3rd Graders participate in Global Read Aloud: BFG

BFG by Roald Dahl

Check out our BFG Padlet:

Respond to Ms. Cho's Padlet:

Respond to Ms. Preston's Padlet:

Check out Ms. Steppuhn's Sway:

Kindergarteners creates a "How we use iPads in Kindergarten" book.

Mrs. Wittenbach brainstormed 2 categories with her students:

1) Tips for using iPads
2) Ways we used iPads in Kindergarten

Then they took pictures and recorded the students' ideas in Book Creator.

4th Grade Regions of the USA Google Tour Builder

The 4th graders are using Google Maps and a Map with lines of latitude and longitude to plot various scavenger hunt cities in 5 regions of the USA.

This required a lesson in latitude and longitude using a globe.

We then composed a Tour in Google Tour Builder to "travel" around the country.

1st Grade "Advice from a Pro" eBook reflections

The first grade teachers and I were brainstorming how to publish an eBook with an authentic audience. We came up with the idea of a book entitled:

After reading, Workflow and iPads by Kristi Meeuwse, I decided to have students illustrate their thoughts using Doodle Buddy so that the images could be imported directly into Book Creator. This was to avoid the shaky, shadowy pictures of their hand drawn work or waiting for the next lesson to upload the scanned version of their artwork to the iPad. What I appreciate about Kristi's blog is that she focuses on content and learning, rather than tools. Her blog posts are also about lower elementary.

Our ultimate goal was to create a multimedia eBook for kindergarten students. First grade students would record their voices reading advice to the kindergarteners while their drawing is displayed on screen.

Students have recorded their voice quite easily using the SeeSaw app, but the class had not taken a photo and recorded in Book Creator yet. In past lessons, I had taken pictures of their artwork before class. I uploaded the images to their iPads. This time, we planned to collapse the lesson by having students illustrate the advice and record their voices over its image in one lesson. By using Doodle Buddy, students create a digital image that does not require an upload either by camera or a scanner to the iPad. 

What we realized later, is that students loved using the specialty tools in Doodle Budy, like the stamps, emojis, textured paint, etc. which detracted from their hand drawn art.

Stamp fun!

Some of the art was more hand drawn:

At the same time, we decided to change up our thinking and go with the hand drawn pictures. We would have students take pictures of their hand drawn work and record their advice using SeeSaw, which they were familiar with doing in the past. My hope was to move the video from SeeSaw to the Camera Roll and then to Book Creator.

However, I wasn't able to export the video from SeeSaw into Book Creator. The video you see above was captured using Quicktime screen recording from the iPad.

We are now attempting Plan C. I have scanned in all of the students' hand drawn pictures. I will import them into the student iPads.

In Book Creator, the students will select the image on their iPads, record their voice reading their message and then post a selfie of the author on each page.

Stay posted. More to come . . .

Update: So we used the new Snowball Microphone and individually recorded each page with students taking a selfie and also recording their voice on their own.

Here is the eBook posted to YouTube:

5th Grade Mystery ePals

The 5th graders are participating in a Mystery ePals connection with students from around the world.

5B Questions
Google Doc Questions

• Answers to 5B Questions 
• Questions for 5B from Mystery ePals

5B Guess

5DW Questions
Google Doc Questions

Answers to 5DW Questions from Mystery ePals

1.      Answer 1

2.       Answer 2

3.       Answer 3

4.       Answer 4

5.       Answer 5

6.       Answer 6

7.       Answer 7

8.       Answer 8

9.       Answer 9

5DW Guess

1st Grade SeeSaw Blogs

The first grade teachers are working on the reading / writing connection for information text. They decided to have their students publish video (vlog) posts about their research on sea creatures and insects.

They used the SeeSaw app to have students select a photo, then record a fun fact about an animal that they studied. SeeSaw is age appropriate because students "login" with a QR code. They can select a digital file and then record with the microphone. This is all done intuitively with icons. They can then post to SeeSaw. However, teachers need to approve before the post is visible to others.

1G SeeSaw Blog

1W SeeSaw Blog

Managing Photos on the iPads

Shared Apple ID 
Our iPads are logged into the same Apple ID for management purposes which means that the Photos taken on one iPad are being distributed to all of the iPads. As students research information for their reports, they are downloading images that need to be cropped or annotated. All of the images students download are available on every devices since the Photos are managed by a shared Apple ID.

Pros and Cons
This is helpful when teachers want to "push out" photos for every student to use on every device.  Also, if several students are working on the same animal, these pictures can be a method of crowdsourcing.

This is not helpful when the photos appear disorganized as all users find and take pictures.

Management
We began to show students how to create Albums with their name and class on an album in Photos. Our intent was to help students sort their Photos for various projects.

The tricky part is that students must select Photos to add to the album which can be confusing and result in all of the photos being selected and being put in one child's album. Since Photos are not removed from "All Photos," this is not a major concern.

We found that when students select photos and click the trash, they can select "Remove from Album" rather than delete.

Techie Toolbox

2nd Grade Puppet Presentations

2nd graders are composing digital presentations to showcase their research on Alaskan Animals. The teachers and I brainstormed a project using Puppet Edu. Students researched in the library with Mrs. Boerman, but recorded their information with pencil and paper. They will use their research to complete the script for their presentations.

The facts they collected will also determine which images they will include. The app, Puppet Edu, includes an image search with links directly to creative commons images. Some animals did not have as many photos available in creative commons. As a result, we also showed the students how to save images searched in KidRex. KidRex is saved in the Student Links icon on the Homescreen of the iPad. We will be citing these images using a "slide" in the final presentation.

SeeSaw goes viral

Teachers are finding that SeeSaw is an easy way to communicate with parents and share students work as well as classroom activities. Parents seem to respond more immediately to SeeSaw notifications as compared to updated blog posts.

SeeSaw is a digital portfolio that teachers can use to collect student work digitally. Teachers can determine which files the class can view and which files parents or families can view.

One of the 2nd grade teachers, Sharon Boersma, shared a brief video of indoor recess where students were exercising to Go Noodle. She said that parents responded immediately with likes and comments. She had not received that kind of response to blog posts that she had shared in the past.

Another teacher is sharing brief videos of students reading aloud to show progress throughout the year. She shared this with parents at conferences.

Teachers are also finding great ideas for SeeSaw lessons and uses in Pinterest.

2nd grade bar graphs

Students started by taking a survey using NearPod.

We tallied the survey results in a table, then the student created bar graphs on paper.

We discussed the components of a graph:

• title
• data source
• x-axis
• y-axis
• minimun and maximum points

Then students used Kid Zone to create a graph online.

We compared the online graph to the ones we had drawn in class. Students learned how to take a screenshot of the graph they created to share with others.

Then students were able to log into their KidBlog accounts and upload their graphs to their blogs. Students were able to go directly to their login link from a shortcut on the homescreen.

Coding with Kindergarteners

Today, the kindergarten students coded using Scratch, Jr. They worked in pairs to write a simple program with a stage and two sprites. In a previous lesson, they coded offline using paper arrows in a maze. They also coded using Code.org when they completed some simple commands to complete levels in an Angry Birds scenario.

Overheard, "Let's work together!"

Students required minimal training on how to select a stage and add sprites. Then they used just the yellow start commands and the blue motion commands. We will expand on these categories in future lessons.

Shared Cart Discussions

Today many teachers encountered some shared cart communication and app issues that we discussed.

• "Checking out" the iPad cart on the Google Calendar is becoming more and more vital as the iPad cart is more in demand.
• We are learning how to add your classroom to a shared app like, Epic.
• We are creating shared accounts with clearly labeled lists in an app like, Spelling City, that doesn't allow for more than one classroom.
• Taking pictures, but removing them on iPads that share the same Apple ID is vital file management.
• Direct teaching on how to wrap headphones up consistently to avoid a hassle when taking them out of the bag is a courtesy for all users.

Kindergarten and 1st Grade Teams participate in a Global Book Project

If You Learned Here (IYLH2016) is a Global Book project. This is an opportunity for classrooms to connect around the world through weekly communication via education networking apps like SeeSaw and Padlet.

Students follow the blog prompts weekly to share their day and also follow the other students' days. The students brainstorm ideas and are on-camera talent for the videos. They can also like and comment on the posts from other schools.

Students are learning how both the mentor text, If You Lived Here by Giles Laroche, and the videos and posts from other schools help us connect more directly with different ways of living and learning around the world. 

The apps are age appropriate because they use QR codes and touch screens to access the information. 

2nd Grade Germ Lesson

The 2nd grade teachers let me know they were completing a unit on the spread of Germs. I was able to create this NearPod Lesson and deliver it to students.

The iPad Cart is Here!

Introductions:

Teachers:

The K-2 teachers hold an App-Luck--a take on Potluck--about 3 times per month to share ideas and try out new lessons. Teachers come with their iPads during lunch in the lounge. This has generated lots of app sharing and an opportunity to discuss lesson connections.

The following is a list of topics and apps we have discussed and implemented:

• Stage: use the iPad like a document camera
• Clickable links to frequently used websites like BookFlix and FossWeb.
• SeeSaw: digital portfolios
• NearPod: interactive lessons
• QR Codes: access to student created videos and links
• Subject specific apps: Spelling City, Word Bubbles, etc.
• Photo management

Students:

Students have experience with iPads at home, so the emphasis has been on how to handle the iPads at school as compared to at home.

• Carry iPads with both hands
• Remain seated with the iPad for work time unless given directions for a specific lesson that requires movement
• Wait to be invited to turn the iPad screen on before opening an app
• Learn how to unplug the iPads from and plug into the cart
• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze
• Being good listeners--using the iPad is a privilege