January+Journal

= All the app icons have links to more information. Just click on them. = =Story Kit =

First day with the iPads. The first task that I showed the students was how to take a picture. I divided them into groups of 3 and 4 and just them experiment with the photo app. Next I introduced the app, StoryKit to them. I used the following YouTube video as a tutorial for the class. There assignment was to take a picture of each member of their group and create new book with this app. The directions were simple, type who you are and 1 thing that you like. They then recorded themselves reading their page. (You can click on the StoryKit icon to link to itunes for more information)

media type="youtube" key="RSWQkUS4kXk" height="315" width="420" The following link is a student example. It shows up in a document format on the web, instead of the iPad book format. I just wanted to share an example of what we accomplished as our first iPad task. You can click on the sound button to hear the students read once you reach the link.

A physical therapist in our district used StoryKit to model shoe tying. Click on this link: [|Shoe Tying]

=Slideshow Lite =

This week we focused on saving pictures from Safari and using them in different apps. Our school's mascot is the tiger, so I had students find various tiger pictures from Safari and save them, by holding their finger on the picture and pressing save image. Then using the app, Slideshow Lite, students created a slideshow on tigers.

Student Example
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=A-Z Book Apps = Language Technologies, Inc. has a set of free Learning A-Z book apps, level AA through P. My students read these books as part of their Daily 5, Read to Someone. Each book app has word help as well as discussion questions after the story called book talk. Here is a list of the free book apps: [] You also have the option of purchasing level libraries.

=Puppet Pals = We have been working on our hallway behaviors this year as part of our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports initiative. The students worked in groups, using Puppet Pals, and made a puppet show regarding our behaviors in the hallway.

This is the video I use to teach how to use Puppet Pals. media type="youtube" key="2sQ3V1UV8g0" height="315" width="420"

Student examples
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=Storyrobe = Students wrote a story about a Mixed Up Weather Day. We incorporated the 6 and 1 writing traits into our story, focusing on organization and transitions between the different kinds of weather that happened during the day. Using the app, Storyrobe, students recorded their story using pictures they saved from Safari. As students heard the story being read back to them, they were able to pick out some sentences that might not have sounded right or they found out they needed to add some more detail.

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Student example
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=iMovie = This was our first attempt with iMovie. I had the students write down in their writing journals what we did during the week. They had to focus on one topic such as Math, Science, iPad, Reading, etc. I would like to do this every Friday as a weekly wrap up of what we learned. I found a background on the internet, added Townview Daily News (which you can't see in the video), and displayed it on the SmartBoard. The students sat in a chair in front of the board and read their "reports." I would like the students to take over the recording next week. I also allowed everyone to read something today. Next week I will start a rotation and have 4-5 news reporters at the end of each week. So stay tuned as we improve our reporting!

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=Educreations =

Educreations is an app that allows students to create and share video lessons. In Math we were working on volume, so I had the students build a solid figure from cubes. Using the app, Educreations, they took different angle pictures of their structure. Then they recorded how they would find volume using length X width X height.



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=WeeMee and Talking WeeMee =

We are working on expanding our vocabulary by using context clues. Students are using the words, phrases, and sentences surrounding an unfamiliar word that give clues or hints to its meaning. I had the students find an unknown word in a book from their book box. Next they wrote down the sentence that the word was in from the book. Then they found the definition of the word. They then had to create a sentence using the word with context to help the reader or listener know what the word meant. Using the app, WeeMee and Talking WeeMee, students recorded their vocabulary word, definition, and sentence. They posted these on their blog and I am in the process of making a Glogster poster with all their new vocabulary words.

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Air Sketch Free

Turns your iPad into a wireless whiteboard.