Input activities for stories... adapted for online learning

Thank goodness I teach with stories! I can continue to give my students engaging, compelling input and I am not focusing on grammar or spelling. I am also communicating with them on a daily basis with the Pregunta(s) del Día.

Below, I am sharing some ideas for input activities for stories that you can do online. 

I am using lots of Google Classroom, so most of the things below would be "handed out" and "collected"there. We are also using Google Meet, which I love because I can see their faces and talk to them. Right now, we meet five days of the week, but I am really hoping we get a flex day. I have had 6 days so far, so I am not an expert at all, but just sharing some ideas 😊. 

My students are really liking story/song of the week, so some the ideas below have resources for the song that I will be using this week: No te vayas by Carlos Vives.

1. Word Walls: I have words posted all over my classroom, but students don't have that at home. Give them a list of the interrogatives and the sweet sixteen. 
• Tell them to write it down and keep it handy for when they are "in Spanish class."
2. Reviewing and/or previewing key vocabulario y estructuras: Gimkit, Quizlet Live, or Textivate Match (see here or here).
• Whenever I give key vocabulario y estructuras, my students usually know most of them and I sprinkle in some new ones. So, this is review and gets them thinking about what the story will be about.
• Also, they will not learn these words before the story, they will acquire them with all of the input activities below!
3. Clip chat --> Create slideshow with screenshots, record self telling the story with Screencastify (or Loom or Google Meet), and create an Edpuzzle with that video. The questions in this Edpuzzle are EASY because I really just want them listening to the story, but just knowing that there will be a question coming up make students listen more attentively! 
• Tip (learned during la maestra loca's online workshop):  During your recording, ask your students to act our certain words (like you do in class). 
• Another tip (learned during la maestra loca's online workshop): During your recording, say some of your students' names and/or pretend they are in front of you.
4. Another Edpuzzle option: If you are using a video (like a music video!) for your story. Create an Edpuzzle with the video and make multiple choice questions (easier to grade) with the text of the story. See an example here. 
5. Running Dictation (learned during la maestra loca's online workshop): Create "breakout rooms" in Google Meet (this involves creating "other Google Meets" that students can go in and out of -- not as easy as Zoom) or  Zoom (I can't currently use 🙄).
• Students can come in and our of "main Google Meet" to read sentences that you (the teacher) are showing and then go back to their group.
• I haven't tried this yet, but hope to!
• Students can upload pictures of their work (if they hand write) or a doc to Google Classroom
6. Match pictures to sentences: This can be a reading or a listening activity and can be done alone or with a group. Here are a few options:
• Give students (alone or in groups) the pictures of the story. Students read the sentences (shared in a doc in Google Classroom) and write the letter of the picture being described. 
• Give students (alone or in groups) the pictures of the story. Teacher creates audio of him/her reading the sentences. Students write the letter of the picture being described. 
7. Textivate in teams (learned during la maestra loca's online workshop): Set up a Challenge with teams.  
• Check out an example here.
8. Cierto/Falso: In groups or alone, give students a doc like this and they have read the sentences and write if they are cierto or falso. They should also correct the false ons. You could also record yourself saying the sentences. 
9. Put events in order: In groups or alone, give students a doc like this and they have to order the events. You could also record yourself saying the sentences.
10. Comprehension questions: Give students a doc with a list of comprehension questions. Then, do either of these:
1.  Record yourself saying the answers to the questions out of order. Students have to figure out which question is being answered and write the sentence. This is similar to a dictation, but a little trickier.
2. Give students the answers to the questions out of order. Students have to figure out which question is being answered and write the number of the question next to the sentence. 
11. Read, read, read and read some more: Set up a Sequence in Textivate: parte 1 and parte 2.
12. Dictation: Record yourself and do one of these:
• Students write what you say and illustrate each sentence. 
• Say true/false statements. Students 
13. Listen and draw: Record self saying sentences. Students illustrate. Upload illustrations to Google Classroom. 
• Use the illustrations the next day. Say sentences and students have to point to what you are saying. You can record the sentences or do it live with Google Meet (or Zoom).
14. Agárralo - AKA The pencil grab game: Use grid mode in Google Meet so you can see everyone. Give students a partner to look at. They have to be the first to give a thumbs up or thumbs down. Keep track of points, but who really cares about the points!?!
• I have not tried this, so it might not actually work and/or it might be totally chaotic.
15. All the worlds a stage (learned during la maestra loca's online workshop, I think Karen Rowan's idea originally): Have students "come to class" with old toys (stuffies, action figures, etc.). Tell the story and they have to act it out with the toys. This could be so funny with Google Meet, seeing them all acting things out. 
16. Read some more: Create a Kahoot Jumble.
17. ¿Quién lo diría? y/o ¿Quién lo haría?: See example here (thanks to Deanne Roach!)
18. Video responses: Students can upload video responses to Google Classroom. These video responses could be predictions, reactions, questions, or anything else.
19. Pear Deck: This can be used for a lot! More coming soon on this...