Issue 67 • Date September 23, 2026

When I look back at some of my earlier newsletters, I notice I used a lot fewer words. Somewhere along the way, as the issue numbers climbed, so did the word count! I’ve got plenty I want to share with you, but this time I’m going to see if I can keep things brief while still giving you plenty to explore.

⚡ Five-Minute Fun

Let’s start with quick digital games and activities to get students learning something new or practicing a skill.

• The True Size Of
  Drag and rotate states and countries to compare their sizes. You'll see how representing a sphere on a flat map causes distortion.

• GeoSlice
  Give a map, split the land area as evenly as possible so that each section has roughly even populations.

• Ba Ba Dum
  Choose a language and guess the meanings of the spoken words.

• The Bézier Game
  Solve interactive tracing puzzles to build digital design confidence and learn how to control computer-drawn curves.

• Draw a Perfect Circle
  Draw a perfect circle with a mouse? That's a challenge! Try "Draw a Perfect Circle" and see how close you can get.

These and 200 more quick digital goodies can be found on my Digital Snacks padlet.

🌟 Padlet Promotion

Speaking of Padlet, its free plan limits you to just three padlets. You can clear one out to make room for a new one, but that’s no fun.

The Padlet Classroom plan is $160 a year and can be shared between two teachers. Padlet gave me a referral link that provides 60 days of unlimited access for free. Try Padlet free for 60 days If you choose to purchase a membership after the trial, Padlet pays me a commission.

🍂 Shapegrams in Season

Shapegrams Junior features picture puzzles that help young learners practice dragging, rotating, resizing, and coloring shapes while discovering how shapes can be combined to create something new.

I’ve added a batch of fall pictures that teachers can use in their playlists. For each picture, you can choose up to seven different ways for students to play. Create as many playlists as you’d like, share them with students using a link, or print the QR code cards that Shapegrams Junior creates for each playlist to use at classroom stations or centers.

🤫 AI’s Adverb

AI’s language usage has changed over the years. It uses the words delve and tapestry less than it used to, but I’ve noticed an adverb popping up quite often.

AI’s 2026 magic adverb seems to be quietly. I notice it especially in online video scripts. And, unfair or not, when I hear it used in a certain way, I immediately suspect the script was mostly AI-generated.

AI seems to use quietly to add artificial tension, making something ordinary sound like a secret or a revelation: “This tool is quietly changing how teachers work.”

Of course, a single word doesn’t prove AI wrote it, but it does give me pause.

🕵 Image Investigation

AI is getting really good at generating images that look like real photographs. It’s also pretty good at creating all kinds of illustrations.

AI-generated images used to be easier to spot. Extra fingers, gibberish text, and other weird details often gave them away. Today, it's usually not so obvious.

If you’re wondering whether an image was AI-generated, investigate it using AI. Upload it to Gemini, Claude, or ChatGPT and ask if it was likely AI-generated. It may point out suspicious details, but remember that its assessment isn’t proof. You can also ask it to investigate where the image came from. Depending on the tool, it may be able to search the web for the original or similar versions.

And if your iPhone has Apple Intelligence and iOS 27, you can ask Siri about an image on your screen.

🔗 Launch a Link

If you’re using iOS 27 with Apple Intelligence, here’s a very handy feature…

Ever see one of those TikTok videos that starts with “Powerful websites you should know” and flashes a URL on the screen? With iOS 27, you can pause any video when a URL appears on screen, then ask Siri to open the page. No emailing yourself, no screenshot, no memorizing, no typing required!

🐝 Hive Highlights

New apps are being added to Teacher Hive every week. Here are a few recent gems:

• QR Schoolhouse from Brian Briggs
  Create custom QR codes in seconds. Paste a link, upload your school logo, choose your colors, preview instantly, and download a polished, scannable QR code for classroom or school use.

• Digital Balance Scale from Chad Laines
  Students check off Screen Value and Screen Drain habits, watch a balance scale tip, earn an identity like "The Scroll Zombie" or "Digital Zen Master," commit to better habits, in a printable pledge.

• The Algorithm Game from Jennifer Zinny
  In this game, students will design an algorithm social media feed for a user based on their past searches and known preferences, creating a feedback loop for the user to keep them scrolling.

• The Guess Machine from Donna Golightly
  A self-guided game that teaches students how generative AI actually works — prediction, training data, prompting, & why it makes things up — four gamified levels & a final student explanation.

While these apps focus on media and technology, Teacher Hive has apps for all grade levels and subject areas. Check out the New Apps Buzz or search Teacher Hive to find something for your classroom.

🎤 GaETC Greatness

I want to put in a quick plug for one of my favorite conferences: the Georgia Educational Technology Conference (GaETC). I’m thrilled to be a featured speaker for the seventeenth year!

I always aim to make my sessions timely, practical, and immediately useful. This year is no different. Here’s what I’ve got planned:

• 🧠 Digital Snacks: Breaks for Students’ Brains

• 🗒️ Apple Notes: Your BFF with Hidden Talents

• 💡 Printspiration: 3D Ideas You’ll Want to Copy

• 🧑‍💻 Your Chatbot Is an App Builder

• 🚌 Hop About the Tool Bus

• 🤔 Getting Kids to Think Through AI

• 🌟 Lesson Glow-Ups: Branding with AI

I can give you plenty of reasons to attend GaETC, November 4–6, 2026. The conference center and hotels are just a short SkyTrain ride from the ATL airport, making travel especially convenient. The event is big enough to offer lots to explore but small enough to feel manageable.

And, of course, I’d love to see you there!

Since this issue was such a breeze to get through, I’m sure you’ve got time to stream a movie! For a different way to browse streaming services, check out Binge Browse. It’s a virtual video store where you can wander the shelves, pick a movie, and then watch its trailer on YouTube or open it on the streaming service.

Smiles from Iowa,

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AI gave me a hand with brainstorming, drafting, and polishing this issue. Of course, I reviewed and adjusted everything before sharing it with you.

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