ss moving around. More fun
Question 2 is up in 60 seconds.
A1 Elements of fun add engagement, creativity, deeper understanding, collaboration, movement, & excitement.
Anything that gets Ss moving, thinking, interacting & creating definitely makes for fun experiences!
You are soo right! Although I would rather have excited students than bored ones. I'll take itI
I agree completely, Stacia! Fun lessons make memories! Ss remember what they enjoy!
A2: Greek agora role play with another school, gamification science unit, one-minute dance breaks, paper snowball fight for review
Kids love when i let my hair down literally and figuratively- i put on some@motown and started singing recently- they love music
A2: We love , , , , gallery walks, around the room, stations, qr codes, music, games.
Ah..oh that makes sense. And yes--being off changes it all! Have fun! You did a great job last night. :)
LOVE it! Music immediately changes the mood! I use a sound effects machine too :)
A2: Hands on activities where students were excited to explore and experiement
A2: Some of the most fun activities we have had this year include A Greek Festival Day, creating cells with wikki sticks,...
A2 continued, Europe travel project was probably my favorite so far this year! Asia social issues project going on now will be 2nd.
QR codes are SO fun! We just did a Scavenger Hunt with them & also added them to our Social Studies wampum belts.
A2 continued-Our Day of the Dead celebration was EPIC! Need to create more of those celebrations to make memories.
I'm sure they LOVED the hands-on activities! The Greek Festival Day sounds very intriguing!
A2:... floor geometry, creating bio pyramids, recreating British taxes, and our 100 year writing.
NICE! What did the Ss do for the travel project?
Question 3 is up in just one minute!
I have been trying to get in QR Codes. Any awesome resources you could share?
A2 continued: Debates are a student favorite!
Kahoot Rocks! My class LOVES it. What is around the room?
Q3 i have many for my classes based on and we are lucky 2be in a 1:1
Worked with a partner to research 3+ European countries & plan travel itinerary for 10 days in Europe.
A2 I know some Ts have made Ss learn outside which makes engagement now higher. Kids love that
My Ss love so much! Instant engagement!
That is great! We are 1:1 Chromebooks & it helps SO much!
A3 It's always great to have fun but don't let the fun interfere with what you really want your outcomes to be. Always plan ahead.
We go outside whenever we can! Towel/blanket was on their supply list :)
A3: Design around the outcomes, brainstorm w Ss, have them demonstrate their understanding
We did it after reading Percy Jackson. A full day of Greek related activities! We even learned a Greek dance!
A3: You add creative activities that enforce thinking and motivates students student
Thanks for teaching it to us!
Question 4 is coming at you in just 60 seconds!
A3: Use backward design to make it standards based, purposeful, relevant, engaging, and FUN!
That's a great idea! I'm going to do that next time!
One of the greatest things i have done wasnt done by me atball! I asked Ss to brainstorm - prove to me you know how to find
A4: BreakoutEdu games. I'm not sure how to set them up, so I'm stalling pretty hard! They sound fun, but they make me nervous!
How fun! I'll have to add that piece to our agora activity!
A4: Would love to integrate Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality & Skype. Technology funding. Going to work on it for next year.
A4: As mentioned tonight; I want to try QR codes. Not knowing enough about them keeps me from implementing them.
So would I. I tried a little this year. 4D elements is awesome for periodic table and compounds!
A4 hmm i am@not really a QR girl - i know how to make them and use them but i can't wrap my head around using them
A4: I would love to try to take students to field trips and let them explore environment
A4 then I would have to say use Shakespeare with my sixth graders
They are easy once you get the hang of it! Link to videos, pictures, Google forms, etc & kids can scan for easy access.
Are you ready? Question 5 is on deck.
That would be awesome! Sign me up!
A5 noteverything has 2B planned! Sometimes you need to stop & let SsB kids! next hour explore something uwant- eyes open wide-
A5: Asking students to arrive to answers through hands-on activity and experiments
A5: My favorite surprises are in science and reading. Using experiments, I let the students see the result for themselves
Thanks :) They loved making the physical wampum belt & recording their voices made them even better!
Question 6 in 60 seconds!
A5: In addition: I love props! Leaving out items gets the students curious and excited
These all look awesome! Wish I had a tent.
This is powerful learning! I'm starting to let them do the experiments 1st, then we figure out the why=more engaging.
I love this, yet forget to do it! It sure is a great hook! I like costumes too!
A6: Student choice, connect interests/hobbies to curriculum, allow students to pursue passions,
A6: One we are doing currently is using Minecraft. They love it; I am still learning :) . We are recreating the Land of Oz
is so powerful. Ss to have choice in how to present/show their learning & on what to write as well!
Thank you! They know more than me, so it is FUN for us all.
A6: Having Ss share/teach skills to the class, , lunch time sharing as well.
So fun!! Do students have Minecraft on their own device, classroom devices, or how does that work?
One minute until Question 7.
is awesome. We are slowly building to this. Hope it is going well with your ss!
gotta go Nice chatting with ya'all!!
A6: Students' hobbies can add fun by keeping students engaged in class
We have Minecraft-Edu on our computers in the lab. We are taking field-trips to the lab for a few days.
A6b: Sharing our hobbies is important! I have a collection of hats, koalas & pirate gear in my room😊 https://t.co/NZHSSkGBGm
Thanks for joining us Michelle! I hope you'll come again! Have a wonderful week!
A7: Flexible/alternative seating! I have been slowly adding (as I can afford it) & students LOVE. I plan to do a .
Thanks! I will have to ask about this.
Maybe see about Minecraft EDU. I'll get some info for you!
A7:Physical changes words wall, hang up projects in classroom, colorful classroom
Awesome! I am slowly adding it too! What have you added so far?
Final question coming up already!
Hokki stool, exercise balls, tons of pillows, bean bags, & wobble cushions. I want more Hokki, couch, & wobble chairs
A7: We change the room A LOT, flexible seating, I ask Ss what they want! We go other places too! https://t.co/vJWOTfTGhB
LOVE it! We have many of these things and it makes a HUGE difference to the Ss comfort.
A7: Not to copy but I am trying alternative seating too. So far, my students love it.
You should explore this chat https://t.co/8xVLFW7WOw
A6: Having Ss share/teach skills to the class, , lunch time sharing as well.
