Your students will flip for ChatterPix!

Hi all!  I'm Francheryl Harris from Primary Essentials.  I'm dropping in for a short and sweet post on using the app Chatterpix in your classroom.  Let me start by saying that your students will LOVE this app.



Chatterpix



This app is available on the iTunes Market for FREE!  The app is super easy to use.  My daughters introduced and taught me all about this app.  Many of your students may already know how to use it, and can teach you!  Here's a short YouTube video to help you get started.

So simple, right!  Take a picture (or find a picture), draw a mouth, record, decorate!  I used this app with my 3rd grade intervention students.  They had to take a selfie and record themselves explaining one of the types of context clues we had recently learned about.  They had so much fun and I was able to do an inform evaluation of their knowledge.

Here are a few other ways you *COULD* use this in your classroom:
*retell a story
*short book talk
*practice math facts
*explain a concept they recently learned
*response to an activity at stations
*response to a chapter read in literature circle
*practice skip counting
*number of the day
*spelling practice
**many, many other ways!

I'm sure there as a million ways to integrate this app into your classroom.  You students can probably come up with a few.

I hope you can find a way to incorporate this fun app into your classroom.

That's all I got!  I see you around the blogging world!

 

Francheryl         



What Do I Do With Just ONE iPad in My Classroom?

Hi everyone! It's  Lisa from over at Second Grade Stories. Do you have access to iPads in your classroom?  Are you a 1:1 school? I would really LOVE to have a class set of iPads - even just to borrow once a week.   I originally wrote this post on my own blog when I only had ONE ipad.  I was determined to find more uses for it that just as a center during Daily 5 or math time.  I am a big believer in using technology as much as possible in the classroom, so if I only had one iPad, then that one was going to be used ALL. THE. TIME. Right now, I have 3 iPads in my room.  There are also a few others that other teachers in my building have that I can borrow... but for the most part, we just use those three. 

 

I have found MANY ways to use iPads in the classroom - even if you just have one... or two...Here's a little peek at how you can integrate a small number (even just one!) of tablets into your daily classroom adventures - and make it meaningful.

Morning Mission

Each day I have a new "helper of the day."  I stopped using a job chart long ago and now just rotate through my class list to have each student be my helper each day.  One of the perks of being the helper is being able to do a "mission" on the ipad before we start morning meeting.  I make these missions quick and easy, and they're usually (but not always!) related to something we're doing in class.  I have a small whiteboard I use to write down the task and I make sure the app or website needed is easily accessible.  When my "helper" comes into the room and finishes getting things ready for the day, she or he checks the "Morning Mission" card to see what to do. 

 

At one point, we had been focusing on nonfiction texts during our reading time. Insects were a big hit with my kiddos, so I asked the helper to choose a partner and listen to/read this National Geographic issue about bugs and be ready to share one interesting fact with the class during morning meeting.  National Geographic Young Explorer has a TON of great issues online.  Be sure to check them out.  I kept this same "Mission" for a week so quite a few students had a chance to read the informational piece. If you have more than one tablet, you can set up these missions to take the place of morning work.  Students can join a group as they are ready and write their own fact (or question!)

It is also the helper's job to to find the temperature using The Weather Channel website.  We record this each day as part of our morning meeting time.  The helper also gives the forecast and the expected high for the day.  It's a little thing, but it gives students another piece of ownership in the classroom.

Reading and Math Centers

This is the time most people use their tablets during the day. There are a TON of great websites and apps available for online books, spelling and math.   I have a centers rotation during my reading block, so the first half hour is a whole group time, and the next hour is small groups.  When students are not working in a small group, they are doing one of the rotations.  The ipad can be part of listening to reading, read to self, words or writing. Here are a few reading sites and apps we like: 

I like to use the Tumblebooks website, which has a great selection of books perfectly formatted for the ipad.  Tumblebooks is actually a paid site, but many public libraries have the link on their webpages for free.  If you google "tumblebooks and library" you can find the links.  The Tumblebooks library is filled with popular children's books, as well as some less familiar stories.  Books can be read on an "automatic" setting, where the pages turn on their own, or on a "manual" setting so students can read and enjoy at their own pace.

 

Here are few other online story sites that we use:

          

http://www.storylineonline.net/                         http://www.wegivebooks.org/

 

Storybook Maker is a paid app, but I found it to be well worth the price. My kids love using it to create their own stories - and recently we've had "continuous" stories happening. One group of two or three starts a story one day, then other groups add to it throughout the week.  They love reading the completed story!

                                                                 

Rocket Speller is a fun way to practice spelling.  You can choose from a variety of levels and spelling skills.  Students are given a picture and must use the letters to spell the word.  There are helpful hints and as the levels increase, the words get harder and have less help.

ABC Magnetic Alphabet Lite is a simple way for students to practice spelling words.  It's just like those fun magnetic letters for the fridge, only there's nothing to clean up when you're done!  I have students work in pairs with a variety of spelling lists (on index cards), depending on student needs.  One student takes a card and reads it to the other to spell with the letters on the ipad.  The other student checks the word and they switch roles.  Easy peasy - but they love it!

Math: Ok, moving on to math.... I run my math block very much like my reading block - half hour of whole class, then an hour of groups, with students working on "Math Daily 5" rotations if they are not in a group.  One rotation is Math Technology, which is using the Smartboard or the ipad.    At the beginning of the year, we work hard on applying our addition strategies, so these apps help students practice their addition facts. I have another post {HERE} about other great math apps - some that are dual and multi-player.

This is a paid app now.... I think I got it for half price a while ago, but it is worth it.  In Top It, students deal cards and add them together to find the sum - the one with highest sum wins the round.  The app gives you clear directions for the first few rounds, then students play on their own.  I believe there is also a Top It for subtraction.  This is part of the Everyday Mathematics series by McGraw Hill, so if you're familiar with that you'll know more of the games from this publisher.

Math BINGO is also a paid app (.99, I think)... this is my students favorite math app right now.  There are different levels of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division.  Students are given an equation to solve and when they find the answer, they click on the correct number on the BINGO board.  Little bugs come up and when they get BINGO they win.  Fun!

End of the Day

Whew!  That one ipad gets A LOT of use... and it's not quite done yet!  I also have students working on the ipad at then end of the day when they are waiting for buses to be called.  This time the apps are more "fun" - logic games, strategy games, visual motor... etc.  Right now we're using "Pick Up Sticks" as a great way to improve eye-hand coordination.  This fun little app allows you to choose what the sticks look like - the vegetables and the Christmas decorations are the first choices for us!

Small Group Projects

Many projects and activities originally geared for 1:1 classrooms can ften be easily adapted to wor with small groups.  Instead of each student having a finished project,, each group has a completed artifact to share. In addition, make those small groups work for you! We were practicing when and when not to use apostrophes (possessives vs plurals). I had all my kiddos rotate through a center where their job was to take a picture of either another person in their group pointing to something they owned (glasses, smile, pencil, etc.) or a group of items (crayons, markers, backpacks, etc.)  After everyone had taken one picture, I showed some of the photos to the whole class - their job was to write a sentence, using either the plural or possessive (and the apostrophe, if needed!). We did about 6 or 7 together, then I left the ipad as an early finisher and reading center activity for my kiddos to do on their own.  They loved it and they really loved using their own photo to show me what they knew!

Take advantage of the enthusiasm our students will have for creating videos! You can use one of those more in-depth apps, or just rely on the camera from the tablet.  My students had a great time showing off their completed biography projects (complete with wax museum!) by making videos of themselves.  Students worked in groups and created a video of each person dressed as their famous person giving a short 2 minute speech.  We then worked as a class to create a Powerpoint slideshow timeline - fully interactive so you could click on the names of each person and the video would come up. We've also done videos explaining how to solve a math problem or sharing what we've learned about a topic.

My kiddos created a set of guidelines to help them take a good video.  We posted them in the room near where we do our "video creating."  They came out of trial and error - I had students create a first video by interviewing each other. Then we looked at the videos and noted positives and negatives about each one.  We used that information to create our guidelines.  You can download them by clicking on the image if you want them for your room.

As you can see, even if you only have one or a limited number of iPads or tablets available to you, there are still many ways to integrate that technology into the classroom. I have taken projects and activities meant as 1:1 and done them in small groups, where everyone rotated through the activity throughout the week.  I have also modified projects so that students worked as a team or small group, rather than individually.  The important thing is to make use of the technology you have - whatever it is!

I'd love to hear about other ways to use iPads/tablets in small groups or whole class.  How do you make it work in your room?

Classroom Pets that Tweet

Happy Saturday Sunday!  I hope you're relaxing, enjoying a cup of hot coffee and 

catching up on blogs from the week (that's what I plan to do). 

I'm Deniece from This Little Piggy Reads.

I am always looking for ways to increase student engagement.  Today, I am sharing a great idea that my genius teammate uses to increase student engagement.  Don't worry, I asked her permission to take the pics and share her genius idea!  

This pretty much sums up her idea.

1. Get a classroom pet
2. Let your students tweet as if they are the classroom pet.
3. Don't forget to feed the pet!

My teammate has a Leopard Gecko named Sam.  

She's a hit with the kids!  Sam never comes out of her cage due to poisonous secretions.  

During holidays my teammate takes her home.    

You and/or your class could choose any class pet.  

In fact, a stuffed animal mascot would work just fine. 

Next, you need to make a twitter account for your class pet.

My teammate sent home a note to parents explaining that 

although the class has a twitter account, no students would be actively tweeting.  

All tweeting would be from Sam's perspective.  

Depending on the age of your students, you might have to teach them about perspective and how to write in 1st person.  I should warn you...this might take little longer 

than you think.  Don't worry, they will catch on.  

My teammate has her students write reflections each day

that they come to our enrichment class.  

If you have a general education classroom, you might 

have your students do this at the end of the week.

You're going to want to display these tweets so students, 

teachers and administrators can see them.

My teammate posted this eye catching bulletin board just outside her door. 

This is my teammate's twitter page.

If you'd like to check it out, follow her class @Samthegecko.

I've never had a class pet.  Mainly because I saw it as a distraction, but my teammate has completely incorporated Sam into her classroom & the kids are fascinated by her.  After the initial week of "ooh's and ahh's", the kids just think she's part of the class.  If you need something after Spring Break to get your kiddos engaged in learning again, this might be just the right thing for you!!  If a live pet doesn't work...get a huge overstuffed animal on clearance after Valentine's Day!!    

Have you ever had a class pet?  Or do you currently have one?  

Until next time, I wish you Happy Blogging Adventures! 

  

Phonics Intervention Freebies

Hello again! It's Christy from Teaching Tales Along the Yellow Brick Road, and I have a few fun resources to share with you.

I teach in a 4/5 building, and although I work with "big kids" we still have students who have gaps in their reading. We use Aimsweb testing, and the QPS (Quick Phonics Screener) for students who are not meeting benchmarks. Often, this is due to a lapse in skills along the way. We have a small group intervention time for reading, in our MTSS (multi-tiered systems of support) know as RTI (response to intervention) in many parts of the country.

During this time, there are small groups, 1-5 students working on individual skills. There are also three larger groups working on vocabulary and fluency. We are hoping to add in a multisyllabic words in the near future.

Today, though, I wanted to share 3 tried and true resources with you. Some of these at the 4/5 level are useful for students who have more significant needs, but would be great for younger grades. Others, have a wide range of applicable ages and skills, so take a little bit of time to peruse to you hearts content!

West Virgina Reading First

The first free resource comes from West Virgina Reading First. There are multiple lessons and most of the needed resources for each lesson are included (ex. flashcards). This resource is great for younger grades, and I used parts of it for students in my building who had a high need and the super explicit lessons and activities worked great.

Florida Center for Reading Research

I absolutely LOVE this resource! Florida Center for Reading Research is worth checking out for awhile. A variety of topics, activities, and applicable grade level skills. Love, love, LOVE! Block off some time to see everything and have plenty of ink on hand!

Phonics Genius

Phonics Genius free app with tons of phonics combinations. I have my students use the flashcards set up for a new card on a swipe and the word to be pronouced for them with a tap. This way, students can try out a word and have the ability to listen and see if they were correct. If they were, I have them listen and try to repeat while they look at the word. A quick little activity we do from time to time, and the students are super engaged. More so than if I were to have paper flashcards. There is also a game mode that can be utilized as well.

There you go! Three FREE resources to help support your phonics instruction and intervention work!

Augmented Reality App for Increasing Math Fluency!

Hi everyone!  It's Debbie from K is for Kinderrific! :-)

I recently stumbled upon a great little app that is lots of fun and great for practicing math fact fluency!  And it uses Augmented Reality which is one of my new favorite things!!

The app is called Fetch! Lunch Rush and it's made by PBS Kids!  It's FREE!

First, you'll need to download the app onto your iPhone. I was able to download the app onto my iPad, however it did NOT work correctly.  I guess this is one of those apps that can only be used on the iPhone.  The app is based on Fetch, who is a PBS kids character!  He needs to complete orders for sushi and it's your job to help him by completing basic addition and subtraction problems!

Next, print out the game pieces from the PBS Kids site here.  

The game pieces are available in color or B&W.  

Each card has a different number on it.  

The app suggests spreading the number cards out all over the room.....taping some up high and some down low.....  However, since the students were going to be using MY iPhone to play...I decided that simply spreading them out on the table was good enough!

Once you have the number cards spread out, open the app and get ready to play!  

It's awesome because up to 4 players are able to play each game.  

The fun factor of this app comes because it uses augmented reality to make items from the app basically spring to "life" right in front of you!  Students are shown an equation and then have to find the card with the correct answer on it.  The app utilities the camera on the iPhone (or iPod) so all the student has to do is hold the iPhone in front of the number card and look what happens....

In the picture below, the student wanted to choose the answer 3.  So he held the phone over the number 3 card and 3 pieces of sushi "magically" appeared!  To finalize the selection, all the student does is tap the screen and the sushi flies away and another problem is given.

I used this app with groups of 1st and 2nd graders.  My students LOVED playing this game. They truly didn't want to stop.  Between the fun sounds, the 3D sushi pieces coming to life, and the cute character....they probably didn't even know they were practicing math facts! LOL  

One of the things that I really love about the app, is the feedback that it gives students.  If a student chooses an incorrect answer, the app will tell him if that answer is too little or too much.....which gives them a little hint in the right direction.  

If you are looking for a FREE, SIMPLE, and QUICK way to get your students practicing simple addition and subtraction, I highly recommend that you check out this app.  I bet your students will enjoy it as much as mine did!!

        

Gettin' Techy with Facts!

Hi Friends! Is your February zooming by like mine? Oh my word - where is 2014 going already?! 

Today I'm here to share something fun I've incorporated in my classroom, with an at home extension! 

My district's adopted Math program lacks basic math fact skills - big time! So, last summer I set out to create a program to use.  

This sequential program takes the students through 30-problem basic math fact tests, one fact family at time.  By the end of the program, they will master their facts! 

 

I keep track of my students' progress with this yummy display! Since we're now in the middle of the year, the kids have filled up those cookie jars quite a bit! 

                               

All materials can be easily organized in a plastic file box. 

                                                

I've included labels that will make finding levels easy for the kids.  

                                           

You can keep track of students' levels with the progress chart.

                            

But, wait! I haven't shared the best part! 

To help kids learn these facts at home, I created an app for the iPhone/iPad. 

When I was creating the paper & pencil program last summer, I kept hearing parents' voices in my head saying, "How can I help my child practice these facts at home?" As teachers we usually suggest games, flashcards and even educational apps we've come across that work well. 

  

So, I had a grand idea to create an app that mirrors the program! 

There are two modes of play: Timed & Practice Play.

If a child is working on passing Level 3 in the classroom, then they can simply practice Level 3 on the app! The exact same math problems are in the classroom version, as the app version! 

Once a child chooses a level to play, there's a quick countdown screen.  

Below is a screenshot of Level 1. It clearly shows the child which level & problem they are on.  The cloud in the corner counts down from 2:30.  In practice play, the screen looks the same, but there's simply no timer! 

If a child can successfully complete 30 correct problems in 2:30 minutes or less, they earn a "cookie" in their jar.  The cookie dances around the screen and jumps into the jar! 

I would LOVE for you to pass along the app to your parents, colleagues and even your own children! If you love it, please leave feedback in the App store! I suppose if you don't love it, you could leave feedback too :) 

If you'd like to snag the Smart Cookie Math program, I've put it on sale for the day! Head over and snag it! {There's also a Smart Cookie Multiplication version if you teach those "big kids!"}

Enjoy the rest of your month! 

Lucky to Be in First