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.