Virtual Classrooms with Mind Missions Learning
How can teachers modify Mind Missions lessons for virtual instruction?
A few key changes can be made to modify Mind Missions for virtual instruction. Make the following modifications for each step of the process and students can continue to learn with Mind Missions!
Get Ready: Instead of preparing team bags, let one students use any 5 materials they can find at home after developing a solution with their team. Or give the team the option of drawing a solution.
Team Up: In your Zoom classroom, use breakout rooms to allow students to meet with teams. You can visit with each team as they work.
Brainstorm: One student can act as the recorder for team brainstorming. Padlet is another great option! Just add the link in the Zoom classroom and students can click and write!
Read the Story: Bring the class back to the Zoom classroom to share your screen and read the story together. If you have Digital Mind Missions, there are four different reading levels of stories to use in teams or individually.
Mission: Introduce the Mission and Scoring to the whole class. Then, breakout into teams to work. Teams should prepare to show their solution to the whole class if it is a structure, a presentation, or a drawing.
Time and Scoring: Student teams may need additional time as they gather materials or work digitally. One option is for student teams to send an image or video of their solution to the group.
Reflection: This is the portion of Mind Missions that allows students to process their learning. Breakout for team work or choose one or two questions for an individual summative assessment.
What about grading?
If you want to grade Mind Missions, we recommend choosing one or two of the reflection questions as an assignment. Have students share a picture of their solution and a reflection paragraph about their Mind Missions work.
That’s it! With a few changes, Mind Missions can be used virtually. Students still benefit from learning content and collaborative interaction with peer teams. We all look forward to a time when we can build solutions in person. Until then, these modifications allow students to learn and grow with Mind Missions!
