As more and more devices roll out here at SMASD, we need to be more and more careful on how we use and transport our iPads, Chromebooks & Laptops. The SMAMS Geek Squad Tech Assistants have come up with the following device care video. Please take two minutes to view and share it with your students.
If you would like to print any of our slides to use as posters in your classroom, you can see the slideshow HERE. Special thanks go out to: *ACS: Advanced Computer Solutions for their tips and advice. *Mr. Micale's 3rd Grade Class for their expertise and best practices. *Mrs. Defilippi's SCORE period for their willingness to demonstrate. *SMAMS Geek Squad Tech Assistants for putting this slideshow together.
I am always searching for ways that math teachers can effectively incorporate tech into their classrooms. This year at Pete & C I, along with Mrs. Bauer & Mrs. Michuck were able to attend a session on Math in the Elementary Classroom. The session spoke a lot to the M.A.T.H. station rotation model with some really great variations on how to implement it in your classroom, while leveraging technology tools in some of the stations. The Math Learning Center's Website & Mobile Apps offered a space for digital manipulatives for: - fractions - money - number rack - number frames - pattern shapes & more! Click HERE to open an interactive PDF. Then, click on the squares to be taken to each different web-app.
I am picturing students app-smashing these tools with SeeSaw for annotating screenshots of their work as well as creating screencast videos where the student's explain their thinking.
Also these may serve as great impromptu teaching tools on your interactive whiteboard.
Are you an elementary math teacher? Have you used the Math Learning Center's Web-based Apps?
How do you think these could be incorporated into your classroom? Pros? Cons?
Let us know in the comments below!
......... Interested in the M.A.T.H. Station model with Tech Integration? Schedule a visit!
It was about this same time last year that our blog featured details about the latest version of iOS. You may have noticed some new changes that have come along again with the recent update to iOS 12. With a large number of iPads at the elementary level and a variety of devices in the other schools here are my top 5 notable changes with iOS 12 that may impact teachers and students in the classroom. 1.Access to the Control Center: I know I had a little bit of a panic moment right after the new update when I could not access the control panel by swiping up. A quick Google search that day let me know that with the new update you now need to swipe down from the top right side of the screen to access the control panel. This gives you quick access to mute sounds, adjust brightness, set timers, mirror the screen, access the camera, and more!
2. Swipe Up: So if swiping up on the screen does not bring up the Control Center, what does it do? A short swipe up will still bring up the App Dock, just as it did before; however, if you keep swiping up, you'll be returned to your Home screen (like pressing the Home button). I've read some speculation that this may be in preparation for future devices that don't have a Home button!
3. Updated QR Code Reader: The QR code reader was already part of the camera app brought to us with iOS 11. With this update though, instead of pointing the camera at the code, the code will be highlighted so you know it's been recognized. Additionally, you can add the QR code reader to the Control Center for easy access!
To add additional features to your Control Center, Go to Settings and click on Control Center, which can be found right under General. From there you can add a variety of different controls, including the QR code reader.
4. Redesign of Voice Memos: There are lots of apps out there that allow students to record their voices, however, with the new update, students can record and edit right within the Voice Memos app. Students could use this to respond to a prompt, record themselves reading orally, record a musical composition or record an interview with a fellow student. Students can AirDrop the recording to the teacher, upload it to Drive, copy it into iMovie, and more!
5. Measure App: This cool feature is not supported by most of the iPads we have in the elementary schools, but many of you may have noticed it on your iPhones with the recent update. This tool gives you the ability to use your phone to measure and/or level and it is actually using Augmented Reality (AR) to make this happen! The app will prompt you to add a point if you are measuring a straight line and then you can stretch the line to measure your object. You can also measure rectangular objects and the app will calculate the area! This could be a great feature to show students when you're working on these concepts in math.
Have you tried any of these new features? Are there features with the new iOS that you love or hate? Drop us a comment below. Need help with a new feature? Please contact a tech coach and we'd be happy to help!
With the wealth of iPads available for use at the elementary level, I thought it would be a great time to highlight some of the apps that are currently installed. If you have a personal iPad, you may find these apps useful as well. There are quite a few installed apps for skill-based practice, but the apps I am going to focus on will, in many cases, help move students from consumers of information to producers or will help them apply what they've learned! I tried to break the apps down by category, although some may actually fit into more than one. It would be great if we could have the apps sorted into folders on the iPads, but with the way the updates push out, that isn't currently possible :( Robotics-Sphero EDU & Sphero Mini (for use with the Sphero Mini robots), LEGO Boost (for use with the LEGO Boost kit), WeDo 2.0 (for use with the LEGO WeDo 2.0 kits), Wonder, Xylo, Path, Go, Blockly (all for use with the Dash and Dot robots), Droid Inventor (Little Bits R2-D2 Droid Inventor kit) *Note: the robots for use with these apps may not be available in all buildings, but if you'd like to borrow something, let me know! Coding-Hopscotch, The Foos, Scratch Jr Osmo-Pizza Co., Osmo Monster, Coding Duo, Osmo coding, Numbers, Masterpiece, Newton, Words, Tangram (see previous post about Osmo here!) Google apps-Drive, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Classroom, Hangouts, Google Earth Formative assessment-Plickers, Flipgrid, Kahoot, Nearpod, Explain Everything Digital portfolios-Seesaw, Class Dojo Notetaking/Organizing ideas-Popplet Lite, Dragon Dictation,Notepad + Create Videos-iMovie, Spark Video, TeleStory A few others: ActivCast (mirror devices with the new ActivPanels), QR Reader (scan QR codes-great for puzzles, scavenger hunts and more!), EdPuzzle (assign video lessons-great for flipped learning) Mark Anderson (@ictevangelist-click here to see a larger version) recently posted a great periodic table of useful iPad apps, especially for elementary use, sorted by category. You may recognize some of them from the above list. If you check out a new app and think it would be beneficial, let us know by dropping a comment below!
At the elementary level, iPads are plentiful and one innovative way to utilize these devices in your classroom is with OSMO.
If you have not had a chance to try OSMO in your classroom, I highly recommend it! This tech tool uses digital apps and hands-on pieces that students can manipulate. The iPad rests in the OSMO base and the red reflector that attaches to the iPad reflects the movement of the pieces into the camera so the app can respond accordingly. Here is a quick overview of the apps already installed on the iPads and OSMO kits we have available in the elementary buildings:
Newton-Physics, creativity, and problem-solving-students work to manipulate falling on-screen balls onto various targets. The more students succeed, the harder it gets!
Masterpiece-Art-students can use their device to help them draw pictures of their choice. The app helps keep proportions and perspective correct, so any student can be an artist!
Words-Spelling and Vocabulary, which can be connected to any subject area-Students guess and spell the word corresponding to the on-screen image. Great for color words, sight words, geography, and more!
Tangram-problem-solving and spatial reasoning skills-Classic tangram puzzles where the students arrange the 7 tangram pieces to match the on-screen shapes. Puzzles range from easy to hard and are perfect for students of all ages.
Monster-art and creativity-This app brings students creations to life. They will see what they've drawn on the screen and it will become an animated part of the monster's activities! The students can't get enough of this one!
Numbers-Math-This app is a great way for younger students to practice subitizing and for older students to practice their facts and composing and decomposing numbers. Students use either the dot or digit tiles to build numbers. Students gain confidence and flexibility in working with numbers.
Pizza Co.-Math-Students run their own pizza shop and get lots of practice working with money, addition, subtraction, and fraction skills. Students do not need reading skills in this game and it can be adjusted to meet their ability levels.
Coding with Awbie-Coding, logic, and problem-solving-Students are introduced to coding using physical blocks. Again, students do not need reading skills so this is great for K-5.
Note: Newton and Masterpiece only require the iPad app and the base. All other games also need the kits, which we have in each of the elementary buildings.
Teachers can set-up a free OSMO account and keep track of what activities students complete. Through this account, teachers can also download custom word lists for the Words app, access lesson plans for OSMO activities, and see how other teachers are implementing OSMO in the teacher forum.
OSMO is definitely an engaging tech tool that students love and is perfect for small groups, centers, and independent work. If you need some help getting started, please let one of us know or if this is a tool you're already rocking the the classroom, be on the lookout for the OSMO badge-coming soon!
This week's post comes from guest blogger, Jenn Ingram. Jenn is the 3rd grade teacher at BV Elementary and presented on her topic at our most recent in-service. She is currently using Class Tag in her classroom and has some great thoughts to share with you on this new communication tool for teachers.
Tag, you're it!
With so many parents and students connected to their devices, it only makes sense for teacher communication to be transitioning into an online environment as well. ClassTag is an online platform designed for teachers to engage parents in their classroom community. Gone are the days of paper newsletters! ClassTag provides teachers with a social media outlet to share announcements and photos in a secured, online environment. With ClassTag, teachers are presented with a two-way, mobile friendly, transparent communication tool to send messages, seek volunteers, plan events, and track goals.
Navigating ClassTag is as easy as navigating Facebook. To begin, visit classtag.com to set up your free classroom environment and enter your classroom roster. Each parent will be provided with their own unique code to enter your classroom community. If a child comes from a multiple-parent family, all caregivers can be easily added so that everyone is receiving identical communication. Parents then have the option of choosing to receive their ClassTag updates via email, text, or the ClassTag app. ClassTag also provides options on their website to print information for families without digital capabilities, and to translate your communication for ESL families. As you set up your classroom, ClassTag will provide you with automatic tutorials to walk you through the process on your class page.
Once connected, teachers post to a generic ClassTag 'wall,' just as they would in a Facebook environment. Events can be added to a classroom calendar, and automatic reminders will be sent as the activities approach. Photos can be uploaded directly from your phone, eliminating the hassle of uploading from a camera. Volunteer and to-do requests can be viewed and coordinated. Automated newsletters will be sent, summarizing the events of the week. One-on-one and group messaging options are available for easy contact between parents and teachers. Teachers with the app receive push notifications that immediately notify them that a parent has reached out with a question or concern without the need of checking their email. Parent teacher communication has never been quicker or easier!
For more information on how to get started, check out the link below! Happy tagging!
Get the most out of the Apple devices in your classroom! Our district now has numerous iPads and iPods available for classroom use, especially at the elementary level. Now, our job as teachers is to put the devices in the hands of the students and help maximize their learning! iPad usage will be maximized when we can have students using their devices for production more often than consumption.
Apple recently rolled out an update to their operating system with iOS 11 and with it came some great new features that can be used in the classroom. Here are 4 new features that you and your students may find useful, as well as some other changes you may notice. 1. Scan QR Codes with the Camera App:
There are many QR code reader apps available for download, but now there’s no need to worry about finding one or whether it will work when you need it to. With the new iOS 11 update, the camera app will act as a QR code reader. All students need to do is open the camera app and point the camera at the QR code. The camera app will scan the code and provide a notification to access the content.
2. Record Your iPad Screen
This is a quick and easy way to have students document their learning on an iPad. We have a wide range of apps available that students can use to explain, analyze, describe, and/or draw what they are learning. Now they can also use the record feature to record their screen and voice too. Recorded videos will be saved right to the Photo app and can then be shared! This is also a great feature for those teachers who are incorporating flipped learning into the classroom. If you need help adding the record feature to the control panel, check out the video below!
3. Annotate screenshots
If a student is working in an app and has completed something to share with the teacher, he/she can take a screenshot and annotate over the image. A screenshot can be taken by pressing the home button and the power button simultaneously. Then when students click on the screenshot, which appears in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, a menu pops up with writing/drawing tools. Students can mark-up the image and then share with the teacher, including through Google Drive.
4. Scan Documents and Annotate
With iOS 11, you and your students can now scan documents with the built in Notes app and can then use the markup feature to annotate over what’s been scanned. Worksheets, graphic organizers, and other documents can be scanned by students using the iPad and then they can annotate over the document to complete their work. The scanned documents can be shared with other apps and with the teacher, which would be a great fit for those using Google Classroom in conjunction with the iPads!
Additional changes you may notice with iOS 11 include a floating dock for frequently used apps, augmented reality capabilities (with recently released apps), ability to use a split screen, and drag & drop for pictures, text, and links.
Check out this 4 minute video to see some of these new features in action:
If you need any help accessing these new features, please ask! Have you noticed anything new with iOS 11 that you really like or something you don't? Leave a comment and let us know!
Portfolios are a great way to showcase student growth, but tons of papers are often hard to keep track of. Seesaw is an online portfolio tool that teachers and students can use to document learning. It is available as an app or online, so it's possible to use on most types of devices and it's easy enough that early primary students can use it! This online tool connects digital and physical learning and is a perfect way to promote accountability with your students. For example, students could explain a math concept, create science reflections, work on writer's workshop, or read aloud and record the week's sight words. This is a tool that can be used across grade levels and content areas. Here's how it works:
Teachers create an account (which takes under 60 seconds) and then set up their class. Each student will get their own online journal within Seesaw.
Students and teachers can add various items to document student learning, although the goal is for students to do most of the work! This could include photos, videos, and drawings and students can add voice, text, and drawing captions.
Teachers can view the items students post and can approve items to be shared with parents via the app, text message, or email. This is a great way to promote the home-school connection!
Over the course of the school year, students will have an organized, digital portfolio of their work, which is a fabulous way to document student growth!
Check out this video clip from Seesaw for a quick overview of this tech tool:
Why try Seesaw?
It empowers students to take charge of their own learning.
It allows students to work on their writing, reflection, and critical thinking skills.
It documents student learning-without all the paperwork.
It is a great tool for fostering the home-school connection.
It helps students develop the 21st century skills critical for their futures.
It's an easy to use tool within a student friendly, safe, moderated environment.
If you're interested in checking out Seesaw, you can find the app in the Google Play and Apple App Store-search for Seesaw-The Learning Journal or check out the website https://web.seesaw.me/ . If this is a tool you've used, please leave a comment below! We'd love to showcase your students' work on the blog!
You know what a "green screen" effect is, right? It's used in the
movies to make it look like the actors have landed on an alien planet,
and it's used on TV to make it look like your local news announcer is
standing in front of an animated weather map. Green Screen by Do Ink
makes it easy to create green screen videos using your iPad. It
emphasizes ease-of-use and simplicity while still enabling you to
achieve excellent results.
Using Green Screen by Do Ink
The basic green screen effect works by combining images from two
sources into a single image, using the chroma key filter to create
transparent regions in the foreground image and then compositing the
result with the background image. Green Screen by Do Ink
extends that basic effect in a couple of ways – first, by letting you
combine up to three image sources at a time, and second, by letting you
create lists of image sources (videos and photos from your camera roll)
and then showing them sequentially.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
This week I am going to talk about iMovie, which is an app available on Mac operating systems. With that said, this post is mainly for teachers who have access to ipads in the classrooms. This app allows users to create movies and movie trailers for various types of projects by using video clips, photos, and music.
Students really enjoy using this app because it is fun and exciting to create movies (almost like a game to them) but at the same time they are demonstrating content material they have learned.
Play video to see an example of an iMovie trailer created by elementary students:
Below are some example of how you can use iMovie in the classroom: 1- Create engaging presentations This is probably the primary function of iMovie. Apple designed iMovie in such a way that it becomes next to impossible for any other software developer to beat it. The presentations created by iMovie are highly distinguished and are ideal for classroom teaching. Show your students how to create presentations using pictures, text, and sound and let them experiment with its different features
2- Create How to Videos iMovie can be used for creating tutorials and guides for students.. Teachers can create a how-to iMovie around a concept taught in the classroom and students can then burn it into a disc or load it into an iPod and take it home and practice it with the appropriate instruction. It can also be uploaded into the classroom blog for everyone to access any time they want. This is also a great way to help those students who were unable to attend the class when the concept was taught.
2- Create Video reports Students can use iMovie to create high-quality video reports to demonstrate their comprehension of abstract concepts.
3- Provide out-of school experiences Both teachers and students can use iMovie to document and record events outside of the school and that has relevance to the units being taught in the classroom e.g., field trips . These iMovies can be brought to the classroom and shared with the whole class.
4- Use iMovie for classroom projects Using iMovie in classroom projects is a great way to promote a culture of collaboration and co-operation among students. They can work in groups to create iMovies that includes text, photos,and sound to represent their projects. While watching works of others, students can have the chance of giving feedback to their peers.
5- Digital story telling Students can use iMovie to tell stories using digital media including pictures, images, and music. This can improve their verbal fluency and their communicative skills.
6- Create book trailers/reports Students can use iMovie to create engaging book trailers and this is how they can do it:
Read a book
Create a summary of the book
Plot summary on story board
Select images to match student writing
Use iMovie to create book trailer
Enhance it with music and transitions
Below is a trailer created as a wrap-up and reflection project for an in-class skit based on a short story that we read.
