More Technology Fun

Today was Day 2 of my iPad class!  I have learned an overwhelming amount of stuff, so I'm going to try and put the biggest highlights here so if nothing else, I'll have a place to review it.  But I really hope it's helpful to some of you out there.

I used educreations to make a new video.  This one is something I think is very important:  How to put your identifying information on the lock screen of your iPad.  This is very useful especially if you have a lock code and your iPad is lost.  The sound on this has some issues--I've learned that it's hard to hold the ipad, talk, and tap without covering the microphone.  Next time, I'll have it set down in front of me.  Anyhow, here's the video which explains how to make that lock screen.  If you have any questions, give me a comment below and I'll try to help you out.  By the way, to do what's in the video, you'll want to download the free app skitch.


This next thing is mostly useful if you have a lot of devices, but can be used with computers, as well as iPads and other gadgets.  It's called TodaysMeet.  You can set up a room and tell your students the name of the room.  It's that simple. You and students can type chat back and forth.  Here's a picture of what it looks like once you're in the room.  

Students type their name in the blue box, then click join.  A box comes up for them to type their message and submit it. Then over in the listen box you can see what everyone is saying.  I typed in a question so you can see what it looks like when something is in the listen box.  

Another web resource that is wonderful is yogile.com.  This is a picture sharing site.  The nice thing about this (and the way it relates to iPads) is you get an e-mail address (and you can create one that's easy for the kids).  The kids e-mail pictures to that address to get it up on the website.  It's a very easy way to get pictures up and share without the need for connecting the iPad to the computer.  It can be as simple as "take a picture of your friend showing 53 items, and send it to yogile."  Have different kids do different numbers and then show the images to the class and have them count.

Have I overwhelmed you, yet?  I hope not.  Just a few more things.  The next is a way to create and use QR codes.  You can go to http://qrcode.kaywa.com/.  Choose whatever information you want people to get.  My example below will send you to my class's website.  If you have one of the many QR code scanners, you can scan the code below and it will direct you to my website.  I think I might put this on newsletters, and maybe even outside our classroom door.  

Another use that my teacher mentioned was to have students use fotobabble to describe their artwork, then use QR codes to link the their fotobabble so people can scan the QR codes to listen to the student talk about their piece.

And finally, here are some apps I'm hoping to use with my students for next year.

Mathopolis costs 99 cents, but it's very engaging.  Students answer facts fast to put out the fires.

Lunch Rush is a free app through pbs.  You print out QR codes and kids scan the answers to math facts.  This one looks so fun, and it gets the kids up and moving.  This one would work better if you have more than one device, but I  might just try it anyway.

Finally, www.quixey.com is a wonderful search engine for looking for apps, and not just for iPads.  It should help you on your great app searches.  

Okay, that might be enough iPad stuff for a few days.  I have another class next week, so I'll probably have new wisdom to share with you then.  Please let me know if you have any questions about anything, I love to help and will if I can.  

Thanks for hanging in there until the very end.

Joell

Day 1 of the ipad class

Wow!  I've learned a lot today.  I'll start with this little item I just created: (you might want your sound turned on for this).



I hope it really works.  It's a narrated picture of an app (it's also a website for your computer) called fotobabble.  I think this would be great to have students go out and take a picture of something that starts with b, then narrate something like, "I found a ball.  Ball begins with b."  There are editing tools, too.

I learned an essential skill for my ipad I didn't know:  how to make a screen capture.  It's simple, but not intuitive.  You hold down the home button and click the on/off switch fast.  The picture goes to your photos app.

I've used the four finger drag sideways, but I also learned the four finger drag up to see active apps.  I've just been clicking the home key twice.

Another new app that I love is called educreations.  Here is my very basic and far from perfect quickie lesson.  How to write a lower case a  I can see adding all kinds of things on here.  Right now I think it would come in really handy as a homework helper.  You can take a photo of the homework page or problem and talk through it.

I found a few apps that I might be wanting to get, too.  I'll save the list of apps for posting tomorrow.

Thanks for reading,
Joell

My First Freebie!

Hello,

I have created my first freebie for tpt!  It's a beginning of the year assessment for first grade math and reading.  You can get it at my teachers pay teachers store.  Here's what a couple of the pages look like.  Please leave me some feedback if you use this.

I am off to an iPad class tomorrow and Tuesday, so you'll probably be hearing some tech stuff in the next day or two.  

Thanks for reading!

Joell

Two Posts in One Day!

So, I've been playing around with learning a little more about blogging and added a few buttons.  And then as I was wandering around researching on the web, I found a linky party.  I think I might have figured out how to do it.  I hope.  So here is my first attempt at it.

4. Don't expect perfection from yourself or anyone else.  Instead, just do the best you can in the situation you're in.

5. Take time off to enjoy life.

6. Utilize the wonderful resources available to you on the web.  All the teacher blogs, pinterest, and other websites like whole brain teaching are full of great ideas that will help you grow and learn.

7.  Enjoy a profession that allows for creativity, and is always changing.  Even the same lesson is never the same with different classes.

Thanks to Deb at  for hosting this linky party.  One day I'll learn how to put the link in with the graphics.

Joell

On Target for Next Year

Hello,

I'm into the double digits of followers!  Sadly, I'm not good enough at making stuff to have any freebies for people yet.  I'll see what I can come up with, though.

The other day I went to Target and visited the $1 area.  I found these:

Target Goodies

The bookmarks are self-explanatory, but the little koosh-like balls tickled my fancy.  Now I probably read this somewhere on the internet, because I don't think I come up with very many of my own completely original ideas.  I decided to get six different colors because I usually have six table groups.  And my small groups usually have six or fewer kids.  Now how are these little balls educational?  The kids can throw them at an answer written on a board, or on a mat with the answers that's just put on the floor.  I think it would be a fun way to review sight words, math facts, or any single answer item.

Another way of using them is to have the kids in teams.  Have a target on the floor.  The kid who throws theirs closest to the bullseye gets to answer the question.  This makes it so you can ask more complex questions that don't require a single answer.  Love those Higher Order Thinking Skills!

I can't wait to try this out next year!!!

Secondly, thanks to Heidi at Heidisongs, who posted on her facebook page my plea for help, I now have three volunteers to look over my spreadsheets!  I'll be working on finishing them up this week, but I have an ipad class for 2 days on Monday and Tuesday, so we'll see how things go.

Finally, and totally on a personal note, I went to a handbell conference a couple of weeks ago.  It was so much fun and I can't believe how much I learned!  I thought I would include some pictures of the pretty bells all laid out and ready to go before us pesky ringers messed them all up.

This is from the bass bell side.

This one is from the treble bell side, and it has chimes as well. 

For any of you who are curious, I play treble bells and am learning how to play "four in hand" which is really two bells in each hand criss-crossed like in the picture.

Thanks for reading!  Thanks for getting me to double digit followers!
Joell

Help Wanted

I have created some powerpoints to help track student progress on the common core standards in language arts and math.  I'm hoping to make this my first item for sale on www.teacherspayteachers.com.  I am looking for one or two first grade teachers who would like to test them out for me.  You will get to keep the end results for free.  If you're interested, just let me know in the comments below.

Thanks,
Joell

Inspiration

Hello,

It seems like everywhere I look I find inspiration and new ideas for next year.  Last spring I read The Daily Five and though I can't fit it all in with the reading program I am required to teach, I've decided to at least do read to self, and possibly read with a friend.

Then I found Teacher Tipster's website and started watching some of his amazing (and somewhat wacky at times) videos.  He does a finished work binder with sheet protectors.  I'm going to use that idea next year.  I can't decide whether to use his one breath boxes or the excellent Whole Brain Teaching Super Speed 100 stuff.  Decisions, decisions.

Speaking of Whole Brain Teaching, I began incorporating some of their management system into my teaching last year.  I had used 1,2,3 eyes on me forever, but once I got used to class/yes, I found it easier and much more effective.

Of course I steal borrow great ideas from teachers all over the place.  I discovered teacher blogs through pinterest.  I have several boards there.  The ones pertaining to teaching are listed below.

General Teaching Stuff
Language Arts
Math
Science and Social Studies
Arts and Crafts (includes music)
Teaching with Technology
This one isn't all teaching, but it's pinterest stuff I've tried
And one more:  Educational Videos which are some videos for students to watch, and others for me to watch good teachers teach.

You may notice I have a . before each of my teacher board's name.  I did this because I pin most often to my teacher boards and I wanted them to come up at the beginning of the list so I didn't have to scroll down so much.  This way they're always at the top.

Well, I think that's enough for today.  I'll try to get some pictures going again soon.
Joell