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!!!

0 It's More than Just Blogs, Wikis. and Podcast...Online Book Study 2013

It's More Than Just Blogs, Wikis and Podcasts by Dovewhisper on GoAnimate

0 How Can You Meet the Demands of Today's 21st Century Generation?

As this technologically driven world, continuously and rapidly moves forward, we as educators need to meet the demands of today’s 21st Century generation. So how do we do this?  One way, is to follow technology instructional /educational blogs. A GREAT blog to follow is Technology Tailgate. 

What is Technology Tailgate?

Technology Tailgate was  “created with a vision for teachers to collaborate, share ideas and demonstrate real ways technology is being used in the classroom.” 

These posts are from a network of individuals (“Coaches”) who contribute monthly to Technology Tailgate. You will find these posts both enlightening and informative. Check it out!! It TRULY will be worth your time.

0 Kid President's Pep Talk to Teachers and Students! .

Kid President believes we're all teachers and we're all students. What are you teaching the world? Who are you learning from? Share this with a special teacher in your life!