Saturday, July 2, 2016

Socrative 101 - Making "Digital Task Cards"

If you follow me on Twitter you know how much I love Socrative. I love Socrative because I can create (self-paced) lessons for students to work independently or I can create "Team Tasks" for students to work collaboratively.

To make my Socrative Assignments more intriguing to the students, I started creating "Digital Task Cards" to go with the questions in my Socrative Assignments.  Students love doing math in my Socrative Assignments with "Digital Task Cards". #happyteacher

How To Make "Digital Task Cards"
I use PowerPoint to create my "Digital Task Cards". I made a template to use each time I make a new set.  The template has a place for the problem and I can easily change the background on the cards to make each set of task cards unique.

"Digital Task Cards" Template in PowerPoint


Here is a copy of my Socrative "Digital Task Cards" PowerPoint Template. Feel free to download and use. :o)    My "Digital Task Cards" PowerPoint Template

To make the "Digital Task Cards", I start by choosing backgrounds for each of the task cards in the set.  After I have the backgrounds put in, I add the written part of the problem on the task cards.



Next, I add the math problem to each of the task cards.



After I have completed the set of "Digital Task Cards", I get them ready to put into my Socrative Assignment.



Making the "Digital Task Cards"into Images
The "Digital Task Cards" need to be images to use in Socrative. After you have saved your "Digital Task Cards" as a  PowerPoint, click Save As - then Save as Type - click the drop down and choose an image format. Choose save Every Slide. All of the slides will be saved as images in a folder.



Creating the "Digital Task Cards" Assignment in Socrative
Sign into Socrative and go to Manage Quizzes and Create Quiz.


Name your quiz and choose a type of question to add.

After the question is typed in, choose add image and add the image that corresponds with your question from the folder with your "Digital Task Cards" from your PowerPoint.


This is what the question will look like after the image is added.


Continue this process to complete your Socrative Assignment with "Digital Task Cards".


Making an Answer Key for the "Digital Task Cards"
I make my own math problems so I like to have an answer key. I use my PowerPoint slides to print a blank answer key and work out the problems next to each of the task cards. This also allows me to find mistakes and to make sure the problems will work out.

This is an example of what my blank answer key looks like when it is printed.
To print a blank answer key from your set of "Digital Task Cards". You need to change the Print Layout. To do this: Click File - Print - Full Page Slides - 3 Slides.



This is how it looks when you print out your blank answer key from your "Digital Task Cards".


Click "Print" and you will have a blank answer key for your "Digital Task Cards".


Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog.  I hope that you have been inspired to create your own Socrative Assignments with "Digital Task Cards".









9 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing this! I have copied many of your Socrative quizzes to use and I always wondered how you made them. I can't wait to try my own :)

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    1. Thank you. I hope you were able to use mine... Let me know if you have any questions if you create your own. :o)

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  2. This is Awesome! Thanks so much!

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  3. This makes a lot of sense for math, which has problems with clear right and wrong answers. Any thoughts on whether it's a good program for Reading/ELA? I've been aware of Socrative for a couple of years, but am wondering if it means more work than benefit. I'm curious what you think; even though you don't teach Reading, you clearly have lots of positive experience with the app. Thanks!

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    1. It could be used with ELA as well. It could easily be used with T/F questions, MC questions and select all that apply questions to check for understanding.

      It could also be used in ELA with written response answers. To check for understanding in these type of questions the teacher would have to read the responses.

      Hope this helps.... :o)

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  4. Hi there--
    I would love to hear more about how you have the students use the Socrative Quizzes independently and in groups. Do you have the quiz as a station? I am fairly new to Socrative and am not really sure how it all works, but would love to have more details about how to use them once the quizzes are created. I love the cards (made on Powerpoint, awesome!) Thank you so much for sharing!

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    1. Thanks... If the students do the Socrative Assignment independently, it is done as an iMath Assignment. They follow the directions in Showbie to set up their paper, and then log into Socrative for the Assignment.

      If the students do the Socrative Assignment as a Team Task, then the Task Manager reads the Task Expectations to the Team, and then they all sign into Socrative with the same color and complete the task as a Team.

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  5. I love so much about how structured you are in your classroom. I have looked at your work with Socrative a number of times and tried out one of your tasks. I learned a lot and see so much potential for what Socrative has to offer. I am in the process of building my first set of digital task cards. My kids love traditional task cards, so I'm hoping they will like this as well. Do you get faster at making them? I feel like it's taking me forever for one class period of work! Maybe I'm just slow! :) Thanks for being such an inspiration!!

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