INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLKIT

Meghan McGurl
Technology
Title/Link Purpose Method

Kahoot A live, interactive quiz game Teachers can create their own
that incentivizes answering with their own questions or
questions correctly as fast as have access to many others
possible to win. that have already been
created. Quizzes that students
can access on their
Chromebooks.

Padlet An online post-it wall. It Students access this

allows individuals (and large/ individually on their
small groups) to post their Chromebooks.
comments, questions, and
resources in one place that is
easily accessible to everyone.

Canva Powers creation and Students access this

collaboration in every individually on their
classroom. You and your Chromebooks.
students can create and
personalize your own designs
from scratch or choose from
thousands of high-quality
educational templates.

Quizlet A web tool and a mobile app Quizzes that students can
that boosts students learning access on their
through several study tools, Chromebooks.
including flashcards and
game-based quizzes

Gimkit Quiz learning games that are Quizzes that students can
created and kept up with by the access on their
students. “Kits” are live games Chromebooks.
created by the instructor.

Jamboard A collaborative digital Students access this

whiteboard that runs through individually on their
Google. Students or teachers Chromebooks.
can write sticky notes, type, or
draw to respond to a question
 or share an idea. Another great
data collection tool.

Book Creator BookCreator is an EBook EBooks can be shown to

creator website where users students as an entire class or
can create their own interactive they can be accessed
EBook with pictures, audio individually by using their
clips, videos, etc. Chromebooks.

Newsela An online news-as-literacy Students access this

platform that features individually on their
high-interest articles on Chromebooks. This would be
everything from current events a great resource for current
to myths and legends and from events.
literature to science.

Instructional Tools

IXL IXL is a K-12 curriculum. Students access this

Which has Real-Time individually on their
diagnostics and personalized Chromebooks. This would be
guidance. IXL helps to give an excellent resource for
you everything you need to students who are struggling
personalize instruction and in a specific class.
help students progress faster.

Digital Public Library of A collection of digital objects, This would be a great tool for
America such as books, magazines, current events and/or
audio recordings, video assigned readings. Students
recordings and other access this individually on
documents that are accessible their Chromebooks.
electronically.

Annenberg Classroom A digital classroom with a A free online platform that

fantastic concept of teaching students log into on their
The Constitution. This website Chromebooks.
includes videos, games, books,
and interactive timelines.

Model Diplomacy Model Diplomacy is a free A free online platform that

simulation program that invites students log into on their
students to step into the roles Chromebooks.
of decision-makers in the
National Security Council and
the UN Security Council.
Khan Academy Khan Academy offers practice Students access this
exercises, instructional videos, individually on their
and a personalized learning Chromebooks. This would be
dashboard that helps students a great resource for students
to study at their own pace in who are struggling in a
and outside of the classroom. specific class.

Smithsonian History A website developed by the This would be an amazing

Explorer National Museum of American resource for finding
History that offers online documents to use in class as
resources for teaching and well as finding extra work for
learning American history. students who are ahead in
class.

PBS Learning PBS Learning offers free This would be an amazing

educational resources for resource for finding
PreK–12 educators and documents to use in class as
students. They have created well as finding extra work for
resources with equitable students who are ahead in
student learning at the center class.
of each resource.

Interactive/Attention-Getters

Bouncy Balls Bouncy Balls is a simple, free This would be used when
noise meter that can be used in students are working in
the classroom. As sounds groups to ensure they are not
increase, plastic balls, emoji, becoming to loud in the
bubbles, or eyeballs shoot up classroom.
from the bottom of the screen
and move erratically until
levels decrease.

Wheel Decide An online spinner tool that This tool could be used when
allows you to create your own picking a student to speak
digital wheels for next in class, or this could be
decision-making, prize used as a decision tool for
giveaways, raffles, games, and what activity will be done
more. next.

Campfire Activity A training technique that This tool could be used in a

prepares participants variety of classroom
physically and mentally for an scenarios but I would use this
activity or discussion. It keeps during a whole group
students engaged and actively discussion to give each
learning with a greater focus student time to talk without
on fostering a fresh, new being spoken over.
 atmosphere of collaborative
learning and critical thinking.

Mingle, Mingle, Mingle A short activity where learners This type of activity would
walk around the classroom and be very good for the days
talk to each other. when students are unfocused.
Giving them the opportunity
to walk and talk before
beginning the lesson would
benefit them greatly.

Bell Ringer A way of formatively There are many ways that

assessing where students are Bell Ringers can be
on any given topic at the completed, Padlet, Jamboard,
beginning of a class period to Google Forms… However, I
inform teacher instruction would likely use paper for
better. my Bell Ringers.

Exit Tickets A way of formatively There are many ways that

assessing where students are Exit Tickers can be
on any given topic at the end completed, Padlet, Jamboard,
of a class period to inform Google Forms… However, I
teacher instruction better. would likely use paper for
my Exit Tickets.

Jeopardy 1. Divide the class into This is a great tool to use the
groups. day before a test, as it is a
2. Pick a category and a very fun review game.
point value.
3. Click on the chosen
box for the question.
4. Students must give the
answer in the form of a
question before
clicking again.
5. To see if a student or
group is correct, click
again for the answer.
6. If the student or team is
correct, they are
awarded the point
value of the question.
7. Continue until all
questions have been
answered. The team
with the most points
 wins.

Peer Review Sessions Students can share their This will allow students to be
creative work with peers for collaborative with one
constructive feedback and then another while learning from
use this feedback to revise and each other’s work.
improve their work.

Current Events Current Events help students I will be implementing

unpack conflicting beliefs and Current Events in my future
approach those issues in a classroom. I will use this on
more reasoned way. Fridays to practice students’
public speaking and writing
skills while also learning
what events each student
cares about.

Think-Pair-Share A strategy to facilitate group This strategy can be done at

work during a lesson any point that students are
Think: Pose a question and able to do partner work. This
think about it silently to could be done in-person or
yourself remotely.
Pair: Find a partner and share
what you both thought
Share: Come back together as
a class and share about what
you and your partner discussed

Debate An interactive activity that This tool would be great

requires two or more opposing when learning about
groups to present arguments, historical conflicts. Students
each from a different point of would be assigned to the side
view on a concept, question, or and find points in which they
topic. can defend their side.

Literature Circle A small group of students This will allow students to be

gathers to discuss a book or collaborative with one
article. Each student will be another while learning from
assigned a specific job in order each other’s work. In
to inform the class about what addition, students will be
they learned. able to discuss with one
another to build a community
in the classroom.
Two Roses and a thorns This activity can be used as a This can be used at the
sharing activity, students list beginning of class as a Bell
two good things and one bad Ringer or at the end of class
as an Exit Ticket
thing from the day or from
their current lives.