Your students will flip for ChatterPix!

Hi all!  I'm Francheryl Harris from Primary Essentials.  I'm dropping in for a short and sweet post on using the app Chatterpix in your classroom.  Let me start by saying that your students will LOVE this app.



Chatterpix



This app is available on the iTunes Market for FREE!  The app is super easy to use.  My daughters introduced and taught me all about this app.  Many of your students may already know how to use it, and can teach you!  Here's a short YouTube video to help you get started.

So simple, right!  Take a picture (or find a picture), draw a mouth, record, decorate!  I used this app with my 3rd grade intervention students.  They had to take a selfie and record themselves explaining one of the types of context clues we had recently learned about.  They had so much fun and I was able to do an inform evaluation of their knowledge.

Here are a few other ways you *COULD* use this in your classroom:
*retell a story
*short book talk
*practice math facts
*explain a concept they recently learned
*response to an activity at stations
*response to a chapter read in literature circle
*practice skip counting
*number of the day
*spelling practice
**many, many other ways!

I'm sure there as a million ways to integrate this app into your classroom.  You students can probably come up with a few.

I hope you can find a way to incorporate this fun app into your classroom.

That's all I got!  I see you around the blogging world!

 

Francheryl         



Classroom Game Changer: IXL Math

Hi, everyone! It's Jaime from Bright Concepts 4 Teachers. I am here today to tell you about one of my classroom loves.

                                   

I have been using the IXL Math online program in my classroom for over a year now! I work at a K-12 span school and finding a program that can meet the needs of all our students, site wide, is next to impossible. However, IXL Math goes above and beyond! It is amazing!

Here is how it works:

Each student has their own personal account. All you have to do it input your class roster and IXL generates a list of user names and passwords. I printed this list for my records and keep it in a plastic sleeve in my plan book. At first, students can't remember their passwords or they use capital letters and they need to be lowercase etc. So, it is essential to have a class list nearby. IXL also generates a letter you can use to send home to parents explaining the program and how they can use it a home with their child. I sent this home immediately with the user name and password too.

I have bookmarked the home log in page on my classroom computers to make getting started easier for the kids. Once they are logged in, this is what they see:


 It shows every grade level Pre-K through Algebra 2 and how many skills are available to practice at each grade level. My kiddos click on second grade. This grade level happens to have 221 skills to practice. All of the skills are Common Core aligned!!! Yes, that is correct.... Common Core aligned. Just click on the standard you are teaching and it tells you which lessons the kids should work on. I post a list of lessons that review standards I have already taught, so the kids know which standards to review.

This is just an example of some of the second grade skills students can practice. All they do, is click on the skill and then off they go!

Here is the beauty...everyone works at their own pace. If you have advanced learners, they can move ahead. If you have struggling learners, they can go back a grade level and practice the skill they missed and then move on.

The first arrow points to the skill being practice. It also shows you how many problems have been practiced with that skill and how long it took the student to complete the number of problems.

If a student misses a problem this is what they see:

The correct answer is displayed and an explanation shows how it can be solved correctly. If your students are younger, and have trouble reading, the problems can be read to them too!

Another part of the program I love, is the awards screen. As the students answer questions, they earn awards. This is an example of one awards page in my class.

This student has practiced on IXL for almost 2 hours and has mastered 19 skills. I love the visuals and how positive it is for the student. It gives them a goal to their next win and reinforces how well they are doing!

As a teacher, there is a reports section that I love! I get weekly emails about how each student is doing. I can monitor what skills they are working on and how much time they have spent practicing. Everything is transparent! If a student is working on skills that are too easy for them, I can redirect them to the skills they need to practice. It also shows skills where your class is struggling, so you know right away what to reteach!

If you have a computer lab at your school, you can take your class to practice IXL. As they are working, you can monitor what each student is doing from your own computer! Yes, you can "spy" on your students. If you tell them to all work on two-digit subtraction skills because you have a test on that skill later in the week, you can see if they are actually doing it and how well they are doing. Then, you can redirect or go help those students who are struggling! Simply incredible! Real time data that can be used immediately to improve instruction!

This student is reviewing her money skills just as the person next to her is reviewing his place value knowledge.

I love how they can work at their own pace and review their strengths and weakness so they build their confidence and math skills at the same time!

I could go on and on about the incredible features of this program! I simply love how it meets the needs of ALL of my students, as well as mine, as a teacher. I think the home connection is crucial too! Parents can monitor their child's progress at home. For homework, I ask the students to try and practice for 20 minutes each day. The constant reinforcement is essential for their success! Parents love the at home component too!

Here is a little freebie to help you organize your student user names and passwords. I leave this by my computer for easy access, just in case one of my little ones can't get logged in correctly. Click HERE to download your copy. Enjoy!

A Quest for Apps

Hi, this is Brandi from The Research Based Classroom. One thing I didn't think much about when I decided to move from first to fifth was resetting up my iPads. So I started on a quest to find some great apps for fifth grade. It was a little harder than I thought it would be. First off, when looking for apps for first grade I found a great blog called Best Math Apps and Websites for PreK, Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade. I found some great things for first grade there. You can see a blogpost I wrote about some of my favorite math apps I found on the site here. I really thought I would find something like that for fifth grade... but no such luck. However, I did find some really great free apps that I want to share with you.

Did you know that the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) makes apps? Free apps!

1. Pick-a-Path: Uses powers of ten, negative numbers, fractions, decimals and more. 7 different levels each with 7 different puzzles.
2. Equivalent Fractions: Create equivalent fractions and match them to their location on a number line.
3. Math Concentration: Play alone or with a partner to match whole numbers, shapes, fractions or multiplication facts to equivalent representations.
4. Deep Sea Duel: Play alone or with a partner to collect numbers that will reach a specified sum. This game not only has 10 levels, but it gets harder as you become more successful. It also has a negative rational number option.

The Math Learning Center has some great electronic manipulatives too. Also all for free.

1. Number Rack: This app is probably more for younger grades, but I'm leaving it on the iPad. You never know. It is a virtual Rekenrek, which is my favorite math tool in first grade.
2. Geoboard: Think perimeter, area, fractions, angles & more!
3. Number Pieces Basic and Number Pieces: These two apps use base ten pieces. Students can also record and label their thinking and work on the app. Number Pieces is the more advanced version and it has additional features for representing larger numbers, and for multiplication, and division.
4. Number Line: Visualize number sequences and model strategies for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
5. Number Frames: At first I thought this was more for lower grades. But custom frames can be made to help visualize factors, products, fractional parts & more.
6. Pattern Shapes: Explore fractions and geometry in a multitude of ways.

Pattern Shapes

Number Line

Number Pieces

Number Pieces

My quest isn't over yet, I'm still looking for some great apps. I'd love to hear about your favorite apps!

What Do I Do With Just ONE iPad in My Classroom?

Hi everyone! It's  Lisa from over at Second Grade Stories. Do you have access to iPads in your classroom?  Are you a 1:1 school? I would really LOVE to have a class set of iPads - even just to borrow once a week.   I originally wrote this post on my own blog when I only had ONE ipad.  I was determined to find more uses for it that just as a center during Daily 5 or math time.  I am a big believer in using technology as much as possible in the classroom, so if I only had one iPad, then that one was going to be used ALL. THE. TIME. Right now, I have 3 iPads in my room.  There are also a few others that other teachers in my building have that I can borrow... but for the most part, we just use those three. 

 

I have found MANY ways to use iPads in the classroom - even if you just have one... or two...Here's a little peek at how you can integrate a small number (even just one!) of tablets into your daily classroom adventures - and make it meaningful.

Morning Mission

Each day I have a new "helper of the day."  I stopped using a job chart long ago and now just rotate through my class list to have each student be my helper each day.  One of the perks of being the helper is being able to do a "mission" on the ipad before we start morning meeting.  I make these missions quick and easy, and they're usually (but not always!) related to something we're doing in class.  I have a small whiteboard I use to write down the task and I make sure the app or website needed is easily accessible.  When my "helper" comes into the room and finishes getting things ready for the day, she or he checks the "Morning Mission" card to see what to do. 

 

At one point, we had been focusing on nonfiction texts during our reading time. Insects were a big hit with my kiddos, so I asked the helper to choose a partner and listen to/read this National Geographic issue about bugs and be ready to share one interesting fact with the class during morning meeting.  National Geographic Young Explorer has a TON of great issues online.  Be sure to check them out.  I kept this same "Mission" for a week so quite a few students had a chance to read the informational piece. If you have more than one tablet, you can set up these missions to take the place of morning work.  Students can join a group as they are ready and write their own fact (or question!)

It is also the helper's job to to find the temperature using The Weather Channel website.  We record this each day as part of our morning meeting time.  The helper also gives the forecast and the expected high for the day.  It's a little thing, but it gives students another piece of ownership in the classroom.

Reading and Math Centers

This is the time most people use their tablets during the day. There are a TON of great websites and apps available for online books, spelling and math.   I have a centers rotation during my reading block, so the first half hour is a whole group time, and the next hour is small groups.  When students are not working in a small group, they are doing one of the rotations.  The ipad can be part of listening to reading, read to self, words or writing. Here are a few reading sites and apps we like: 

I like to use the Tumblebooks website, which has a great selection of books perfectly formatted for the ipad.  Tumblebooks is actually a paid site, but many public libraries have the link on their webpages for free.  If you google "tumblebooks and library" you can find the links.  The Tumblebooks library is filled with popular children's books, as well as some less familiar stories.  Books can be read on an "automatic" setting, where the pages turn on their own, or on a "manual" setting so students can read and enjoy at their own pace.

 

Here are few other online story sites that we use:

          

http://www.storylineonline.net/                         http://www.wegivebooks.org/

 

Storybook Maker is a paid app, but I found it to be well worth the price. My kids love using it to create their own stories - and recently we've had "continuous" stories happening. One group of two or three starts a story one day, then other groups add to it throughout the week.  They love reading the completed story!

                                                                 

Rocket Speller is a fun way to practice spelling.  You can choose from a variety of levels and spelling skills.  Students are given a picture and must use the letters to spell the word.  There are helpful hints and as the levels increase, the words get harder and have less help.

ABC Magnetic Alphabet Lite is a simple way for students to practice spelling words.  It's just like those fun magnetic letters for the fridge, only there's nothing to clean up when you're done!  I have students work in pairs with a variety of spelling lists (on index cards), depending on student needs.  One student takes a card and reads it to the other to spell with the letters on the ipad.  The other student checks the word and they switch roles.  Easy peasy - but they love it!

Math: Ok, moving on to math.... I run my math block very much like my reading block - half hour of whole class, then an hour of groups, with students working on "Math Daily 5" rotations if they are not in a group.  One rotation is Math Technology, which is using the Smartboard or the ipad.    At the beginning of the year, we work hard on applying our addition strategies, so these apps help students practice their addition facts. I have another post {HERE} about other great math apps - some that are dual and multi-player.

This is a paid app now.... I think I got it for half price a while ago, but it is worth it.  In Top It, students deal cards and add them together to find the sum - the one with highest sum wins the round.  The app gives you clear directions for the first few rounds, then students play on their own.  I believe there is also a Top It for subtraction.  This is part of the Everyday Mathematics series by McGraw Hill, so if you're familiar with that you'll know more of the games from this publisher.

Math BINGO is also a paid app (.99, I think)... this is my students favorite math app right now.  There are different levels of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division.  Students are given an equation to solve and when they find the answer, they click on the correct number on the BINGO board.  Little bugs come up and when they get BINGO they win.  Fun!

End of the Day

Whew!  That one ipad gets A LOT of use... and it's not quite done yet!  I also have students working on the ipad at then end of the day when they are waiting for buses to be called.  This time the apps are more "fun" - logic games, strategy games, visual motor... etc.  Right now we're using "Pick Up Sticks" as a great way to improve eye-hand coordination.  This fun little app allows you to choose what the sticks look like - the vegetables and the Christmas decorations are the first choices for us!

Small Group Projects

Many projects and activities originally geared for 1:1 classrooms can ften be easily adapted to wor with small groups.  Instead of each student having a finished project,, each group has a completed artifact to share. In addition, make those small groups work for you! We were practicing when and when not to use apostrophes (possessives vs plurals). I had all my kiddos rotate through a center where their job was to take a picture of either another person in their group pointing to something they owned (glasses, smile, pencil, etc.) or a group of items (crayons, markers, backpacks, etc.)  After everyone had taken one picture, I showed some of the photos to the whole class - their job was to write a sentence, using either the plural or possessive (and the apostrophe, if needed!). We did about 6 or 7 together, then I left the ipad as an early finisher and reading center activity for my kiddos to do on their own.  They loved it and they really loved using their own photo to show me what they knew!

Take advantage of the enthusiasm our students will have for creating videos! You can use one of those more in-depth apps, or just rely on the camera from the tablet.  My students had a great time showing off their completed biography projects (complete with wax museum!) by making videos of themselves.  Students worked in groups and created a video of each person dressed as their famous person giving a short 2 minute speech.  We then worked as a class to create a Powerpoint slideshow timeline - fully interactive so you could click on the names of each person and the video would come up. We've also done videos explaining how to solve a math problem or sharing what we've learned about a topic.

My kiddos created a set of guidelines to help them take a good video.  We posted them in the room near where we do our "video creating."  They came out of trial and error - I had students create a first video by interviewing each other. Then we looked at the videos and noted positives and negatives about each one.  We used that information to create our guidelines.  You can download them by clicking on the image if you want them for your room.

As you can see, even if you only have one or a limited number of iPads or tablets available to you, there are still many ways to integrate that technology into the classroom. I have taken projects and activities meant as 1:1 and done them in small groups, where everyone rotated through the activity throughout the week.  I have also modified projects so that students worked as a team or small group, rather than individually.  The important thing is to make use of the technology you have - whatever it is!

I'd love to hear about other ways to use iPads/tablets in small groups or whole class.  How do you make it work in your room?

Using AudioBoom in the Classroom to Promote Fluency

Hi all!  It's Amanda and Aylin from Learning to the Core!  Today, we are discussing fluency...

In first grade we are continuously working on becoming fluent readers. There are so many different ways to help promote fluency in a first grade classroom and one of my newest and most favorite ways is using audioBoom!

AudioBoom is a free platform that allows anyone to record and share podcasts.  In my first grade classroom, we simply use it to record ourselves reading a story and then share it with others by creating a QR Code (all done on AudioBoom) so that students can listen to each other's reading.

Asking students to work on fluency and read a book several times so that they are reading it in a "just right" voice is not something most 6 and 7 years old want to do.  HOWEVER, tell them that they will be recording themselves and then classmates will be listening to their recording...you have a class full of excited readers!

Once QR Codes are put on the books, place them in a special spot in your classroom  so students can listen to each other read throughout the school day.

Getting Stared with audioBoom

1. Sign up for a free account at audioboom.com Then download the free app, "AudioBoom" to your iPad.  Sign in and get started!

Once students "upload" their recording.  I go onto my account on the computer by going to audioboom.com and click on your username and scroll down until you see "my posts."  Click on it and you will see all of the uploads.  From this screen, you can also turn it into a QR Code to put on the book.   Fun stuff!  The kids enjoy hearing themselves and their peers read.

Tips and Tidbits:  Other things can pop up on this website (like sports broadcasts) so I make sure to hand it to my students already in the "record mode."  Also, I can't quite see how to turn the reading into a QR Code on the iPad so I always do that part on the computer.  It doesn't bother me to switch back and forth between iPad and computer but if it bothers you it might be worth figuring out how to do it all on one device.


Happy Monday,
Amanda and Aylin
Learning to the Core

A few Apps that will make your job easier

Hello Friends from Who's Whoville.  

I'm Deniece from This Little Piggy Reads.

Teachers are always sharing APPS that will help student achievement and increase engagement. Don't get me wrong, I love those, I even collect them.  But, today I want to share a few APPS that might make your job as a teacher a little easier. Disclaimer: I am NOT representing any of the following companies, nor am I being reimbursed financially in any way. 

So, the first APP I am excited to share is Running Record Calculator.  If you do Running Records, you know that they can be time consuming, but a necessary evil.  Running Record Calculator has a FREE & paid version.  The paid version costs about $4.  The major difference I notice is that you can email the results of the paid APP. You could train parents and volunteers to use this APP.  This will definitely cut down on your time with tedious math.  I think it's worth the $4 investment.

Stick Pick is a really cool APP that replaces the buckets full of craft sticks (that somehow end up on the floor daily).  It also has an amazing feature...it gives you Question Stems (ESL, Bloom's, etc...).  It also lets you track data...YES, you heard me!  TRACK DATA.  I think $4 is a bargain for this APP.  

This last APP is called Air Projector.  If you don't have an ELMO (like me), this will be your new BFF, I promise.  It allows you to project what is on your iPhone or iPad to your computer screen, thus onto your projector.  Yes, I know....it's wonderful, but wait...it's FREE!!  

This Little Piggy wants to know, have you found any APP's that help with your job?

My Favorite Apps for the Classroom!

Hello there! It's Molly from Lucky to Be in First! As you may know, I'm a HUGE tech nerd. I love gadgets and gizmos of all types for my classroom! I am super fortunate to work in a district where technology is embraced and encouraged.

In each of our classrooms, we have a set of six iPads.  I use our iPads during Daily 5, as well as during our Math time. There are so many great apps out there that it can be overwhelming

Today, I'm sharing my list of favorite apps in the classroom!

First up is my very own app, Smart Cookie Math! In my classroom, we use the Smart Cookie Math paper and pencil program to work on our math fact fluency.  Parents were always asking, "How can I help my child at home?" In this digital age, an app was my solution!

 The app mirrors the program exactly! So, when a child may need some extra practice on Level 6, they can use Level 6 on the app to squeeze in a little practice!

You can read more about my Apps {here}

A great reading app is Rhyme to Read.
You can read my post about it {here}. Make sure to check out their website to learn more! It's a phenomenal app at a great price!

When I was at the EdExpo in Atlanta last month, I was fortunate to meet the amazing creator of the Touchtronic apps, Duncan! He was so humble about this incredible system!

Basically, you tap the letters and numbers directly onto the iPad to play games and create numbers and words.  It's amazing!

You can read more about it on my blog {here} or head over the Junior Learning website for the letters {here} and the numbers {here} This app will seriously BLOW your mind!

During Daily 5 time, my students "read the newspaper" each day through the News-O-Matic app. Every evening, a new digest is delivered to our iPads. It's filled with five headline news stories...but in a very kid-friendly format.  I LOVE hearing the students discuss the news!

There are multiple editions to choose from for various grade levels.  Check out their website {here} or the app {here}

During Math time {after students have finished their "work" for the day} they are allowed to use the iPads for Math games.

One great app is called Kodable. It's a programming curriculum to use with early elementary students. What I love is that students can begin their program in the computer lab {or at home} and continue their progress on the iPad.  Check out their website {here}

I'm sure most of you have heard of RAZ Kids but just in case, it's worth mentioning how fabulous it is! To use this app, you must already subscribe to RAZ Kids.

The RAZ Kids App is filled with TONS of leveled books. You can assign students to a specific bookshelf.  From there, they can have a story read to them, read it on their own, take quizzes, and even record their reading! This is well worth the price tag!

Do you remember those fun magnetic letters we all had on our fridges growing up? Well, here's the 2015 version of Magnetic Letters! I give my kids a list of sight words and let them go crazy!

I've mentioned that we use Everyday Math for our curriculum. The best part of this curriculum are their games they have embedded into the program!

A few years ago, they added digital versions of those games! My favorite is Top-It, but they have a huge list! Even if you don't use this program, the apps are great reinforcement for basic math concepts!

And lastly, who can forget the Osmo?! We love ALL of the apps for Osmo! I'm so excited to get the kids started on their latest, Masterpiece! Yippee!

Do you have apps that you can't live without? Leave me a comment - I'm always looking for new apps to check out!