Listen to the podcast episode on your favorite platform:

Tips for Keyboard Shortcuts

• Take stock of your favorite shortcuts.
• Think of using shortcuts as teaching a “lifelong” tech skill.
• Check out shortcuts for popular platforms.
• Start modeling in context.

Sponsored by VIZOR

Does your School District have a 1:1 program, are you struggling to manage your districts IT assets in a spreadsheet? If you’re tasked with managing thousands of Chromebooks or other IT assets like projectors and Smartboards, you’ll want to checkout VIZOR. VIZOR is a Chromebook and IT Asset management solution designed specifically for School Districts. VIZOR seamlessly integrates with the Google Admin Console and your Student information system. With VIZOR you can easily see which Student has which device, manage repairs and streamline device checkout with barcodes. To find out more and lock in up to 20% off go to vizor.cloud/monica.

Follow & Review on Apple Podcasts

Have you subscribed to the podcast yet? I don’t want you to miss an episode and hope you’ll keep following along with me on this podcast journey. When you follow along on Apple Podcasts the new episodes will appear in the app so you don’t have to remember to go looking for them… Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts! And if you have a minute for a BIG favor, add a rating and review to the podcast, too — I would certainly appreciate it!

Episode Resources

In this episode, Karol Górnowicz, CEO of Skriware, joins to discuss the importance of introducing STEAM education in K-12 learning environments. You’ll also hear how Skriware prepares kids to develop the 21st century skills needed for a future job market, including vocational education.

Listen to the podcast episode on your favorite platform:

Tips for Supporting Vocational Education

• Start the STEAM journey early
• Identify cross-curricular connections
• Embrace vocational education opportunities

Sponsored by Skriware

This episode is sponsored by Skriware, a company introducing SkriLab – a full STEAM laboratory to schools, entering the US market as we speak. Skriware binds 3D printing, robotics and programming supporting teachers in introducing those technologies in 9 different K-12 school subjects. It’s possible thanks to the unique connection of hardware and software, with an online platform for teachers in the heart of the whole SkriLab solution. Skriware’s mission is to deliver to students an education that meets the requirements of 21.century and the future job market in a passionate and fun way, engaging both students and teachers. Learn more here.

Follow & Review on Apple Podcasts

Have you subscribed to the podcast yet? I don’t want you to miss an episode and hope you’ll keep following along with me on this podcast journey. When you follow along on Apple Podcasts the new episodes will appear in the app so you don’t have to remember to go looking for them… Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts! And if you have a minute for a BIG favor, add a rating and review to the podcast, too — I would certainly appreciate it!

Episode Resources

What role does literacy play in a social studies classroom? You might work with the same group of students all day, teaching every subject area. Or you may see different groups of students with only social studies as the focus. Reading and writing skills are present throughout the school day, and in today’s blog post, I have six creative ways to integrate literacy into your social studies lessons.

If you’re looking for ways to infuse literacy into your social studies lessons, PebbleGo has you covered. You can use the fantastic resources from Capstone to give students quick and easy access to high-quality reading materials. At the same time as you dive into a new civics, geography, or history topic, you can reinforce literacy skills during social studies lessons.

Let’s take a look at six ways you can boost literacy skills as you teach social studies.

6 Ways to Boost Student Literacy Skills in Social Studies

Literacy skills aren’t just for the English Language Arts classroom; they are part of our everyday interactions – and play an important role in every student’s school day. Here are six ways you can help students practice and apply the literacy skills they learn as part of ELA instruction during your next social studies lessons.

Introduce Biographies

To help students explore different historical periods, you can introduce biographies of notable figures from different periods in time. For example, if you or your students are exploring the Civil Rights Movement, you might ask them to pick an article from this section of PebbleGo to explore. 

Alternatively, you might post a few selections in Seesaw or another LMS your class uses and have them choose one to read, like this biography on Fannie Lou Hamer.

Give Students Time to Research

If you are exploring a part of the world like South America with your students, you might want to give them time to research different places. They can read a few short articles to learn more about a country they might want to research further. For example, they might read about Ecuador and decide they want to find out more about this country for a deeper research project.

Incorporate Digital Reading Strategies

With digital texts, there are special ways to interact with the reading material. During your social studies lessons, you can point out how to make the most of these extra features. For example, you might read this article about the Sydney Opera House as a class and point out the vocabulary features that let you hear a word pronounced aloud.

Use Articles to Kick Off a Unit

If you’re getting ready to kick off a new unit of study, encourage your students to read an article and list questions they have. This is a great way to set students up for success before a KWL activity. After reading the article, they will have more things in the “Know” category and more ideas for the “Want to Know” thanks to the context of the article.

Try Out Reading Comprehension Strategies

When exploring short texts and articles as part of your social studies lessons, you can incorporate reading comprehension strategies like using context clues or asking questions. Not teaching reading strategies to this group of students? Ask their ELA teacher or refer to your state standards to see what students are working on during other parts of the school day.

Write About Your Research

Inside PebbleGo there is a special feature called PebbleGo Create. I’ve mentioned it a few times on the blog including in the “Draw a Snowflake” section of this recent blog post. When students conduct research in your social studies classroom, you can ask them to write about what they’ve learned using all of the creative features inside of PebbleGo Create.

Using PebbleGo for Your Next Social Studies Lessons

Regular readers of the blog know that I’m a big fan of all things PebbleGo. You might remember these blog posts on Showing and Telling Activities for Readers and How an Activity Bundle Can Save You Time. However, if you haven’t seen PebbleGo in action, this page will give you all the details.

PebbleGo has lots of social studies resources, including a section with categories like Landmarks, Maps, Jobs in the Community, and Culture and Awareness. Each of these categories gives you access to articles in English and Spanish that you can easily share with students. After you log into your account, you can copy and paste the link to an article so students can open it up on their devices and jump right in.

Ready to get started using PebbleGo with your next social studies lessons? Use this link to get started and click on the infographic above if you want to share it on Pinterest or download it to reference later.

As educators, we know that engaging students in meaningful and enjoyable activities is key to fostering a positive and productive learning environment. But sometimes, it can be a challenge to come up with a fun classroom activity that is both educational and engaging.

In this blog post, I have eight tips and ideas for making your classroom activities more fun and engaging for students. From incorporating hands-on elements and games to encouraging creativity and collaboration, these strategies can help you make the most of your lesson plans and keep your students motivated and engaged. 

So whether you’re looking for ways to spice up your current lesson plans or trying something totally new, I hope you’ll find something useful in this post.

Ways To Make a Classroom Activity More Fun

Several factors can make a classroom activity fun and engaging for students. Here is a list of eight ways to make a classroom activity more fun, alongside a few favorite resources.

Relevance 

Activities that are connected to students’ interests, experiences, or real-world situations are more likely to be engaging. Regular readers of the blog know that I love to make connections to ways students can create authentic artifacts. This episode of the Easy EdTech Podcast includes a handful of project ideas inspired by how content creators share on social media.

Variety

Although I loved having routines as a classroom teacher, there is certainly something to say about the novelty of “mixing it up.” You may want to try a variation of an activity, and incorporating different modalities (e.g., hands-on, visual, auditory) can keep students’ attention and interest. For example, if you often use an interactive presentation tool like Lumio, you may want to incorporate an activity you haven’t tried before, like a “Shout it Out” or collaborative option.

Challenge

Activities that are appropriately challenging and provide students with opportunities to learn and grow can be rewarding and engaging. In this recent episode of the Easy EdTech Podcast, I chatted with Peg Grafwallner about productive struggle. It was interesting to hear her perspective on the importance of providing challenges to students. 

Collaboration

Allowing students to work together and contribute their own ideas and perspectives can foster a sense of community and make the activity more enjoyable. Many tools have built-in collaborative features that make it easy for students to share a digital space. Book Creator is one tool that gives students the ability to collaborate on a creative project.

Creativity

Encouraging students to express their creativity and think outside the box can make activities more engaging and enjoyable. You might introduce students to a creative activity that sets them up for success with a template. The team at Adobe for Education has created lots of engaging lessons for students. These include free templates you can use as is or adapt for your group of students. Here is a link to a recent blog post about their mid-year check-in template.

Positive Feedback

Providing positive feedback and recognizing students’ efforts and achievements can boost their motivation and engagement. I’ve featured Hāpara a few times on the blog. You might remember this blog post on “5 Ways To Create a Positive Classroom Culture With Hāpara.” Positive feedback can definitely help make a classroom activity more fun and engaging for students.

Establish an Audience

Helping students see the value and purpose of the activity and allowing them to experience a sense of accomplishment can increase their engagement. If you’ve read my book EdTech Essentials: The Top 10 Technology Strategies for All Learning Environments, you know how much value I place on establishing an audience for students. Let students know from the beginning of a project or activity who will see and celebrate their accomplishments. Something simple, like having all students post a project update on Padlet or Seesaw, is a great way to establish an audience.

Note: Download the free study guide for EdTech Essentials on this page.

Introduce Games

Incorporating fun elements, such as humor or games, can make activities more engaging and enjoyable for students. I love sharing educational games on the blog, and you might remember this post featuring Duolingo ABC. Games help reinforce key concepts and allow students to have lots of fun simultaneously.

In conclusion, there are many ways to make a classroom activity more fun and engaging for students. By incorporating elements of relevance, variety, challenge, collaboration, creativity, positive feedback, and a sense of accomplishment, and even using games, you can create activities that are both educational and enjoyable for your students.

Keep in mind that every class and group of students is different. So it’s essential to be flexible and willing to try out different approaches to see what works best for your students. By continuously experimenting and refining your approach, you can create an academically rigorous and engaging classroom environment for your students.

Note: This blog post was written with some help from ChatGPT for inspiration and assistance with the writing process. This tool has been in the news, and I’m trying it out to learn more about it and the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education.

Graphic novels and comics are a fun and engaging way to incorporate reading and visual literacy into your next classroom activity. But what exactly are graphic novels? How can you actually use comics in your classroom? There are lots of ways to use comics with students.

Graphic novels are longer works of fiction or nonfiction that are presented in a comic book format. They include illustrations and text working together to tell a story. You might have explored the popular “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series by Jeff Kinney or one of the graphic novel examples I listed below.

Comics, on the other hand, are shorter works typically found in newspapers or magazines. Both graphic novels and comics can cover a wide range of genres and themes. This could include superhero stories or historical fiction, and even nonfiction explorations of science and social issues.

5 Quick Classroom Activities With Comics

In this blog post, I’ll share some activities and lesson ideas for using graphic novels and comics in the classroom. And I’ll introduce you to a few popular examples of graphic novels suitable for K-12 students of all ages. So whether you’re a seasoned comics reader or new to the genre, I hope you’ll find something useful and inspiring in this post!

Don’t forget to grab my free comic templates here.

Here are five quick and easy ways to use comics in your classroom:

Pre-Reading Activity

Use comics as a pre-reading activity to introduce a new topic or theme. For example, have students read a comic you’ve found that sets the stage for reading. Alternatively, ask students to create their own comics that explore the key concepts or ideas that will be covered in the upcoming lesson, such as a comic on ocean animals, before reading about different factors in an ecosystem.

Creative Writing Prompt

Use comics as a creative writing prompt. Have students write a short story or narrative using the panels of a comic strip as a structure. One of my favorite tools for creating comics is Book Creator, and you might have caught one of the webinars I’ve hosted for them on how to use this engaging tool.

Summarize Key Ideas

Use comics as a way to summarize or review key information from a lesson. Have students create a comic that illustrates the key points or ideas from the lesson in a fun and engaging way. This is something they can do on their own or as a collaborative activity.

Check for Understanding

Use comics as a form of formative assessment. Have students create a comic that demonstrates their understanding of a concept or idea and use it as a basis for evaluating their knowledge. You might provide a checklist for them of information to include for you to figure out how well they understand something.

Boost Collaboration

Use comics as a way to encourage collaboration and teamwork. For example, have students work in groups to create a comic that tells a story or illustrates a concept, and have them share their comics with the class. This is an excellent way for students to give feedback to one another, too.

Creating Comics and Reading Graphic Novels 

If your students love making comics, you may want to introduce graphic novels as an option for independent reading. As I mentioned earlier in the post, graphic novels are a popular form of reading material for students. It’s an excellent genre for student readers for several reasons.

First, graphic novels often have engaging storylines and visually appealing illustrations. These features can help to hold the reader’s attention and make the reading experience more enjoyable. This can be particularly useful for students who may not be as interested in traditional texts or who have difficulty with reading stamina.

Second, graphic novels can be a helpful tool for building specific reading skills. The combination of text and illustrations in graphic novels can provide contextual clues and help students better understand and retain the content they are reading. So if you are teaching context clues, graphic novels might be a format to introduce to students.

Third, graphic novels are a great way to introduce students to a variety of genres and themes. There are graphic novels available in a wide range of styles and subjects, including fiction, nonfiction, fantasy, science fiction, and more. These can help broaden students’ literary horizons and expose them to new ideas and perspectives. 

Finally, graphic novels can be a valuable resource for teachers, as they can be used to supplement traditional texts. They also provide an alternative way of presenting information to students. Teachers can use graphic novels to engage students in discussions about themes and characters and to encourage critical thinking and analysis.

Note: Grab my free comic templates here.

Graphic Novels for Students

There are many popular graphic novels that are suitable for elementary and middle school-aged students. Here are a few examples:

1. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” by Jeff Kinney: This popular series follows the adventures of middle schooler Greg as he navigates the challenges of adolescence.
2. “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” by Rick Riordan: This series follows the adventures of Percy Jackson, a young demigod who discovers he is the son of Poseidon, and there are graphic novel versions of the popular chapter books.
3. “The Baby-Sitters Club” by Ann M. Martin & Raina Telgemeier: This graphic novel series is based on the popular book series of the same name and follows the adventures of a group of middle school friends who start a babysitting business.
4. “Amulet” by Kazu Kibuishi: This graphic novel series follows the adventures of Emily and her brother Navin as they journey through a magical world to save their mother.
5. “Big Nate” by Lincoln Peirce: This graphic novel series follows the adventures of Nate, a mischievous and energetic sixth grader.

By incorporating comics into your lesson plans, you can create a more dynamic and interactive learning environment for your students. Whether you use them as a starting point for discussions, a way to introduce new concepts, or as a tool for assessment, comics can be a valuable addition to any classroom. Give these five quick and easy ways to use comics in your classroom a try, and see how they can enhance your students’ learning and engagement.

Note: This blog post was written with some help from ChatGPT for inspiration and assistance with the writing process. This tool has been in the news, and I’m trying it out to learn more about it and the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education.

In this episode, I share tips for tackling the often daunting task of student online searches with actionable teaching strategies you can start using right away! You’ll hear about smart searching strategies and skill-building activities to set up students for success when independently navigating online spaces in their own research.

Listen to the podcast episode on your favorite platform:

Tips for Smart Searching

• Share keyword search strategies.
• Brainstorm search terms.
• Post common search queries. 
• Model troubleshooting.
• Try voice-to-text options.

Sponsored by My Planner Pages

This episode is sponsored by my free weekly planner pages! I’ve created a downloadable set of planner pages for you that you can start using today. It’s a great way to stay organized in the new year or any time you like. Print them out to write in your daily schedule and tasks, or use the file on your tablet or computer to keep track of your to-do list and set your priorities each day. These planner pages are totally free, and you can find them at classtechtips.com/planner

Follow & Review on Apple Podcasts

Have you subscribed to the podcast yet? I don’t want you to miss an episode and hope you’ll keep following along with me on this podcast journey. When you follow along on Apple Podcasts the new episodes will appear in the app so you don’t have to remember to go looking for them… Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts! And if you have a minute for a BIG favor, add a rating and review to the podcast, too — I would certainly appreciate it!

Episode Resources

How do your students chronicle and reflect on their learning? Video journals can be a powerful tool for learning and self-reflection. They can be especially useful in the classroom setting, where students can use interactive tools to capture their learning in different ways.

In this blog post, we will explore some of the ways that teachers can use video journals to engage and support their students. We’ll look at the benefits of video journals, some tips for getting started. And in Part 2 we’ll look at some websites and apps for making video journals. (This is Part 1 of a two-part series on using video journals in the classroom. Get Part 2 in your inbox as soon as it is live by signing up for my free weekly newsletter.)

Whether you’re a teacher new to using video journals or experienced with this medium and looking for new ideas, I hope you’ll find this post helpful.

What is a video journal?

A video journal is a video created by an individual (in our case, a student) for self-reflection and documentation. Video journals can take many different forms. However, they generally involve the creation of a video in which the individual shares their thoughts, feelings, experiences, or knowledge on a particular topic. Like a traditional journal, it includes regular updates demonstrating progression and growth.

Video journals can be used for a variety of purposes, such as:

• Personal growth and self-reflection: Video journals can be a powerful tool for individuals to reflect on their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Students can use this medium to identify areas for personal growth and improvement.
• Communication: Video journals can be a valuable way for individuals to share their thoughts and experiences with others. Their journals could be shared with teachers or classmates or kept to themselves.
• Learning: Video journals can be a valuable tool for students to demonstrate their understanding of a particular concept or topic and reflect on their own learning journey.

Video journals can be created using a variety of tools and platforms, such as video editing software, apps, or websites. I’ll share a few favorites below. They can take many different forms, such as a narrated slide show, a talking-head video, or a more creative production with special effects and music. The format and content of a video journal will depend on the purpose and audience of the video, as well as the student’s preferences and skills. 

Note: This episode of the Easy EdTech Podcast includes a conversation with Nichole Carter, who joins to discuss how to boost productivity with creative journaling. 

Ways to Use Video Journals in Math and Science

There are many ways that a teacher could have students use a video journal in a math or science class to deepen their understanding of the material and practice their communication skills. Here are a few potential options:

Demonstrate understanding of a concept

Students could create a video to explain and demonstrate a math or science concept they have learned. For example, they might use visual aids, such as drawings or models, to help illustrate the concept, like the split screen option in Flip (formerly Flipgrid).

Reflect on their learning process 

Students could create a video in which they reflect on their own learning journey, including any challenges or successes they have experienced. This might include a reflection on a science experiment, including what they would change if they were to do it again.

Explain a math or science problem and demonstrate how to solve it

Students could create a video where they walk through a problem step by step. Using a tool like Seesaw, they can film themselves drawing the steps on pencil and paper. Or they could use the whiteboard feature in this tool to explain their thought process and any strategies they used to solve it.

Include a tutorial

Students could create a video in which they teach a math or science concept to their peers or a younger audience. This can be an excellent way for students to practice communication and presentation skills. In their video, students might share information on what they learned or past struggles.

It’s important to provide clear guidelines and support for students as they create their video journals and to be flexible and adapt the assignment as needed to meet the needs and preferences of your students. A tool like Arduino’s Science Journal App is also a great place to start.

Note: In 2020, I released this short episode (15 minutes) of the Easy EdTech Podcast. It includes a few strategies for creating video journals.

Video Journals in ELA and Social Studies

There are many ways that a teacher could have students use a video journal in an English Language Arts or Social Studies class. A video journal can help students deepen their understanding of the material across content areas. Here are a few potential options:

Reflect on their reading or writing

Students could create a video in which they discuss their thoughts and reactions to a book or article they have read. This might include a summary or lingering questions. Students could also reflect on their own writing process when working on an essay or research project.

Present a research project

In addition to chronicling the research process, students could create a video in which they present the results of their research on a particular topic. This video creation might include a few clips from past video journal entries. Then they can add any key findings or conclusions they have drawn.

Demonstrate understanding of a historical event or concept

Students could create a video explaining and demonstrating their understanding of a particular historical event or concept. Their video journal might include visual aids such as maps or images to help illustrate their points.

It’s important to provide clear guidelines and support for students as they create their video journals. At the same time you can be flexible and adapt an assignment to meet the needs and preferences of your students. One of the great things about this type of project is that there isn’t just one way to do it. You may want to find or create examples to share with your students at the start of the project. This is especially useful if video journals are a new concept to them.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series on using video journals in the classroom. Get Part 2 in your inbox as soon as it is live by signing up for my free weekly newsletter.

Would you like to share your journey? Make sure to reach out and tag me on Instagram, Twitter, or your favorite social platform @ClassTechTips.

Note: This blog post was written with some help from ChatGPT for inspiration and assistance with the writing process. This tool has been in the news, and I’m trying it out to learn more about it and the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education.

What have you listened to this year? Thanks to Spotify Wrapped, I know that have listened to thousands minutes of podcasts this year. And my most listened-to podcast was Pivot with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway. Now I tend to listen to podcasts like the radio, or at least that’s the story I’m going with to explain why my number of minutes is so ridiculously high. In this blog post, I’ll highlight some of the most popular Easy EdTech Podcast episodes from this year, in case you’re looking to increase your own listening minutes with a some EdTech tips.

What will are 5 of the most listened-to episodes? You’ll see the list and a brief summary of what each Easy EdTech Podcast episode covers below. A quick note, I didn’t include the bonus episodes on the list. But if you want to see a full list of these ones, this link will take you straight to all of the bonus episodes.

How to Listen to Your First Podcast

Now I know that not everyone is as avid of a podcast fan as I am. So before we dive into the list, I want to share with you how to listen to a podcast. If you’re a seasoned podcast listener, this list might be one you share. Maybe with a colleague, friend, or family member who hasn’t explored this medium.

To find and listen to a podcast, follow these steps:

1. On your phone or computer, open your preferred web browser and go to a podcast directory or search engine. This could include, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.
2. In the search bar, type in the name of the podcast you want to listen to. O type in a keyword related to the topic you are interested in.
3. A list of podcasts related to your search will appear. Browse through the list and select the podcast you want to listen to.
4. On the podcast’s page, you will see a list of episodes. Select the episode you want to listen to and click on the play button to start listening.
5. Most podcast players also allow you to adjust the playback speed, skip ahead or back, and save episodes to listen to later. You can also subscribe to or follow the podcast to automatically receive new episodes as they are released.

Note: If you don’t want to download a new app on your phone, Google Podcasts is a great choice. Here is a list of tips for using the free podcast player from Google.

The Most Listened-to Easy EdTech Podcast Episodes 

The Easy EdTech Podcast is a weekly show that features interviews with educators and experts on the latest in educational technology. You’ll find a combination of interviews and solo episodes where I share strategies and tips related to thoughtful technology integration. This year, I’ve even shared a few excerpts from my book EdTech Essentials: The Top 10 Technology Strategies for All Learning Environments.

With almost 200 episodes to choose from, it can be hard to know which ones to listen to first. So, in no particular order, this list includes the most listened-to episodes of the Easy EdTech Podcast in 2022.

Just 3 Tech Tips to Try This Year – 147

In this episode, I share three tech tips to try this year to make EdTech easier and help you focus on the essentials.  You’ll hear how to tailor these three tips to different grade levels, subject areas, and even different roles to keep things simple this school year! Click here to listen.

What Does an Instructional Technology Specialist Do? with Rosie Fleming – 156

In this episode, Rosie Fleming joins to share what her day-to-day looks like as an Instructional Technology Specialist.  You’ll also hear ways to get involved with tech leadership in your school and steps you can take to pursue the role of Instructional Technology Specialist. Click here to listen.

A Quick Activity to Introduce Memes to Students – 151

In this episode, I share a favorite, quick meme activity to promote critical thinking and creativity around any topic.  You’ll also hear about three spotlight tools to get you started plus how you can use EdTech tools that you already have in your tool belt for this meme creation activity. Click here to listen.

How To Build Your Makerspace from the Ground Up with Caroline Haebig – 146

In this episode, educator Caroline Haebig joins to unpack Maker Learning culture and share resources for building a makerspace from the ground up. You’ll hear tips for using the Design Thinking process and how to connect students to an authentic audience! Click here to listen.

How EdTech Connects to Climate Change Education with Dr. Jennifer Williams – 145

In this episode, author and educational leader Dr. Jennifer Williams joins to discuss the role education technology plays in climate change education. You’ll also hear connections to cross-curricular activities, social-emotional learning, media literacy, and more. Click here to listen.

Fitting Podcasts into a Busy Schedule

If you are busy, you can make time to listen to podcasts by setting aside dedicated time for listening. For example, you can listen to podcasts during your commute, while exercising, or doing household chores. I often listen to new episodes when I get ready for work in the morning, playing them on my speaker or with my Airpods in. You can also use podcast-listening apps that allow you to speed up or slow down the playback speed so that you can fit more content in a shorter amount of time. In a blog post from earlier this year, I shared a few tips for making the most of podcasts with eight quick tips.

Another option is to subscribe to podcasts and have new episodes automatically downloaded to your device, so you can listen to them whenever you have the time. Although this can take up storage space, it’s a good option if you like to “binge” a few episodes at a time or skip around. Additionally, many podcasts (including the Easy EdTech Podcast) give listeners access to written transcripts of the podcast episodes, which you can read or skim at your convenience.

Whether you are new to the Easy EdTech Podcast or have been listening for a while, these popular episodes are designed to provide insights and practical tips for using technology in the classroom. Tune in to hear from expert educators and learn how to integrate technology into your teaching in meaningful and effective ways. 

Use one of these links to follow along and get instant access to everything new in 2023!

Note: This blog post was written with some help from ChatGPT for inspiration and assistance with the writing process. This tool has been in the news and I’m trying it out to learn more about it and the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education.

Do you teach STEAM concepts in your classroom? STEAM concepts fit into many different areas of a student’s school day. Teaching STEAM concepts across the curriculum is possible with intentional integration throughout content areas.

In today’s blog post, I have 5 examples of teaching STEAM across your curriculum, and I’ll share SkriLab from Skriware. They have lots of resources for educators who want to bring STEAM concepts into their classrooms!

4 Examples of Teaching STEAM Across Your Curriculum

Bringing STEAM into your classroom might feel like a challenge without the right resources and support. Here are four examples of how you can incorporate STEAM concepts in different content areas.

English Language Arts

Have students create multimedia presentations that explain a STEAM concept they’ve explored. This is a great way to incorporate speaking and listening skills and standards alongside a STEAM learning experience.

Math

In a math classroom, you can make a coding connection by asking students to make decisions as they build a robot. For example, they can change the speed and direction of the robot they built and think about how to scale the size and speed of their creations.

Science

Students can build models using the 3D software to envision different elements in their world. This could include building out models of parts of a cell or looking at how different molecules come together.

Social Studies

With their 3D printer, students can print out models they have designed that help them examine the shape and scale of different countries and continents. This is also a great way to help students explore various landmarks around the world. 

Note: The Skriware Academy contains lots of ideas for teaching STEAM across your curriculum. Use this link to learn more.

Teaching STEAM with SkriLab

Have you heard of Skriware or SkriLab? This month on my Easy EdTech Podcast, you’ll hear from Karol Górnowicz, CEO of Skriware. He joins for a special bonus episode. We discuss the importance of introducing STEAM concepts in K-12 learning environments.

Last year, I first met the team at Skriware at the ISTE Conference in New Orleans. So you can bet I was excited to hear that ​​they have earned the official Seal of Alignment with ISTE Standards for Students. This means that it aligns well with the ISTE Standards for Students and provides integration into design thinking, computational thinking, and group collaboration, too.

As I mentioned above, the Skriware Academy has lots of resources for educators. It’s an excellent platform for helping you quickly locate resources you can use as is or adapt for your group of students. You can find lessons for all sorts of topics, from geography (like in the screenshot below) to Chemistry and even early childhood education.

Teaching STEAM Concepts

SkriLab is a new offering in the U.S. but has been out in the international market since the end of 2020. It is already used by educators and students in Poland, New Zealand, Ireland, Oman, and more countries!

SkriLab combines 3D printing, robotics, and programming into a single educational lab. In addition, the lab features several different resources you can use to bring STEAM learning experiences to all of your students. On this page you can find the details of everything you’ll get by bringing SkriLab to your school or classroom.

SkriLab for Teaching STEAM

With SkriLab, students and teachers will have access to a 3D Printer named 3D Skrinter, 12 SkriBot educational robots, 1 SkriKit L academic building blocks (almost 5000 construction elements included in the set), and more. Teachers will also get access to Skrimarket and Skriware Academy. Skriware Academy is an online platform designed to support teachers with STEAM integration in different subject areas. 

 As you can see in the video above, Skriware is committed to preparing students for the future. Their resources help students build critical thinking skills and creativity as they explore STEAM concepts in different subject areas.

Ready to get started teaching STEAM in all subject areas? This link will take you straight to Skriware’s website to learn more about SkriLab.