How can you create an easy shortcut to your favorite websites on your ipad? Watch the following video....
This is the coolest tip since sliced bread :) I can see this being useful for teachers that would like to create a folder on the ipad with shortcuts to sites that they would be using for any subject. Let's try it now...
This is a wonderful website for teachers that would like some resources and information about reading. I even put one of their widgets on my blog site...it was super easy!
Here are a few Spelling Apps that the Reading Rockets group has shared: Click Here
I was told that I needed to also share the Electric Company Wordball app (Free) from the Reading Rocket list. This is a newly released app and here are some of the features:
The use of videos with music relating to the phonics, example "silent e" "soft c".
Students get to see how fast they can be to when grabbing word balls during music videos.
Player uses the word balls to create words with that sound.
Videos are locked until they pass the previous lessons.
I can see teachers use this app for an introductory into the letter sounds.
Since we are on the topic of Reading, wanted to pass this fun video along of a great book!!! I could see students having the actual book in hand and turning the pages along with the video, this is the actual author and James Dean. Enjoy!
Here is a few screen shots that will show you how to use the "News Snapshots" piece of the USA Today app. When you launch the app your screen will look like this. You will need to scroll the left side of the screen and there you will find the "News Snapshots".
There is a new snapshot for each day and they are broken down into News, Money, Sports, and Life. Each day the topic has a unique graph and some related information on the left side of the screen, on the right is the question for the day. Make your choice and the results will appear. Notice that you can analyze the data between overall, your state, and your city results.
Last year I took a class where we discussed concept maps. We thought about how teachers could tell if a student understood the concept that they were mapping...what would it look like...here are a couple examples:
Notice that example 1 has links that are linking one thought (node or circle) and nothing seems related, don't get me wrong, this is a great start and could be the work of a younger student. Now look at example 2, there are more nodes (circles) and a couple of the linking phrases that link multiple nodes. This student understands that global warming has some ideas that are interrelated.
The more links seems to show that the student understands the concept, check out the example about culture...you will notice it is hard to follow...this shows a strong understanding of the concept and the interrelated nodes.
I also thought it would be helpful to show some examples of maps from different grade levels...Hope this was helpful....
Topics for K-2
Fairy Tales or Picture Book Stories
Animals, Insects, Plants
Shapes
http://www.mindmapart.com/blog/page/2/
This is a drawing, but I wanted to show this concept map because there are some words, but many pictures. I'm wondering if students in K-1 would produce concept maps that had pictures and smaller words? Most of the apps recommended allow pictures to be imported onto the maps.
Our school had designated a wiki page with a table that is broken into categories, like the one below. Since we use a wiki, users have access and the ability to add other apps to the page.
We also use these categories to create folders that make it easier for students to find particular apps. The video below shows how to create folders on your ipad.
Let's talk about student motivation for a bit. Sometimes we need to encourage our students with things that spark their interest or are motivational. I put together a list of apps that students might find motivating as a reward (ex. earning minutes on ipad for behavior, completing homework, being a good classroom citizen, etc.), here's what I came up with:
Last week my youngest son had a big social studies test and he wanted me to help him study. At first I would read the definitions and he would tell me the vocabulary term, this didn't work so well. I felt he needed more time to study by himself before I could quiz him.....which brings me to the topic of this blog....studying!
Spelling City is another site that runs on the ipad by using the Safari app and you guessed it, a good way to learn your spelling words!
Other notable apps to help students study:
Evernote Peek--this app looks motivational for students, might take some time to prep, but think it would be good! Will only work on the ipad2 with the magnetic smart cover. Flashcards app Study Aid app
I'm interested to hear if there are any other study helpers that will run on the ipad....
The Find my iPhone is a valuable app to put on your ipad or ipods you use with your students in the classroom. I have to admit to leaving my ipad at school or home and not remembering where it was, this is when the Find my iPhone app is handy. Don't let the name fool you, it will work with all your apple device---iphone, ipad, or ipod.
Things happen and devices may go home with students, this app is a good way to track the whereabouts of those devices. Once you have loaded this on one of your devices and login with your iTunes login and password all the devices registered under your account can be tracked. This way if one walks away it is easy to use the app on another of your devices to check its location. When the app does find your device you have the option to:
lock the device
wipe the device clean
play a sound (if the device is lost in your house...like the remote)
send a message (such as device is missing please call.....)
If you haven't yet played Cash Cow, you will need to download the free version and check it out! The educational concepts in this game involve helping students learn what combination of coins equal a quarter and what combination of coins equals a dollar. If your students need help with those concepts and need a little motivation, this app is the one to use.
The following is a list of other apps that can help enforce the concepts of coins, making change, or coin recognition....
Coin Math ($1.99) This one is my favorite out of this list because of the varying levels for most tasks.
We have been experiencing record-breaking temperatures in Bismarck, North Dakota for the last couple days. Tomorrow it is suppose to be almost 60 degrees....that's pretty warm for this time of year. To celebrate the wonderful weather we have been having, this post will be dedicated to weather apps and how to use them with your students.
Wind speed and direction, wind chill (how it is calculated) or the Jet Stream
Clouds and the different characteristics (some of the apps have live feeds of city scapes, students can see the actual clouds and organize the cities with cumulus, cirrus, or alto clouds) They can also find places that are experiencing dense fog (other counties too!).
Great way to get students interested in the career of weather forecasting!
Compare the different temperatures and climates around the world---desert, ocean, tundra, etc.
Rain--students can use the apps to help them pick a day that is likely to rain. Have students make rain gauges and place them around the school. Then have students record their amounts and compare to the weather app.
Math Ideas:
Discuss the different types of graphs and analyze the data from the graphs. (Seasonality Go-has great graphs).
Comparing 10 different cities and their current temperatures--find the mean, median, and mode. Compare regions of the U.S. or world.
Probability---least likely, most likely, chance of precipitation (percentages)
#1 Make a sort for your students (example..odd/even). Students can take a picture with the Ipad and send it to their teacher as the assessment piece of the activity.
#2 Have students create concept maps (example...pairs). Again, have students take a picture of their finished map. Good way to build vocabulary!
#3 Make three popplet bubbles (beginning, middle, end), I would project this on the Activboard (SMART board) to the class. After reading a story, have students fill in the popplet bubbles with a short summary of the part of the story.
