One thing I love about teaching is I can change it up every single day. If I get bored I can make it more fun. If the students are bored I can change it up. If something isn't working then scratch it! One thing I love to do is add in technology as much as I can! Learners these days are so technology driven that they will be engaged no matter what the content is, if you use technology!
One way I've been doing that is using QR codes in the classroom! My kids love, love, love QR codes.
If you don't know anything about QR codes. Stop right now and look them up! They are these fun pictures that look like a maze, but when scanned on a phone, through an app, will take you to a specific link.
You can make your own QR code and set it to go to any link you want! It could be a video, a website, a newsletter, anything!
Here is the website I use to make my own QR codes. It's very easy to use and easy to print and save the code.
I also use this app on my iPhone and iPads to scan the codes, but there are tons out there. Just search QR codes and look for this picture!
Anyways I use QR codes for many, many things in my room because my kids love them!
I've found tons of books that are on youtube or an audio file that the students can scan the code and have the book read to them. They love this because I put it in a center and students can scan the QR Code and open the file. This is like an updated listening center! Much better than cassette tapes.
Today I used QR codes for a partner review activity in math. Around the room there were 24 problems with missing addens or whole numbers. The students had to find and write down the missing number and then scan the QR code to figure out if they were correct or not.
The kids had an answer sheet that they could record their answers on and then circle yes or no if they got the problem right.
They had a lot of fun working together, solving the problems, and finding the answers. It was sort of a scavenger hunt for them.
They worked together great and were so engaged!
Now for the best tip of all. Use QR codes! Just download the free app and google QR codes in the classroom. There are tons of free resources out there for you to use if you're not ready to make your own yet. Just use them. Your students will love you.
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