MacBook-less Activities

There will be a day or two at the end of May where your kids don't have MacBooks.  You might be thinking, "what the heck do I do with them?" Here are a few previous blog topics on what you can do in class that requires technology only on your end:

1. Plickers
Both teachers and students can submit multiple choice or true/false questions as an assessment tool or simply to survey the class.  You will need to print off Plickers cards prior to your lesson.
Technology needed: Your iPad
2. Sporcle
Choose a category that relates to your content area and have students compete in teams or as individuals to complete the quizzes.
Technology needed: Your MacBook/Apple TV
3. Virtual field trips
Pick a location that you have talked about during the year and visit it in Google Earth, or check out the topics avalable at Discovery Education.
Technology needed: Your MacBook/Apple TV
4. Skype
Plan ahead and have another middle school in the district or any class anywhere ready to Skype during your class period.  Have the students generate questions to ask about their school, community, etc.  You can also get in touch with an expert in your content area and have them available for questions.
Technology needed: Your MacBook/Apple TV
5. TED Talks
Have students submit topics of interest or choose one yourself that is pertinent to your content.  Be sure to preview first to make sure they are school appropriate.  There are a lot of TED Talks by teens and younger.
Technology needed: Your MacBook/Apple TV

Here are some other "lame duck day" activities from blogger, Jennifer Gonzalez as well as a similar post from my blog last May.

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