Eat.Pray.Travel.Teach.: Getting Started with Seesaw and Home Learning

Update - Home Learning Codes are officially here to stay and use with your students. Also, please be sure to update your Seesaw App as there are awesome new features being rolled out in June!

This week I have been helping out K-2 educators get set up with Seesaw. If you are new to Seesaw and are transitioning to this platform for home learning, take a breath. You've got this. So many are just beginning and while it can feel overwhelming at first, we are in this together and teachers are here to help one another.

Let's walk through how to get your classroom set up so your students can complete activities.

Setting Up Seesaw

First things first you need to head over to web.seesaw.me to create an account.

Select I am a teacher.

Enter your information for your free account.

Add you students by selecting + students. You can enter one at a time or insert your class list.

I would also recommend changing the display names so that there are not last name.

To get to that step: click on the wrench, scroll down to manage students, select the student.

Also - make sure you turn off the ability to see other's work.

Great job! Your students are all set up. If you would like to use the app to communicate with families (which is what you will use during the regular school year) you will want to connect them by clicking on +families.

Home Learning Codes

These codes all our students to complete work at home. Once your students are set up you will want to get them their code. Students will be using the Seesaw Class App at home. These codes are essentially passwords that are unique to each individual. You can download the individual codes for each student in your class settings or you can generate the list on the main page.

Remember that these are individual to each student and should not be shared. This code is what gives your students the ability to complete and submit activities you have assigned.

Currently we are not in school so I would download the individual letters to save and then email to parents OR use your current communication app to send them their child's code.

Recommendations from Seesaw on getting students their codes:

Use a mail merge app to quickly send text codes via email. Or PDFs can be uploaded as an attachment in an email.

Making Activities

Now that we have our students connected we need to make some activities for them to complete. I am going to upload a GoNoodle.

Go to GoNoddle and select "share" on the video you want.

Select the link and it will copy automatically.

Go to Seesaw and select activities and select "activities", "browse activity library", "my library" and "create new activity".

Name your activity and place any directions. If you are wanting to get the cool images you see on so many activities click here to get the shortcuts.

Since we are sharing a link I am going to select +multimedia. If I was posting something for the students to complete I would put that in student template.

Click on link and paste your url. And click the green check mark twice.

Now our activity is read to save and assign.

Select assign. If you want to send it to your entire class just check the box.

If you would like to differentiate which students you send it to select "edit students" and select only those students you would like to receive the activity. Finally, assign and it will be sent immediately unless you schedule it.

Congrats! You just created your first assignment!

Sharing An Activity

Have you made an activity you want to share with your team? Me too.Save your sanity and do not reinvent the wheel. Simple share the activity link and it will be added to your own libraries.

Note: do NOT share activities that your purchased as that is breaking Terms of Use for a seller.

Have the activity you want to share? View it in your library. From here you are going to click on the three dots on the bottom right and select share activity.

Copy the get activity link and you are ready to share!

Adding A Pre-made Activity To Your Library

If you make an activity to share with your team or purchase an activity from Teachers Pay Teachers, you can add that activity right to your own library.

When you click on the link you will see the screen below. Simple click on "save activity" and it will be added right in to your library. If for some reason it does not go in right away, don't worry, there may have been a glitch and just try again later.