101 Practical

Ways to

A Guide
By Matt Miller (@jmattmiller)
Your one-stop shop
for textbook ditching.
Some of us have a million great teaching ideas
and ways that we want to change education. Others
are starving for great ideas and search frantically for
Ditchin
them. g your
textboo
Muy bien!
k can
If either is you, you’ve come to the right place.
quite a be
process
Before you are more than 100 of the best ideas I’
.
ve gathered in more than 200 blog posts in more
Here, y
ou’ll fin
than two years time. I focused on finding the ones
ideas y d
that can be implemented into the classroom ou can
impleme
quickest … hence the “practical ways” title. nt righ
away, t
Each entry in this ebook includes a quick saving
time. you
explanation of a textbook-ditching idea. Click
the blue link to see a blog post with further
explanation and other ideas.

If you’re stumped or have questions about

anything in this book, feel free to contact me at
[email protected] or on Twitter at
@jmattmiller. If I don’t know the answer, I know
Muy bien!
lots of people who might!
1. Use Google Drawings to make
interactive graphic organizers.
Create Venn diagrams,
fishbone diagrams and
more. Students can
edit them to add all
the necessary details
and turn them in. Find
15 pre-made graphic
organizers at this blog
post.

2. 4.
Give students opportunities to Create a quick blog with a Google
create visual notes instead of presentation. Create a Google
traditional ones. Many students presentation and share it with
process visual ideas better than students. Then, give each student a
text-based ones. Embrace that by slide to write on and let other
encouraging visual notetaking, students (in your class and beyond!)
either on paper or with comment. It’s an instant, easy blog!
an app like Paper by
FiftyThree.

3. 5.
Share a Google presentation
Create photo slideshows with
with another class in another
YouTube using YouTube’s
part of the state, country or “Upload” button. Making YouTube
world. Share weather and photos videos doesn’t always mean
of surroundings with another recording with a camera and
class. Then, share reactions to waiting forever for uploads. Create
that content from the other class slideshows with photos and music
to make student-created or teacher-
for extra engagement.
created videos.
6. 8.
Make a long video into lots of Connect current events topics to
shorter, more digestable ones. your content area. Google Trends
Use YouTube Creator Studio to cut shows trending search topics,
videos into short clips and link YouTube searches and more. Plus,
them together with clickable links.
you can see what trended every
Often, students are more likely to
watch short videos. Use that to year back to 2004.
your advantage!

7. 9.
Make your classes accessible Measure weather with your phone. If
any time by video. Start a Google you or your students have an Android
Hangout on Air and record your device, download the barometer app
instruction. When finished, the from Physics Toolbox on the Google Play
video will be uploaded to store and check out local readings. Share
YouTube. them with another class in your state,
country or beyond.

10. Track a word’s usage over time

with Ngram Viewer.

Enter keywords to have their usage tracked in books over more than two centuries. See how
history has shaped the written word and vice versa.
11. 15.
Measure what is “really loud” Turn research papers into
and “really soft.” A sound meter infographics. Sites like Piktochart
in Physics Toolbox can give a give students great tools to create
measurement of how loud a infographics. Instead of a research
sound really is, which sometimes paper, why not gather that
doesn’t correlate with how loud information into a more visual
we think it is. Comparing loudness product?
with how loud we think it is can
show how perceptions color how
we see the world.

12. 16.
Create Twitter lab reports. If Give posters some movement.
school policy allows it, students Instead of creating a static poster
can use Twitter to share that hangs on the wall, sites like
observations from science labs Piktochart can embed videos into
(among other things in other a digital poster. Instead of telling
classes) with photos and text. about a subject or showing
When they’re done, they can go pictures, show content with video.
back through their tweets and
reflect on their observations.

13. 17.
Make school a game. Often we Incorporate images into
reward students with points for everything. The picture
their grades. What if students superiority effect states that even
gathered experience points like your worst images -- stick figures
on a video game and moved up a and all -- have greater impact
class leader board? Points and than your greatest text-based
badges can be as rewarding as presentations. Draw, photograph
grades. and capture more often!

14. 18.
Host the “Ultimate Bedroom Catalog your ideas visually. Use
Makeover.” Students answer visual notetaking (aka
questions in class to earn points. sketchnoting) or give students the
They spend their points on a option to use it and you’ll see a
predetermined catalog of items drastic improvement in retention
for their imaginary bedroom of of ideas in some of them.
their dreams. Team with the best
bedroom wins. (See blog post for
more details.)
Teach AND ‘Tech’ Like a PIRATE

19. 22.
Use an animated board message. In the Use the “Mime Hook” with Gone
book “Teach Like a PIRATE,” author Dave Google Story Builder. Using
Burgess says a message written on the silence or written messages is what
board for students to see as they come in the Mime Hook is all about. Gone
can get them hooked into class before it Google Story Builder allows users
starts. Think of the power of an animated to create a video that looks like
board message created with a tool like people are typing messages to each
PowToon! other in a Google document.

20. 23.
Sound effects can bring any story, Engage students with a mystery
lecture, explanation or narration to bag. Place an object relevant to the
life. AudioMicro has hundreds of day’s class in a bag. Then, build
thousands of sound effects that can be interest in the unknown by talking
played from the website on command. about it without actually showing
Imagine assigning a different sound students what’s in the bag. You’ll
effect to each student and having them have them on the edge of their
play that sound effect when you say a seats!
certain word or phrase.

21. 24.
Bring vocabulary terms to life with Leave the classroom. The safari
human mannequins. Using the “People hook in “Teach Like a PIRATE”
Props Hook” from “Teach Like a PIRATE,” challenges teachers to find the best
place in the building -- or beyond! --
position students to illustrate vocabulary
to host a lesson. Sometimes, it only
terms (or have students position each takes walking out the door to create
other). student interest.
100. 100. in class
Using Padlet
25. 26. 27.
Document field trips. Help students get Create a living
Add pictures of trips to acquainted. Students webquest with
a Padlet wall using the can create an Padlet. Static
camera on your device introductory Padlet at webquests aren’t much
— or on student the beginning of the fun. Letting students
devices. If you have school year showing add their own links
access to wi-fi or things about and questions can add

100. 100.
cellular data, upload themselves. They could engagement and
those photos on the revisit it at the end of personalization. Create
fly. Give parents the the year to see if it’s a board on Padlet
link before leaving and changed. where students can
they’ll be able to see add the content they
updates instantly choose.
during the day!

28. 30.
Use Padlet to gather videos to Catalog your ideas visually. Use
share in class. Students can help visual notetaking (aka
you gather relevant videos on a sketchnoting) or give students the
subject. Add videos to notes in
option to use it and you’ll see a
Padlet and you’ll have a class-
created video gallery. drastic improvement in retention
of ideas in some of them.

29. 31.
Manage class digitally with Don’t give up on handwriting. As I
Google Classroom. Create go more digital, it’s hard to live by
assignments and announcements.
this research: writing by hand has
Grade and return student work
and add comments. It makes great cognitive benefits that typing
managing Google Apps a cinch! on a keyboard doesn’t. Ditch the
technology from time to time and
let them use a pencil!
32. 33.
Make reading comprehension a Let students create Kahoot!
game. Use Kahoot!, a game show- games for higher-order thinking.
style review website, to quiz To write solid questions and
students about what they answers, students must
remember from something they’ understand their content. Let
ve read. them write Kahoot! review games
as an assignment.

34. 35.
Add the little details. Hide a Bring students alive with
small QR code somewhere on an augmented reality at “Meet the
assignment that takes students to Teacher” night. Hang photos of
students on the wall and use
a fun video that puts a fun or
Aurasma to superimpose videos
humorous twist on the topic of the of students introducing
day. Add little, unexpected details themselves. (Great idea via Erin
to students’ day. Klein)

36. 38.
Produce for a large audience. Emphasize task over tool. It’s not
These days, you only need a about the technology; it’s about
blog or social media account the learning. Technology isn’t a
to reach the audiences only learning outcome. Good teachers
newspapers and TV could use technology to accomplish
dream of before. An authentic their teaching goals, not the other
audience is motivation for way around.
students to do their best.

37. 39.
Personalize everything. We Go where the students are.
want to see ourselves in Students have digital tools that
everything we engage in. Make make them feel comfortable. If
you can figure out what they are,
instant connections with
you may gain access to those
students by making sure they students in ways you can’t
can see themselves in what otherwise.
they’re learning and creating.
40. 44.
Analyze student writing in a Follow conferences from afar.
snap. Copy student writing into OK, you’re on Twitter now. This
Hemingway App (hemingwayapp. gives you a virtual ticket to thought-
com) and it analyzes grade level, provoking education conferences
paragraph/sentence/word/charac all over the world. Many
ter count, hard-to-read sentences conferences utilize a hashtag to
and more.

# help attendees share ideas and

resources. Check them out from the
comfort of your own computer!

41. 45.
Connect with your students and Participate in Twitter chats.
parents via text message. Remind These regular virtual meetings of
(formerly Remind 101) lets teachers passionate educators are a great
send text messages while keeping place to find interesting
everyone’s contact information conversation, links and ideas to
private. Send deadlines, reminders, employ on Monday. Join the
extra credit questions, links and conversation, and don’t forget to
more! include the chat hashtag in your
tweets!

42. 46.
Join Twitter. What?!? You’re not Become a Google Apps for
on Twitter yet?!? It’s only the best Education Ninja. This program
place to get new ideas, find other was developed to help students
teachers, discover new
and educators improve their skills
philosophies and practices, and
more. There are communities on using powerful Google Products
Twitter for educators just like you. like Drive, Gmail, Search and
Jump in and start tweeting! more. It tracks your progress, and
you can earn belts!

43. 47.
Listen to podcasts. Podcasts are Check out Google Plus. Looking
a treasure trove of great ideas for for ideas to help you ditch your
teachers. Plenty of education- textbooks? Educator communities
related podcasts (and those on are all over the place on Google
different topics) can stimulate the Plus. Create a Google/Gmail
mind and lead to great learning account and you instantly have
opportunities. access to Google Plus. Converse,
share ideas and find resources.
 Google
greatness
51.
Create bibliographies in a blink.
EasyBib, an add-on in Google Apps,
creates bibliography pages for you
in MLA, APA and Chicago style.

48. 52.
Make photos interactive with Make rockin’ presentations. Slide
annotation in Google Drawings. Add presentations don’t have to be dull.
arrows, notes, circles and more to tag Mind maps, Creative Commons
photos and make them learning
images, screenshots, collaboration
experiences. Bring the photo into a
blank Google Drawing and then start and more can bring them to life
tagging it! and get viewers engaged.

49.
Engage in a cultural exchange. Pair

53.
up with a classroom in a different Gather student opinion with a
country. Share ideas and ask poll. Google Forms, Poll
questions via video chat (Skype, Everywhere and Mentimeter all
Google Hangout, FaceTime). Write provide opportunities for students
and engage with shared Google to weigh in on a topic.
Documents. Broader world views will
result.

54.
Grade online quizzes instantly

50.
Ditch textbooks for online docs. Not with Flubaroo. Quizzes created in
a fan of how your textbook teaches Google Forms can be graded
something? Create your own automatically with this add-on. Add
document using Google Docs and it to a spreadsheet with student
share it with students. They’ll get the responses and watch Flubaroo
idea just as you intended it. create a grade report for you.

55. 56.
Motivate differently. Intrinsic Try something new. If you don’t
motivation is powerful. Students understand every detail about a
are at their best when given new digital tool or an innovative
autonomy (directing themselves), activity, don’t worry. Inaction is
mastery (getting better at crippling. Action is empowering.
something that matters) and Jump in and start.
purpose (working in service of
something bigger than
themselves).
Websites: A home for your stuff

57. 60.
Create a class website. I created a Add online flashcards. Tons of
free Weebly website to hold links, flashcard websites exist, but I always go
photos, videos and more. It has back to Quizlet. I can create a flashcard
become my digital, changeable set for my students and embed it in my
textbook. It was easy to set up, and website. Students can flip through cards
lots of useful tools can be added to right on the site.
it.

58. 61.
Provide news they can use. An RSS Leave doubt-free sub plans. When you
feed is a stream of new content from can’t be in class, your voice still can be.
a particular website. Add one to your Create a screencast using Screencast-O-
website with RSSinclude, and Matic or Screenr and embed the video in
students will be up to date on the your class website. You’ll show exactly
latest news. what students need.

59. 62.
Make a virtual art gallery. Collect Organize favorite sites. Typing every URL
art -- student-created or artist- into student browsers isn’t necessary
created -- and gather it in a Google when all links are saved in a link organizer
Slides presentation. Embed that like Symabloo. Include one on your class
presentation on a class website for website and spend less time waiting on
everyone to see. students to transition to a new site.

Flickr / Yamil Gonzales

63. 64.
Track behavior and gather data Create a QR code scavenger hunt.
using ClassDojo. ClassDojo helps Print QR codes to post around your
teachers track their students’ classroom or school using this QR
behavior by logging points for code scavenger hunt tool. Then turn
positive and negative actions. students loose to find them and
Teachers can send reports home to follow their trail!
parents, too.
 The global classroom
65. 68.
Connect classes digitally. Use the Comment on the day’s news
sharing features in many sites such together with Diigo. This social
as Google Apps to work together bookmarking site lets students post
and share with people anywhere -- comments on articles they find on
near your own location, within your the Internet. They can also respond
own country or anywhere in the to each other’s comments like a
world. conversation.

69.
Make it visual with an

66.
Record video messages using Animoto/Voicethread
Skype or YouTube. Sometimes, real- presentation. Use these highly
time communication isn’t possible interactive presentations to engage
because of time zone differences. students. They can leave voice
Record videos to share with others comments for each other and hear
anywhere at any time. global partners’ voices online.

67. 70.
Share photos and messages Create a weather/environment
socially with Edmodo. Students are lab. Science classes can connect
comfortable with social media sites. with another class and gather data
Edmodo lets them engage in their about the weather or environment
work socially and in a way that around them. Log it all in a Google
mimics sites like Facebook and Sheet with a page for each location.
Twitter.
71. 75.
Write publicly. Blogs can give Create engaging practice
students a great audience -- even a activities. ClassTools hosts a
global one. Let them share their wide array of video games that
ideas outside the four walls of the help student practice with new
classroom and interact with others in content and get repetitions.
comments.

72. 76.
Teach brevity with Twitter. The 140- Make intriguing kickstart
character limit of Twitter forces us to activities. Start class with a bang.
sum up our ideas succinctly. Display a great Creative
Students can engage in collaborative Commons photo from Flickr to
writing with other students start a conversation.
anywhere and tell stories, exchange
viewpoints or share data.

73. 77.
Use animated GIFs. They’re all over Find quality content online. You
social media … those pictures that don’t always have to create it!
move but aren’t exactly digital video. Find content at TED Talks, SAS
They’re great for illustrating Pathways, Khan Academy and
vocabulary, creating time lapse NBC Learn.
videos of changes in plants and
more.

74. 78.
Offer homework help. Offer college-level learning.
Backchannel sites like TodaysMeet Several universities offer some
and Backchannel Chat can be great of their classes for free online.
places for students and teachers to Check out free Stanford
meet outside school hours to engineering courses, UC
provide support. Berkeley courses and MIT
courses.
 Flickr / Danny Sullivan
79. 82.
Share notes. In partner work, it’s Create timelines. Students create a
bound to happen: someone will be Google Drawing and draw a
absent, and that person will have all timeline. They can add text, images
the notes. Have students share a and links to content on the web,
document on Google and they’ll making the timeline interactive.
both always have access.

83.
Create “Choose Your Own

80.
Rethink rough drafts. Teachers can Adventure” stories. Remember
use the comments feature in Google those stories where you pick what
Docs to make rough drafts a process. the characters in the book do, then
Follow students’ progress and guide turn to a specific page to see what
them as they write with comments. happens? Students can create them
using Google Forms. Click here to
see how.

81.
Interactive whiteboard. Create a

84.
Google Drawing and share it with Invite guest speakers. Hearing a
students, giving them permission to guest doesn’t require a field trip or
edit. Display it on a projector screen, travel expenses. Find someone to
and let students add text, images, speak to your class and invite
etc. to it. Everyone sees everything! him/her to use Google Hangouts or
Skype so students can see and hear
him/her.
85. 89.
Learn languages online at your Record whiteboard animations.
pace. Duolingo teaches students a Those videos with a hand
foreign language through quick, furiously illustrating on a
progressive questions. It tracks whiteboard aren’t that hard to
progress, too. Think Rosetta Stone create. Turn students loose and
for free! let them create these fun videos
as a project.

86. 90.
View virtual exhibitions from the Record screencast promotional
Smithsonian Institution. The videos. Slide presentations still
Smithsonian gathers great work well. Combine them with
exhibitions in its museums. If you screencasting apps and you add
can’t make it in person, the next best another dimension. Use these
thing is one of its media-rich virtual videos to deliver information or
exhibitions. persuade.

87. 91.
Learn about Darfur. Give students a Let students write for a public
clear picture of what residents of audience. Creating publicly-
Darfur refugee camps go through accessible blogs let students write
with this online game. It can also for an audience bigger than just the
connect players with opportunities teacher. That access often inspires
to help the situation in real life. them to do their best work.

88. 92.
Learn about blood typing. The Tell beautiful visual stories
Blood Typing Game helps students with Storybird. Students can tell
see how blood types are figured creative stories using Storybird’s
and how the components of blood original artwork. The stories look
are important in transfusions. It’s like digital storybooks and can
very visual and engaging! be shared.
 Flickr / garysan97

Creating with audio

93. 96.
Record it instead of writing it. Predict the future. Audio tools can
Audio-gathering tools like let students record what they
AudioBoom and Google Voice let believe will happen next in class
students do their work with their content, in a story or in the real
voices instead of a pencil. Audio world.
recordings can be downloaded and
shared.

94. 97.
Create audio interviews. Using Describe how you solved it. When
AudioBoom or Google Voice, students get stuck and the teacher
students can interview each other can’t seem to help, sometimes peer
or any other “guest” for an audio explanations can provide the “aha!”
program. Guests could include moment. Use audio tools to let
family, representatives of the students explain how they solved a
community and more. problem.

95. 98.
Speak for a character. Studying Read poetry. Poetry comes to life
characters in literature and history when it’s read dynamically. Let
shows students their personality students experience that first-hand
and tendencies. Students can with audio tools like AudioBoom
record what a particular character and Google Voice.
would probably think about a
number of topics.
 Creating with video
Flickr / Kevin Dooley

99. 100.
Make a video tour. If students visit Create a personal narrative.
somewhere -- a field trip, on Students can tell about
vacation, etc. -- they can share their themselves or a character or a
learning experience with a video historical person. Record video
project. Video slide shows using clips. Add a voiceover to tell the
Animoto are the next best thing! story. Use music to set the
mood.

101.
Highlight a cause. When
students find out about problems
in the world and decide to act,
the result is more than learning --
it’s change for the better. Help
them harness their video skills to
make change.

Looking for more ideas?

Check out the Ditch
That Textbook blog!
Head over to
DitchThatTextbook.com
to browse articles,
search for specific
topics or check out the
different pages
available. Ditch That
Textbook is a treasure
trove of ideas. Start
searching now!
 About the author
Matt Miller is a high school Spanish teacher from West Central Indiana. He incorporates
meaningful technology to transform and redefine learning. He’s a Google Certified
Teacher that’s been infusing meaningful technology for more than 10 years. Matt created
and writes at the Ditch That Textbook blog, which promotes less reliance on the textbook
with an emphasis on creative teaching.

Connect with Matt —

E-mail: [email protected]
Twitter: @jmattmiller
Google Plus: plus.google.com/MattMiller16
Pinterest: pinterest.com/DitchThatTxt
Facebook: facebook.com/DitchThatTextbook

Hire Matt to present

Matt is an experienced professional development speaker. He has presented at dozens
of conferences, schools and school districts to thousands of educators. His wide range
of topics span Google Apps, intentional tech use, blogging, global connections and
beyond. His participants appreciate his practical, hands-on approach and his
perspective as a practicing teacher.

Matt can present at your school, district or event. He can provide full-day professional
development, keynote speeches and concurrent conference sessions.

See DitchThatTextbook.com/conferences for more info or e-mail Matt at

[email protected] to discuss pricing and availability.