GIS Digital Breakout
The students in Nicole Marchick's class use the four Cs to "break out" in class .
Created by Scott Aten, November 12, 2019
Many times we hear about the 4 Cs as they are related to Technology Integration - Collaboration,
Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking. Today I had the opportunity to witness an
activity that hit all four. If you are a forth grader in Nicole Marchick's class you get to experience
a "Digital Breakout" activity several times during the year. In Nicole's class a story theme runs
throughout the year and different activities merge into this theme. Today's activity was a "Digital
Breakout' that reviewed several concepts the students had been learning:
[Green Google Training Center]
a "Digital Breakout" activity several times during the year. In Nicole's class a story theme runs
throughout the year and different activities merge into this theme. Today's activity was a "Digital
Breakout' that reviewed several concepts the students had been learning:
- Compare and contrast in text structures
- Sequencing of events
- Cause and Effect
In a "Digital Breakout" students are provided clues to "unlock" various "locks". In this case the clues
allowed the students to apply what they had learned about the topics above. The "keys" to these
locks are not obvious, the students have to use critical thinking to come up with the correct solutions.
Nicole structured this activity as a whole class collaboration, but on upcoming breakouts they will work
in small groups and the clues will become more and more challenging. When a student comes up with
a solution it is shared to the group on the board and as a class they moved to the next "lock".
Communicating the correct "key" that unlocks the puzzle is important or part of the group will be left behind
and thus part of the collective brain power too. There is a little pressure as a countdown clock is running
limiting the time the group has to escape the activity. Fortunately in today's class, the students worked
together and were able to successfully "Break Out". This was a very creative way for the students to
review what they have been studying and the students I talked to, all loved it.
If you would like to see what Nicole made, here is a link to the activity. This type of activity can work
at just about any grade level or content area.
at just about any grade level or content area.
I have worked with other classes and created "Digital Breakouts" with teachers to use.
- Famous People Breakout (used as an introduction to Biography Reports)
- Reach For Reading Unit 5 Review Breakout
The tools used in these are available to all Green Staff:
- Google Forms (to make the locks)
- Google Docs (for some of the clue documents)
- Google Sites (a great way to assemble all the pieces)
If you think this is something you would like to try. Feel free to schedule me to come and help you plan
and develop your own "Digital Breakout"
I would love to see any lessons you have created and would like to share with the district in a post like
this one. Just let me know when it is happening. I would love to come see how teachers are using
the chromebooks creatively.
[Green Google Training Center]
For more helpful information and the archive of previous posts, look for items in the menu to the left.
Green Local Schools
Tech Integration Team
