Six Decks, Six Decisions: A Summer Library Audit

A deck called “Science new” leaves a lot of work for your future self. Which science topic? New compared with what? Is it ready to use?

Choose a small group of decks that have a place in next term's teaching plan. For each one, write down its next use before changing anything. If you cannot name that use, leave it off your reuse shortlist for now.

Here is a collection of six decks, with the decisions made explicit. Keep means the teaching purpose and content still fit. Fix means that purpose fits, but a specific defect needs repair. Copy means the new version needs substantial changes and the original is still worth keeping.

Six names to sort out

“Maths 2” → keep

Inspection finds a complete equivalent-fractions warm-up with correct answers and equal-sized fraction models. Keep the lesson; make its purpose visible.

New title: Fractions - Equivalent Amounts Warm-up
Description: Match equivalent fractions and explain one pair using equal-sized wholes.

Next use: Before a lesson on comparing fractions. A correct match is the starting point for asking how the models show the same amount.

“Maths 2 copy” → fix

Despite its name, this is a different task: quarters on a number line. One point lies three of four equal intervals from 0 on a 0–1 line, but its answer key says 3/2. Change the key to 3/4 and check the other marked points. Renaming alone would leave the error in place.

New title: Fractions - Number-Line Check
Description: Locate quarters on a 0–1 number line and explain one position.

Next use: After introducing fractions as numbers, once the key is corrected.

“Plants FINAL” → copy

This deck covers a flowering plant's life cycle, including pollination. The next class needs a simpler investigation of growing conditions. Keep the original as Plants - Flowering-Plant Life Cycle. Make a working copy, then replace the life-cycle tasks with comparisons of seedlings given different light and water conditions.

Copy title: WORKING - Plants and Growing Conditions
Planned description: Compare seedling conditions and explain how light and water affect growth.

Next use: During the plant-growing investigation, after the new tasks are written. “WORKING” is a reminder in the title; remove it when the adaptation is ready.

“Science new” → fix

The materials task still fits, but its linked properties table is missing. Put the necessary information in the Slide itself: metal conducts heat well; wood transfers heat slowly; cotton fabric absorbs water. Replace “Choose the best material” with “Choose a material for a spoon used to stir hot soup. Explain your choice using a property from the table.” Wood is a defensible choice because it transfers heat slowly.

New title: Materials - Choose and Explain
Description: Choose a material for a stirring spoon and justify it using a stated property.

Next use: After teaching material properties. Read the explanation as well as the choice.

“Escape room!!!” → keep

The reading passage contains the evidence needed for its code, and each accepted answer is supported by the text. Keep it. The exclamation marks can go; the reading purpose should stay.

New title: Reading - Evidence Before the Code
Description: Use details in a short passage to solve clues and explain the evidence for one answer.

Next use: Once students have practised locating evidence. Keep the passage and its clue answers together when sharing.

“Back to school 2025” → copy

The route is useful, but it contains a dated timetable and instructions for the previous class. Keep that reference version as Routines - First-Day Information 2025. Copy it for the new class; replace the timetable and rewrite the start, help and finish instructions together.

Copy title: WORKING - Routines for the New Class
Planned description: Practise finding the first task, requesting help and recognising the finish.

Next use: The new class's introduction to classroom routines, after its practical details are settled.

Leave a record you can use later

Open the completed six-deck inventory in a spreadsheet, or start with the blank inventory template. Both are personal planning records. The important columns are next use, exact next action and ready when. “Fix science” is too vague; “replace missing table and rewrite spoon prompt” tells you where to resume.

Deck.Toys supports making an editable copy that appears in My Dashboard; see How to make a copy of a Deck.Toys lesson for the copying workflow. Keep the source version until the adaptation serves its new purpose.

For a finished version you want a colleague to reuse, the established sharing route is Assign/Share → Share with other teachers → On – With Link. They can make their own editable copy. For your students, use Assign to Deck.Toys Classroom and give them the Classroom URL. How to Share a Deck explains both routes.

Finish the audit with a short list: ready now, repair first, and working copies. Next term, that list should answer the question a title like “FINAL” never could: which lesson should I use, and what still needs doing?