google slides Archives - Teacher's Brain

Are Virtual Field Trips Better Than Real Field Trips?

June 17, 2022 teachersbrain Distance Learning, Teacher's Pay Teachers, Teaching Tips

When it comes to field trips, many teachers find that they have a love-hate relationship with them. Are they fun? Of course! Do students love them? You betcha. Are they exhausting? Absolutely! Can they be stressful? Unfortunately, yes.

We’ve all been there. We spend weeks preparing for a field trip. Plan the activity. Get it approved. Send out notices to parents and get permission forms signed. Collect any money necessary. Arrange transportation. Get parent volunteers. And that’s all before the field trip even starts!

are virtual field trips better than real field trips?

During the pandemic, we were all forced to embrace digital-well- everything. We found ourselves figuring out online learning, Google Classroom, Boom Cards, distance learning activities, Zoom meetings, etc. It was a learning curve for sure, but it has changed so much about how we are able to teach, and that includes field trips!

When it comes to field trips, many of us started doing virtual field trips for the first time and realized how much we loved them!

So that begs the question: Are virtual field trips better than real field trips?

They both have their pros and cons. In-person field trips are more immersive, but virtual field trips are great because they bring just as much fun and learning with way less stress, planning, and organizing on your part.

How do you do a virtual field trip?

Virtual field trips are so easy to do! You can find free virtual field trip tours on museum websites or you can go for a more interactive resource that includes the “tour” along with educational activities. For more on virtual field trips, check out my post on 5 Reasons To Take a Virtual Field Trip!

What are some good virtual field trips?

One of my favorite virtual field trips is my Virtual Zoo Trip!

Use these interactive, editable Google Slides to easily have students copy and paste movable parts, learn about Zoo animals, facts, what to bring on a trip, and so much more!

What is in this download?

28 Google Slides with titles, edit text boxes, directions, movable parts great for virtual or in-person teaching.

KWL Chart
Packing A Suitcase for the Trip
1 Minute Take OFF Flight Video
10-minute ZOO Field Trip Video (Car Ride to the Zoo, Animal Facts)
Sequencing Events, 3 Writing Prompts, Counting Objects (under 10), Labeling Parts, ZOO Counting Song, and Comprehension Questions
One extra slide for you to add anything you would like to the lesson. (videos or an assignment)
Home Connection Optional Assignment for students to build an animal habitat
Black and white ink-saving Writing Pages and Home Connection Page for in-person teaching

Your students will love this hands-on virtual field trip! Looking for more virtual fun? Check out my other virtual field trip resources here.

What’s your favorite thing about virtual field trips? Let me know in the comments!

Digital Sight Word Puzzles for Practice

February 4, 2022 teachersbrain Distance Learning, education, kindergarten survival, Sight Words

We know how important sight words are in those early grades. They are crucial to developing reading fluency and expanding reading comprehension. It’s also a nice little confidence boost for beginning readers when they come across words they know!

To do this, we generally work on them in class and hand out our sight word lists for students to practice at home and they get them checked off as they master them. This is a simple and effective way to make sure your students are getting the practice they need! However, it’s not the most engaging or fun thing to do.

How can we make sight word practice fun and engaging?

I have lots of ideas on this topic including this cute and fun sight word teacher dress, sight word escape rooms, plus all of these fun, hands-on activities listed here.

You could say making sight word practice fun is a passion of mine!

Today I wanted to share another sight word practice activity that is a unique and engaging way for kindergarten and first grade students to master those sight words.

These digital Sight Word Puzzles are guaranteed to get your students excited to practice!

Created using interactive Google Slides, students will get to solve a puzzle using picture clues. They’ll locate the sight words and write them in the text box.

Two types are included 3×3 and 5×5 so you can differentiate and choose the difficulty level appropriate for your students.

This resource comes with 11 unique puzzles for students to work through at once or spread out. Plus, it comes with a fun bonus puzzle for those who need a little extra work for a real challenge.

I love this activity because it is completely digital. This means that it is perfect for students in the classroom or who are doing virtual school. So no matter the status of the pandemic or the weather, you can reach for these digital puzzles.

Here’s what’s included

Eleven total puzzles. Ten puzzles are 3×3 (easy version) and ten are 5×5 (more difficult to put together.) One puzzle is the bonus challenge. It is 5×5 and has 12 sight words instead of 6.

Students drag the puzzle pieces over the image area (picture cue) to solve the puzzle and see the sight words. Then, they will type the sight words into the corresponding area. When they are done you can have them send them back to you to check.

Wondering what sight words are used in this resource?

I, like, the, and, see, we, a, to come, me, with, my, you, what, are, now, is, how, of, so, many, where find, this, from, came, on, will, be, into, that, your, who, go, for, here, they, soon, up, make, play, them, give, say, new, said, good, was, then, ate, could, she, all, over, her, when, some he, no, must, saw, down, there, day, too, take, off, put, saw, their, very, look, ask every, one, walk

Learn more about these sight word puzzles in my video here!

What are your favorite ways to practice sight words? Let me know in the comments!

Pumpkin Patch Virtual Field Trip for Kids

October 6, 2021 teachersbrain Fall & Halloween

You can be every student’s favorite teacher by taking them to a pumpkin patch! Virtual Field trips are a great way engage students in learning. These interactive, editable Google Slides make it easy to have students use movable pieces, tour a pumpkin patch, learn about pumpkin parts and the pumpkin life cycle!

This makes for a great book companion with any pumpkin-themed book. Pumpkin lessons can be used in October or November since it’s pumpkin-themed. This is GREAT for virtual or in-person teaching.

What is in this download?

There are 32 Google Slides with editable text boxes, directions, movable parts, videos, and so much more!

KWL Chart
Packing A Suitcase for the Trip
1 Minute Take OFF Flight Video
14-minute Pumpkin Patch Field Trip Video (Review pumpkin parts, the pumpkin life cycle, and take a Hayride Adventure)
Sequencing Events, 4 Writing Prompts (digits, print primary lined, print intermediate lined options), Counting Objects (Up to 10), Labeling Parts, Calendar Song, and Comprehension Questions, Home Connection Project
One extra slide for you to add anything you would like to the lesson. (videos or an assignment)
Home Connection Optional Assignment for students to design a pumpkin face.
Black and white ink-saving Writing Pages and Home Connection Page for in-person teaching.

Slide backgrounds CAN NOT be edited, just the text boxes and movable parts can be edited.

You can delete slides you don’t want to send to students, add your own directions or images to the sides of the slides to personalize.

Here are some ideas of what you can do with this virtual field trip:

Have a local store or parents donate small pumpkins for you to give the students after the virtual trip to decorate.
Write about how to sell pumpkins.
Cut a real pumpkin and have students label the parts on a chart.
After learning about the life cycle, have students explain it to someone in a letter.
Make some items like pumpkin pie or seeds for students to try.

GRADES Kindergarten (non-readers need help reading or you will have to do it whole group) – 2nd GRADE

YOU DO NOT need Google Classroom to use Google Slides. It will force a copy of it on your Google Drive. Students do not need to have Google Classroom to participate. They will need a Google account, which does not have to be a Gmail account, but just an account with Google that gives them access to Google Drive.

Easily share through Google Classroom to collect information or share from your computer to Zoom or Meets. Students move images, add text, and moving parts to get plenty of writing and computer practice!

Your kids will love the field trip and beg for another!

How To Create A Fun And Easy Virtual Calendar For Your Classroom

July 9, 2021 teachersbrain Classroom Decor, kindergarten survival, Teaching Tips

If you know me, you know I just love calendar time. It is such a great way to gather with kindergarten or first grade students, go over the calendar, review some concepts, read stories, listen, share, and maybe even sing some songs. For more info on why I love it so much, check out my post here.

I adore my traditional Calendar Time area. This fun beachy-themed calendar area has always been my favorite. Recently, however, I have been exploring Google Slides more and more and have found that it is the perfect tool for creating a virtual calendar easily!

Here are some benefits of using a virtual calendar in your classroom

It can be used in person or virtually. After the last couple of years in the classroom, we are realizing the need for resources that can be used in the classroom AND virtually for distance learning. Teaching resources that are versatile enough to be used in both is essential these days.
They are easily customized. Google Slides are so easy to play around with and make it your own.
It can be easily reused year after year. While you can reuse physical products too, reusing digital items doesn’t require you to store anything or take up extra space. It can also be edited and personalized each year to fit whatever theme you want.
It saves money. If you are printing your resources, it will save you money on paper and printing costs to just do it virtually. Saving money in the classroom is always a plus!

Ready to explore virtual calendars yourself? I have you covered! I created this Virtual Calendar template for teachers who want to simplify Calendar Time in the classroom.

These colorful Google Slides templates make it easy for you and fun for your students. They can easily be edited to add your own personal touch. This calendar comes with Google Slides to help you review time, days of the week, months, money, share your morning messages, birthday shoutouts, and more!

Check out my virtual calendar tutorial here!

Here’s what’s included in this calendar resource:

21 Colorful Digital Calendar and Math slides. Includes time, days of the week, months, money, a spinner game, morning messages, birthday shoutouts, patterns, shapes, and tally marks.
2 Review Pages (one digital and one black and white to easily print for pencil to paper)

Ready to get started with your virtual calendar? Check it out here!