"Key" Learning for the Future

Over the past month, my students have been using the Apple version of Powerpoint, Keynotes to create presentations.  We are currently completing biography presentations and the results have been outstanding!  Keynotes is one of the productivity apps that I would definitely recommend for any 1:1 classroom setting from Grade 3 and above.  This app allows students to create professional looking presentations, with some of the most AMAZING transitions you may have ever experienced!
Students are thoroughly engaged throughout the entire research process.  Having the opportunity to create projects on the iPad has provided my students a strong incentive to complete their assigned background research, planning, and writing drafts. Completing research and presentations using Keynotes, provides students with a real-life experience that will help them acquire "key" skills for the future.

As we implement Common Core, we must continue to shift our thinking in terms of instruction and assessment.  Instead of worrying about filling our students' minds with lots of content, we need to be conscious of helping students acquire skills that will benefit them as they progress through school and into adulthood.

This weekend I ran across an excellent video on YouTube focusing on the need for teachers to shift teaching practices in an attempt to help students acquire "key" skills for the future.  Please follow the link below and enjoy . . .

Teaching in the 21st Century

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=OTIBDR4Dn2g

"Show Me" the Evidence!

After several weeks away from the blogger, I am back at it and wanted to share  a fun and FREE app, Show Me.  I've been using it in my morning Math group with some great results!  Show Me is an interactive whiteboard app.  The features of Show Me are that you can record and teach anything you desire, or learn from already recorded Show Me's.  It is simple to use and requires virtually no training and little practice!  When teachers post Show Me lessons, students can visit ShowMe.com and access the lesson.  Teachers can also access student Show Me activities from a class list.  I have been using it in Math to have students show me that they can perform various algorithms and demonstrate knowledge of Math concepts.  The students love it!
Another powerful aspect of using the interactive white board is the way it supports the implementation of the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS).  The CCSS require students to go beyond just giving an answer, but to explain their thinking and show evidence.  Our grade level has been big this school year on trying to get the students to give evidence with their answers.  So many times students struggle with these explanations, and may even give up.  Show Me is the perfect way to engage students by the use of the interactive whiteboard.  It makes them WANT TO TELL why or how!  Over the past two weeks my Math students have created Show Me lessons on long division, angles, multi-digit multiplication, and fractional parts of a whole.  After the students finish one, they are begging to share it with me or their classmates!  Show Me time definitely makes this teacher smile!
Most teachers could easily utilize Show Me in their classrooms.  Teachers don't have to have a classroom full of iPads.  Students could access and create Show Me activities in small groups or in station work.
Teachers can sign up for a free account at ShowMe.com or download the ShowMe app at Apple App Store and sign up.  Once you have an account, you can add a class list and assign students their own log-in information.  Students may then access the teacher's account from any device that has internet access.  The students can watch teacher lessons or those they have created themselves!
There are SO many apps out there and it is important to choose apps that will help us get the most from our instructional minutes. Show Me is a keeper - for sure!  Check it out at the Apple App Store or at ShowMe.com.

New Post, New Year, New Independence

After a break from school and from blogging, I'm ready to embrace the fresh start a new year brings and get my students moving toward being more independent, critical thinkers.  This time of the year is actually my favorite in terms of academics in the classroom.  With the holidays over, classroom teachers have a 10-12 week block in which to really move students - before the excitement of spring activities, breaks, and testing begins.  This is the point in the year where students can really start applying the skills that we have been trying to instill in them over the first semester.  Expectations and routines have long been established and practiced, and students now have the opportunity to "show what they can do" as independent learners and thinkers.

The third nine weeks is when I typically have that epiphany moment "They are doing it on their own - Wow!"
But this year, that idea of independence is even more on the minds of teachers with the implementation of the Common Core State Standards.  One of the greatest tasks with the implementation of CCSS is fostering critical thinking and independent learning.  Using iPad technology on a daily basis can make an impact on students acquiring those skills.

In addition to helping students become more adept at grade level curriculum,  teachers in the iPad classroom must also teach students procedures and expectations for the acceptable use of the technology.  One of the biggest challenges to the iPad classroom is teaching the students the appropriate uses for the device and apps.  The iPad must be more than just a device to play games and practice drills.  For the iPad to make an impact, students must use it as a productivity device.  For this reason, much of the first semester has been spent introducing productivity apps and giving students the opportunity to practice using these apps to create research and writing pieces.  As we begin the second semester, my students have the skills to use a multitude of productivity apps with great results!
My students create research and writing projects using three key applications - Pages, Book Creator, and Smart Notebook.  Each of these apps offer something a little different in terms of creativity, but all three are easy to use  - and most of all fun for the students!

Pages is the word processing application for Mac.  One of the major features of Pages is that it offers professional looking templates where students can create signs, posters, and documents with ease.  Book Creator allows the user to write and create books.  Font, backgrounds and graphics can be easily added and manipulated to make fun and colorful books.  My students recently did research on animals and created books about their animals.  Each book was unique and chalked full of facts and graphics.  I was in awe of the success each and every student experienced with this project.  The best part was sharing these books!  Once the books were finished, the students uploaded them to PaperPort and then downloaded them onto their iBooks bookshelf.  Students are able to retrieve their classmates books and have them readily available in iBooks.

Currently students are researching the planets and solar system.  Not only do they use the typical classroom book resources, but they also use content specific apps, like NASA,  to find facts and information about their topics.  For this project, students will be creating Smart Notebook slide presentations on the iPads.  These presentations will be displayed and shared on the Smart Board - which will once again give the entire class the opportunity to interact with their classmates projects.  This interaction and sharing of ideas helps students to see alternative ways to create, share, and present information - which can potentially foster creative thinking and problem solving in future endeavors.  



Having a classroom full of iPads allows us to research and create on a regular basis - no waiting to get into the computer lab, which can draw projects out over weeks!  Giving students the opportunity to experience and use these different productivity apps should be of benefit as we move toward more rigorous standards in the classroom.  I am excited to see how our latest projects will turn out - but I am even more excited about students now having enough skills to make choices about which productivity software to use when creating a project for a classroom assignment!

Ten Ways the1:1 iPad Classroom Can Support the Implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

Like schools and districts across the nation, Blue Ridge Elementary is deep into implementing the Common Core State Standards.  As we explore the best ways to increase rigor and achieve mastery of content in our classrooms, it is apparent that helping students become problem-solvers and independent learners will be the foundation to their academic success.  The 1:1 iPad classroom is proving to be an even greater asset to Common Core implementation than I had ever imagined!  Below is a link to my school website.  There you can find a PDF copy of the presentation I gave on iPads and the Common Core State Standards (last on the list of files at the bottom of the page).

Ten Ways the 1:1 iPad Classroom Can Support the Implementation of the CCSS

Purse Size Presentations

My blog typically focuses on classroom use, so in this entry I want to share another great productivity app for teachers, - Keynotes.  Keynotes is the PowerPoint software for Mac.  Keynotes has been around for long time, but now Apple created an app for the iPad ($14.99).  It is well worth the price if you are an iPad user involved in presentations for meetings, etc.

This past week I had to give a short presentation at our school improvement committee meeting.  I decided to purchase Keynotes for my iPad and try it out when creating the presentation.   I found that Keynotes is extremely easy to use and has a good assortment of templates, backgrounds, and transitions.  Media, files, and links can be pulled in - and best of all it is so convenient!  A professional looking presentation can be created quickly - all on the iPad! I also have the iPad VGA adapter cord.  It attaches to the projector cord and instantly your iPad screen display appears on the screen or monitor.  There isn't any lugging around a laptop, cords, or a projector!  Finally, a presentation that fits in my purse!

Part Two . . . The Bad and the Ugly

I know what a lot of you may be thinking - having an iPad classroom seems fabulous!  The truth is that having an iPad class is wonderful, but it certainly has its share of headaches.  The implementation of iPads in the classroom is ridden with details to consider and frequent hiccups along the way.  There are a lot of these logistical problems at the district level, but most of the annoyances for the teacher, occur from the daily management of each device in the classroom.

The Bad . . .
First, downloading apps and updates to each device can be pretty cumbersome.  Whether you sync your iPads to a Mac or use the Cloud to receive and update apps and software, there isn't a real efficient way to do this - yet.  Our district has set up a separate Mac server and our iPad classrooms use the Cloud to purchase and update apps.  The problem is that most apps only load onto 5-10 devices with each update or purchase.  That means I have to go back into the remaining 10-15 devices and enter I the password for each app on each device.  Talk about time consuming!  For example, at the beginning of the year, I had to put about 50 apps on 22 devices, and enter the password each time!  Do the Math - Wow!  And, this is a task that I don't let students help with because of the password security, so it falls all on the classroom teacher.  There aren't many easy alternatives to back-up and app downloads.  Schools that download apps and updates by syncing to a Mac computer face the challenge of hooking up each device to an individual computer, which is equally time consuming.  However, there are now "syncing" and charging carts available for  iPads - but they are very pricey for the average school to purchase.
Managing the apps on these devices brings up other important considerations.  How will the teacher pay for and purchase classroom apps?  There are plenty of really good free apps, but true iPad integration requires the purchase of educational and productivity apps to meet the curriculum.  My iPads are linked to one main device in the classroom.  Apps are purchased by the district using allotted funds, through the Apple Volume Purchase program.  This purchasing program allows a 50% discount for purchases of 20 or more apps of one individual kind of app.  Purchases through the iBook Store have to be confirmed and purchased through the building administrator.  Once app purchases are made I receive a redemption code for my class, which is entered in the main device.  From the Cloud the app is downloaded onto the other devices.
Another big consideration is storage and charging of the iPads.  Most classrooms don't have twenty extra outlets!  When the iPads first arrived, I had charging cords and power strips everywhere!  It was a mess!  Our district looked at several options for storage and charging.  Many of the commercially manufactured carts are quite expensive, or lack a design suited for the classroom.  For this reason, our district asked the students at the area career center to design a cart.  It works wonderfully!  It is compact, easy to move, and charges 25 iPads at one time.  Below is a picture of the cart.  The students at the career center actually redesigned a medical supply cart.  Pretty nice work!

And last, the Ugly . . .
iPads break. Having a 1:1 iPad classroom is a big investment for schools and districts. And, teachers turn that investment over to the hands of little children.  So yeah, there are going to be some cracked screens and damaged devices.  It can be really upsetting when technology is damaged, but it is going to happen!  Schools need to have a plan to replace damaged devices.  Apple Care insurance is purchased yearly per device and is very expensive!  This is especially true when you take into consideration the actual number of iPads that may break in a year. Our district opted to buy several replacement iPads.  School districts doing wide scale implementation are even charging user fees in addition to having students and families sign acceptable use and replacement policies.  No matter how large or how small the implementation project, damage and replacement must be considered.

Problem solving for efficient management of the iPad classroom can be overwhelming at times, but the rewards of having students engaged in the curriculum through the use of the latest technology is definitely worth it!

A Day in the Life of the iPad Class - Part 1 - the Good . . .

Over the past few months I've spent a lot of time discussing some great iPad implementation ideas and apps that I have been fortunate enough to have been exposed to!  Many of the resources and activities I've shared are working wonderfully in my class and students are continuing to become more independent and responsible in their learning.  But some times those seemingly great ideas or creative solutions don't translate into the wonderful lesson or activity we had envisioned or even an efficient use of classroom time.  You may even be wondering: How is she implementing this stuff into her classroom routine?, or What does it look like in the iPad classroom?  For these reasons this week, I am going to try to give you a glimpse into my 4th grade classroom at Blue Ridge Elementary, in Seneca, South Carolina - to share some of the daily successes and ways we have been able to work the iPad into our day.

A day in the life . . . students arrive in the iPad classroom and do all the normal stuff - turn in papers, order lunch, etc.  We start our day with independent reading.  Students with up-to-date reading response journals now have the option of reading from our classroom library in the iBooks app.  We have a collection of chapter and non-fiction readers from which students can choose.  Students reading from the iBooks collection get the benefit of the speak feature for unfamiliar words and text, bookmarks, notes, and more!  As our morning continues, we move into our ELA mini-lessons and readers/writers workshop.  Each week during workshop, students are required to complete two fluency practice sessions using the Voice Recorder app on the iPad.  They also have individual word work practice three times a week.  For this, students use the Spelling Test app where they enter and record their own individual spelling lists.  They are then able to take their spelling tests during the week, during their independent work time.

One of the major ways we have implemented the iPad each day is for research and creative writing projects during the ELA block.  Once students have completed the daily practice assignments on the iPad, there is typically another creative project, where the students have to produce something on the iPad that shows understanding related to the current topic or subject.  These projects are based on ELA, Science, or Social Studies curriculum and are introduced and created during our ELA work time.  Almost every week we have worked on some sort of research or literature based writing project using the iPad.  The first week of school we explored using QR codes for the first time and did a scavenger hunt for random information facts via the web.  During the next few weeks we learned how to use the Photo Wall app for a story elements project and learned how to present our work using the Apple TV Airplay system.  From there we have been able to take literature elements and create a few word processing documents using pages.  Recently the students completed research of Native Americans using QR codes.  They then created some impressive posters about Native American tribes in Pages - all on the iPad.  We are currently implementing the new Smart Board Notebook app into small groups and independent learning time.  Students access the assigned Smart Notebook lesson via my Wiki Space page.  On the Wiki, I have uploaded various Smart Board lessons.  Students download the lessons on to their iPads and then open each lesson with the Smart Notebook app.  I am very excited about the Smart Notebook app because it allows for easy grouping and differentiation within the classroom!

During our Math block, we use the iPads to reinforce and teach skills through educational apps, or in small group lessons using the Smart Notebook app.  Typically, we will complete our traditional whole group or small group lesson and then students are assigned a particular skill and app to work on for the day.  My favorite Math app is  - Splash Math!  You can get a free version, but the paid version is wonderful!  It contains practice and feedback on all the grade level Math strands.  Teachers can assign "homework" on the iPad and receive weekly reports.  It is great for progress monitoring - each student's work is tracked and graphed within the app.  The iPads are used at the end of the day for Math enrichment time, and also used throughout the day for practice - as needed - depending on the subject, skill, and content.  On special days, indoor recess, and Friday afternoons students are given free choice on the iPads.  This is the time to explore all the cool features the device has to offer - it is also a time that the kids get to learn and share with each other!

As I continue through my iPad journey, I often times get frustrated at all the things I still want to do with the students!  But, as I sit here and reflect on our classroom use of the iPad as a learning tool, we are not doing so bad!

Because things don't always go as planned . . . next week I will also share some of the headaches or annoyances of having an iPad classroom and how to handle it without going crazy!

New Ideas and Affirmations - the 2012 SC Ed Tech Convention . . . Clarifying Direction

Is it really November?  The past month has really flown by and here we are into the new grading period!  Although classroom challenges can present weekly setbacks with our iPad integration, I've still been able to infuse quite a bit of iPad technology into our daily routines - albeit there is so much more to implement!  Fortunately, I was recently given the time and opportunity to learn and reflect about the 1:1 classroom.   

A couple weeks ago I spent three days at the South Carolina Educational Technology Convention in Greenville.  Not only was it great to have the opportunity to see what other educators are implementing in their schools, it was nice to have time to think just about the iPad implementation.  Face it, an elementary school teacher's day can be down right crazy sometimes!  It may be difficult to complete the day's plans, let alone think about an entirely new way of presenting curriculum to students!  So Ed Tech gave me some much needed time to think about my goals for the 1:1 implementation, and how well I am advancing towards them.  Now my mind is racing with new information and ideas to try with my students!  

So here are my Top Ten Technology TakeAways from SC EdTech 2012!

10.  1:1 integration of small devices in the classroom is in its infancy, but is catching on quickly!

  

9.    Charleston, SC School District is an incredible resource and model of 1:1 integration.  Their district shares experiences for other schools to examine while creating their own implementation model.

8.    My feeling that it's not all about the individual apps, was reaffirmed - its how the iPad technology is integrated into the students daily curriculum as a learning and productivity tool. Teachers are truly the facilitators of "how to" and the students are the producers by "doing" the work or "creating" on the iPad.

7.   Wiki Spaces and the Paper Port app are quickly becoming an online classroom for the students.  These file storage sites and apps provide teachers with a place to upload word documents, PDF files, images, etc.  Students then access the teacher's Wiki page or  Paper Port site.  From the storage site, the files can be downloaded and opened from different apps on the iPad - including iBooks, Pages, and DocAs.

6. The new DocAs app can help lead the way to true paper reduction in my classroom.  This app is a word processing app, but will also open files saved on storage sites and apps - like Wiki and Paper Port.   The really cool thing is that once you open the files, you can write and type on the document or file - even if the file is a PDF! The students' work saves automatically, and the file can be uploaded to the storage site or app - eliminating the need for a paper copy!

5.  There is now a Smart Notebook app for the iPad - YAY! This app will open any Smart Board Notebook file.  Notebook files can be uploaded to Wiki Spaces.  Students then download the files onto their iPad and open them in the Smart Notebook app. ($6.99).  I have began to use this with small groups in the classroom.  It allows me to differentiate the lesson easily and for the students to be more self-directed in their learning     

.

4.  The presenters from the Charleston schools are a HUGE resource for Smart Notebook lessons as well as the 1:1 iPad implementation.  They have created over 1,000 CCSS aligned Smartboard lessons for their district.  They shared sets of unit lessons for each grade level k-2 and 3-5!  Fantastic!

http://district.ccsdschools.com/educational_technology/smartboards/

3.  1:1 iPad integration into the curriculum may allow for an easy transition to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), as students are engaged in research and productivity through the use of the iPad.

2.   I feel pretty good about the progress in iPad implementation for my students.  Ed Tech showed me that we are ahead of the game compared to most elementary classrooms, but can learn a lot from the experiences of the larger-scale implementation models like the Charleston, SC schools.

1.   True 1:1 integration requires a mind shift for both teachers and students.  Teachers are discovering a new and engaging way to present curriculum and truly become the facilitators in the classroom.  Students now get to engage in school curriculum in a familiar way - through the use of technology - but within the structure and discipline of school.

iPad Integration = Purposeful Play

     

     With the thousands of educational apps now available, students need to be given a purpose for using the various iPad Apps available.  Some apps are informational while other apps are interactive.  The children need to have a reason to use the app to get the most out of the instructional activity.  For that reason, I spent a lot of time this weekend creating subject based activity and project pages to use with a variety of educational apps.  In the classroom, we will be creating folders for our iPad activity sheets.  Each sheet has a place for the students to record data about their interaction with the app, or perform research on a subject using the app.  I am confident the app activity booklet will help guide the students' independent learning while using the iPads.  Below, I've included a link to my school web page that has the PDF activity sheets for ELA Game Apps, Native American Research and Project, and Life Science Research.

http://www.oconee.k12.sc.us/webpages/bcloyd/ipads.cfm

I hope you find the app activity sheets helpful!  Have a great week!

iPads in the Classroom - A Work in Progress for Students AND Teachers

One thing about piloting iPads in the classroom is that there is a lot of experimentation and frankly, extra work!  Not only do you spend time researching and looking for appropriate apps, there is the time spent introducing the students to the appropriate uses for the apps.  Luckily, teaching is a profession where people are willing to share!  
This week all of our classroom teachers received an iPad for professional and student use.  Many of our teachers are tech savvy - but there are those who aren't quite sure where to start.  For that reason, I want to share with my fellow teachers apps that are easy, free, and helpful in our daily jobs.

iPads come equipped with several apps that I use each day.  These are my favorite and most used:  Calendar - put in all your appointments, meetings, etc.  It will sync with your iPhone or Mac computer and will also pull in email appointments from Outlook Mail accounts.  Notes - a handy tool for jotting down information, those "aha" brainstorming moments, and note-taking during meetings.  It saves everything automatically in the order that it was created.  PowerTeacher - This one you can get free from the App Store.  I love being able to put grades in easily while I am sitting on the couch and don't want to move!  It beats getting up and going to my office upstairs or doing it at school, on those days when I am to busy or to tired to think.  iBooks is another free one from the App Store, but you do have to purchase many of the books you are interested in reading.  Also, it is different reading from the iPad, but I have found that I actually like it more than I thought I would.  I use the Weather Channel a lot - you can program in your home town or your favorite cities.  Since most of my family is out of state, I have my own children's, parents', and siblings' towns saved as favorites.  That way I can feel good about living in the South in January!  If you are willing to spend $9.99, I would definitely recommend getting Pages.  This is a word processing program.  It saves your documents automatically, is easy, and you can use it anywhere at anytime. You can also email the documents as a PDF for printing.  Of course, there are hundreds, if not thousands more of good apps - these are just the ones I personally rely on each day!

Have a great week and be sure to share your great ideas with others!

A Gentle Nudge or a Big Push - Acquiring Independence in Reading

A big part of being a fourth grade teacher is helping students to become more independent in their academic environment.  I have always felt strongly about this notion of independence and each year have tried to instill that in my students - mainly by providing a structured environment with an ample amount of modeling in my instructional practices. But with the implementation of Common Core, students are being required to problem-solve and think for themselves, beyond what my past teaching strategies may have provided on a daily basis.  So this past week I got a good lesson in "letting go" thanks to our wonderful Science coach!

The Science Lab at our school has been booked with activity and our coach has been busy supporting teachers in their Science lessons.  My students were scheduled to set up their animal habitats as part of our life science curriculum.  When we arrived, another class was leaving.  Our materials had been gathered but were not set up and organized.  In the past we would have had this activity a little more structured and given the students specific instructions about the procedures of building the habitats.  But instead Ms. Science Coach told the children, "We are building a frog habitat, turn to page 14, read the instructions, come get your materials, and build the habitat." Amazingly, they did it - ALL BY THEMSELVES and DID IT WELL!  They proceeded to build their crab habitats as well, with the same lack of direction!  It was a highly successful moment for my students and myself. The time crunch forced us to let go and see what would happen and it worked!  That one activity has made me believe that it's going to be okay! My students can be independent thinkers and problem-solvers.  I am now determined to take that success and carry it over into other lessons in my classroom.

The Science activity was a perfect example of reading for information and then performing a task.  The Common Core State Standards have a greater emphasis on non-fiction reading and informational texts.  According to the CCSS, Fourth Grade students should be reading about 50% literature and 50% non-fiction.  Unfortunatly, many of our students may initially lack the skills to read informational text with great comprehension.  But, fortunately the iPad classroom can now offer the students support and independence at the same time.  I discovered over the summer that the iPad 2 can read any highlighted text out loud - whether it is on a web page, a text document, or a reading selection from iBooks.  To make the iPad read, go to your Settings, choose Accessibility, choose Speak Select "on", and then set the speaking rate.  Then while reading on the iPad, highlight the text to be read and choose "speak".  It's that simple!  Although I haven't implemented this in my ELA block yet, I am excited about the possibilities it may offer my low to average readers!  I plan on trying it out over the next couple of weeks through our Native American research projects, and some new Discovery Ed non-fiction readers I am purchasing through iBooks.  I'll let you all know how it goes!

I've got to give Ms. Frankie Broom a BIG THANK YOU for giving this structured teacher a gentle nudge . . .  I hope it makes a big difference for my students.

Few Steps Forward, a Few Steps Back

A successful beginning of the year has a lot to do with setting the stage for learning - getting students into the routine, classroom expectations etc.  Some days seem to go magnificently, while other days we may want to beat our heads against a wall!  Consistency is the key, of course, but these past two weeks have been a bit on the inconsistent side in our classroom.  First, I took a couple of personal days to spend time with family visiting from out of state.  When I returned, one of my students said, "It's about time!"  Well, if that didn't speak volumes!  Students really do need to feel that security we provide through our daily routines and classroom structure.  On top of that, we are in the midst of our Fall MAP testing.  So, with that being said, our classroom has been a little off this past week - including the teacher's schedule, up-to-date blog posts,  and at-home routines!

We have been making some progress with our iPad implementation, but these minor kinks have set us back slightly.  This past week we were finally able to complete our Photo Wall projects with success!  I believe my students are really becoming engaged in the uses for several of our apps.

As mentioned in earlier posts, the use of the Scan app is a great tool for guiding students through research.  For it to work, you need to create a QR code for each website.  Follow the link below for a QR code generator site.
http://qrcode.kaywa.com/
I typically save the generated code to my photo album, then paste it into a word document to print for the students.  It's a handy little trick that keeps the students active and engaged in research!

I'll discuss those "talking iPads" next time . . . have a great week!

Small Steps Can Bring Giant Leaps! More on Goal 3 - Reading Comprehension

Last week I delineated my goals for the year and some of my proposed startegies to meet those goals.  I was much less specific in my strategies for addressing reading comprehension in my students for a variety of reasons.  One of my friendly teacher colleagues even asked, "What apps are you using for reading comprehension?"  Honestly the short answer is there are not a lot of apps to address this specifically.  I've found that most reading apps focus on decoding words and phonics at the primary level.  To review many of these apps as well as other subject-specific apps, Apple has created a special link for teachers and education apps.  If you go to the App store, choose the Education Category, scroll down to Quick Links, choose Education Collections.  From there you will see that Apple has divided this page into subject categories - love it!  There you will find the educational apps dedicated to Reading instruction.  The majority of these apps are wonderful for beginnning readers through the primary level grades, but there is really not much in this category for the middle and upper grades. 

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewMultiRoom?cc=us&fcId=432100011

Addressing reading comprehension in the middle and upper grades has more to do with helping students employ strategies and build understanding of text elements. Reading comprehension encompasses three parts: 
1.  The reader
2.  The text to be read and understood 
3.  The activity in which comprehension is a part 

It is the strategies that we teach our students that will help them become readers with understanding.  These strategies must be introduced, practiced and repeated to help a reader grow.  Students must become aware of text elements and features within the selected material and learn how to effectively use those elements to improve their comprehension.

We teach these strategies and elements in a variety of ways - balanced literacy frameworks like the Daily 5 and CAFE or a version of, give educators a way to introduce those strategies and elements and offer students a chance to practice becoming aware of their reading habits.  These best practice strategies help students become more deliberate in their reading - helping them to remain alert throughout the process and organize the information in the text.

So with all of that being said, how will the iPad help this?  Well, the iPad becomes yet another tool to help engage and motivate students in their learning.  For example, last week I taught story elements in fictional books.  We read Freckle Juice by Judy Blume together which is at an independent level for many of my students - easy to understand, so that they could focus on the elements being addressed.  We are now using the iPads to create a story board about the story elements of the story -including the characters, setting, main idea/problem, important events, and conclusion.  The iPad becomes that "hook" to engage students into deliberate thinking about the story.  To complete this assignment students are using the Scan app (free!) to locate pictures that go with the different elements.  I created a page with QR codes for the students to scan that links to an image page for each of the main elements.  This week the students will take the images they selected and place them in the app PhotoWall.  In this app, students can choose background colors, borders, text, etc.  For each image, they will use the text options to create captions about each particular story element.  We will then share our work via the Apple TV.  A concept that in the past I would have assessed through a graphic organizer, writing notebook, or poster project, now becomes an exciting, engaging learning experience infused with technology!

FREE Scan App

Being the beginning of the year we are taking baby steps with iPad integration, and this simple project is just the tip of the iceberg for using iPads to improve reading comprehension!
I can't wait to introduce my students to all the ways we will be using our iPads in our ELA curriculum.
 
In upcoming blogs, I will address using iBooks for novel studies and nonfiction reading - AND as a sneek peek - Did you know your iPad 2 can read to you?  Yep!  If you didn't know, I'll tell you how in my next post . . . have a great week!

School's in Session! Working Towards Goals - iPads, Common Core, and a Whole Lot More!

Last Tuesday, my 18th class of students rolled into Room 510 at Blue Ridge Elementary. Although I have experienced the opening day of school many times before, I look upon this upcoming year with the same excitement and wonder as those first few years of teaching! This year's new beginning comes with a room full of iPads and students ready to dive into learning in a whole new way.

Not only will we be implementing iPad technology into our daily subjects, we will also be aligning the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) with our classroom curriculum. The CCSS focus on inquiry learning and real-life application. I believe the iPad classroom is going to offer an exciting and innovative way to meet these new goals.

Last week, I shared my proposal goals for my research classroom. This week, I will begin to share HOW I plan on meeting those goals, while working toward the implementation of the CCSS into our curriculum.

Goal #1 - Increase student engagement in lessons and content

This one is a no-brainer! Have you ever watched a classroom full of students working on iPads? It is probably one of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced as a teacher. By providing meaningful instruction through the use of apps and websites, students are enthralled in what they are doing - and they don't want to stop! Engagement data taken at the end of last school year, revealed students on task 100% of the time, while working on the iPads! This past week, we got started using iPads for our learning, and dove right into research using QR codes from websites and the free Scanner app. Below I've linked a video from our research on the key elements of maps and globes.

Goal #2 - Increase reading fluency

To help students increase reading fluency, students record themselves reading aloud 2-3 times a week using the free QuickVoice app. Students pick a paragraph from their independent reading, record themselves, listen to the recording, and then rate the recording on a T chart. They repeat the process 2 times each session, with the goal of improving the quality of their reading each time.

Last Spring my students participated in this activity and had impressive gains over a 9-week time period. According to pre and post fluency testing by our reading interventionist, reading fluency in these students improved an average of 6 times the normal rate over a 9-week period! I got the idea for this activity from a literacy project performed using iPods at Central Elementary in Escondido, California. Check out the link below for more information on the Central Elementary project.

http://www.apple.com/education/profiles/escondido/#video-escondido

Goal #3 - Increase reading comprehension

This goal is definitely the most difficult to gage, based on all the types of literacy instruction students receive during the typical school year. But, with increased engagement comes increased interaction with the content. It makes sense that more interaction with content will inevitably lead to better comprehension of material. There will be lots of activities that I will share throughout the year to help meet this all-important goal.

Getting Started with Action Research . . . Goal Setting!

When I initially submitted my proposal for the iPad classroom, I felt it was important to set certain goals for our classroom learning.  The transformation of iPads to classroom tools has happened relatively quickly.  The first iPads went on sale a little over 2 years ago - in the Spring of 2010.  Since that time, schools have been quick to jump on the bandwagon, which is really very unusual for the world of education.  Many times implementation of educational decisions and programs take place after research has taken place, and there is data to back the process.  With the iPad initiative, it is quite different!  School Districts are buying them up and putting them in the classrooms without a lot of data to back up the effectiveness of iPads on academic growth.
With this in mind, I approached this endeavor with the purpose of compiling student data based on iPad use.  So here are my goals for my iPad classroom!

1. Increase student engagement in lessons and content
2. Increase accuracy in oral reading fluency
3. Increase reading comprehension

Each of these goals will be monitored in the following ways:

1. School Administrators will perform "time on task" engagement observations at the beginning and end of each nine week period.
2. Student reading fluency will be measured in the fall, winter, and spring.
3. MAP scores in reading comprehension from my students will be compared to a cohort group on paper that mirrors the same ability levels of my students.  MAP scores will be reviewed and compared to the Winter and Spring results.

I am sure you are thinking "How is she going to accomplish these goals by just using iPads?"  Well, keep reading this blog!  I will be sharing my wealth of resources and plans over the upcoming weeks! 

Have a great start to the school year, AND FOLLOW ME ON THIS BLOG!!

Here is a great place to start to find good educational apps for the classroom.

Smart Apps For Kids

It's that time . . . Back to School Planning and Organizing

Teachers across the country are getting into the back to school planning mode.  Our district teachers report next Tuesday, and our students arrive the following week, so it's time for me to start gathering resources and do some pre-planing in anticipation of my new group of students.

This year presents some exciting and unusual challenges for me!  In addition to the implementation of iPad literacy goals into my classroom curriculum, our school will also be implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) adopted by the state of South Carolina, and participating in a school wide Engaged Readers and Writers initiative.  Because of this, I am feeling especially motivated to get my organization and planning underway!

So with these three things in mind - Back to School, CCSS, and iPads in the Classroom . . . I wanted to share some great resources I found through what is quickly becoming a teacher's new best professional development network - Pinterest!  http://pinterest.com/

Create an AWESOME planning binder with these FREE pages from Curriculum Corner!   Teacher Planning Binder

Common Core Checklists for Grades K-5!  (Gotta pay $5.99, but this resource is worth it.)

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Common-Core-Galore-ELA-and-MATH-4th-Grade-Checklist

iPads integration in the classroom is more than just playing apps! Here is a website that categorizes apps according to Bloom's Taxonomy.

http://www.appitic.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=77

Journey into Engagement

Welcome to my blog, One on One with iPads.  I will be sharing experiences as my fourth graders and I take our journey into the engaging world of integrating iPad technology into classroom instruction and learning.  Just last February I was awarded one of four, one-to-one iPad research classrooms in the School District of Oconee County, which is located in the upstate of South Carolina. My journey is relatively new, but in sharing my successes and pitfalls I hope to spark conversation and sharing amongst other iPad-loving teachers!

Cloyd's Classroom Site http://www.oconee.k12.sc.us/webpages/bcloyd/