9 Must Have iPad Apps and/or Websites for Teachers

Hello,

So after my iPad classes, I've picked some of the most useful apps for teachers (in my opinion.)

1.  Three Ring. (iPad)  Right now Three Ring is free.  So what does it do?  In the app on your iPad you can take photos of written work, video of presented work, or audio recordings.  The app automatically uploads it to the website.  When you have parent/teacher conferences you can use this as an electronic portfolio of student work.  It takes a while to get it set up, but I think it's well worth it.  I e-mailed the developer and asked if there was a way to e-mail or share the portfolio besides face to face and he said they're working on it.  Here's a picture of the app on the iPad.

Select the class, student and tag.  Choose Camera, Video, Voice Record, or Choose from photos.  Click capture.  It automatically goes up to www.threering.com.  You can then view by project, student, etc.

2. Educreations is one of many whiteboard programs for the iPad.  I like this one because you can upload what you made and e-mail or post links to it.  I made a tutorial using educreations just the other day.  You can find it here

Draw on white, or add a picture and write over the top of it.  Make it into a video.  Upload it and share.

3. Class Dojo  This one can work on a computer or on an iPad.  This is a behavior management tracker.  You can customize the behaviors and several other options.  You can give and take away student points.  Students can change their avatars, or you can.  I made it a reward if they got so many points, they could choose a new avatar.  They are continually improving their product and really listen to teacher feedback.

This is the class screen.  You just click on a student, choose a behavior and points are given or taken away.  You can also do it in groups.

4. Doceri is a whiteboard app for the iPad, but the most valuable part of it is it makes it so you can control your computer using your iPad.  Put flash games and things on your computer and have the kids play them using the iPad.  

Not just a whiteboard app.  Use Doceri to remote control your computer.  The computer must be on the same network.

5. Dropbox This is a must have for anyone who uses more than one device whether it's a computer, phone, or tablet computer.  It is a way of saving files to the cloud and being able to retrieve them from any device it's installed on.

You can organize your files into folders and update them from any device with dropbox installed.

6. Scan Use this along with the website kaywa to create qr codes with instructions or weblinks.  Copy and paste the qr code you create in kaywa and paste it to a document the kids will use.  They scan the qr code and it takes them to the information you added on kaywa.  You can also do this on newsletters to help direct parents to your web page.

Generate a QR code at kaywa, then paste it to a document.  Use the scan app to get students to information you want them to have.

7. Socrative is a way to make quizzes for your students, kind of like clickers.  You need two apps the teacher one, and the student one.  You create a quiz and students use devices to answer.  This one is mostly useful for classrooms with multiple devices.

This shows one of the reports you can get after students answer.

8. Dragon Dictation is an iPad app where students dictate into the device and it types up what they said.  This is great for ELL kids, non-writers, and entering a large amount of text into your iPad without having to type.

Easy to use.  Tap, dictate, and save the resulting text.

9. Futaba is the only game I have put on my list, though there are many and I may share more later.  This one is free, but you have to buy the upgrade to be able to make your own quizzes.  This makes your quiz into a game for up to 4 players.  It's colorful and fun and a way to get 4 students using the iPad at the same time.

Be the first student to touch the right answer and earn points in this timed game.

So there you go.  I hope this is useful for you iPad and technology lovers out there.

Joell

I've over-extended myself

Hi,

I've got too many projects in the air.  Does this ever happen to you?  I'm afraid I'm going to forget about something important.  And worst of all, I've neglected my blog.  Part of that is because my computer has been back to the computer hospital with a case of blue-screen-of-death-itis.  Hopefully,  it's all better now.

So, I have several projects going on that I'm going to make it my goal to finish soon:

• My second iPad class (and 4th class of the summer) ends tomorrow.  4 semester hours accrued this summer.
• I'm making vocabulary word wall cards for my school district.  I've been working on this one since May.  When they're done I'll post them on Tpt for free.  I'm finishing up "tag alongs" (prepositional phrases, time and place words) and have adjectives left.  I already finished nouns and verbs.  This is only the small cards.  Then I have to copy and enlarge them to make them  word wall sized.  (The small cards will go in centers.)
• I'm working on a common core spreadsheet for first grade.  I got some feedback from some people and just need to edit it a little more and then figure out how much to charge and try selling something on tpt.  Wish me luck.  
• I'm making "I'm finished" binders for my kids for next year.  I have stuffed over 600 pages in sheet protectors, but still need to put them in binders, and still have more papers to copy and stuff.  Boy, I hope this new thing is worth all the work and money I've put into it.
• I'm trying to create a new job bulletin board and way of managing them.  Haven't even started on this.
• Oh, and did I mention I'm trying to plan for and get my kitchen remodeled?  

I've hit my limit today.  I know I have because I don't feel like doing any of the things on that list, not even the ones that I usually like doing.  I know it will all (or at least the most important stuff) get done. (deep breath)

I have so many blog posts I want to do.  I promise I'll get to them.  I've set goals for the rest of the week:

Tomorrow:  finish iPad class, probably purchase appliances for kitchen, contact possible contractors for kitchen, work on common core spreadsheets.  Dinner with friends.  :)

Thursday:  Research and contact contractors some more,  work on vocabulary files, if I don't get binders put together, I'll need to find a place to keep them.  Oh, and lunch with a friend.  :)

Friday:  More vocabulary, clean the house like crazy so hopefully next week people can come look at the kitchen.  There's no way they'll be allowed in my house until I've spent some time cleaning.  Lunch with a friend.  :)  

Saturday/Sunday:  make sure everything's ready for people to come and talk about my kitchen next week.  Family picnic on Sunday.  (Oh yeah, I forgot I was going to bring stuff for that.)

So, I'm going to cheer myself up by reminding myself of the new stuff for my kitchen.  Here's the fridge I'm choosing.

I think this is my stove, there will be a microwave above it, though.

And I can't wait to have a dish washer since mine hasn't worked for years.  I couldn't find a picture of a white one, but this looks like the one I'm getting.

Okay, that's enough for today.  I feel better just getting all that off my chest.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed and over extended?

Joell

Grade Scales and Stuff

Above graphic is copyrighted:  www.djinkers.com

Hi all,

As I've been working on the common core spreadsheets (which are almost done), I've been struggling with the grading scale.  So, how do you grade things?

I can't remember exactly what it says on our report cards, but I know it's a 5 point scale.  It lists the numbers 1-5.  Next to 1 I think it says "needs support", above 3 I think it says "developing" and next to 5 I think it says "proficient".  This is not quite the same as the standardized test ladder used here, which I think goes: below basic, basic, above basic and (I think) proficient.  This is one I'm not an expert at because our first graders don't take the same test.

 My first grade team decided to just adapt the old A,B,C,D,F percentages to the numbers and that's how we've been doing grades.  In many ways, I hate grades.  I'd rather report on student growth rather than percentages, but it is what it is.

So, how do I put grades in?  For big projects and writing, I usually use a rubric grid and try to make the final total 20 or 25, so it can easily be converted to a percentage for a grade.  For other things I go with a straight percentage of right/possible.

I'm going to try something new and hope it works.  I'm hoping I created a button below and I'm going to try a linky party.  So, please link up and tell us as much or as little as you want about how you grade!

And here's hoping I got this all right!
Joell

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