Fraction Frenzy!!!

Fraction Factory (Free) App that allows students to place fractions on a number line, using the decimal equivalent as a helper. Simple app that would be good practice for students learning how fractions relate to decimals and the number line.


Fraction Basics (Free) Great app that breaks down fractions into basic understanding to dividing fractions. Each section is broken down into smaller video segments that explains and provides examples for those learning the concepts. This could be a good homework helper!


Tic Tac Math Fractions ($4.99) Bit expensive, but if you buy it through the Volume Purchasing Store it is half price. Students can partner up and play against each other. Varying levels from beginner to expert. Worth the money...good practice once students have understand addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of fractions.


Pizza Fractions: Beginning with Simple Fractions (Free) Use this app when you have already taught students the basic fractions (whole, half, thirds, fourths, fifths, and sixths) Students can use this app to build fluency recognizing fractions of a circle (or pizza). Each round gives the student 10 questions and keeps their time for the round. 


Pizza Fractions: Comparing Simple Fractions ($.99) I haven't played this app, but it looks similar to the app mentioned above, just comparing two fractions, using the pizzas to give students the visual of each fraction.


Just Fractions ($1.99) Haven't used this app, looks like students can add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions. They also have options to Find LCD, Decimals,  and Definitions.


Basic Fraction (Free) Found this one randomly and I like how students use their finger to solve the problems on the whiteboard before punching in their answers. Students can solve for "x" which makes it a fun app for older students.


Math Tappers: Estimate Fractions (Free) Using a number line users move fractions to their estimated position. Really simple and would be great was to practice fraction fluency. If you place the fraction in the wrong position, immediate feedback through a picture of the fraction as a whole.



Fractions ($.99) Haven't used this app, but looks like it is for younger learners with a wide scope of concepts.


**All pictures are from the iTunes preview site for each app

World Education Games

If you haven't heard of World Education Games yet, you need to check it out! http://www.worldeducationgames.com/

This year will be our fourth year participating in the World Math Day and the second year with World Spelling Day. Here's why you might want to look into celebrating this day:

1. Students play against other students from ALL OVER THE WORLD!
2. Students work on their computational fluency while competing against other students.
3. Good to celebrate once in awhile for all the hard work our students do. 
4. Students love to watch the Mathometer get bigger and bigger. 
5. Awards are given to students when competition is completed (certificates).
6. We decorate our computer lab with different themes and have a celebration. This year we are having an Irish theme....spreading "LUCK" to our students.
7. Our school sets a goal of how many problems our students can answer during competition, they have fun seeing how close we are!

Here are links to the apps for World Education Games:

World Math Day

World Spelling Day

Good Luck! We are looking for any schools that would like to challenge our school during the World Math and Spelling Day. It would be fun to Skype and talk back and forth, the students would LOVE that!

Wednesday Word Cloud

I'm sharing a word cloud that I created with Tagxedo. All I had to do was paste the URL to this blog into Tagxedo and adjust your settings and a word cloud appears. Unfortunately, a few of the more popular word cloud creating softwares do not work well with the iPad.


It would be fun for students to create a word cloud on a regular computer and then send a picture to the iPad. Students can create a document in Pages, put the picture in the document, pair up with a partner and discuss the word cloud, writing all the ideas in the Pages document. This would be a good activity for middle school students. Here are a few ideas for word clouds...

1. Fun way to introduce yourself
2. Use a biography of a famous person...analyze findings
3. Analyze survey data from parents of your students
4. Create a cloud from a passage in your reading and see if students can guess the main idea and learn about the vocabulary.
5. Use the lyrics of a song
6. Speeches...the presidential speeches of Abraham Lincoln, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, compare and contrast

Two Fun Apps

Here are a couple apps that are fun to use and your students will enjoy!!


Skitch (Free)

• Use to make a diagram
• Explain a picture
• Students can make directions on maps
• The tools on this app are one of the best I have seen!

Stuck on Earth (Free)

• Use to teach Geography
• Comparing and Contrasting
• Use a picture as a story starter
• Students can learn about historical places
• I used this app to look at the pictures from my hometown...it was interesting!

Prezi Viewer

If you haven't discovered Prezi, it's about time you check it out! To start out you can download the Prezi app (Free) for your ipad. Here are a couple ideas about how to use Prezi in your classroom....

1. Use a Prezi to introduce a concept to your class.
2. Alternate to powerpoint (slides can be placed in Prezi).
3. Students can create Prezis instead of book reports and share with their classmates. 

The Periodic Table on Prezi

A Day of Ratios, Rates on Prezi

Thoughts on using Prezi as a teaching tool on Prezi

Random App Saturday

Thought I would share a couple apps that might be worth looking into...

Rover (Free) This app allows the iPad to play Flash. Gives links to online resources that use Flash, such as Funbrain, Discovery, NBC Learn, and Starfall. Instead of going to these websites through Safari, you will run it through Rover. (Thanks Brenda for sharing this great app!)

Stick Pick ($2.99) I haven't used this app, however it looks like it would be motivational for the students and gives the teachers some question stems that cover Bloom's Taxonomy levels.


Blooms Taxonomy of App This is a good reference, worth checking out!

Google Forms on the iPad

Google Forms (part of Google Docs) are well worth bringing into your classroom. The form looks and works well on the iPad, along with the process of creating the form. 

Directions for Creating and Editing a Google Form

Ideas for Administrators/Teachers to use Google Forms

• Observation or Walkthrough Form (principals observe teachers & teachers observing students)
• Tools to communicate to IT about Apps they would like to purchase
• Gather information from your student's parents
• Way to access professional development trainings or workshops
• Embed a form with a weekly math question on your classroom or schools webpage
• Way to report tech problems to the IT department
• Way to schedule time with content specialists (math or reading coaches)
• Tracking Behavior Problems
• Library Book Checkout

Using Google Forms with Students

• Survey your students to find out interests and motivators
• Exit slip out of your class
• Fun way to give a quiz or test
• Using the results from a survey to graph the results
• Way for students to keep track of books or reading record
• Use to gather words to make a Wordle
• Student book reviews

Samples:
Principal Observation Form
Student Self-Grading Quiz
Reflection Journal
Guestbook
Class and Teacher Inventory
Blog Grades
Positive Behavior Support Chart

Picking Apps Wisely!

It's been a busy last few days, but I didn't forget about this blog! Teachers hunting for that perfect app can find the 500,000 apps in iTunes a bit overwhelming. Here are a few rubrics to help....

Palm Beach County School Rubric

Kathy Schrock/John Hopkins Rubric

Music to My Ears

This post is dedicated to Music....fa la la   

Here are some of my app picks and activities for the classroom.

Want to learn how to play the guitar? Here are some great apps to incorporate into your music class.


Wild Chords (FREE) My son loves this app and I have to admit I do too! It makes boring practice of the same note and hand positions fun, especially when you are trying to get to the next level. The video below tells about the story line of the game, fun way to promote an app.

Learn Guitar ($1.99) Used this app and found the videos informative and the teachers look like punk rockers! I would recommend this app to an older student or adult.

eMedia My Guitar ($9.99) I have not played this app, but it looks like it has potential.


Other music apps worth checking out!

• iOrgel HD (FREE) students would love to listen and watch the cylinder and pins on this music box. I could see a music teacher having the students play with the app and see how the relationship between the pins and the combs produce the different notes.
• Meet the Orchestra ($1.99) Fun way for students to learn about all the types of instruments and their sounds that make up an orchestra. This would be a good app for students interested in playing an instrument to get to know some of the choices and how they sounds. 
• Garageband ($4.99) Good app to create musical pieces with different instruments and beats, etc. Students can create songs and use them in power points, podcast, or picture slide show.
• Music Drawing (FREE) Students can choose notes (eighth and sixteenth notes cost extra) and put them on the staff. This is a fun way for students to start writing music. The app is a little limited with the note selection, but would be fine for younger students exploring.