It happens to all of us sometimes. Your perfectly planned lesson goes just a bit faster than you expected and you have a few minutes left at the end of class. Or maybe your students have been showing some excellent focus on their projects and you want to give them a few minutes of fun. My students have to put their laptops in a cart at the end of class and that takes a few minutes. For whatever reason it's good to have a few things you can pull up fast and engage students with for those last few minutes. These are some of my favorites. Share your's in the comments.
GeoGuesser: https://geoguessr.com/
This site drops you at a spot in the world and you have to guess where you are. It's good for a quick lesson in observing details. It's funny how often it seems like the picture seems to be from one place, but it really a whole different continent. I'll have one student come up to play, but the whole class loves to watch and make suggestions. Pro tip, teach them they can zoom in on the map to tap a more precise location.
Quick Draw: https://quickdraw.withgoogle.com/
This site challenges you to draw something then the computer tries to guess what you are drawing. If the computer can guess what you drew in the time limit then you win. It's hard with a touch pad, but this works great if you have a Promethean board or another touch sensitive display.
Play Match on Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/
Quizlet started as flashcards, but it also has games to help students learn terms. Search for a list relevant (or not) to your subject and then opt to play "Match." A subset of the terms and their definitions appears on the screen. The student has to drag the word to the definition (or vice versa) to make both of them disappear from the screen. Again, even with just one student playing the rest of the class will watch and make suggestions.
Go Somewhere in Google Earth:
https://www.google.com/earth/
The web-based version of Google Earth is stunning to watch. When you search for a location it zooms in on the spot and then gently rotates around it. I searched Mount Everest one day at the end of class and watch my students' jaws drop as they got the 360° view of the mountain we had just read about. Of course the next thing we searched up was our school, and that looked just as stunning.
Play Free Rice: http://freerice.com/
It's been around a long time, and this simple vocabulary game now offers lots of subject variations, but it still sucks my students in every time I pull it up. It gets more difficult as you get questions right and donates to the World Food Program. (It has adds on it and the revenue from that creates the donations.) Click "Change Subjects" to see all the content options.
Your suggestions?
What are your go to apps, games, or topics for engaging students when you have a few minutes to spare?
GeoGuesser: https://geoguessr.com/
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| Where do you think this could be. |
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| Prompt from Quick Draw |
This site challenges you to draw something then the computer tries to guess what you are drawing. If the computer can guess what you drew in the time limit then you win. It's hard with a touch pad, but this works great if you have a Promethean board or another touch sensitive display.
 |
| Play Match on Quizlet |
Play Match on Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/
Quizlet started as flashcards, but it also has games to help students learn terms. Search for a list relevant (or not) to your subject and then opt to play "Match." A subset of the terms and their definitions appears on the screen. The student has to drag the word to the definition (or vice versa) to make both of them disappear from the screen. Again, even with just one student playing the rest of the class will watch and make suggestions.
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| Google Earth on the Web |
Go Somewhere in Google Earth:
https://www.google.com/earth/
The web-based version of Google Earth is stunning to watch. When you search for a location it zooms in on the spot and then gently rotates around it. I searched Mount Everest one day at the end of class and watch my students' jaws drop as they got the 360° view of the mountain we had just read about. Of course the next thing we searched up was our school, and that looked just as stunning.
Play Free Rice: http://freerice.com/
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| Free Rice |
Your suggestions?
What are your go to apps, games, or topics for engaging students when you have a few minutes to spare?
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