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Teach Student Lessons Digitally
Digital Lessons can be fun and engaging for students. If created using the many digital tools, there are so many ways to make learning fun. Google Slides and Powerpoint have many great features. Students can use the fill color tool to show equivalent fractions, ratios, or percentages. They can learn to highlight one or more sections of a table and fill with the color of their choice. Double Number Lines can also be taught digitally, using the fill color tool.
Digital Number Lines
Students can add and subtract integers on the number line using digital arrows. Give them time to practice inserting an arrow and then moving it into place. They can stretch the arrows so they are longer or shorten them to show movement on the number line. Students can also show inequalities on a digital number line. They can move open and closed circles into place on the number line and add arrows to show direction. Let them have fun changing the color and thicknesses of their arrows. You can also assign a matching activity in which students add a line and move it, to match a vocabulary word to its definition.
Drag and Drop Activities
Drag and drop activities can be used to solve many math problems. A fun way to practice vocabulary is with terms students can drag and drop into sentence frames. They need to think about which term fits in each sentence, so that it makes sense when read out loud. And in my Constant of Proportionality lesson, students plot points on the coordinate plane by dragging moveable dots to the correct location, given an ordered pair. They can then use the line tool to connect their points to show a straight line through the origin. Teaching with moveable Integer Chips is especially fun. Students move red and yellow chips into rows to model an integer problem and then take out zero pairs. (I switched to digital when too many of my integer chips disappeared. I was also able avoid the clean-up time at the end of the day!)
Self-Checking Digital Lessons
There is so much you can do with digital lessons. I love creating them! Some of my favorites are self-checking for the students. They solve math problems by moving colorful number chips around their screen. Blank circles are shown on the slide, and students move the number chips into the correct circles. Every slide has every number the students need, so if they get to the end of the slide and the numbers aren’t working, they know they’ve made an error, and need to go back and check. Another way to make them self-checking is to match their answer to a letter on each slide. On the final slide, they will solve a riddle by typing in the letter next to its solution. If their answers are correct, they will solve the riddle!
Importing Pictures
Long-Term Projects (PBL) can also be created digitally. One of the tasks for my Pacific Crest Trail project is to have students import pictures for each state they hike through. They search on google for the picture they want and add it to their slide. They learn to turn and size their pictures to fit in the provided squares. Not only do they learn the digital skills, they will learn about different areas of the country as they search for pictures. Students will become so proficient at using these tools, they will begin to create their own.
There are so many interesting ways to teach a lesson digitally. Keeping students engaged can be one of the greatest challenges a teacher faces. So, make it easy on yourself and assign a self-checking, no-prep, digital lesson that will keep those kiddos focused and having fun!
Interested in learning some different ways to increase engagement in your classroom? Grab my FREE “10 Ways to Add Fun and Engagement in Your Middle School Math Classroom” Click Here
6th Grade Pacific Crest Trail PBL
7th Grade Pacific Crest Trail PBL
8th Grade Pacific Crest Trail PBL