Classroom "App"lications: Back to School Idea

July already! Once the 4th of July hits I start getting into full on back to school mode, so I thought I would share an activity I'm going to do at the start of the year for this month's link-up.

At the end of the school year, my communications classes had a challenge. They were to take a picture of the school and they could either use pic collage to add themselves in front of it, or just use the school. Then, they had to use Chatterpix to tell upcoming 4th graders the "top four things to know about 4th grade". The students were really into this last minute project and did a nice job. I'm including some of the videos that they created. Some chose to make our building "talk" others added an image of themselves.

 

 

 

I've found several new apps that I'm looking forward to trying out this coming year. Have you discovered any new apps or have any ideas you are looking forward to doing again? Be sure to link up all month long!

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

Also, be sure to check out my 1,000 Follower Giveaway! Lots of great prizes up for grabs! Click here or the picture below to enter!

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Classroom "App"lications.. Showbie

I'm soooo excited about this app that I had to share without pictures. More will come soon with ideas attached... but until then, download and get excited!

 

Oh. My. Goodness. 

This app. 

It's all that and a bag of chips.

Our school's tech guru's came in earlier this week to introduce Showbie. With just a couple of swipes on the iPad, I could see a million ways to use this app {well maybe not a million ways, but pretty close!}

 

We use Noteability often in the classroom. Here is a demo on how the two apps work together.

This app is a great way to app smash (use apps within apps) and get artifacts from student iPads to teachers without having to email and using a super simple upload process. {Click here for a partial list of apps that work with Showbie} The best part... with a pro account (paid, although you can try it free for 30 days) as a teacher you can write on or record messages for students. Huge for feedback and reminders for students to go back and listen to.

Easy to use. Easy to upload. Easy to communicate. 

Student's get this app later this week. I'll be posting again to show you how we are getting this app to work for us in the classroom, and pictures from the app, but I just couldn't wait to share it with you!!

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Classroom "App"lications & Workshop Wednesday: Geometry

This week has to be the longest week I've had in awhile. Monday night, I went to bed and was happy with the thought that I could sleep in the next day. Then I had the rude realization that the next day was not Saturday, but only Tuesday. Yesterday felt like Thursday. Today felt like a Friday. Finally though, it's hump day, and I'm here to join in with one of my BBB's for Workshop Wednesday!

This weeks topic is geometry. My kiddos had a new batch of apps downloaded to their iPads recently and one of the apps was GeoBoard. For a simple app, my kiddos have fun with it and it's a new twist to an activity I did as a kid {with the actual rubber bands}. This time without the threat of rubber bands flying around the room too.

A fun, free app, to use during a geometry study! Be sure to check out Jivey's blog for more ideas when teaching geometry!

What apps do you use in the classroom? Be sure to link up your ideas all month long. You can link up any app (whether you use iPads or Chrome Books, or Android device) come join in the fun all month long!

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Back to School...Eventually & New App!

While I did finish up my grading before break, I procrastinated a bit in forming actual plans for this coming week. I had a rough idea of things we would do, however, writing down these ideas, just seemed to signal the end of break way too soon.

Then the call. Due to -25* and below windchill temperatures, no school tomorrow!

I'm hoping with my new found no-school energy I can crank out plans for the next couple of weeks. Just to start the year off on a well prepared foot. We shall see.

It's been a long time since I've joined in with Jeniffer's linky. Way too long, but I thought I would share an idea or two for the coming week.

In one of my reading classes we will be starting Chocolate Covered Ants by Steven Manes. This will be paired with a nonfiction book Chocolate Wasn't Always Sweet: A History by Marilee Robin Burton. In my second reading class, we will start with the nonfiction book and move to Ronald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The unit plans come from one of the teachers on the 4th grade team. Complete with how to taste test chocolate (an activity I know my kiddos will love, and a perk to working through the nonfiction text).  The icing on the cake... or maybe the chocolate on the ant (?) is a field trip to the local Russel Stover candy factory on the outskirts of town. A couple of the other reading classes have made the trip, and I know there will be mutiny if my classes don't make the trip too. I'm pretty excited to start this unit, and thankful for the collaborative team I work with.

On Thursday, I will be heading for additional LETRs training. A Rocky Top Teacher, recently posted about a new-to-me app called ThingLink. I've created one for my students to look at edible bugs across the globe and journal about if they would try an insect delicacy. If you'd like to take a look at the articles and video the kiddos will be looking at just take a look below.




Speaking of a new app... how are you using iPads and iPods in your classroom? I'd love you to link up your ideas below all month long!

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Classroom "App"lications: Fun with Prepositions

The last couple of weeks I've put my student's through a mini-grammar boot camp. We were struggling to keep the different parts of speech straight, a two week review was set up and the kiddos started to remember their nouns, verbs, and adjective, etc. much better than before.

Then came prepositions. Our English book was no help. Two worksheets and a lack luster lesson idea. No way, would that sink in! As a result I had to spice things up a bit... luckily it was a beautiful fall day,  we had our iPads, and a fun preposition lesson began.

We talked about prepositions, what they do, and said a jingle from Shirley English, a couple of times to get a feel for some of the prepositions (there is quite a lengthy list). I then put a slightly longer list of prepositions at each table for student's to take a picture of.

From there, the lesson became more fun. We journeyed out into the fabulous fall day, in our table groups, and tried to capture as many prepositions that we could. Before journeying out we covered the basics of iPad safety, playground safety, and the fact that not every single preposition could be photographed (ex. about).

The kids did a great job. I tried to snap a few photos while the kids were working. The student's really got creative, I wish I could have captured a few more ideas.

Monday, we spent a little time making a keynote. One picture per slide with the one preposition being illustrated on the slide as well. Then we shared out keynotes with our table groups.  A fun way to use technology and help cement in prepositions. 

What do you do to incorporate the iPad the your instruction? Be sure to link up your ideas all month long!

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Tried It Tuesday: Puppet Pals

 

Happy Spring everyone! Kansas has been crazy with gorgeous weekends of spring temperatures, and wacky weeks full of rain and snow. I guess I'm glad it works that way.. that way I can enjoy my weekends to fullest.

I'm back for Holly's Tuesday Tried It. I thought I would get off of my iPad app kick after last weeks post. Then something happened last week that inspired this post. So I'm back again with another free app!


Last week I thought I shared a great idea for my MTSS group: using Sock Puppets to share what we had learned about complex consonants in 30 seconds or less. The sock puppets were cute, the kids liked it, the activity/informal assessment was great, there was a good response from many of you Tuesday night after I posted.

Then Wednesday happened.

Wednesday, my little MTSS group met again. This time, a little guy who had been sick the day before was back. I started to explain what I wanted him to do, as well as finish sharing our projects. He stopped me midway through explaining and asked me why we weren't using Puppet Pals.

I politely had to say I hadn't heard of the app.

Sometimes, with the big mass downloads, the kids get several new apps while it takes awhile for the teacher iPads to get the same ones. Well, the kid was right. This app rocked the socks off the sock puppets. {Though I still think that app can be utilized.}

You can choose from a ton of characters, record longer, better backgrounds. It's just better. Annnnd you can save to your camera roll without purchasing an upgrade like in sock puppets. It amazes me how well my students can navigate and teach me about iPads on a daily basis.

Here is an example of how to use the app.

Then today I discovered another great free app. So we see if I can wait till next week to post or maybe I will post it sooner :) 

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