Start Fresh: New Year’s Lesson Plans

Start Fresh: New Year’s Lesson Plans

by Ashley Chaney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

It’s 2012 and school is back in session! Instead of forgetting about the happy holiday moments you and your students  experienced, extend the joy just one more day and try out one of our informative and fun New Year’s lesson plans.

With this new set of lesson plans, you and your students can talk about class resolutions and make a pact to work towards your new goals and be supportive of each other. You can also learn about different calendars used around the world and their New Year’s day celebrations.

Remember: The grade level we assign to each lesson plan is not a requisite – you can use Voki lesson plans from a higher, or lower, grade than the one you teach – if you think they fit! Also, remember that you can adapt Voki lesson plans to fit your style, or your students’ abilities.

What is your New Year’s Resolution? (Elementary, Public Speaking, Writing, Other) – A new year can bring a fresh start to your class. With this New Year’s lesson plan, you and your students can reflect on the last year in class and how this year can be better. Students will learn about resolutions and be introspective in order to bring out the best from within.

Calendars Around the World (Middle School, Social Studies, Other) – Students will learn about other calendars that exist in the world and about the cultures that observe different New Year’s days. Each student will create a Voki that teaches the class about the history of a different calendar. They will also use Voki to talk about when and how certain cultures celebrate their New Year.

Celebrating New Year’s Eve (High School, History, Geography, Social Studies, Other) – Students will discover more about the history and traditions associated with the New Year’s Eve celebrations in other parts of the world. In this interactive lesson, students gather into small groups and use Vokis to give an in depth oral presentation about the history of different culture’s New Year’s traditions. They will also do a show and tell with a visual that the students construct that represents the culture they studied. After the presentations are complete, the class can have their own New Year’s party using all of the customs and traditions they learned about.

As always, we would love to hear how you are using Voki in class. If you have a lesson plan that uses Voki (or that can be adapted to incorporate Voki) and you would like to share, please email us at lessonplans@voki.com.

Happy 2012!

Sincerely,

The Voki Team

The Voki Favorites of 2011

The Voki Favorites of 2011

by Ashley Chaney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

We are always impressed to see what educators and students can come up with using Voki. The year 2011 was a good one for Voki as was apparent through the emergence of class videos demonstrating Voki in action, well developed instructional videos for newbies, great lesson plans coming from all over the world, and so much more!

We decided to collect our favorite ways of using Voki here for all to see. Please browse through the list to learn more about Voki and how teachers from around the world use it to make class a virtual blast! Hopefully you will be inspired to come up with other ways to make Voki a part of your class. Below is a short list of some of our favorites but believe us, there are so many more out there!

10 Ways you can use Voki:

  1. Improve Confidence
  2. Learn Chinese
  3. Voki Introductions
  4. Interactive Instruction
  5. Break Barriers using Multiple Means of Engagement
  6. Become Digitally Literate
  7. Voki Dictation for Language Class
  8. “Pass it On” Buddy Method
  9. Update Students and Parents on Class Blogs
  10. Make Learning Exciting!

Thanks to all who made this list possible and to everyone that has made Voki a part of their classroom! We look forward to the new year and to hear back from you about the fun and innovative ways you use Voki in your lessons. Who knows? You and your students may find yourselves and your Vokis on our blog!

Happy New Year to all! May your 2012 be filled with happiness, gratitude, and new experiences!

Say Goodbye to Writer’s Block: Writing Lesson Plans

Say Goodbye to Writer’s Block: Writing Lesson Plans

by Ashley Chaney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Another year has come and gone and so has the winter vacation. Students may be coming back to class clinging onto the remaining visions of sugarplums and fairies; but instead of trying to overcome their rapacious imaginations, work with them! Now is the perfect time to engage your students in exercises that bring out their excitement and indulge their enthusiasm.

Below are a few Writing lesson plans that will enable students to write freely and use their imaginations with confidence. Many middle-schoolers consider writing a dreaded task, and tend to suffer from Writer’s Block. Too many times, students are required to write technical and analytic essays, at the expense of developing their creative writing skills with prose and short stories.

The lessons below are designed to help students gain confidence writing out their thoughts by using repetition and creative topics. Each exercise encourages individual perspective, unique ideas, and thought with little imaginative constraint. By introducing students into an atmosphere that is largely dictated by their free thought, writing will hopefully become an approachable subject that will enable students to handle writing assignments ease and fluidity, no matter what the topic.

Remember: The grade level we assign to each lesson plan is not a requirement – you can use Voki lesson plans from a higher, or lower, grade than the one you teach – if you think they fit! Also, remember that you can adapt Voki lesson plans to fit your style, or your students’ abilities.

Paragraph Practice (6th Grade Writing) – Students gain writing practice with a regularly scheduled, one paragraph writing exercise using Voki. By doing this exercise once a week, students will write in different styles and voices and will also be more accustomed to writing without preparation. At the end of the year, students will be able to listen to their paragraphs and evaluate their improvement in class.

Creative Writing Crunch (7th Grade Writing) – Students draw a prompt from a bag and have 15 minutes to write a creative narrative. Once the 15 minutes are over, students will use Voki to introduce their creative story and then take turns sharing their Voki and reading their work. This exercise will help students develop confidence in writing and technique. By using light-hearted prompts, students will have fun using their imagination.

Character Guess Who (8th Grade Writing) – Students will create a Voki and write a paragraph that describes their favorite book or movie character in detail.  Students will be encouraged to write using imagery and descriptive details with the goal of painting a picture with their words. After each Voki presentation is given, the classmates will try to guess who the character is.

As always, we would love to hear how you are using Voki in class. If you have a lesson plan that uses Voki (or that can be adapted to incorporate Voki) and you would like to share, please email us at lessonplans@voki.com.

Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

The Voki Team

Season’s Greetings: Lesson Plans to Spread Cheer

Season’s Greetings: Lesson Plans to Spread Cheer

by Ashley Chaney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

You can feel it in the air and see it in every shop window. The holidays are here and there is a lot to celebrate! Students are already itching for Winter break. Now is the perfect time to indulge in those happy thoughts and wishes, and learn a little along the way!

We have created three Voki lesson plans that can be used for any grade level. These lessons will give students a chance to discover the perfect winter wonderland in lands unknown, find out how different cultures celebrate Christmas, and learn about Chanukah customs and traditions.

Remember: The grade level we assign to each lesson plan is not a requisite – you can use Voki lesson plans from a higher, or lower, grade than the one you teach – if you think they fit! Also, remember that you can adapt Voki lesson plans to fit your style, or your students’ abilities.

Christmas Around the World (Any Grade, Geography and Social Studies) – Students will research Christmas traditions in different countries. They will prepare a presentation for the class that will consist of an oral presentation, a PowerPoint and a Voki. This activity will give students a chance to learn more about different cultures from around the world and how they celebrate one of the most important days in the Christian religion.

The Story of Chanukah (Middle School, Social Studies) – Students will learn more about the customs and traditions associated with the Jewish holiday of Chanukah. Students will gather into groups and be assigned a Chanukah research topic. Once the groups have completed their research, students will make a group presentation using Voki.

The Best Winter Vacation Ever (Any Grade, Geography) – Students will write a paragraph that describes a book or movie character in detail.  After the paragraphs have been written, students will be able to design their Voki according to the description and present their Voki character description. Classmates will try to guess who the character is based on the description.

As always, we would love to hear how you are using Voki in class. If you have a lesson plan that uses Voki (or that can be adapted to incorporate Voki) and you would like to share, please email us at lessonplans@voki.com.

Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,

The Voki Team

Public Speaking? No Sweat!

Public Speaking? No Sweat!

by Ashley Chaney ♥ 2 Comments

Public Speaking, like any other subject, takes practice — lots of practice.  Just think about the most common nightmare experienced by children and adults worldwide: You’re palms are sweaty. You’re feeling nervous. You finally take the stage to make your speech, then from the audience bursts laughter from corner to corner. You wonder what is wrong and you look down…

Luckily, that scenario rarely happens in real life, but the fear is real. Avoiding anxiety can actually be easy if you practice public speaking regularly. Students may not know it now, but the truth is, feeling confident speaking in front of a group will help them tremendously later in life.

From a professional atmosphere to an informal gathering, the skills acquired in a Public Speaking class can be a great personal asset. Below are a few lessons we have created to help make the subject more approachable by students. By using Voki and recording their voices (instead of using the text-to-speech feature), students will be able to deal with public speaking with greater confidence. As time goes on, students’ will develop their own style and techniques.

Remember: The grade level we assign to each lesson plan is not set in stone – you can use Voki lesson plans from a higher, or lower, grade than the one you teach – if you think they fit! Also, remember that you can adapt Voki lesson plans to fit your style, or your students’ abilities.

Personal Introductions (6th, Public Speaking) – Students will break the ice in their public speaking class using Voki. In an informal introduction, students will talk about who they are, what their goals are for the class, and who they admire. After presentations are done, classmates will know more about each other’s personal lives and in turn feel more connected and less shy.

Impromptu with Voki (7th, Public Speaking) – Speaking on the spot can cause anxiety and sweat but by practicing impromptu speeches with Voki, students will ease into a difficult task and remain calm. By using this lesson as practice once a week, students will become more adept at thinking on their feet and develop a personal style. Who knows, maybe your next student will run for president…

The Leader of the School (8th, Public Speaking and Writing) – In this exercise of imagination, students will have 60 seconds (90 seconds with Voki Classroom) to convince their classmates to elect them as leader of the classroom after being stranded on an island. The idea is to form a compelling written speech and then use Voki in order to present a concise redaction of the speech that emphasizes the main points of the student’s reasoning. Students will have fun using their imaginations and learn about persuasive speech techniques.

As always, we would love to hear how you are using Voki in class. If you have a lesson plan that uses Voki (or that can be adapted to incorporate Voki) and you would like to share, please email us at lessonplans@voki.com.

Happy learning, and have fun!

Sincerely,

The Voki Team

English Rules Are Cool for School with Voki

English Rules Are Cool for School with Voki

by Ashley Chaney ♥ 5 Comments

It’s time to give English grammar and writing the appreciation they deserve! Often considered to be a difficult language with more exceptions than rules, English has the ability to mystify students and teachers alike. In order to cultivate young minds that can distinguish the subtleties of the English language, teachers and students must be open to connecting many rules, in order to understand how they work together to form one language. With this in mind, we have dedicated this week to English grammar and all of its glory. From homonyms to helping verbs, we’ve got you covered on the basics.

Our new English Grammar lesson plans are now live in the Voki Lesson Plan Database. As always, Voki lesson plans are provided to teachers free of charge!

Remember: The grade assigned to each lesson plan is not set in stone – you can use Voki lesson plans from a higher, or lower, grade than the one you teach – if you think they fit! Also, remember that you can adapt Voki lesson plans to fit your style or your students’ abilities.

  • Helping Verbs (4th Grade) – In this lesson, students will learn the 23 different helping verbs and use Voki to make lessons for their peers. In order to gain an understanding of what separates a helping verb from an action verb, students will be asked to act out verbs that the teacher says. After the actions (or inactions) are done, students will have had first hand experience dealing with the two forms. The idea of verbs with no singular meaning may confuse some ESL students, so it helps to be fully prepared for this lesson in advance. By the end of this lesson, students will understand the grammatical importance of helping verbs.
  • Capitalize that! (3rd Grade) – In this lesson students will be in charge of exploring a capitalization rule out of the many in the English language. Students create a Voki that informs classmates of a capitalization rule, and then give an example. The Vokis can be combined on a webpage to serve as a reference for students before a test.
  • Homonyms (5th Grade) – Students will discover the subtleties of the English language by familiarizing themselves with the 5 categories of homonyms. Utilizing various homonym jokes, Voki avatars, and formal instruction, students will become more attuned to the details of English and hopefully never write ‘to’ in place of ‘too’!

When it comes to teaching English grammar rules, the power of repetition and an interactive atmosphere is not to be underestimated. If one student understands the rules, ask him or her to explain it to the students that need help.

Each of these Voki lessons contain tasks that ask students repeat what they learn, through various activities, before creating a Voki. Doing so will help students remember the rules and link what they have learned to other grammar rules they encounter in the future.

As always, we are interested in hearing about how you have used Voki in class. If you have a lesson plan that uses Voki (or that can be adapted to incorporate Voki) and you would like to share, please email us at lessonplans@voki.com.

We hope you enjoy!

Sincerely,

The Voki Team

Interviews with Educators | Kimberly Faith Hall Church

Interviews with Educators | Kimberly Faith Hall Church

by Voki Blog ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Mrs. Kimberly Church is a Spanish teacher… Kimberly uses Voki in her Spanish classes, and she also teaches other  educators about the benefits of using technology (such as Voki) in the classroom. Below is an interview with Kimberly, as well as a couple of videos her and her class created about Voki. Here is Kimberly’s video on how she uses Voki in her Spanish classes. To view more of Kimberly’s class videos, visit her YouTube channel, evansspanishteacher. Below is Kimberly’s interview, as well as another Voki video about using Voki in oral tests.

Q: So, Kimberly, why do you use Voki? 

I discovered Voki 2 years ago and just love it!  Voki takes the stress out of “presenting” a memory piece in another language in front of the class, and students can  focus on the material on the screen in front of them.   The kids have fun, (dare I say the words “fun test?”), and of course, I as the teacher have fun reviewing their very best material.  🙂  I emailed the parents the link to the website to view their child’s oral test, (the Voki), and they loved it too.  Over the weekend, at least 15 parents embedded their child’s Voki to their Facebook.  It’s something the kids are proud of, and instead of dreading oral test day, they really look forward to it.  🙂  

Q: Has Voki helped you with assessment?

Using Voki for oral tests allows the student to hear what I hear.  I can’t tell you how many times students would ask, “Why didn’t I make a 100 on my oral test?”  I would point out that they mispronounced a word, or said a wrong word and they would reply, “I did?”  Using Voki allows the students to hear themselves, as an evaluator, and they can re-record until they’re happy with it, and attach the recording to a Voki, making the assessment creative.  Students who use to make low assessment grades on oral tests are making perfect scores taking their oral tests using Voki.  Efficient and Proficient!!!!

Q: We heard that you’re something of a Voki expert among your peers, right?

I actually enjoy using Voki so much, and use it for so many tasks and assessments in my class, I teach a workshop for teachers about how to apply Voki in their class, (even at the MWALLT conference at the University of Minnesota).   I have become known as “that Voki teacher” at my campus, and even in my district.  As long as I keep the content fun and integrate technology to make learning efficient, I’ll never stop looking for ways to infuse my lessons with great technology, like Voki.  As a foreign language teacher, I’m looking for “efficient proficient,” and Voki gives me that.

Q: Have you had a chance to use Voki Classroom?

I have to say, it has been much easier to sell the benefits, since you have come out with Voki Classroom. It is so much easier to have the students organized in classes, and have their assignments posted and ready to work on when they open up their account.   I look forward to spreading the word about Voki and Voki Classroom.  Thank you for all you have done for my students.  I can’t wait to see what Voki will come up with next, for uses in the classroom. 🙂  k. pura vida — And here are Mrs. Church’s students talking about using Voki in oral tests:

For more info, check out Mrs. Church’s links:

Want to be part of our Interviews with Educators series?
Send us an email (submit@voki.com) and we’ll be in touch!

Until next time,

The Voki Team
Voki Classroom: More New Updates

Voki Classroom: More New Updates

by Ashley Chaney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

We’ve just introduced some exciting updates to Voki Classroom, and we wanted to share them with you. There’s nothing you need to do; these changes are already “live” in your account!

Voki Classroom is getting easier to use and navigate thanks to your suggestions! Our newest upgrades and updates for version 1.2 include some minor changes that make a big difference and help make your (and your students’) Voki experience more valuable. Take a look at the main changes below – you might even recognize your suggestion!

  • Additional Students and Classes – The current student limit per teacher (100) is more than enough for most teachers. However, some of you superstars have even more than 100 students (incredible!) with whom you’d like to use Voki. The same holds true for the 5 class limit. So, if you need more student accounts, or more classes, you can now easily add more of each. Simply click on My Account, and you’ll see your current limit, as well as what you’re currently using. Next to your Classes and Student Account info, you’ll see a link to Add More. Additional Student accounts come in batches of 10 ($0.50 per student), and individual Classes cost $5.00 each. Remember: Each Voki Classroom Class can have multiple Assignments!
  • Review Tab Filters – Searching for submitted student work can be difficult, but with our new filtering options on the review tab, finding specific items is easier. When you go to the Review Tab, the display will always show scenes that belong to one class. You will be able to filter the information shown by Class, Assignments within the Class,  or Students for the selected Class or Assignment. Also, the Review tab view will now land on the Ready for Review view by default (as opposed to All). This means that your Review section will now load even faster! Finally, if you are reviewing Vokis in a certain Class, when you navigate away from Review, and then come back later, your last selection will be remembered, so you don’t have to re-select the Class you were working on!
  • Time Stamp on the Review & Student View – This one was very important to many of you… Now, when you review students work, you’ll see a “time stamp” (date and time the Voki was saved by the student). Like the teacher always says, “Don’t forget to put your name and date at the top of your paper!” The timestamp will be visible to both you and the student who created the Voki.
  • Embed Button in Student View – Many of you have class (or student) websites and blogs, where you would like students to embed their finished Vokis. Now, students have an EMBED button for each Voki, right there in the student view. After a Voki is approved by the teacher, the EMBED button in the Student View becomes clickable. When clicked, it will open the sharing/ embedding window. Note: students will only be able to click the EMBED button after you have approved their Voki.
To check out these updates now, Log in to your Voki Classroom account.
We hope you continue to enjoy Voki Classroom and that you get even more value from these changes. As always, we want Voki to be a tool that works seamlessly into your classes and busy schedule.
If you have any suggestions, lease feel free to click the FEEDBACK tab in Voki Classroom, or email us at feedback@voki.com – we consider each and every suggestion! That’s all for now – stay tuned in to learn about future changes and updates to Voki and Voki Classroom!

Until next time,

The Voki Team

Lights, Camera, Action: Voki Drama Lesson Plans Are on Deck

Lights, Camera, Action: Voki Drama Lesson Plans Are on Deck

by Ashley Chaney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Students who “act up” in class usually go to the principal’s office. However, students who act up in class using the latest Voki Drama Lesson Plans will learn, have fun, and become more attuned to the subtleties of dramatic character. Using various interactive exercises, and Voki, students will get the chance to discover their inner star and build confidence along the way.

Below are the Drama Class Lesson Plans, which are now live in the Voki Lesson Plan Database. As always, Voki lesson plans are provided to teachers for Free! 3,2,1, ACTION!

Reminder: The grade assigned to each lesson plan is not set in stone – you can use Voki lesson plans from a higher, or lower, grade than the one you teach – if you think they fit!

Tip 1: Don’t be afraid to modify Voki lesson plans to fit your students and their abilities, or your requirements & ideas.

Tip 2: Take a look at the example Voki that is provided within each lesson plan.

  1. Everyday Items, Imaginary Uses (7th grade): In this improvisational exercise, students will use their imaginations to create new ideas out of everyday objects. Students will take turns passing around an object and coming up with its new name and new use. By constricting the amount of time each student has to re-invent an old item, students must use their gut instinct which in turn will help them develop as young actors and thespians.
  2. Drama in Motion (8th grade): In this lesson, students create a play using motion and nothing else. After the play has been completed, each student creates an interpretative Voki that tells the story in words. This exercise allows students to create a theatrical piece using non-verbal forms of expression and interpretation.
  3. Dramatic Feeling Charades (9th grade): Students explore the different facets of expressing emotion through an impromptu and rigorous acting exercise. Students will get the chance to perform in front of their peers and get constructive feedback. Through this exercise, students will learn about the subtleties of emotions.
  4. From Paper to Stage (10th grade): Students read a short play and are in charge of the creative direction. Students create a Voki that describes what elements should be added to the play to make it come alive. Once students make their proposition, the class votes on which play they would like to carry out as a class for an end-of-year performance.

Each lesson plan contains the intended grade level and subject(s), the time recommended for completion, resources needed, as well as a list of objectives and activities. Voki lessons are easy to follow and can be adapted according to your own personal teaching style.

As always, we are interested in hearing about how you have used Voki in class. If you have a lesson plan that uses Voki (or that can be adapted to incorporate Voki) and you would like to share, please email us at lessonplans@voki.com.

Now go out there and break a leg!

The Voki Team

The Voki Classroom User Guide

The Voki Classroom User Guide

by Ashley Chaney ♥ 1 Comment

If you are a Voki Classroom user, you might want some help getting started. Depending on how much detail you want, you should take a look at the Voki Classroom Getting Started Guide, or the complete User Guide. This post is about some of the things you can learn in the User Guide.

If you have a question about Voki Classroom, the Voki Classroom User Guide probably has the answer! Chock full of step-by-step instruction and interesting tidbits, we have composed an easy to follow guide that will ensure a fun and successful Voki Classroom experience for teachers and students. Divided into three parts, the Voki Classroom User Guide takes you on a tour from initial set-up to reviewing and embedding your students’ Vokis.

Part I

What is Voki Classroom? Why should teachers use it? What are the benefits to using Voki Classroom? How is it organized?All of the questions above are answered in Part I, accompanied by visuals and information to help distinguish the difference between our free Voki service and Voki Classroom.

The Voki Classroom hierarchy is an important concept for every teacher to be familiar with as it is the key to understanding how data is organized and how it can be utilized efficiently. The classroom hierarchy serves as a useful visual that can help you understand the role of Voki Classroom for the teacher and the students. Once you understand how Voki Classroom is structured, the other elements become even easier to follow!

Part II

Next up is everything you need to know about getting started with Voki Classroom. Here, you will learn about the interface, as well as how to use some of the available tools to make logging in quick and easy.

Ultimately you, the teacher, are in charge of the information displayed in your account. Personal settings can be edited as you see fit and editing is a cinch! In this section you will also learn about Voki Classroom support and feedback.

As a Voki Classroom user, you are able to get unlimited e-mail support from our dedicated Support team (only available to Voki Classroom users). By taking advantage of the support tab in Voki Classroom, you won’t have to wait to get the answers you need. One of our support representatives will get back to you promptly with an answer!

Part III

Last but not least, our guide takes you through the process of putting Voki Classroom to use! Adding and editing students and their logins, creating and editing classes, and embedding and reviewing Vokis are all covered in Part III.

Here you will learn how to enter in your students’ information individually or by importing a list. Once you have added your students, you can assign them to the classes you created. The guide will show you how to do all this, as well as other tricks, such as making an Assignment “hidden” (making it invisible to the student until it is time to complete the assignments).

One of the advantages of using Voki Classroom is that you are no longer required to embed student Vokis onto a separate webpage. Voki Classroom provides a configurable Web page for each Assignment , and student Vokis are displayed automatically!

Voki Classroom is easy and fun but if you have any questions, keep in mind that you have the Voki Classroom User Guide and unlimited e-mail  support to help you out.

To view the Voki Classroom User Guide, visit Voki.com and click on the “Learn” tab. There, you will find the User Guide among many other useful tools to help you get the most out of your Voki experience.

Thank you for your support and on behalf of the entire Voki Team, we wish you a happy school year!