Upgrade Your Textbooks! (From the Upgrade Your Teaching with Multimedia Workshop Series: Part 8)
Welcome back to this “Upgrade Your Teaching” Workshop Series all about using multimedia instruction to enhance your current teaching practices.
So far, we’ve covered the basics, laying the ground work for understanding what multimedia is and what it looks like. We’ve also explored the benefits and ultimately the impact that multimedia instruction has in the classroom.
But none of that information is helpful unless we have some actionable steps for making multimedia magic happen in the classroom. So, in the next few sessions of this workshop series, I wanted to give you some real practical ways that you can infuse multimedia into your every day instruction.
Multimedia isn’t a separate from our regular instruction - it’s infused into all areas of our classroom.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll share some straight-forward ways to upgrade:
your multiple choice worksheets
your maps
your student printables
your reading activities
your classroom management systems and strategies
your textbooks
You likely have a stack of textbooks sitting somewhere in your classroom. And if your students are like mine, busting out the textbook often is followed by moans of unimpressed students who would rather NOT be reading from a textbook. So - allow me to introduce a few multimedia alternatives that will turn those moans into cheers!
Using Multimedia and Technology to Upgrade Your Textbooks
GALLERY WALKS
Let’s start with gallery walks. In a traditional gallery walk, students get to roam around the classroom and check out cool visual displays like posters or images that are set up on the walls or tables.
In a gallery walk+, we take it up a notch. We add some multimedia pizzazz to the mix, like looping videos or funky audio playing at some or all of the stations. Picture this: you've got posters and artifacts related to a specific topic, and on top of that, you've got tablets playing cool videos that match the theme. It's like a visual feast for the eyes and ears!
Now, let's talk about who's in charge. Gallery walks can be either teacher-led or student-led. In a teacher-led gallery walk, the teacher sets everything up, and the students become the eager explorers. Say you're learning about invertebrates. Each station is decked out with images, books, and videos all about different groups of those spineless creatures. The students then take a walk from station to station, soaking up knowledge about each group. It's an awesome way to discover new information and keep things fresh.
In a student-led gallery walk, it's the students who take the reins. They've learned some new information, and now it's time to show off. Each student, or group of students creates their own station, finding their own cool images, videos, and whatnot to share with their classmates. It's like putting their learning on display and sharing it with the world (or at least the class).
Gallery Walk+ can be a stellar way to kick off a unit or review what you've learned. It adds some zing and replaces boring ol' textbook reading. Trust me, it's way more engaging and exciting.
VIDEOS
I know we've chatted about videos before, but seriously, they're really just the super easy way to bring multimedia into your teaching game. You can use videos at any point in your lesson, whether it's kicking things off, giving a quick review, or even setting up awesome learning centers. The beauty of videos is that they work wonders for explaining those tricky or abstract topics. They tap into both our ears and eyes, activating those powerful brain channels we chatted about earlier in this workshop series.
And here's the exciting part: we've got a treasure trove of free video resources right at our fingertips, thanks to YouTube! Seriously, it's a goldmine. Let me drop some awesome channels for kids that I absolutely adore:
Oh, and there's also BrainPop, a fantastic resource, although it's a paid option. But guess what? Many schools have got you covered with access to BrainPop, so make sure to check if it's available to you.
PODCASTS
Let's talk about the awesome world of podcasts. A podcast is like a digital audio show that you can download or stream online. It's like having your own personal radio station with cool episodes that you can listen to whenever you want. Adults have been all over podcasts lately, but guess what? They're not just for grown-ups anymore!
Here's the exciting news for teachers: kids podcasts are totally booming right now. And the best part? They're a fantastic replacement for those textbook nuggets. Seriously, you can find podcast episodes on almost any topic under the sun. It's a treasure trove of audio goodness just waiting to be discovered by you and your students.
Some of my favorite kid-friendly podcasts are:
I often think of podcasts being the listening center for the 21st century classroom. And again, there are a ton of free options for kid-friendly podcasts.
Want to learn more about using podcasts in the upper elementary classroom? Check out this interview I did with Jerry Kolber, host of the top-rated kid’s podcast, Who Smarted?
Also - grab my FREE podcast recording sheet that students can use with any podcast!
LINKtivities
Get ready to discover my all-time favorite upgrade to textbooks - LINKtivities! Okay, I might be a liiittle biased because it's my company, but trust me, LINKtivities are the real deal. They're like a 21st-century learning tool that takes multimedia to a whole new level.
Think of LINKtivities as supercharged digital textbooks, but better. We like to call them a multimedia EDU-venture. They bring together all the awesome elements of multimedia into one epic learning experience.
So, what are LINKtivities, you ask?
They're web-based learning activities that cover a wide range of topics. In a single LINKtivity, students can watch videos, read with a virtual guide, and even have the text read to them. This is amazing for English language learners or struggling readers because it breaks down the barriers to understanding content that might be a bit challenging to read.
You know that feeling when a student comprehends a concept but struggles with the reading level? Well, LINKtivities swoop in to save the day by providing that extra support that worksheets or textbooks just can't offer.
LINKtivities also engage students with cool interactive features like drag and drop and digital flipcards. They're designed to captivate and empower students as active participants in their own learning journey.
Now, here's the beauty of LINKtivities - they're super versatile. You can use them as a whole-class activity, for morning work, individual assignments, centers, fast finishers, and even for at-home learning. They're self-paced, meaning students can work through them in any order that suits their fancy.
Why do LINKtivities rock? Well, they give students the reins, allowing them to navigate at their own pace and become active participants in their learning. They use various modes of multimedia to teach the same content found in a textbook but in a way that's engaging and exciting.
LINKtivities have become such a hit with teachers and students, that we had to put them all in one place so that teachers could get unlimited access to them ALL. That’s why we created LINKtivity Learning - an all access pass to our entire library of LINKtivities. Plus, subscribers also get instant access to all new releases that come out each month!
Wanna give it a try? Get started with LINKtivities for FREE!