I did it! I joined the craze and created my Virtual Bitmoji Classroom! It was super fun and will be an option for engaging with my kindergarten students this year! We are going virtual for at least six weeks!
I teach kindergarten and it was super hard for my little people to deal with Google Classroom on their own, so this will be a way that they can try some of this technology stuff on their own. Parents also had some trouble navigating in the virtual world so this will be a great way to help them out too! Thanks to Roots and Wings for some great resources!
The pictures in the slides can be linked up to daily or weekly assignments, linked for kids to make choices within different subject areas, support and resources for parents, and posting meeting times, links, and agendas for online meetings or small groups!
Make Your Bitmoji
To add your Bitmoji avatar, download the Bitmoji chrome extension onto your computer. It should appear in your tool bar. Click on it and then right click on the image and choose copy image from the menu.
OR
- Download the Bitmoji app on your phone & follow the prompts
- Create your avatar to look like you
- Save and search for poses that look like how you might want to be placed in your classroom.
- Use words like pose, sit, smile, stand, point and find those that do not have extra words or backgrounds, otherwise you’ll have to edit them out.
- Save to a folder in your Google Drive
Create a Classroom Background
Start with a classroom background that creates the atmosphere you want for your virtual bitmoji classroom. Click Slides and make a few copies of it when you are finished OR make a few different ones. Here’s how:
- Login to Google Drive
- Select Google Slides
- Click Background. Choose Image. Google Image Search.
- Type in “wall and floor background”
- Pick your favorite and click Insert.
I made an outdoor classroom by searching “backyard” but you could make one using whatever background you wanted.
Add Furniture and Classroom Stuff
Create the main meeting area of your bitmoji classroom with all the things that you might find in your own classroom OR create your dream class!
- Click Insert. Click Image. Google Image Search.
- Type in “transparent chair”, “transparent desk”, shelf, whiteboard
- Type in “transparent pencils”, “transparent notebook” etc.
The word “transparent” gives options that don’t have any background behind them that you would have to edit out. This can be done and I’ll add that process later.
- Use the editing tools to place and resize each of your images in your classroom
- You can also do an image search on your own to find something specific. Download it to your computer. Click Image. Upload.
- Find the arrow back or forward buttons to fix mistakes or Replace Image helps pop an image in that exact spot. Find Replace Image by right-clicking the image you want to replace.
Make Multiple Slides in Your Bitmoji Classroom
Duplicate your background or create new ones for different areas of your classroom like a reading, writing, and math stations, science and art areas, and small group table.
- Click Slide. Duplicate Slide.
- Click Slide. New Slide to start from scratch
Add Links to Classroom Resources
Link your main Meeting Area slide to Other Slides. I linked a clock on every slide so that kids and parents would know that it always takes them back to the main Meeting Area Slide.
Add links to your virtual bitmoji classroom that connect to other resources like videos so kids can access on their own by exploring. Add links to your other resources that will be provided throughout your distance learning experience.
I have objects and books on bookshelves to allow for easy navigation. Just follow the steps for adding links found on the next slide, but click “link to other slides” instead of copying and pasting a link.
How to Add Links
- Click on one of your images until you see the edit box around it.
- Click Insert on drop down menu and click “link.”
- Copy and paste the URL in the box. Click Apply
- You can also choose to link to other slides in this last step.
Add Text Boxes
If you want text on your objects just add a text box and type. You will be able to adjust the size and font as well.
- Click Image.
- Click Text Box in the drop down menu.
- Place or drag the box where you want your text
Share Your Bitmoji Classroom With Families
Follow these steps to share your bitmoji classroom with families and students on Google Classroom.
- Go to Google Classroom
- Click Classwork
- Click Create Material. Add a title and description.
- Copy and paste the link.
Tip: Do not add a topic if you want your virtual classroom to stay at the top of your classwork.
Follow these steps to share with families on Seesaw. The links you add will still be clickable in the PDF.
- Click File. Download
- Click PDF. Upload to Seesaw.
That is it! Have fun creating your new Virtual Bitmoji Classroom! I know your kids will get a kick out of it an every age! Check out my post on getting started for online learning here.
