After they were done with their drawings, I had some Creation Cubes set up at the carpet area and asked them to create whatever they wanted, but it had to be the best thing in the world. This really let me have a peek into their world and see them build things that were interesting to them. We had Power Rangers, Transformers, giraffes, puppet shows, and so much more!
This week in Y5/T1, we read the story, Mervin the Sloth is About to do the Best Thing in the World. My students know I love sloths and always comment on my phone case as it has a sloth on it - so why not bring them into my sloth world?! After reading the story, I introduced them to augmented reality. I used one of the downloadable sheets from Quiver Vision and put an image of a sloth and "The Best Thing in the World" on it. On the back side, I had the same Quiver Vision sheet and just had "The Best Thing in the World" on it. I had them color the sloth side first and then we learned how to scan our papers. They were so amazed at the husky that appeared with their picture on a frame! I knew this would blow their minds, so then I told them I wanted to see one of their original pieces of artwork on the back - I wanted them to draw what the best thing in the world was for them. They worked hard on their drawings and then working with one another showing how to scan their pictures and how to move around to change the perspective of their creation. Some kiddos even figured out how to use the camera to take a picture to change what was displayed on the easel. So glad I had Guided Access turned on so I knew they figured out something new within the app! After they were done with their drawings, I had some Creation Cubes set up at the carpet area and asked them to create whatever they wanted, but it had to be the best thing in the world. This really let me have a peek into their world and see them build things that were interesting to them. We had Power Rangers, Transformers, giraffes, puppet shows, and so much more!
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The end of the school year is quickly drawing near and when you go into a 4th grade class for STEAM time at this time of year, you can expect just about anything to happen. I know this is a difficult time not just for students to stay focused, but also staff. So in spite of everything I have going on with end of the year activities, I knew I couldn't let my 4th grade friends feel my own burnout. I originally planned on doing Shrinky Dinks with them (as they always come up with such creative designs when given the opportunity to simply CREATE!), but as I was driving in to school that morning, I came up with a simple twist to a typical Shrinky Dink activity. I quickly created the sheet above for the students to use for the activity. For their Shrinky Dinks, I asked them to create a drawing of themselves on a quarter piece of an 8.5x11 Shrinky Dink paper. I told them that how they chose to draw themselves is up to them - I didn't have specifics of what I was requiring their self portraits other than to keep it from the waist to the head (just for shrinking purposes). Once they had their drawing completed, we shrank them in a toaster over and they had to then write a message to the future 4th graders. This could be advice that they have, things to look forward to, or how they overcame difficulties. While the classroom teacher was in charge of the toaster oven and shrinking the self portraits, I took students who were finished with their self portrait and letter out in the hall and showed them how to use the ChatterPix app. I did not have iPads available for use in the classroom as this was a last minute idea for me, so we simply used my phone. This was a bit of letting go for me, as I showed the first couple of students how to use the app, draw the mouths, record, and then save so the next one could be recorded so that they could be the masters and teach the other students. I trusted the students I showed and they did not let me down! They were respectful with my phone when I was not present and took their jobs very seriously in teaching the other students how to record their letters and not just doing it themselves. For their first time doing Shrinky Dinks (and learning that erasing is not possible!) and then using a new app, they rocked it out! We were able to get through almost a whole class of creating and recording in about an hour. I put the student recorded messages below (click here if you are unable to view). I am going to share the video with the current 3rd grade teachers so that they can show their students. The future 4th graders have a lot of great things to look forward to next year!
EducreationsAccording to their website, Educreations allows you to, "Teach anything to anyone from anywhere.". Simply put, Educreations allows you to use your iPad as a virtual whiteboard, being able to not only draw, but also narrate over your drawing. One of the many reasons why I love this app as a "10 Minute Tech Tool" is that it probably takes less than 10 minutes to download the app, open it, and begin writing/drawing and recording. Below is a video of a 1st grade teacher in my district who is using the Educreations app in her classroom as a part of her ELA lesson on writing 5 Finger Stories. She explains how she uses it with her students in conjunction with a Kagan Cooperative Learning structure and you have a chance to see the students interacting with one another and listen to her explanation of her teaching process. Kagan Structure - Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair UpThis school year, a few members of our Tech & Media helped produce some videos of our middle and high school teachers using Kagan Cooperative Learning structures in their classrooms. If you would like to learn more about the "Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up" structure and how our teachers are implementing it in their classroom, please check out the video below. Awhile ago I was contacted by the Vice President of BugbrainEd, who is also a Reading Specialist. She brought my attention to the apps that Bugbrained has to offer for reading and math and was extremely generous in asking if I would be interested in reviewing some of their apps. As I have an almost-five-year-old at home, I found this to be a perfect opportunity to really test out some apps and get honest feedback. As much as I am an advocate for technology to enhance learning, when I am at home with my children, I do try to limit their screen time so that we can spend some family time together outside, playing, doing art projects, etc. So, needless to say, my daughter really enjoys her iPad time! I also have an almost-two-year-old who pretty much does his own thing when my daughter is playing on the iPad. The ABC apps were very easy to use that she even ended up showing him how to use it and was explaining to him how to follow the directions and write the letters. As a mom, it was cute to see them playing so nicely together, but was also nice to just sit back and observe the interaction, the ease of use, and the engagement that was provided to them through these apps. Below are the apps that I reviewed as well as some screenshots. Pre-K ABC's
Kinder ABC's
Kinder Assessment Teacher's App
Thank you BugbrainED for sharing your great product!
It's All About the {App}lications! One of the greatest things about teaching is that the teacher is able to be an artist of their craft and have the opportunity to facilitate learning with a group of eager minds. As the artist of their craft, the teacher has many tools and resources at their disposal that can be used in an endless variety of ways. Just one of the many tools that are available to some teachers are that of iPads. The iPad presents many opportunities for both teachers and students for teaching and learning. Listed below are collections of apps I have compiled (saved on Pinterest boards). I have separated the boards as the apps align to the Lee Learning Design (the learning design model that our high school utilizes), as well as that of content areas and other teacher resources. Please explore the apps and I would love to hear about apps you are using! Lee Learning Design ResourcesContent-Specific AppsApp Highlight As our teachers are acquiring different devices that meet their needs, as well as the needs of their students, the district I work in has been working to support a variety of devices. As many teachers are finding iPads to be a good solution to their classroom needs, the question that is most commonly received is, "Which apps should I use?"? While there are many app recommendations that one can make for a fellow educator, the power of apps lies in that of their implementation and applications. We surveyed our teachers who currently have access to iPads to find out which apps they find most useful and how they are using them in their classrooms. Below are their favorite apps and how they are implementing them.
Click on the images below to see recommended apps from teachers. As a Technology Integration Specialist, I am always looking for new tools that teachers and students can use in the classroom. In the Godfrey-Lee Public School district, we are working on establishing an "anytime, anywhere, any device" environment for staff and students. This vision allows us to not necessarily be tied to a specific device, but rather focus on providing students access to resources that can help them in their learning process. As we continue to expand our 1:1 Learning Initiative, we are constantly evaluating different devices that will provide students with the necessary resources to assist their learning as well as support our district's vision for technology. Not wanting to be tied to a particular device, we are now in the process of evaluating how iPads might fit into our vision of "anytime, anywhere, any device" vision. We are currently utilizing Dell netbooks running Ubermix and are constantly encouraging teachers to use web resources to supplement their curriculum. So, the part where I call on help from iPad experts... What apps do you find beneficial for student use (primarily 6-12)? What apps are helpful for teacher use? Are there any web-based equivalents of those apps? I am building a spreadsheet that highlights web resources and iPad equivalent apps - the catch with this is that I do not want to be tied to a specific app - there must be some kind of web-based equivalent to the app. This would still allow us to continue our vision and give students alternatives for access if they do not have iPads available to them outside of school. I would love for your help and input in helping me find out more about utilizing iPads and apps with students. I have put together a spreadsheet (embedded below) and would love for you to contribute your thoughts and knowledge! To access the spreadsheet to edit it, please click here. Thank you in advance for your help! Also, if you are using iPads with your students, I would love to hear about your experience and what you found that works well, doesn't work, or any other comments! |
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