Episode 5: tempting templates

​We know how difficult it can be carving out time to create and develop digital lessons - that is why we are offering three low prep activities in the form of templates that you can copy from our Show Notes page and integrate into your lessons immediately. In today's episode we discuss three templates to get your students practicing their writing skills and composing at the keyboard. 
   Let's Talk
   Partner Talk/Write
   Hook the Reader

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 Creating templates can help ensure that every element needed for the activity, lesson, or unit is preloaded and ready for student interaction. When designing templates, if they are visually appealing and engaging your students’ interest may also increase.  

The templates are ready so the only thing you will need to focus on is the workflow for getting the templates to your students. Will you distribute through Google Classroom? Provide a link for students to access the templates? Provide students with a “force copy” link? You have several options so you will  choose what works best for you and your students.  
Now that we have discussed some ways for using templates and the why behind them, let us tempt you with templates!

🗣 Let's Talk
Our first template was created using Google Drawing and uses a cell phone message image to get students writing. We like this particular type of template because of the popularity of texting among students and because of the template layout, it doesn't require a lot of text but still allows students to the learn the required writing skill. 

• At the end of a lesson, students work with a partner to quickly review today's lesson by typing in the template - instead of texting on their phones
• Students share the Google Drawing with a partner to practice writing dialogue from the point of view of persons who shaped history  - imagine the possibilities! 
• Students individually highlight character conversations from a novel or book they are currently reading. 

Not all students take naturally to composing writing pieces but if we can tempt them with a great template, the chances of getting students excited about writing just may increase. The "Let’s Talk" Google Drawing template might just be a way to tempt your reluctant writers to begin so get your copy and give it a try! 

🔑Resources:
Let's Talk Template
Teacher Tech with Alice Keeler


💭 Partner - Talk/Write
Have you tried the voice typing tool in Google Docs? If not, our next template may be tempting enough to give it a try. This tempting template was created in a Google Doc by inserting a table, filling with color, adding text, and coloring in the table cells. We chose this template because it encourages communication and collaboration among partners and because of its adaptability to fit into any content area across all grade levels. 

• Let’s imagine a math class where students have completed the practice portion of the lesson. You can have partners use the Partner Talk/Write template to explain what they found most challenging with the lesson and why or have them explain how they solved one of the problems.
• Another scenario could be during science class and partners could be asked to hypothesize what will happen during the day’s lab and then return to talk/write about the actual outcome.

Whichever way teachers choose to use this template students will be focused on their learning and not getting lost in the keyboard. Also, if this was assigned in Google Classroom or if you have students share the document with you, you have the opportunity to view and learn what students know, have difficulty with - basically giving you information to plan for next steps. 

🔑Resource:
Partner Talk/Write Template

🎣 Hook the Reader
Drafting an interesting opening can be a challenge for writers of any age. Our Hook the Reader template  helps students focus on composing an amazing opening to match the body and conclusion that you will provide.  Students read the given text, then put their energy into crafting an opening that Hooks the Reader and flows right into the selections provided. Compose right at the keyboard or use the Voice Typing tool for this relatively short writing practice.

• Our Hook the Reader template was created as a 2x3 table within a Google Doc.  Columns are labeled Opening, Body, & Conclusion.
• Prior to distribution,  paste grade level student writing examples or sections of published articles into the Body and Conclusion columns while leaving the Opening column blank. 
• Students read the text provided in the Body and Conclusion then focus on composing an appropriate introduction in the Opening column. 

 
Bonus Template:  Wrap it Up 
Wrap it Up is the opposite of Hook the Reader.  Provide students with an awesome introduction and body of writing and they compose a compelling conclusion based on the given text. 

🔑Resources:
Hook the Reader Template
Wrap it Up Template

Have any of these templates tempted you? How will you be using any of the mentioned templates with your students in the next school year? Share your ideas in the comments or share your own templates for all to see and give us Somethin' to Tech About!


Additional Resources:
​ISTE Standards for Educators
​ISTE Standards for Students
​Guide to the 4 C's
Technology Integration Matrix