A Google a Day

I'm always looking for little activities - AKA "bellringers" - to kick off a class period -- something for the kids to do while they wait for their classmates to log on, papers to be handed out, etc. Bellringers help ease the transition from the hallways to instructional time.  The best bellringers:
  • Require little or no instruction
  • Have directions that can be posted on the SmartBoard
  • Are engaging (a game, competitive challenge, relevant to teens, etc)
  • Reinforce information literacy skills (DUH!)
Recently, Google provided the EXACT thing to fit the bill. It's called "A Google a Day." Thanks, Geek Dad, for introducing it to me (I'm neither male, nor a parent, but I still dig the blog).
Google provides a daily question, and challenges users to find the answer. Users playing along search via a special interface that filters out results designed to specifically answer the Google-A-Day question. Google says, "to keep the game interesting for everyone, we created Deja Google – A wormhole inspired time machine that searches the Internet as it existed before the game began. Because nobody wants someone's recent blog post about finding an answer spoiling their fun."

Today's question is: "What continent has the most French speakers in the world?" I think this is one of the easier ones they've posted. Previous questions include:
  • "How long would it take to walk to all the cities that have served as capitals of the U.S. government since the signing of the Constitution?"
  • "I was celebrated as the paladin of Uruk, but my legacy is in the realm of ancient literature. Who am I?"
  •  "Rembrandt painted a philosopher looking at the bust of a Greek poet. The gold medallion on the chain represents another famous Greek. Who is it?"
When searching, Google times you (I can't believe how much pressure that little ticking clock adds!). When you think you know the answer, submit it in the box provided, and Google will tell you if you're correct.


I have yet to try it with classes, but I can't wait to roll it out. I won't use it all the time, but when I'm teaching lessons on Internet searching, it provides the perfect warm-up. (I also love that it challenges my "I can find anything" librarian ego.)

Check it out at http://agoogleaday.com
 

Can you think of ways to use a Google a Day in your instructional practice?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

QR Codes and Orientation

Image
There really isn't anything better than hearing a thirteen-year-old whisper to his friend, "This is the coolest library ever!" I can't help but grin when students get excited about lessons. Happily, it's almost a guarantee that they'll dig anything involving the iPads -- library orientation is no exception. I've talked before about creating videos about each section of the library for my orientation lesson. In the past, I've asked students to choose the appropriate video from a list on their iPad's camera roll that corresponds to the stop number. Inevitably, some kids select the wrong video, or get horribly lost. This year, to combat that problem, and also up our cool quotient, I've added QR codes. I'm using the free app " Scan ," which worked perfectly on our iPads to display both text and open URLs. In class, I explained QR codes, and then students practiced using the app by scanning a handout at their table. Each table f
Read more

Updated Facebook Template

Image
For the last couple of years, we've been using a PowerPoint Facebook page as a final product for a research unit. When we used the template last year, my students were quick to point out that the template was "old school" - Facebook has made major tweaks to the layout and design of its site, which weren't reflected in this version. This year, I finally got around to updating the template to reflect Facebook's current look. Click here to download the  new template for PowerPoint 2010 . No, it doesn't have the timeline interface (I'm not using it yet on my own personal Facebook page, so I don't feel comfortable enough trying to recreate it), but otherwise it reflects many of the recent design changes. It is hyperlinked, so when you're in "View Show" mode, you can click on "Wall," "Info," and "Pictures," and go directly to those parts of the PowerPoint - making it behaving like a traditional Facebook page.
Read more

Supporting Social-Emotional Learning with Library Bulletin Boards

Image
  As librarians, we cover so many different standards. Information literacy? Check. English Language Arts? Check. Reading? Check. STEM? Check. Computer science? Check. Over the last year or two, I've added social-emotional learning to the list of skills and competencies I teach through library instruction.  Some strategies are super obvious - like direct instruction as part of my teaching, but other methods like book displays and bulletin boards are more subtle. One primary focus of my library program is supporting students' mental health, which is directly tied to the SEL strand of emotional regulation.  Emotional regulation refers to the ability to manage and express emotions in a healthy and appropriate way. Emotional regulation is essential for secondary students, who are navigating the challenges and complexities of adolescence. During this time, my junior high kids feel a huge range of intense emotions, from excitement and joy to frustration and anger and everything in be
Read more