Thinglink is an intuitive, easy-to-use tool that is ideal for thinking maps and graphic organizers

How I Use It

Kindergarteners were using thinglink as a tool for interviewing and creating "all about" student books. The standard they were focusing on was speaking and listening. Speaking in complete sentences, kindergarteners interviewed each other asking their partner questions about their favorite things. The background image was a circle map, and students created videos of the interview. Then they wrote a book using the answers to the interview questions. We turned their thinglink interview into a QR code and glued it into the book. First graders used thinglink to fill out a multi flow map on cause and effect. I read them the book Lacey Walker, Non-stop Talker. In partners, they created videos identifying the cause and effects in the story. Second graders are using thinglink to identify examples on a rubric. Our district has created rubrics for critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration, but it is not written in kid-friendly language. To make the rubric meaningful to them, as a whole class, 2nd graders will use the rubric as a background image and add videos modeling what a 1, 2, 3, or 4 on the rubric looks like. Sixth graders were analyzing theme, symbolism, and figurative language. We watched a short film from pixar, and students used thinglink to identify these literary elements in the short film.