0 Place Value App Smashing

Utilizing the app, Number Pieces Basic, 2nd graders created base block pictorials and uploaded them into the app, Popplet Lite. Students wrote number sentences in word form, standard form and expanded form. Then they comparied the numbers drawing a greater than/less than symbol. Students took it a step further and uploaded their project to Seesaw and explained their thinking.

I wish I could take credit for this GREAT idea but it was orignally created by Meghan Zigmond.

0 Collaboration (...check), Critical Thinking (...check), Creativity (....check)

An innovated 4th grade teacher, came up with an unique idea for "Geometry in My World"

In teams of two, students worked collaboratively and took pictures of various geometric figures they located in the school. Utilizing the app, TypeDrawing, students wrote well defined attributes of those geometry figures then inserted these photos into a PicCollage.

Their finished projects will be posted in Google Classroom and the students will evaluate each other projects by providing feedback in the forms of two compliments and one suggesting for improvement. 

Nice!

0 Gami Book Reviews!

2nd grade students wrote a book review utilizing the app, Tellagami. Students took pictures of their book for the background of their Gami and completed the below statement stem for their recording. 

"Hello 2nd graders! 

My name is ______________ and I am reviewing the book _________________. 

I think this is a ___________ book for 2nd graders to read because ___________________, ________________, and ___________________.

0 Stinkin' Cute for 100th Day of School!

Kindergartners used the AgingBooth app then uploaded the picture to ChatterPix answering the following question: When I am 100 years old..... Way too cute!

0 Analyzing Attributes of Persuasive Text and Developing Persuasive Writing Skills with ChatterPix

5th grade teachers combined the literary skills (analyzing the attributes of persuasive text and developing persuasive writing skills) for both reading and writing into a persuasive ChatterPix project. 

Working cooperatively, students created a drawing for a specialty product, planned their “commercial” using the “Commercial Planning Tool” page from Stead and Hoyt’s Explorations in Nonfiction Writing  (as well as a teacher-created rubric), then recorded their commercial using the free app, ChatterPix. The results were entertaining and verified the students’ levels of understanding of persuasive text. 

Below are two finished examples:

0 Formative Assessment with Pic Collage? Sure....Why Not?

4th graders went on a scavenger hunt throughout the school taking pictures of different type of resources to depict their understanding of Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources. Below is their final product created with the free app, Pic Collage for Kids.

0 Famous Americans....Captured and QR'd!

An innovated teacher, at on one my campuses, came up with a unique idea for their Famous American curriculum writing project. 2nd grade students researched a Famous American and created apps which represented their specific Famous American.  (See the example below). Once the research was completed, students created short videos (utilization the YouTube Capture app) depicting their Famous American. QR codes were created and added to the ipad template for students/parents to view.

Examples:

0 DoInk: Green Screen App: Ecosystem

3rd graders at one of my schools, created videos using the app, DoInk Green Screen on the topic of Ecosystems. (Note: DoInk is a paid app ($2.99) but well worth the price!)

The students learned how energy flows through an ecosystem and how changes to the ecosystem affect both plants and animals within the ecosystem. For their project, students were in groups of 4 and chose the following job; producer, editor, reporter and camera person. Together they brainstormed a place, an event that would change the ecosystem, and how it affected the plants and/or animals there. Students worked collaboratively to create an idea and wrote a script to produce into a broadcast.

Click here to view the finished products

0 Bam! There it is!

Almost 2 years ago, I blogged about a 5^th grade project on App Smashing…Well, this is worth repeating but this time with another grade level. Third graders researched about a particular planet and created a Wordfoto. Then they added the Wordfoto graphic into the Phoster app. The Phoster was inserted as the background for their Tellagami.  (Bam!! There it is…the three apps, my friends!) Please see the below example:

The lead teacher for this project is phenomenal and always has specific directives and rubrics for the students to follow. Below is a snapshot of the directions and rubric she used. She also gave me permission to share the doc - should you wish to use it. http://goo.gl/tXIXnlLastly......

When I was at TCEA in February, a presenter had used a Symbaloo as a way to showcase the student’s final product. I had already uploaded the Tellegamis to a YouTube playlist but never considered using a Symboloo as showcasing the final products. How is cool is that? What is even neater? There are no suggested videos....anywhere.

1 Selfies, Persuasive Writing and PicCollage - That'll Work!

4th grade students at one of my schools wrote a persuasive blurb about one of their favorite books they read this year. Utilizing the app PicCollage, students took "selfies" of their chosen book. Once printed, the bookmarks will be given to our school library available for all students to not only use as a bookmark but also persuading them to try a new book!

0 PicCollage App as a Formative Assessment? You Betcha'!

3rd grade teachers utilized the app, PicCollage, as a formative

Pre-Assessment on Text Features

assessment on the topic of Text Features. For the pre-assessment, students took photos and labeled 6 forms of text features (caption, subtitle, glossary, index, diagrams, keywords) using the app, PicCollage. The pre-assessments were upload to Dropbox to view and the teachers used these to guide/adapt/modify their instructional teaching according to the student's learning needs and styles.

Throughout the length of the lesson, the teachers presented information/strategies to help their students learn the material through cooperative small groups. Each group had a nonfiction text with all six text feature represented. In conjunction with the active engagement sheet - (see photo below) - each student matched the text feature term with the definition and then cooperatively located the text feature in a nonfiction book.

Active Engagement Group Sheet

The teachers checked for understanding and provided immediately feedback/reteach allowing the students to attempt again. At the closing of the lesson, students gathered together to discuss the importance of text features and which helped them the most and why.

For the final formative assessment, students will recreated another PicCollage showing their knowledge/understanding of text features.

 

1 PuppetPals: 5th Grade / Learned Behaviors and Inherited Traits

Working collaboratively, 5th grade students created PuppetPals depicting their understanding of learned behaviors and inherited traits.

Requirements of the Project: Students had to write a script/storyboard the following questions as well as provide examples of learned behaviors and inherited traits.

• What is the difference between inherited & acquired trait?

• What is the difference between instinctive & learned behavior?

The finished projects where downloaded to the app, Book Creator and then uploaded to YouTube. Below is an example of the finished project.

2 Texas Regions: 4th Lifecards App Project

4th grade students created Texas Region postcards utilizing the app, Lifecards. Students were assigned a specific region and researched information for the project. Photos for each Texas Region were uploaded to Dropbox for students to download to the idevice.

The finished products were made into an interactive flip book (via FlipSnack - viewed best in IE) and showcased on the grade level website.

Below is an example of a finished product:

0 Creative Classrooms (Mobile Apps) - Lesson Submission

This post is in regards to an online class (Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) in which I am participating in on the topic of Apps/Mobile Learning. This is the last assignment that I am required to submit:

Creative Classrooms (Mobile Apps) - Lesson Submission

Lesson Title: Seasons (Grade 1)   

Subject Area: Science

Mobile platform used: iOS

TEKS Addressed in the Lesson:

TEKS:

• Science: (1.8) Eath and space. The student knows that the natural world includes the air around us and objects in the sky.
1. Identify identify characteristics of the seasons of the year and day and night
• (2) Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student develops abilities to ask questions and seek answers in classroom and outdoor investigations.
1. (A)  ask questions about organisms, objects, and events observed in the natural world
2. (D)  record and organize data using pictures, numbers, and words
• (3) The student knows that information and critical thinking are used in scientific problem solving.
1. (B) make predictions based on observable patterns.

• ELPS: c5B: write using newly acquired basic vocabulary and content-based grade-level vocabulary

Video Introduction:

• Season's Song: YouTube
1. http://youtu.be/x5Lig67t2xg
2. http://youtu.be/ksGiLaIx39c

How would you discuss the video with the class?

• Popplet  - KWL Chart:  http://popplet.com/app/#/1511095
• Or Padlet -  KWL Chart   http://padlet.com/wall/4seasons_evans
• Blog post: http://techie-bytes.blogspot.com/2013/12/seasons-popplet-kwl-chart.html

How would you teach the lesson?

• BrainPop Jr:  There is a movie for each season as well as a game.
• Season app (free):  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/seasons-weather-!-science/id420472804
• The Four Seasons - An Earth Day Interactive Children's Story Book HD app (free): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/four-seasons-earth-day-interactive/id427865899
• Please note: Each season would be broken down to one a day with expository text as well as anchor charts for each, including illustrations of plants, animals, people, and temperature/weather in that particular season.

How would you have students apply the lesson?

Possible apps:

• Feltboard: ($2.99 and worth it) Using the app, Felt Board, students will create a board which demonstrates their knowledge of each season.

Another possible  idea is using the app:

• Songify:  Turns your speech into a song ($2.99 - I believe I purchased it when it was free) Students write a poem about their favorite season, record it with Songify. You could also find photos and create an Animoto using the song from Songify. Please view the below example. (Works best in IE)

How would you assess the lesson?

• Students will share their Feltboard and Songify/Animoto projects with the class. The teacher will post finished Feltboard project on the classroom website utilizing the Web 2.0 Flipsnack site. Finished Feltboard project URL.

• Rubric to grade assignment: At this time (Thursday, 12Dec13)  RubiStar site will not open.

Note: Possible other videos to utilize through the lesson:

• Discovery Streaming:
1. Videos should be stopped throughout and facilitating questions posed to enhance learning. 

                                          i.    Magical Mother Nature: The Four Seasons (15:28)

                                        ii.    Seasons (17:30)

0 Seasons: Popplet/Padlet KWL Chart

This entry is in reference to an online course I am taking:
Teachers + Mobile Apps = Creative Classrooms Syllabus

Popplet also is an app and you would need to log onto your idevice to view and utilize.
http://popplet.com/app/#/1511095



Padlet:
http://padlet.com/wall/4seasons_evans

Created with Padlet

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 Another Example of Layered Apps Utilizing Wordfoto and Tellagami

A 2nd grade class, at one of my schools, utilized both Wordfoto and Tellagami for their States project for Social Studies...Another great job!

1 Insects: A Collaboration Between Technology and Library

Working collaboratively with my librarian, 5 stations (for Kindergarten) were created around an Insect theme. The educational goal was for the students to discover various facts about insects.

• Parts of an Insect
• Why they are important
• Difference between an insect and not an insect
  

Numerous devices were utilized (i.e. iPads, Macbooks, PhotoBooth) as well as online resources.

 Both students and teachers seem to enjoy the joint efforts of this collaborative project. Please view the below Animoto of the results: