This is my first year teaching a junior high library class, and I’ll be honest—I’m only about one step ahead of the students most days when it comes to planning. One of the biggest challenges has been filling a full 90-minute class block, especially with new classes still getting used to the routine.
Today, though, I pulled together an educational, engaging activity that filled the whole time and actually went really well, so I wanted to share in case it helps someone else.
I knew I wanted to cover a digital citizenship lesson and found a great one on PBS Learning Media called “When Is Your Brain Ready for Social Media?” It includes a short video and a viewing guide with questions. We watched the video once and answered the questions together. Then we watched it again so students could take notes to use for writing a claim.
After that, they wrote their own claim using evidence from the video to back it up. This part only took about 30 minutes. So… I had 60 minutes left and needed to come up with something fast!
Last week I had them do a research activity in which they created Google Slides to present their information. While grading I noticed a lot of students were struggling with how to make their slides look polished. So I saw a chance to squeeze in a quick Google Slides lesson using the same video content.
I showed them how to:
- Add background color or themes
- Use simple animations
- Add images to support their points and make their slides more professional
They each made a short slideshow using the information from the video. They practiced their digital skills and reviewed the video info again—win win! Best part? It took up the full 90 minutes and everyone stayed engaged.
Just a reminder that sometimes we have to turn on a dime and be flexible. Those quick thinking moments can turn into great lessons!
Here’s the link to the PBS lesson if you want to check it out:
When Is Your Brain Ready for Social Media? – PBS LearningMedia
Tech Fun In The Library 