This guide is designed to help you get the most out of your trial experience over the next 60 days. We know you are busy and don’t want the trial to feel like just one more thing you have to do, so we focused on very select, short, actionable items that can enhance what you are already doing rather than add to your plate!
• An Overview of Seesaw
• Getting Started - a few quick steps to take before you dive in
• A weekly framework with recommended low-lift actions to complete throughout your trial that will help you experience the impact of Seesaw
• Teacher Trial Checklist
• Recommendations for those ready to go deeper
• A look inside features you might not have time to fully explore
What’s Next?
Throughout the 60-day trial, we’ll provide resources and support to ensure you feel confident using the platform. We encourage you to experiment with different features and see how Seesaw can fit into your classroom routines.
Closer to the end of the trial, we’ll gather input from you to learn more about your experience using Seesaw. Please reach out if you have any questions or need assistance along the way. Thank you for embracing this opportunity to explore new tools for teaching and learning.
We are excited to have you in the learning loop!
-The Seesaw Team
Note: This trial does not include the family connection as we do not want to disrupt family flows for a trial experience. But please know that Seesaw allows you to connect with families directly from the platform and translates messages into over 100 languages!
Seesaw is your all-in-one platform for elementary learning.
JOYFUL
INCLUSIVE
CONNECTED
Communicate with families
What is Seesaw?
Uses of Seesaw
Create auto-graded formative assessments
Celebrate student progress
Positive outcomes for learners, families, and educators.
Find ready-to-teach lessons PK-6
Create your own content
Various Instructional Models
Capture hands-on and online learning in a digital portfolio
Document evidence of learning (great for IEPs and 504s)
Quickly differentiate instruction
92% of teachers surveyed report that using Seesaw in their classroom saves them time.
Before you dive into the weekly recommended actions, there are just a few things that will help your trial experience run smoothly:
1. Find the email inviting you to log in. Search your inbox for an email titled “Action Required: Activate Your Seesaw Teacher Account”.
2. Log in and find your class (Note: Classes should have been set up for you by your admin, if you do not see your class, you can Create Your Class)
3. Configure your class settings
4. Administration should have rostered your class, but if you need to add any other students you can Add Students to Your Class
5. Use our Seesaw Printables to set your class up for success
Finished a lesson early with 5 minutes to spare? Seesaw’s Creating Classroom Culture collection (many are video based) contains quick and easy community-building activities to get every student involved. From games like Four Corners to Would You Rather, everything’s ready to go with just one click - perfect to use as a brain break any time of day.
Four Corners
Objective: Students will respond to a prompt and choose from one of the four answers. Then, they will share their responses with a partner and explain their reasoning.
1. Click this link and select “Present to Class.”
Ask your students: What is something you learned about a classmate?
PreK-2
Result/Intended Outcome: Fosters a strong classroom community where students feel comfortable sharing responses.
Finished a lesson early with 5 minutes to spare? Seesaw’s Creating Classroom Culture collection (many are video based) contains quick and easy community-building activities to get every student involved. From games like Four Corners to Would You Rather, everything’s ready to go with just one click - perfect to use as a brain break any time of day.
2. Students move to the corner that matches their response to the displayed question.
3. Students pair up to share their thinking, igniting community and connection.
4. End the lesson with a class discussion, following the questions on the last slide of the deck!
Explore more Creating Classroom Culture activities by clicking here and selecting your grade level.
Four Corners
Objective: Students will respond to a prompt and choose from one of the four answers. Then, they will share their responses with a partner and explain their reasoning.
1. Click this link and select “Present to Class.”
3-6
Result/Intended Outcome: Fosters a strong classroom community where students feel comfortable sharing responses.
2. Students move to the corner that matches their response to the displayed question.
3. Students pair up to share their thinking, igniting community and connection.
4. End the lesson with a class discussion, following the questions on the last slide of the deck!
Explore more Creating Classroom Culture activities by clicking here and selecting your grade level.
Ask your students:
What is something you learned about a classmate?
PreK-2
Woohoo! You crushed it! Now it’s time to get students into Seesaw themselves. Help students get familiar with the canvas using the Seesaw 101 Tools collection. These fun 10-15 minute, video-based activities help them master the tools before diving into content. They’ll be Seesaw pros in no time! (Seriously, kids pick up tech so fast—it’s like their superpower!)
Intended Result/Outcome: Students understand how to use the Seesaw tools so they can effectively engage with any lesson and show what they know in whatever format works best for them!
Drawing Tool
Objective: Students will learn and practice how to use the pen tool in Seesaw.
1. Click this link, go to the first activity “Learn” and select “Present to Class.”
2. Watch the video on how to use the pen tool.
3. On Page 2, model how to use the pen tool and complete the activity as a class.
4. Click “Back to Lesson” in the top left corner.
5. Click the second activity “Practice” and then “Assign” to add the activity to your students’ journals for completion.
Explore more Seesaw 101 Tools activities by clicking here and selecting your grade level.
Woohoo! You crushed it! �� Now it’s time to get students into Seesaw themselves. Help students get familiar with the canvas using the Seesaw 101 Tools collection. These fun 10-15 minute, video-based activities help them master the tools before diving into content. They’ll be Seesaw pros in no time! (Seriously, kids pick up tech so fast—it’s like their superpower!)
Intended Result/Outcome: Students understand how to use the Seesaw tools so they can effectively engage with any lesson and show what they know in whatever format works best for them!
Drawing Tool
Objective: Students will learn and practice how to use the pen tool in Seesaw.
1. Click this link go to the first activity “Learn” and select “Present to Class.”
2. Watch the video on how to use the pen tool.
3. On Page 2, model how to use the pen tool and complete the activity as a class.
4. Click “Back to Lesson” in the top left corner.
5. Click the second activity “Practice” and then “Assign” to add the activity to your students’ journals for completion.
Explore more Seesaw 101 Tools activities by clicking here and selecting your grade level.
PreK-2
Once your students are comfortable with Seesaw, you can use it to check in on their emotional well-being. A quick poll can help you understand their mood and better support their needs. Try it after recess or lunch for a quick pulse check!
Result/Intended Outcome: Recognizing, expressing, and reflecting on emotions enables students to manage their feelings, build healthy and positive self-identities, and cultivate empathy for others. It also helps teachers identify which students may need additional support that day.
Once your students are comfortable with Seesaw, you can use it to check in on their emotional well-being. A quick poll can help you understand their mood and better support their needs. Try it after recess or lunch for a quick pulse check!
3-6
Result/Intended Outcome: Recognizing, expressing, and reflecting on emotions enables students to manage their feelings, build healthy and positive self-identities, and cultivate empathy for others. It also helps teachers identify which students may need additional support that day.
Objective: Students will complete a poll to share their feelings. Identifying, sharing, and analyzing feelings helps students manage their emotions, develop positive and healthy identities, and practice feeling and showing empathy for others.
1. Click this link and select “Present to Class.”
2. Model for students how to complete the activity.
3. When students are ready, click “Assign” to add the activity to their journals.
4. Students independently move the feeling character(s) that match their feelings and explain their choice.
Explore more Seesaw 101 Tools activities by clicking here and selecting your grade level.
Objective: Students will complete a poll to share their feelings. Identifying, sharing, and analyzing feelings helps students manage their emotions, develop positive and healthy identities, and practice feeling and showing empathy for others.
1. Click this link and select “Present to Class.”
2. Model for students how to complete the activity.
3. When students are ready, click “Assign” to add the activity to their journals.
4. Students independently move the feeling character(s) that match their feelings and explain their choice.
Ask your students: How can we support classmates who are feeling upset, stressed, or tired?
Ask your students:
How can we support classmates who are feeling upset, stressed, or tired?
Providing 1-on-1 writing feedback is essential but time-consuming. With this activity, students snap a picture of their writing, reflect, and share their thoughts. This makes it easier for you to review their progress, identify who needs additional support, and track their growth over the year without worrying about misplaced papers.
Result/Intended Outcome: Reflecting on and sharing their writing weekly allows students to develop self-awareness, gain confidence, and refine their ideas through feedback.
Objective: Students will capture what they have learned in writing from the week and reflect on it.
1. Click this link and select “Present to Class.”
2. Model how to complete the activity, including taking an image of a piece of writing.
3. When students are ready, click “Assign” to add the activity to their journals.
4. Students will share something they’ve written and reflect on it.
Explore more Highlights Collection of activities by clicking here and selecting your grade level.
Peer Feedback Gallery Walk:
After completing their writing reflection, students can pair up or form small groups to provide positive and constructive feedback on each other’s work. Encourage students to share what they learned from the feedback and how it inspired their next writing piece.
3-6
Providing 1-on-1 writing feedback is essential but time-consuming. With this activity, students share their writing, reflect, and plan their next steps. This makes it easier for you to review their progress, identify who needs additional support, and track their growth over the year without worrying about misplaced papers. You can even leave a voice memo for feedback!
Result/Intended Outcome: Reflecting on and sharing their writing weekly allows students to develop self-awareness, gain confidence, and refine their ideas through feedback.
Writing: Draft
Objective: Students will capture and reflect on what they learned during the writing process.
1. Click this link, select “Writing: Draft” and select “Present to Class”
1. Model how to complete the activity (prepare a sample writing draft in advance).
1. When students are ready, click “Assign” to add the activity to their journals.
1. Students will share and reflect on something they have written during the drafting stage of the writing process.
Explore more Highlights Collection of activities by clicking here and selecting your grade level.
Peer Feedback Gallery Walk:
After completing their writing reflection, students can pair up or form small groups to provide positive and constructive feedback on each other’s work. Encourage students to share what they learned from the feedback and how it inspired their next writing piece.
Wondering if your students are engaged during reading time? This independent reflection activity (with English and Spanish audio directions!) helps hold them accountable and encourages creative responses. Perfect for reader’s workshop, morning routines, or after DEAR time!
Result/Intended Outcome: Incorporating reflection into students’ reading routine deepens comprehension, fosters emotional connections, and encourages creativity and critical thinking. This practice not only builds communication skills but also helps students engage thoughtfully with texts, creating lifelong habits of active reading.
Objective: Students will draw a picture to share a part in the story and draw a face to show how it made them feel. Then, students will record themselves to explain.
1. Click this link and select “Present to Class.”
2. Model how to complete the Book Reflection activity after a read-aloud.
3. When students are ready, click “Assign” to add the activity to their journals.
4. Students use the camera, pen, and audio tools to complete the activity. Encourage students to explain their thinking.
Explore more Instructional Templates by clicking here and selecting your grade level.
Share with a colleague:
Wondering if your students are engaged during reading time? This independent reflection activity (with English and Spanish audio directions!) helps hold them accountable and encourages creative responses. Perfect for reader’s workshop, morning routines, or after DEAR time!
Objective: Students will review a book they read and explain their thinking.
1. Click this link and select “Present to Class.”
Share with a colleague:
2. Model how to complete the Book Review activity.
3. When students are ready, click “Assign” to add the activity to their journals.
4. Encourage students to use details to explain their thinking.
How you plan to use instructional templates to gain insight into students’ creativity and comprehension in your classroom.
How you plan to use instructional templates to gain insight into students’ creativity and comprehension in your classroom. 3-6
Result/Intended Outcome: Incorporating reflection into students’ reading routine deepens comprehension, fosters emotional connections, and encourages creativity and critical thinking. This practice not only builds communication skills but also helps students engage thoughtfully with texts, creating lifelong habits of active reading.
Explore more Instructional Templates by clicking here and selecting your grade level.
Reviewing student work one by one can be incredibly time-consuming. With formative assessment, you can quickly gauge where your students stand and give them an opportunity to self-correct and grow, too. At a glance, you’ll be able to see:
• Who completed the assignment
• Which answers each student chose
• The most popular answer
• Questions where most students excelled or struggled
When formative assessment is in practice mode, students can check their work and get immediate feedback. In the reporting, you’ll be able to see how many times a student has attempted the question before choosing the correct answer.
Objective: Students will sort shapes by the number of sides.
1. Click this link and select “Practice Mode” and “Present to Class.”
2. Model how to complete the activity by sorting shapes based on the number of sides.
3. When students are ready, click “Assign” to add the activity to their journals.
• Decide whether to assign the activity in practice mode or as an assessment.
Explore more Formative Assessment activities by clicking here and selecting your grade level.
Share with your Administrator:
Share your Seesaw experience with your administrator and how you plan on continuing to use it with your students!
3-6
Reviewing student work one by one can be incredibly time-consuming. With formative assessment, you can quickly gauge where your students stand and give them an opportunity to self-reflect and grow, too. At a glance, you’ll be able to see:
• Who completed the assignment
• Which answers each student chose
• The most popular answer
• Questions where most students excelled or struggled
When formative assessment is in practice mode, students can check their work and get immediate feedback. In the reporting, you’ll be able to see how many times a student has attempted the question before choosing the correct answer.
Objective: Students will create a model of and solve a multiplication word problem.
1. Click this link and select “Practice Mode” and “Present to Class.”
2. Model how to complete the word problem activity.
3. Click “Assign” for students to complete the activity independently.
4. Students will practice creating a model and solving a multiplication word problem.
• Decide whether to assign the activity in practice mode or as an assessment.
Explore more Formative Assessment activities by clicking here and selecting your grade level.
Share with your Administrator:
Share your Seesaw experience with your administrator and how you plan on continuing to use it with your students!
• Read the Seesaw Overview
• Click on the activation email to sign in to your Seesaw class
• Complete the recommended Weekly Activities:
• Complete Present to Class Activity
• Use Seesaw 101
• Try the Seesaw Polls
• Use a Highlights page
• Try an instructional Template
• Use a formative assessment
• Take the Seesaw Survey (emailed 45 days into the trial)
• Talk to your colleagues about your Seesaw experience
• Share feedback with your school administration
Our Learn-Do-Share guide only scratched the surface of what Seesaw can do to save you time, deepen your understanding of student learning and collect the data you need to improve student outcomes. Below are a few additional areas for you to explore if you are ready to dive deeper and unlock added possibilities.
The Seesaw Library is filled with thousands of ready-to-assign, standards and curriculum-aligned lessons for PK-6. Whatever the subject matter is, we have you covered! Dive into the full library here, or check out some of our recommended lessons to get started.
Seesaw fits into YOUR classroom however you need it - work off of what you are already doing. Design and assign activities for your students with ease! Schedule them in advance, set due dates, and keep everything organized with automatic archiving. For ideas, get started with our Instructional Templates collection.
Quickly create assessments to check for understanding and track progress. Use Seesaw’s AI question generator to quickly spin up questions (multiple choice, T/F, and more!) and review results in real-time with detailed reports. Get started with our Formative Assessments Collection.
Bonus: Practice mode allows students to get immediate feedback to correct misconceptions on the spot and help you expand your reach digitally!
Capture and analyze reading fluency with AI-powered tools that provide insights like words correct per minute and overall accuracy. Supports both English and Spanish.
Create interactive, multi-sided cards to enhance learning! Use text, images, or pre-made Flexcards for common ELA and Math activities.
Don’t have time to do it all? Watch these short videos to explore the possibilities of the impact Seesaw can have if adopted at your school.
Engage families as partners in the learning process
Comes with everything you need to implement successfully!
Access Reading Fluency Assessments, Read-with-me and more!
Premium Tools English Language Development Family Engagement
Computer Science
Bring joy to an area that can often times feel repetitive and boring
MLLs learn English in the context of the subjects being taught
