0 Blogging in the Classroom

I believe blogging in the classroom is an authentic way to enhance student learning skills. Not only does it assist in their overall writing skills (due to a real audience reading their posts), it also engages them, holds them accountable and addresses many of the TEKS and Common Core State Standards.

I also believe, blogging, may provide instant feedback on whether they understand the concept of the topic as well as students may both reflect and control their own learning . Additionally, that shy learner in the classroom??  What a great venue for them to speak their mind without feeling uncomfortable.

Check out the below infographic by Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano as well as her wiki about Blogging With Your Students.

0 Ode to #Pencilchat: Technology Integration in the Classroom

Perfect!

0 Symmetry: Where Everything is Equal

Symmetry is always a fun concept to learn about in any grade level. Here are a few great apps to use for this topic.

• Nikki from Uncommon-to-the-Core blogspot submitted a post about a great free app, Face Symmetry Tester HD . The student products consisted of a Wall of SymMEtry of Me photos. Check out her post about this app.
• For K/1 students the app, Felt Board ($2.99 but worth the price) is wonderful. Students may use the wide variety of props (i.e. geometric shapes hats, butterflies, trees, etc) then save to photos. Using any Whiteboard app (i.e. Doodle Buddy) students will draw lines to show symmetry/equal parts. You could also use the app, Doodle Buddy and utilize their stamps. (The stamps are limit but enough for the students to demonstrate their understanding of the concept.)

0 Seasons with Felt Board and Flipsnack

This past week, I worked with kindergartners to create a project utilizing the app, Felt Board. As an extension of their learning, Kinder students demonstrated their knowledge by choosing their favorite season and creating a "felt board".  

If you are not familiar with this ipad app, Felt board ($2.99 and worth every penny!) is fun and easy for K/1 students to use. Students create "felt board" characters by selecting skin, hair color, and facial features. From there, they have the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of costumes, settings and props. It can be easily saved into photos and uploaded to Dropbox to create an ebook or interactive flipbook.

(If you are a veteran teacher like me, you may even remember the "actual" felt boards in the classroom. Good Lord, I am showing my age!)

Below is an interactive flipbook (Flipsnack) of the student's work. (Direct link should it not open correctly.) It seems to work better in IE than Chrome.

I cannot wait for their farm Unit in the Spring.

0 The "Tech"ing Hour: A Spook"tech"ular Event!

Yesterday, my teachers were treated to a spook"tech"ular event during their planning time. Stations where set up, highlighting 8 productivity ipad apps for them to visit. For each station, teachers viewed a YouTube tutorial then they were asked to create a quick (hands-on) product for each station they visited.

A Halloween theme was utilized throughout the staff development and of course, goodies for them for taking time out of their busy planning schedule. They seemed truly engaged.  Please view some of the comments below.

We are so busy this time of year. Honestly, I looked at it as something else to have to do when there were many other things that seemed more important. However, it was SO nice to go in there and leave everything else at the door, have time to explore apps, and think about ways to use them. By the time I left I was very thankful we had the time set aside to do this.  

I liked that it was come and go and I got exactly what I hoped to get out of it. Thank you for taking the time and the money it must have cost to set up such a fun environment!

LOVED IT! It was very hands-on and engaging. I enjoyed being able to move at my own pace and write down notes that applied to my own subject area. I really liked the YouTube tutorial videos that further explained the app.

Check out the Animoto of the event:

0 Need An Innovated Approach to Daily Homework Assignments?

3rd grade teachers at one of my schools, came up with a unique way for their students to complete their Daily Language and Daily Math Homework. They created a Padlet (formally Wallwisher) for their students to access. Once at the site, students click under their teacher's picture, submitting a password and answer the assignment.  What a very innovated way to approach daily homework assignments!!!