iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

When you’ve taken your entire history curriculum and work a gamified Indiana Jones themed storyline around it, pouring over these two brand new releases is like professional development, right? #IndianaJones #edusky #gamification #tlap

Books 1 and 2 of “Indiana Jones: The Further Adventures”, a hard cover compilation of the 1980s Marvel comics featuring Indiana Jones.

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Our first archaeological dig of the year is underway as we begin our Bones & Stones unit. Students worked in small groups to uncover 3D printed artifacts and record their findings. #edusky #tlap #sstlap #middleschool

A student holds a 3D printed replica of an obsidian blade as their discovery during an archaeological excavation simulation.

030

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I can’t code. But I knew what I wanted to build. Using Canva’s AI code generator, I went from idea → prompt → test → revise → an asynchronous, gamified “skirmish” for my students. AI didn’t design the lesson. It helped me build the tool. fieldnotesfromtheclassroom.substack.com/p/the-quiz-i...

fieldnotesfromtheclassroom.substack.com

The Quiz Is Over. Now Escape.

How I used AI-assisted coding to build a digital battle where academic success shifts the odds without determining the outcome

120

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

My 6th graders diving into the Aegean in search of an artifact — racing each other (& the bad guys) to get it 1st. Adventure is the hook. Underneath it: reading, writing, collaboration, problem-solving & archaeology. A look at the plan: fieldnotesfromtheclassroom.substack.com/p/diving-int...

fieldnotesfromtheclassroom.substack.com

Diving Into the Antikythera Enigma

How an ancient mystery, asynchronous challenges, and a little Indiana Jones turn ordinary sixth-grade skills into an adventure

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Today we looked at social studies professions and what each does. Along the way, we worked to combat the henchmen of Dr Maria Shuntroy, our main villain in our #IndianaJones yearlong storyline. Tomorrow we tackle coordinates that will take us to Ireland to stop the bad guys! #EduSky #gamification

“Top Secret” dossiers on various social studies professions along with three case files to figure out which professionals would be best suited for that situation.

Toward the end of class, we intercepted transmissions and messages from the henchmen of our main villain. Students continued determining who would be best-suited to handle the issue: an archaeologist, historian, geographer, economist, or political scientist.

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Currently 3D printing obsidian blades, flint arrowheads next. Trying to think of items I can print for students to “excavate” in a simulation on basic archaeology. If it goes well, we’ll excavate for specific ancient civilizations each unit. Any suggested items I can print for the launch?

A 3D printer creating five replica obsidian blades.

120

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Grabbed resealable “team bags” & created starter packs of 5 item cards for my gamified Ancient Civilizations class. Printed stickers with logo for this year’s game “Indiana Jones and the Shadow of Kukulkan.” In 2nd week of school when kids successfully complete a mission, the packs get distributed.

Newly created starter pack of power up item cards sitting atop a stack of cards, some cut and some yet to be cut.

020

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

We’ve got Spree Day tomorrow morning, and I’ll be doing a shift in the dunk tank. While I do my best carnival barker routine up there, taunting the kids before they chuck softballs at the target, this year I’ve added a customized shirt.

Front of the shirt, reading “Another Missed Assignment,” teasing the idea of missed classwork and now missing the target.

The back of the shirt reads, “You got lucky that time!” but students will only see this text if I’m climbing back out of the dunk tank.

000

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

Wrapped up April break with a 5K in northeastern Connecticut this morning. Cool temps, a few hills, and a good reminder: progress isn’t always flat or easy, but you keep moving forward. Now it’s back to school for the final stretch of the year. Time to refocus, reset, and finish strong.

Catching my breath after a 5K race this morning.

000

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

In #education, we spend a lot of time searching for answers. But the work really starts with questions. Reading & thinking about leadership inside and outside of schools, has me rethinking what it means to listen first. Some reflections here: open.substack.com/pub/fieldnot... #edusky #leadership

open.substack.com

Start with Questions

What Imagineering Education and the WooSox have taught me about listening, leadership, and building better school communities

030

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Last year, a real-world moment shaped one of the most engaging experiences I’ve run in my classroom. This year, that moment wasn’t there. Instead of starting over, I kept the structure and adapted the story. Some thoughts on what actually made it work: open.substack.com/pub/fieldnot... #edusky

open.substack.com

Don’t Start Over, Redesign the Story

Why strong instructional structure matters more than the storyline, and how I redesigned a gamified unit without starting over

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

A good lesson matters. But the experience of the classroom matters just as much. I’ve been working on that for a while, and #ImagineeringEducation has helped sharpen it. open.substack.com/pub/fieldnot... #edusky #teachers #education

open.substack.com

Designing the Classroom Experience

Reflections on immersive learning, classroom design, and insights from "Imagineering Education"

040

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

For the Friday before April break, once work is complete a dice rolling game across the Mediterranean. As we collect murex snails for the ancient Phoenicians, Indiana Jones and crew have to contend with weather, shipwrecks, and his rival Dr. Maria Shuntroy. #EduSky #emc2learning #xplap #gamification

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 12/04/2026

When @lemanskyrachel.bsky.social talks you up but you feel like you’ve coasted this year, you create brand new missions and elements to use. The week before April break will have plenty of storyline and gamified elements, starting with Operation Purple Tide. #EduSky

Students will analyze this ancient Phoenician stone manifest as part of Operation Purple Tide.

Students will have some help from this transcription sheet in deciphering the stone manifest for Operation Purple Tide.

Once successful in deciphering the stone manifest, a new challenge unlocks to discover as much as possible about Byblos.

131

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Thoroughly enjoyed seeing the kids work through #EMC2Learning’s Wiki Wars activity in History Club. Depending on which class they were in, their task was to get to Anne of Cleves from either the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead or from King Tut. It was really fun to see their pathways! #EduSky

020

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

Our Mesopotamian Museum artifacts now on display at school for a few weeks. Lots of great work by the kids!

Ziggurats, cuneiform tablets, and more created by sixth grade students for their Mesopotamian Museum projects.

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 28/02/2026

When your 9 year old comes home and tells you he’s got a historical figure wax museum project coming up and has chosen to be Paul McCartney you know you’ve done something right! #MiniMacca

media.tenor.com

a black and white photo of a man with long hair making a face .

Alt: a black and white photo of Paul McCartney making a face .

020

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

Reposting largely as a reminder to myself to explore more deeply, but take a look if it feels like it may be a fit for you…

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

You know who really loves Drake Maye after this game?

The mascot of the Seattle Seahawks wearing a “I ❤️ Drake Maye” shirt.

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

Today we took a look at the day-to-day problems people faced during rapid growth in ancient Mesopotamia. After brainstorming possible problems, then sorting and categorizing a number of issues actually faced, students drew or used PlayDoh to represent those problems. #edusky #tlap

PlayDoh representation of figures stealing from a neighboring city.

PlayDoh representation of flooding waters overtaking crops.

PlayDoh representation of flooding waters surging through an irrigation canal to destroy crops.

PlayDoh representation of raindrops falling on a patch of dirt.

030

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

Now that it’s here and the 3-day weekend gives me a chance to just sit a bit, it’s time to crack open the new @meehanedu.bsky.social & @mrmatera.bsky.social book! #edusky

A copy of “Playing With Purpose” by Michael Matera and John Meehan

173

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Loads of activity lately. We wrapped up the Stone Age with a review in which we tossed “Stone Age Axes”, and we’ve moved on to the geography of Mesopotamia. We looked at the land and importance of the Tigris & Euphrates. We explored maps with an Egg Dash Challenge and today built 3D maps using LEGO.

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

I just registered for a half marathon next fall. I’m not totally sure when running 13.1 miles became a reasonable decision, but here we are. This will be either the start of something great… or a fascinating case study in questionable decision-making. Future Shaun… apologies in advance.

000

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Tired of missing when students level up in my gamified classroom, so I built the ultimate classroom control tower to log XP and had it automate badges, alerts, leaderboards, legacy records, & more via Canva AI coding! Huuuuge win! moriartyhistory.blogspot.com/2025/11/xp-b... #EduSky #gamification

moriartyhistory.blogspot.com

XP, Badges, Alerts ... Oh, My! Building the Ultimate Classroom Control Tower

The possibilities are endless, and I'm trying to explore them all! My new method of logging XP gains for students in my gamified classroom. ...

030

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Ever had a classroom idea you KNEW would be awesome … until the logistics crushed your soul? Same. But Canva’s new AI code generator just brought my #CarlAzuz fantasy news league back from the dead! Here’s how. 👇🏼 moriartyhistory.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-... #EduSky #tlap #Canva #AI

moriartyhistory.blogspot.com

The Project I Almost Gave Up On (Until AI Changed Everything)

At long last, I've finally conquered the World! The World From A to Z with Carl Azuz , that is. It was more than a year ago that I came up ...

020

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

Finally made it happen: a fully automated Fantasy News League for “The World From A to Z” with #CarlAzuz, built with Canva’s AI code generating tools. Scores updated in real time as I enter news segments we watch, weekly recaps, and a ton of student excitement. Meet the Headline Hunters. #EduSky

Screenshot of the “Enter Daily Segments” screen of our fantasy news league.

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

Infinitely awed by the Aurora Borealis. Each and every time. Awed. #aurora

The Aurora Borealis as seen from my backyard.

060

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

Tried out #Canva AI code-generation last night, creating a digital escape room activity for our Stone Age unit. Set it in a cave filled with Paleolithic cave art. Several short rounds of iteration last night to get 10 puzzles of varying difficulty and the kids loved it. Huge win! #EduSky

Students working their way through a digital escape room crafted via Canva’s AI tools. A little extra immersion with a Paleolithic cave ambience video playing on the whiteboard.

030

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

The big guy set a new PR with the #Flutie5K this morning, his first sub-30 finish! He said it’s his “favorite race ever” because of the PR and getting to meet and talk with Doug Flutie.

000

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

A bit of the Triple Threat Throwdpwn today as we prepared for a summative assessment tomorrow on hominids. Working in small groups, students had only themselves to pull from as they took what we’ve learned and applied it to sketch notes, LEGO builds, and story cubes. #edusky #emc2learning

Students working with LEGO to construct a representation of their learning.

Student work sample of five facts they’ve represented with sketch notes about hominids.

Students working their way through story cubes to make connections with their learning.

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

One of my favorite things about teaching in Oxford is the strength of the little league program. Every year, baseball becomes a quick and easy bond for me and a number of students. They’re playing one heck of a game under the lights tonight for the fall tournament championship!

000

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

Interesting data in the current @neatoday.bsky.social that says fewer teachers are considering leaving the classroom than in recent years. What’s driving the shift? Better support? Job market shifts? Resilience? Being further removed from the pandemic? Something else? #edusky #MAedu

Data charts showing teachers are less inclined to leave the classroom now than last year. Down from 22% to 16% overall; from 20% to 14% in Caucasian teachers; down 28% to 23% for Hispanic/Latino educators; and down from 35% to 28% among Black/African American teachers.

011

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

Today my class went on a Carmen Sandiego-style fossil chase to wrap up the week. Curious to hear: What’s a favorite gamified activity you’ve used to keep students engaged? Let’s share some ideas! #tlap #sstlap #edusky #xplap #emc2learning

media.tenor.com

a computer screen shows a man and woman in a courtroom with the words guilty guilty guilty

Alt: a computer screen from the classic PC game “Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?”

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

Today we wrapped up the week with a little adventure: students became time-traveling detectives in a Carmen Sandiego-style quest. They chased a fossil thief, made tough choices, & got ready to dive into a real-life archaeology mystery after the break. #edusky #tlap #education #gamification

Screenshots from a Google Slides presentation that drives the narrative storyline within my gamified classroom.

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

A student going through a tough time with friends gave me a note letting me know my classroom had become their safe space, that “a little humor goes a long way.” The next day, a bracelet. Days later, I’m still thinking about it. We don’t always know our impact, but it’s there. #EduSky

020

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

Just finished reading “Hooked” by Nir Eyal. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite get the classroom or personal inspiration I hoped for, but hey, every read is a step forward in the learning journey. Definitely interesting and insightful, just not impactful for me or my practice.

A hardcover copy of “Hooked” by Nir Eyal.

000

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

Had one of those golden classroom moments today: 100% engagement across the board! Students dove into building hominin shelters out of different materials. Each group chose their approach and species. Sometimes all it takes is a little voice and choice to spark that critical thinking magic! #EduSky

A Neanderthal cave dwelling made of LEGO and Play-Doh

A student hard at work making a cave dwelling out of Play-Doh.

Students working on the natural environment of the Australopithecus afarensis via LEGO.

This group of students used LEGO and Jenga blocks to make a cave dwelling and natural landscape to represent the life of the Homo erectus. A little orange LEGO up front to represent fire, which the Homo erectus was the first to control and create.

020

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

In our extension class this week, we’re taking what we know about hominins to create action figures via @canva AI image generation. Then they annotate and explain their design choices. #MAedu #EduSky

Homo erectus action figure created with AI by students

Homo habilis action figure created with AI by students

Australopithecus action figure created with AI by students

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

On this day in 1849, Edgar Allan Poe died under mysterious circumstances. Sharing that story quickly as my “Today In History” segment of class resulted in one student borrowing a book of Poe’s short stories and another calling dibs to borrow it next. Love when it hits a chord!

000

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

FINALLY DONE! 🎓 Just turned in my capstone for Master’s no. 2—Educational Leadership. Not rushing out of the classroom I love, but the leadership path is definitely calling. Feeling grateful, reflective, and ready for wherever this journey leads. #NextChapter #EduLeadership #EduSky

Screenshot of my digital portfolio, completed as the capstone project for a Master’s in Educational Leadership.

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 23/08/2025

This year, history is more than dates and names. It’s a journey through shadows, secrets, and civilizations. From the Stone Age to Mesoamerica, students will uncover buried history, face challenges, and walk the Veiled Path. The adventure begins August 27. #edusky #gamification

040

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

One more week to go before we’re back to school, and we’re closing out summer with a bang! Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Cleveland Guardians game, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and running the Shawshank Hustle at historic Ohio State Reformatory, with much more to come the next few days! #grateful

The boys being sworn in as Junior Rangers at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Engrossed in the Cleveland Guardians game at Progressive Field.

My oldest and I exploring the Beatles artifacts at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

My oldest and I before we ran the Shawshank Hustle at the Ohio State Reformatory, where the movie Shawshank Redemption was actually filmed.

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

When the history teacher’s son asks for an encyclopedia of American history while at a Revolutionary War reenactment at a living history museum … nirvana!

A boy sitting on a bench thumbing through a historic encyclopedia

020

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

And I thought I changed my seating arrangements often! Lot to think about here…

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

When your son finds one of your history books and begins laying out US states based on when they were made states… “Just look at how much it’s developed by 1849!” #teacherlife #sschat #edusky

Child assembling a U.S. map puzzle to simulate the order in which each state joined the Union.

060

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

“School of Engagement” by @mr-alsheimer.bsky.social has been a fantastic pick up so far, and has stoked some creative juices. Just re-skinned his “Fast Cash” game for my #IndianaJones themed gamified classroom, and eager to put some rubber snakes and my “top secret” crate to new use! #EduSky #tlap

Google Slides screen depicting a snake slithering atop an aged crate marked “Top Secret”. Narrative overview of game on right-hand side for “The Serpent’s Cache”, a review game for an Indiana Jones themed classroom.

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

First Monday of summer break, but happily spending it with a handful of peers and a couple dozen other educators from around New England and beyond. Learning more and more about #EduProtocols, a staple of my classroom. #EduSky

Teachers gathered around for the start of the EduProtocols Roadshow

010

Shaun Moriarty @moriartyhistory.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Summer break gives me the time to pour over #EMC2Learning activities I’ve not yet used and reskin them for specific units in my class. “Monarch of the Mountain” reskinned for my Stones & Bones unit, Mesopotamia unit, and Egypt unit, now ready to roll! #tlap #sstlap #sschat #edusky

Splash screen for an ancient Egypt review game called “Throne of the Pharaohs”

Splash screen for a prehistoric review game called “Campfire of the 1st Storyteller”

Splash screen for an ancient Mesopotamia review game called “Keeper of the Tablets”

040