A Classroom Tool you will “flippin” LOVE

Who is excited about summer break?

While this time of year is exciting it is also tiring trying to keep students engaged. Wait…keeping ourselves engaged can be a day’s work too!

With only a few days or weeks remaining of school it can be a challenge to find activities, classroom tools, or lessons that energize the students and yourself. Check out these quick Google integrated review tools that you can use! As many of you prepare for exams and final unit test this website may be something new and refreshing, but not too much work…………flippity!

The website offers a host of online games that are SIMPLE to build! Each game is just a google sheet that you edit. Easy peasy…input questions/answers, publish and BOOM DONE……super simple! 

This simple template is provided, all you need to do it edit with your questions/answers.

So simple that you could make multiple games within minutes and allow students a choice to differentiate how they review for your next assessment.

Just a few options on flippity.net

A couple of my personal favorites are Flippity Scavenger Hunt and the Matching Game! The scavenger hunt is similar to a break out box, students are asked a question such as the one below, if they are able to answer the question correctly they will be able to unlock the lock!

Want to give students a hint? That is easy too! Add pictures or links so when students need a nudge all they have to do is click on the light bulb and they are directed to more information. 

My 2nd favorite is the matching game, especially for vocabulary!

Super simple matching game!

Click here and see all the easy to implement options!

Want something more low tech? Play Hot Potato Review


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For the LOVE of FCS

I LOVE celebrating the holidays with my students, each holiday brings a reason to decorate and have fun with your students! This year make Valentine’s Day in your classroom one of the loveliest days of all...try some of these heart-pumping standard-based activities that your students will be sure to LOVE!

Teach Heart Health! Use the holiday as an opportunity to teach your students a little anatomy and ways individuals can take care of their heart. Then prepare a heart-healthy snack to demonstrate cooking methods that increase nutritional value, lower calorie and fat content, and utilize herbs and spice to enhance flavor (8.5.14)! 

Check out the heartfelt resources from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.  Use these materials to teach National FCS standard 9.4.5 design instruction on nutrition to promote wellness and disease prevention. 

Click the image to view heart health tip sheets and resources.

Be cupid and introduce your students to the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman in your personal wellness, health or life skills class! Start with introducing each LOVE Language then have students take the quiz (paper copy) to find out which of the 5 speaks the loudest for them! 

Then check out some sweet ideas from A Symphony of Praise blog for fun ways to speak the 5 Love Languages.  Turn these ideas into class projects to teach students to build and maintain interpersonal relationships (13.1.1) and analyze factors that contribute to healthy and unhealthy relationships (13.1.4). 

Image from A Symphony of Praise

If your students enjoy this topic, make it a larger project by checking out the The Teens Guide of the 5 Love Languages!

Valentine’s Day is a holiday shared by the young and old. Make this holiday special for your students who are learning about little ones! Host a Valentine’s Day party by arranging some preschool games that help build motor skills, providing a healthy kid-friendly snack (4.4.4: Plan safe and healthy meals and snacks that meet USDA standards), and/or playing a fun game of Valentine Bingo to demonstrate an activity that teaches language skills. 

Click for FREE Valentine's Day Bingo Cards!

While your students are busy making memories they will also be learning more about physical, emotional, social, moral, and cognitive development (12.1.1). 

Valentine's Day is all about design, the design of a flower arrangement, cards that convey feelings through design, decorations that spread LOVE with their design and much more! Bring this design element of the holiday to your classroom. Have students make a special gift for themselves or someone else by hosting a canvas painting party with a Valentine's Day focus.


Check out some of these darling design ideas by other bloggers for inspiration...

Image from Easy Peasy and Fun Blog

Image and idea from The Farm Wife Crafts Blog

Image and idea from Typically Simple Blog

As your student paint (small canvas can be purchased at Dollar Tree) and sip on sparkling grape juice, they will also be analyzing the effect that the principles and elements of design have on aesthetics and function (11.2.3).

Want to go more simple? Have students use their creativity to participate in a fun childhood craft, use Perler Beads to create a Valentine's Day design!

The LOVE doesn’t end there! Have your clothing and textiles class put their hand sewing skills to use by making small felt hearts and turning them into keychains or magnets! 

Image and idea from www.instructables.com

Students may also apply basic and complex color schemes and color theory (16.3.2) to create Mandala Dot Art wooden heart magnets! 

Don't forget to share the love with your career exploration or planning courses!  Valentine's Day is a cherished time to teach students about affectionate, people oriented, big-hearted careers!  Discuss and research the different careers that require compassion and love for others.

After teaching and discussing (1.1.6: Develop a life plan, including pathways to acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to achieve individual, family, and career goals) more about these specific careers have students make a Valentine for someone who is currently working in one of these careers.  Add a sweet treat to put the icing on someone's Valentine's Day!

How do you spread the LOVE of FCS 

in your classroom on Valentine's Day?

Netflix Binge to Teach Organizational Skills!

Grab a cup of hot chocolate and get ready for a Netflix binge in the classroom!  The new Netflix series ‘Tidying Up’ has everyone talking about organization!  Your students will not be disappointed with your choice to implement this new series into your Interior design, child development, adult roles or relationships curriculum. 

The new Netflix series that was just released January 1st and is based on the KonMari organizational strategies by Marie Kondo.  She inspires individuals to tidy up their spaces using the spark of joy to bring happiness and ease to the home.  While helping individuals and families organize their homes she addresses the National FCS standard 2.2.2 - Apply time management, organizational, and process skills to prioritize tasks and achieve goals, by teaching an easy 5 step organizational process.  You can learn more about her “style” and simple techniques by visiting her website at https://konmari.com/. 

Image by konmari.com

Let the binge begin…..grab the hot chocolate, your favorite cozy blanket and settle down to find a new kind of motivation inspired by Marie!  

Purchase the ‘Tidying Up Movie Guides' that includes movie guides for 5 episodes and answer keys! Your students will be engaged, and walk away motivated!  

(Expires 1/20/19)

Visit my Etsy Shop and use the code TIDYUP19 to save 50% on this package of 5 movie guides!  

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What are some of your favorite Netflix shows to use in the classroom?