Although the GRA officially ends today, I still loved this idea so much that I asked Steve Auslander, 5th grade teacher extraordinaire from  Allisonville Elementary in Indianapolis, IN to write a post about it hoping that you can still use this idea with others.  I got to play this game and it was a highlight for me!

Are you looking for an engaging activity to do with another class to celebrate the end of the Global Read Aloud?  Give Skype Heads Up a shot!  You may have heard of Heads Up.  It’s a fun app, similar to charades.  The object of the game is to guess the word on the card that’s on your head from your friends’ clues before the timer runs out! Heads Up also contains an option for a ninety-nine cent in-app purchase to create your own deck.  I created my own deck with Fish in a Tree words like,”Ally”, “dyslexia”, “friendship bracelets”, etc..

The next step is to connect with another class over Skype.  Then, have a player in one location blindfolded or close his or her eyes.  Then sit that student near the computer with a device facing the camera.  Have about six or so students on the other side of the camera give clues and see how many words the player can name correctly.  Then, switch.  Each game takes about sixty seconds, so it wouldn’t take many rotations for every child to have a chance to play.  It’s so much fun and can be played to review any common text or skill.  

This has been an extremely memorable week for the students in my class.  We tested this game out with the inspiring Pernille Ripp, creator of the Global Read Aloud, on Wednesday and the amazing Lynda Mullaly-Hunt, author of Fish in a Tree, the next day!  Please let me know if you have any questions about this idea.  The best way to reach me is via Twitter (@sauslander).   So go ahead and celebrate Global Read Aloud 2015 by playing Skype Heads Up!  

Here’s a video of our Skype with Lynda: