When choosing a digital tool I have several things I look for and BookWidgets hits many of the things I want in a digital tool. It is easy to login with my Google account. It is NOT BORING! Student engagement is important and digital tools should not simply be a digitized version of a worksheet. Digital should do better! I also demand that digital tools should save me time. An intuitive interface that makes me excited about using the tool is a must.
BookWidgets has many fun activities that are easy to create and easy to share with students.
BookWidgets is Easy
BookWidgets is easy to use and now even easier with the Google Classroom Add-on. Assign a jigsaw puzzle, memory game, or even hangman to help students interact with the lesson content. Go beyond fun and games with assessment options as well as ways to display media with students.
You do NOT need Google Classroom to use BookWidgets
Use the share options in BookWidgets, get the Chrome Extension, or use the new Google Classroom Add-on to access directly from an assignment.
BookWidget Games
What I particularly love about the BookWidget games is how quickly I can set them up. Gamification is a great way to get students excited about their learning. I typically can set up a BookWidgets activity in less than 5 minutes.
Try the Jigsaw Puzzle in BookWidgets. Start an activity by building curiosity. What are we going to learn about? Choose an image and upload it into the BookWidgets Jigsaw Puzzle activity. It is really that easy. BookWidgets does the rest! There isn’t even a save button, BookWidgets automatically saves your activity, it doesn’t get easier than this! Share with students to have them sort the pieces and then share what they think about what was revealed.
BookWidgets Assessment Activities
Create a whiteboard activity in seconds. Assign students to annotate on a digital whiteboard. There are 9 different “Test & Review” activities you can quickly create and share with your students. Your mind will be blown by the THIRTY FIVE different question types you can use. Click here to see a sample of the types of questions you can give students.
I used an openmiddle image to add a higher critical thinking problem to the Whiteboard activity. Students can think through their productive struggle using the whiteboard canvas and share their work back with the teacher.
Track Student Activities
BookWidgets lets you know how students performed on the activity. Go to the BookWidgets dashboard to review student performance on any of the many Widgets.
The LIVE feature of BookWidgets Add-on lets you see student progress in real time!
Google Classroom Add-on
If your school has the Google Workspace for Education Plus or the Teaching and Learning upgrade you can ask your Apps Admin to install the BookWidgets Add-on.
Assign BookWidgets Right From Google Classroom
Once the Add-on has been installed it is even easier to assign your students a BookWidgets activity. If your school has enabled it, you will see “Add-ons” to the right of the attachment icons. Locate “BookWidgets” add-on and select an activity you have already created or create a new activity right from Classroom!!
Live From Classroom
A big advantage of using the Add-ons in Google Classroom rather than simply syncing your BookWidgets (which you can still do!) is the ability to track student progress on the Add-on right in Classroom! When you click on BookWidgets “attachment” it will show you a list of the students, when they worked on the activity, their score, and work. All without leaving Google Classroom.
BookWidgets Chrome Extension
If your school does not have the upgraded version of Google Classroom do not fret, you can still use BookWidgets in Google Classroom.
Install Bookwidgets Chrome Extension
Assign From BookWidgets
If your school is cautious about allowing Chrome Extensions and Add-ons you can use the Google Classroom sync from within BookWidgets. Choose the share option in the widget on bookwidgets.com and select Share to Google Classroom. Slightly less convenient than using BookWidgets directly in Google Classroom it is still easy and effective.
No Google Classroom
Even if your school does not use Google Classroom you can still create and share BookWidgets activities with the share link generated in BookWidgets.
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BookWidgets Google Classroom Add-on by Alice Keeler
This review was created by Alice Keeler and sponsored by BookWidgets
