Issue 16 • October 9, 2024

My family and I were supposed to be on our way to Miami, Florida for the ShiftinEdu conference. Unfortunately, Hurricane Milton has caused the event to be cancelled.

I was really looking forward to my twins, Connor and Ellie, presenting with me. They have been working hard all summer, taking my online classes and creating things that we could share with teachers.

My kids have certainly put their knowledge and skills to good use. They have been impressing their 6th grade teachers and classmates with their captivating creativity and terrific tech skills.

Collaborative Classroom Writing with WeWillWrite 🧑‍💻

The article below was written by the folks at WeWillWrite. Many thanks to them for sponsoring this issue of the Learning in Hand Newsletter.

Are you looking for an exciting new way to engage your students in writing? Meet WeWillWrite—an innovative platform designed to transform writing instruction by combining creativity, collaboration, and technology. Whether you're tackling fiction, nonfiction, or reflective writing, WeWillWrite empowers teachers to guide students with meaningful, low-stakes writing tasks that enhance their literacy skills while making learning fun.

What Sets WeWillWrite Apart?

WeWillWrite places students' texts at the heart of the classroom experience. By blending gamified writing challenges with structured feedback, the platform helps students build their writing confidence and skills in real time. Teachers can easily set up quick prompts that foster collaborative learning, encourage critical thinking, and allow students to express their individual voices—all while meeting learning standards.

But what makes this platform even more compelling is its focus on inductive learning, putting students in control of their learning process, while teachers act as expert guides. With WeWillWrite, you get to empower your students to think, write, and learn in a collaborative and supportive environment.

Experience the Future of Writing Instruction

Imagine running a classroom where each student is deeply engaged in the writing process—not just for grades, but for the joy of creation and discovery. With WeWillWrite, that dream becomes a reality. Here’s how it works:

1. Engage Your Class: Teachers set up a challenge and display the prompt on a classroom screen. Each student joins the game anonymously and is randomly assigned to a team, fostering collaborative brainstorming.

2. Write and Reflect: Students are given a few minutes to respond to the prompt. As they write, they can access team insights and tips to support their ideas. The platform allows them to develop their own text while gaining feedback from peers and teachers.

3. Learn Through Feedback: After writing, students review and vote on each other’s submissions, encouraging reflection on writing techniques and literary elements.

4. Celebrate Achievements: The session concludes with teachers showcasing the best entries, fostering an environment where every student's effort is acknowledged.

Join the Movement—Bring Joy Back to Writing

Writing doesn’t have to be daunting for students or teachers. With WeWillWrite, you can create a classroom culture where writing becomes a shared adventure. Let’s put the fun back into fundamentals and reignite the excitement of writing for both students and educators

Curious about how WeWillWrite can fit into your classroom? Now’s the time to dive in! Join our upcoming webinar, where we’ll explore the platform in detail and share real-world success stories from teachers like you who are already transforming their writing lessons with WeWillWrite.

Webinar Details

Date: Wednesday, October 16th
Time: 3 PM PST / 6 PM EST
Register here

Special Webinar Bonus: By attending, you’ll learn how to become a Founding Ambassador for WeWillWrite and help shape the future of this innovative tool.

Plus, Don't Miss the WeWillWrite-a-Thon!

Mark your calendars for the first-ever WeWillWrite-a-Thon on National Writing Day, October 20th. Classrooms around the world will join together in a celebration of creativity, literacy, and teamwork. It’s an excellent way to engage your students in a global event and make writing fun again!

Get Involved

If you're as excited as we are, don’t keep this to yourself—share the joy of WeWillWrite with your fellow educators and colleagues. Tag a friend who loves edtech and let’s spread the excitement!

Together, we can make writing an engaging, joyful experience for every student. Let’s elevate literacy, creativity, and collaboration with WeWillWrite. Join us and be part of this educational game-changer!

Thanks again to WeWillWrite for sponsoring this newsletter! I highly recommend upper elementary, middle school, and high school teachers check out what WeWillWrite has to offer. They have a variety of sample writing prompts, and you can try it out using the Classroom Simulator when you open one of the lessons from the content portal.

Precise Playback ⏸️

Advancing a YouTube video one frame at a time can be useful for analyzing motion, observing phenomena and experiments, focusing on body language, and breaking down athletic techniques.

To move forward or backward one frame, first pause the video. Then, press the period key to advance one frame or the comma key to go back one frame.

Google’s Guide 🌟

Google for Education has published a five-page Guide to AI in Education. It’s a short read that includes key vocabulary, Google’s AI in education philosophy, and links to resources.

Crafting Custom Codes 🔳

Website Planet’s Free QR Code Generator makes it easy to create a QR code. Simply choose where the QR code should direct users, including a URL, phone number, calendar item, or email.

Like other generators, you can download the QR code as a standard black and white image.

I’m excited that this generator allows you to customize your QR code:

• Change the color: Select a color for the squares and a color for the background.

• Add a logo: Upload an image or select an icon from the gallery. The logo appears in the center of the QR code.

• Add a frame: Select one of the frame options. Frames include speech bubbles, a phone, and ribbons. If you choose With Text, you can add words like “Scan Me” or “Sign Up.”

Lesson Launchers 🚀

A great lesson hook grabs students' attention right away and gets them excited about what they're going to learn. Starting with something interesting—like an intriguing question or a real-life connection—helps kids get focused and actually want to participate in the lesson.

Here are some sample prompts for AI chatbots (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) that teachers might use to kick off a lesson.

• Connect content with student interests

  • Example: Give me 5 ways that the water cycle and football are unexpectedly connected.

• Bust a myth

  • What are common myths, false assumptions,  or counter-intuitive facts for 6th graders about states of matter?

• Get them thinking

  • Write 5 questions for 6th graders to stimulate curiosity and encourage deep thinking about states of matter.

• Preview the lesson with emojis

  • Create a series of emojis that represent the lesson that I’m describing below…

• Creative analogies

  • Use creative analogies or metaphors to introduce the carbon cycle to 6th graders.

• Surprising tidbits

  • Give me little-known or surprising trivia about sound energy that most 6th graders probably don’t know.

Connor and Ellie are just as passionate about learning and technology as I am, making them ideal co-presenters. Despite Hurricane Milton’s disruption of our presentation plans, I’m sure we’ll have the opportunity to present together in the future.

I took the above photo during Ellie's fourth-grade student-led conference. I noticed a sticky note next to her computer's trackpad. Curious, I looked closer and couldn't help but smile. Ellie had written down hex codes for her favorite colors to use in Google Slides! It's clear she's inherited my love for design. That apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

Smiles from Iowa,

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