It’s no secret that students enjoy technology. It’s part of their lives and something they are comfortable with. I decided that I wanted to incorporate digital escapes into my math block for practice, review, and test prep. A digital classroom escape is an interactive activity in which teams of students use clues to solve challenges and unlock “digital locks.” Our line of Digital Classroom Escapes consists of two academic activities aligned to a specific math skill and two puzzlers/ challenges. Here are three reasons why digital classroom escapes are perfect for your classroom.

1.) Low prep

I have always loved the idea of escape challenges, but the initial setup costs/steps has kept me away. With Digital Classroom Escapes there is little prep. There are directions and helpful tips to walk you thru your first escape. You and your students will become familiar with the setup of the escape, making additional escapes even easier. It’s also a great idea to include an escape challenge in your emergency sub kit since your students will already know how to navigate thru the challenge.

2.) All you need is the internet

I get really nervous trying a new activity in my classroom that involves technology. I’m worried that it won’t work, and I will be left standing in the middle of a room with twenty little faces staring at me begging me to fix it NOW! My school doesn’t have Google or Microsoft student accounts, but you don’t need any of that with Digital Classroom Escapes! You need access to the internet and that’s it! There is no setting up class lists or groups. Of course, if you have access to Google Classroom you can assign your classes the escape thru the program. Want to test out a Digital Classroom Escape to make sure it works on your campus? CLICK HERE for your FREE escape challenge.

3.) Student Interaction

There are many personal benefits as a teacher when using Digital Classroom Escapes, but the student benefits surpass my own needs. Students receive immediate feedback while practicing a specific math skill. The escape challenges promote team building and peer collaboration. You will hear accountable talk as students discuss and defend their reasoning as to how they solved a question the way they did. Just like a typical escape room no step or challenge is hiding out in the open. Your students will need to apply their problem-solving skills to advance thru.

Your students will have a blast trying to “escape” different challenges while practicing curriculum!

The post 3 Reasons Why Digital Escapes Are Perfect for Your Classroom appeared first on Tanya Yero Teaching.

Info

The Merge Cube is designed by the company Merge Virtual Reality. Their mission is to create virtual reality toys that are creative and offer educational value. The Merge Cube is a small holographic object that you can hold. Depending on what apps you download on your phone the cube will project 3D images that you can view thru your phone’s camera. This toy can be purchased online via Amazon (for $9.99), but I found my Merge Cube at my local Wal-Mart for $1.00.

The Apps

There are a lot of apps that are compatible with Merge Cube, but most do not carry a HUGE educational component to it. There is a fantastic app for viewing the solar system and parts of the human body such as the heart and brain, but most do not contain an educational component. These two apps provide enough value to justify the $1.00 I spent on the cube, but I would be lying if I didn’t say I wish there were more educational resources for the Merge Cube. Click the link below to view a demo video.

Merge Demo

If you want to use the Merge Cube in your classroom beyond curriculum purposes, there are apps that have logic and maze puzzles that would be perfect for behavior rewards. Merge Cubes are fun and your students will love the technology component. There are paid apps, and a lot of free ones too. If you choose to purchase a paid app you can link multiple devices to one account.

Bottom Line

If you’re lucky enough to find these cubes at Wal-Mart for a dollar each, pick up a few for your classroom. It sounds like this product is in its early stages, so I’m excited to see what apps will be launching in the future.

The post The New Merge Cube…Worth the Hype? appeared first on Tanya Yero Teaching.

1.) Seesaw – Keep parents in the loop with Seesaw. You can create student portfolios that store work that can be shared with parents. Use this app to stay in contact with families and as an aide during parent conferences.

2.) Remind – Raise your hand if you forgotten to give out the homework sheet you assigned. I have done this more times than I would care to admit. With the Remind app I can send a quick blast out to my families to inform them that it’s my fault that their child doesn’t have homework tonight. The app also offers translations in over 70 languages!

3.) Pocket – When I’m browsing the internet for leisure I always have my teacher brain working. With the Pocket app you can quickly save articles and videos for future classroom discussions. Every year my students love to talk about green energy. I always save articles on this topic to use during our energy unit.

What teacher apps do you use in your classroom? Leave a comment below!

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