Unlock the keys to history with gamified activities and escape rooms that you can personalize using Genially, reviewed here. Customizable content includes options to add audio, video, multimedia, text, and interactive images. Begin by choosing the "Use this template" link to add the thirty-two-slide template to your Genially dashboard. Add information to each slide following the information provided to guide students through four missions. Invite students to join a live presentation using their devices or work together as a class using a live presentation on your whiteboard.

tag(s): digital escapes (29), game based learning (309), gamified learning (65), mysteries (30)

The Festisite Rebus Generator is an online tool that enables educators to transform text into engaging rebus puzzles, where words or phrases are represented through images and letters. This interactive resource supports multiple languages, including English, German, Danish, and Dutch, allowing diverse classroom applications. Teachers can input text, and the generator instantly creates a rebus puzzle, which can be customized further by using emoji characters or adding hints. Print the generated puzzles or share digitally, making them versatile for various educational activities, including digital escape rooms. Incorporating rebus puzzles into lessons can enhance students' problem-solving skills, reinforce vocabulary, and add fun to language learning.

tag(s): digital escapes (29), game based learning (309), puzzles (178)

View this cool tool that offers educators a suite of free tools to enhance classroom engagement through virtual escape rooms. These tools include a customizable Virtual Escape Room Timer for tracking game progress, a Random Group Generator to facilitate team assignments, a Team Name Generator to inspire creative team identities, and a Secret Agent Name Generator to add an element of intrigue to activities. Additionally, the site provides an Emoji Secret Message Maker and a Caesar Cipher Creator, enabling teachers to incorporate coded messages and puzzles into their lessons. These resources are designed to integrate seamlessly with existing curricula, fostering problem-solving skills and student collaborative learning.

tag(s): collaboration (142), digital escapes (29), game based learning (309), problem solving (282), puzzles (178)

Do you need a quick and easy way to create forms, quizzes, and polls? Microsoft Forms has you covered. Create surveys and collect data in real-time, assign quizzes with your point values for automatic grading, and create polls on the fly to receive responses for immediate use quickly. Sign in to your Microsoft account to begin (or make a free account) and select either a new form or quiz. Click on the plus mark and follow the prompts to add new items. Add an image to any form part using the search bar or upload your own. Forms also offer the option to add a YouTube video within questions. A recent addition to this tool includes an option for practice mode, which allows students to take quizzes and receive feedback on correctness without submitting data to the teacher. Forms works on all devices, use the preview to see your form as it appears on computers or mobile devices before sending. Share your form using the URL or QR code, or embed it in a website or email. View responses through the response tab created with your form. Return to previous forms to review the collected data or duplicate forms to make new polls or surveys.

tag(s): assessment (142), polls and surveys (44), spreadsheets (23)

Room Escape Maker takes the popular room escape adventures online. The only way to escape is to solve a series of puzzles using hints and strategies as you find your way out of the locked room. Browse through the selection of games created by others to find ideas on how to use this site. When ready, choose "Create Game" to start. Begin with your chosen canvas or background, then follow the prompts to add items and clues to your escape room.
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tag(s): game based learning (309), game making (23), makerspace (42), study aid (175)

Create forms for virtually any need using Google Forms, part of Google's online suite of document tools. Begin with included templates, or start with a blank form to create polls, sign-ups, registrations, and much more. Choose from multiple response options including short answer, multiple choice, and check boxes. Options also allow you to incorporate images and YouTube videos directly into any form. You have the ability to make questions required or optional. Once shared, receive responses in real-time within the "Responses" tab or link to a Google Sheets spreadsheet.

tag(s): polls and surveys (44), spreadsheets (23)

Create impressive, interactive presentations, images, infographics, charts, and anything else with Genially. Easily insert maps, surveys, video, audio, and more. AI features include a background remover and AI-powered text editing. Choose the type of project you want to create to see the templates available, then select from the free plan templates. Project options include game templates, options to create interactive images, infographics, and slides, eLearning templates, and much more. Genially is an all-in-one tool that will soon become your go-to tool for creating visual content. All your projects are stored in the cloud, making collaboration a cinch! Register for the free account with email or a Google or Facebook account, and then start creating! A Genially must be saved to share. Share creations from your dashboard on different social networks, copying and pasting a link, using an HTML code to embed it in a website/blog, or sending it directly by email. Click the arrow to the right of your account icon to find Help (FAQs), a blog, and tutorials (Tour). Free education accounts include a workspace for unlimited student accounts, live collaboration with your class, 1 GB of storage, and access to over 1,000 free templates. Note: Genially changed its domain name from .ly to .com. Your content will NOT be affected. However, you will want to change this in your bookmarks.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (358), charts and graphs (183), communication (126), digital storytelling (182), gamified learning (65), images (276), infographics (72), interactive stories (23), multimedia (71), posters (44), study aid (175)

Microsoft Sway is an online tool from Microsoft that lets users design interactive presentations, newsletters, and digital stories that display smoothly on any device. It allows you to easily drag and drop text, photos, videos, and links from your computer, social media, or the web directly into your project. After signing in with a Microsoft account or creating one with your email, you can build your story using a simple, scroll-based layout. The Design tab provides options to personalize colors, fonts, and layouts, while the Share feature makes it simple to publish through a link, post to social media, or embed on a website. Sway works in all modern browsers, and while its iOS app is no longer updated, the web version remains fully functional. Instructional videos and tutorials are hosted on YouTube, though schools that block YouTube may not be able to access them. Microsoft has confirmed that Sway will continue to operate, though it has been removed from the Microsoft 365 Copilot "Create" tab due to low usage. Some tools, such as in-app audio and video recording, have been retired, but users can still embed multimedia files. The core features remain supported through sway.office.com and the Microsoft 365 Apps section, though no major updates are planned.

tag(s): communication (126), digital storytelling (182), Microsoft (47), multimedia (71), slides (40), visualizations (16)

Use this free slide-based multimedia app to put lessons and other material on any web browser OR iOs and Android devices. Build your presentations using pre-made templates. The site does offer ready-made presentations (some free). The interactive, pre-made videos and text presentations are from Ted-Ed, Khan Academy, Nearpod, and others. Some include questions to answer as you work through the presentations. What is the best part of Nearpod? There are now three different presentation modes.

When in the "live presentation" mode (in person or remote web conferencing), teachers control the lesson's pace, and students do not move to the next screen until advanced by the teacher. With the "student pace" mode, students progress through independently, whether at home or in class. The third mode is "front of the class;" you project your presentation, and the students do not use their devices. Use the teacher version of the app to push out the presentation to your students. For the first two modes, every student uses their own student app to follow the screens and answer the questions. This provides immediate feedback about every student. The feedback can be emailed to the teacher for later review. This formative assessment tool is invaluable and a unique part of the app. The tool also includes drawing for students to work out problems. Teachers can identify students who are not "on task" and not working within the app when a little red light pops up. Absent students can complete the assignment at home.

The free version of Nearpod for Educators is called Silver; you get 100 MB of storage, 40 students per session/lesson, access to standard formative assessments features, pre-made interactive lessons up to your storage limit, pre-made interactive videos up to your storage limit, create interactive videos, lessons, and activities, upload PDF, PPT, and Google slides, and more. Again, how many lessons and videos will depend on your storage.

tag(s): assessment (142), classroom management (154), DAT device agnostic tool (134), differentiation (103), Formative Assessment (48), gamified learning (65), Learning Management Systems (19), multimedia (71), Online Learning (35), personalized learning (13), playlists (7), remote learning (33), slides (40), Teacher Utilities (233), teaching strategies (88)

Create quick and simple custom jigsaw puzzles. Upload a jpeg image to the site. Choose how many pieces you want and the shape. Jigsaw Planet does the rest. Instantly create a custom interactive puzzle for your students to play! Change the background using tools at the bottom of the puzzle. Puzzles can be saved for your own account, shared with students via a url, or embedded into your classroom website for easy access. This site requires Java.

tag(s): images (276), puzzles (178)

Need to create a simple website without cost? Google Sites offers a simple interface that is easy to use to build websites. Use some advanced features such as fonts, text size, text color, and headings. Add images and videos from You Tube to your site. Revert to previous versions of the pages you create through the revision history. Add a Google map to your page easily. Use other Gadgets that are easy to plug in by choosing one of the many Google Gadgets. Create many different kinds of pages in your site. Choose your own privacy rules for the site as well.

tag(s): wikis (15)