Counting with Dr. Jean and the iPad

My daughter was using our iPod to listen to some songs by Dr. Jean this weekend and while listening to Techno Count to 100 for the fourth time I thought of how in the past I used Dr. Jeans' music a lot in my kindergarten. Since discovering all the amazing song/videos on YouTube that help my students see and hear and say the ABCs or sight words or count I rarely use my kinder music collection anymore. It occurred to me though, that the songs, especially the number songs my daughter listened to over and over could work great on the iPad. They did! Not only do my students play them and sing along during playtime, but when paired with a good app, they enhance learning. So, I played Techno Count to 100 and had kids open up the Counting Board app (currently free on the iPad). They put all the numbers facedown and touched the boxes as the numbers were announced. I was able to monitor and LOVED the way the students counted along, touching the number as they heard the number. I will be curious to see if the kids who STILL don't know how to count to 100, or identify numbers will do after several days of practicing like this? Then I played The Country Countdown 1-20 song by Dr. Jean and did the same thing-Here's a video of one child in action. It was terrific!

We know that the more pathways to learning, the stronger the learning experience is- in this lesson, my students were hearing, saying/singing, seeing and touching numbers. Later in the day, I played Bingo Bango Bongo (I love the song!) and we used the Counting Board app again to practice skip counting. The color patterns in the app are especially helpful for skip counting!

Screen Chomp recordable whiteboard app

A new app is out today that is fun and could be a powerful tool for teachers. Screen Chomp for iPad is a recordable whiteboard (in a previous post I mentioned ShowMe a similar app). Screen Chomp is more intuitive- my 7 yr old was recording a birthday greeting in moments for his uncle.

Use it for assessments, send home homework and instructions to a sick student, record your lesson and play it on the board while you circulate and help students.
As of today it was free, so go get it!

click here >>> for a Screen Chomp recording of me playing with it!

Great (free) customizable apps!

If you haven't discovered the awesome, customizable apps from developer Grasshopper Apps, skip reading my blog for today and go to their developer page in the app store (do a search for grasshopper apps, then click on the developer page link in the top right.) At this time they have about 67 apps, and it seems they add a new one pretty regularly. Follow the link to their website to sign up for their 'free the apps' program and they will email you when an app is temporarily free if you agree to leave reviews or give feedback.

Not only are the apps customizable (teachers-these apps can replace so many homemade and dollar store activities), but I love that they use high quality photographs. Most of the apps allow you to rerecord the voice overs, which already use a good voice artist. They also have build in the ability to add your own words, and pictures. My favorites are the little speller and little matchup. I have customized them for my daughter with pictures of her family and friends, sight words for my students, and more. While an app might target alphabet or sight words, with the customization option the app can work on almost any skill, only limited by your imagination.

Another great thing about Grasshopper apps is that they actively seek feedback and hope for favorable reviews. Without reviews, an app gets buried in the depths of the ill-designed app store. So they often make an app free for 24-48 hours, which I love of course.

When you get an app that you like a lot, I strongly suggest you go and review it on the app store. Not only does it help keep the app from falling into obscurity, it helps people who are paying for the app to know if it's a good one. I do recommend that if you have a problem with an app, contact the developer. They usually welcome feedback because they need to know what problems people are experiencing. If you leave a bad review and they fix the problem, go back and update your negative review... Developers put out a lot of money, and I want to be sure good ones like grasshopper stay around.

As a teacher, I scour for free apps to use in the classroom- 11 $.99 apps adds up fast, and next year I hope to have 24 iPads. My husband refuses to shell out more money on my classroom (who can blame him, really?) and to be ethical educational use of apps requires that you purchase the app for each device, while home use let's you have it on up to five devices. As a mommy I can justify buying a dollar app to use on my family idevices. When I find an app developer I appreciate I try to support them financially, and if I get their apps for free in my classroom, I try to always give feedback or a positive review.

I apologize for not adding photos to my blogs lately, I have been using Blogsy, and while it is great for iPad blogging, I am anxiously awaiting their update which will allow adding photos directly from my iPad. I did however use Blogsy's ability to use google images and found a few grasshopper pics online to add to make the post a little less boring.

Free Apps

Teachers are notorious for spending tons of personal money on their classrooms. I am no different. I try to balance this by searching for dollar deals, repurposing things, and begging. When all else fails my personal budget takes a hit.

Since November, when the iPads first found their way into my classroom I've been on an app spending spree. I am learning moderation (says the woman who burned through $20 dollars just this week....) and also have begun the search for bargain apps.

Don't get me wrong, I think developers deserve to earn a living from their hard work... I buy apps that have great reviews or fit a need. Apps can cost a lot to develop, and I want to support developers of quality educational apps. Ways you can support developers- leave reviews (be honest, not brutal). If you have a real complaint, try contacting the developer before ripping their app apart in the review section. They can't fix what they don't know about and they can't erase your review... Even after they fixed the bug.

That said... I can't afford to pay for apps for each iPad in my classroom. Even with the volume purchasing program, even with picking a handful of favorites. I am having to be careful about which apps I use in class so I that am ethical. If I buy a game for my own kids, or a utility for me, I only use it on my families 4 personal devices. For the class iPads I will primarily use free apps. I am picking a few great apps to purchase through the VPP for next year... Hints are that I might be getting a 1:1 setup next year.

To increase the effectiveness of my iPads on a limited budget, I need to find GOOD free apps. Here are suggestions for how to do this:

There are some free apps that actually help you find free apps... Such as
Free App Genie
Appbzr
AppTracker
Free App A Day

Still some trial and error here but it beats slogging through the app store.

Because I am addicted, I do usually check the education category of the app store every couple of days to see newbies and look for freebies.

Another good way to find apps that are free for a limited time is to look through the top charts section of education (and other sections, business and games often have good Ed apps... Good freebies often pop to the top.

Belonging to www.iear.org or following #iear, #ff, #edapp on twitter helps too. They often share when an education app is available for free.

I try to post when a good app is temporarily free... But usually only for ones I think are too good to be missed.

When you find an app that you really like, be sure to go to the "developers page" link in the top right of the apps description. Some developers have free and paid apps, and chances are you'll like more of their apps.

Don't be afraid to try a lite or free version... And do buy the full app if you really like the lite version. Be sure to read reviews though...

Lastly, be sure to get apps when they are free... They will always be free to you, even if you delete and reload. An app might be free on day, and full price the next. Be a savvy shopper. Unless you have a big iTunes budget, In which case I am always accepting donations. :)

Blogsy

Blogsy (currently $2.99) is an app I found recommended on one of the tweets I follow (my favs are: @ipodsibilities @tonyvincent #iear #mlearning #edapp #slide2learn #mobile2011). I am always hesitant to spend my iTunes money... My darling husband doesn't want to support my app addiction so I have to make the cards I smuggle into the grocery cart last as long as possible.

However, the app recommendation came at the same time I was feeling guilty for not blogging recently... I don't care for posting from my phone or iPad, both of which have supplanted my need to be on my computer constantly. Since my computer has been neglected lately... So has my blog.

When I saw the reviews saying I'd enjoy posting from the iPad... Well I felt like I had to try it out... For you, dear followers and guests... I have appreciated the recent comments from readers- it helps me to feel motivated to actually log on and write.

So- this is my first attempt at posting from Blogsy. So far, it has met my expectations. I like that you can pull images over from google image search, Picasa and flicker. It was really simple to google the Blogsy icon, and pull it into the page, above. I will certainly be posting more from Blogsy (cute cute name!). I am much more likely to post if I can do it comfortably from my ever present iPad. My arms are always full, I love that my iPad fits in my purse (yes, it was a requirement for the last bag I bought!) and rarely bring the Mac home anymore. I am trying out the features.... Notice, 2nd para. Centered, 4th para bold.

I added a video of my daughter from two years ago to test out the ease of adding YouTube video ... You judge how it turned out, but it was super easy to add. I call it the torturing lily video... We put a ribbon on her head... She did NOT like it one bit.

FREE apps from Every Day Math for teacher appreciation week!

Check them out and download them all while they are free. A huge thanks to Every Day Mathematics for recognizing teachers! Monster Squeeze is great for preK-1, and I think Tric Trac is fun. The other games work on addition and subtraction and addition and division. Quick before the week is over...

Teaching Tools: Rhyming

The ability to rhyme has been identified by researchers as strongly related to a child's success in reading.

I encourage you to check out these two apps that meet my definition of a Teaching Tool* to use with 3-6 year olds as a way to learn and identify words that rhyme.

One is free for the month of April: What Rhymes by ABA.

I like the real pictures. If the child chooses incorrectly, the name of the item is announced and the child can try again. When chosen correctly both items (flag, bag) are named and the next rhyme comes up automatically.

Dora's Rhyming Adventure costs $1.99 and is a pretty good app for the price, especially if your child, or students, likes Dora.

A picture is displayed in the middle of the page and named (CAT) while six words rotate around it. If you touch the pictures they are named (nice scaffolding support) or you can drag the ryhme to the middle. The word needing to be rhymed and instructions are repeated after a little pause too. The child's goal is to collect 9 tokens for correctly completing each rhyme. Then the child can play a fun little game at the Grumpy Old Troll's tollbooth (using a slingshot and aiming coins into the coin machine.)

Although it's called a rhyming adventure, it does also have beginning, middle and ending sound matching too. So really it's 4 apps for the price of... $1.99.

Lastly, one of the best ways for children to develop rhyming is to read nursery rhymes and books with strong rhyming and picture support like those by Dr. Seuss.

So, be sure to check out Goosed Up Rhymes and the Dr. Seuss books like Green Eggs and Ham available in the app store too. There are lite versions available for you to try before you buy.

*Teaching tools should improve traditional learning activities by:
1.) saving time.
2.) allow for differentiation to meet each child's learning needs.
3.) motivating reluctant learners.
4.) make learning fun.

Free Everyday Math Apps through Sat the 16th!

A nice benefit of being a member of a group like IEAR is getting an email like the one below- I've only tried Tric Trac so far (and I liked it, simple addition to 10 game but strategy is applied) and - but I am excited to get and review these apps.

Be sure to check out iear's site for app reviews and a great community of teachers, developers and more dedicated to finding and improving the future of education apps.
Sue

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IEAR - I Education Apps Review - Grassroots Education Community
A Community Effort to Grade "Educational Apps".
A message to all members of IEAR - I Education Apps Review - Grassroots Education Community

If you are a fan of McGraw-Hill's Everyday Mathematics program or just want some great math games for the iPad, iPod Touch, and iPhone you'll be interested to know from April 13-16 EIGHT of their math apps are FREE on the iTunes Store.


http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/mcgraw-hill-school-education/id413312889


Enjoy! And feel free to write-up an app review for your favorite Everyday Math App and share it on iear.org or post it in a forum here on the iEAR Community Ning.


~Judith Epcke

iEAR Ning Community Facilitator

Visit IEAR - I Education Apps Review - Grassroots Education Community at: http://ieducationappsreview.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

More Montessori teaching style apps

I couldn't resist when I saw these apps by Montessorium were on sale for $.99, I believe they are regularly $4.99...  They have similar features to other Montessori Method based apps: neutral backgrounds so the focus in on learning, intuitive design, and the lack of negative sound for a wrong answer.  I greatly dislike (trying to eliminate hate from my vocabulary!) apps that ask a question and then moves on to the next when the child was wrong instead of teaching the write answer as well as those that have harsh sounds for mistake. My opinion is that these would be great for pre-k-1 and possibly 2 depending on the ability of the students.  Some children who struggle with phonograms in 2nd would benefit from Into to Letters (and alphawriter too, as they have the abcs, then phonograms for kids to pick as they make words)  The Intro to math is best for pre-k and K as it only introduces 1-10.  I would highly recommend it to K though as just the sequencing activity meets math standards.  The other activities will really help kids with understanding number sense for 1-10.   

Intro to Letters

intro to math

Intro to Letters is actually a great and deceptively simple app. There are many ABC apps out there and I can't honestly say which one I like best- they are so unique.  This one teaches letter sounds, correct writing form, and even has a feature where the child can listen to a letter sound, letter name or phonograms and then record themselves saying the sound.  They can play it back and compare their pronunciation to the "right" one- which is spoken right after their pronunciation.  What a great tool for students who struggle in speech.

Intro to math is super simple to navigate, I love the sound effects (I think it's a xylophone?) as the rods are reordered (from short to long), it has five activities on the main screen- but some of the activities lead into others.  I like the way one of them shows the numbers- counting each one aloud as it appears on the screen.  Then the child shakes the device and the numbers scatter.   Next the child is prompted to reorder the numbers.  Another activity shows the numbers, then asks the child to "tap on _"

Now Alphawriter is pretty cool too (I really love the phonograms!)  when you touch the placed letters the sound is pronounced.  I am going to try using this during my making words lessons (normally I use Montessori Crosswords) as it might be fun for the kids to write out a word related to a picture for a challenge after the lesson.  Hmm.  tough choice.  Maybe I'll let the kids pick the app during the lesson. 

Alphawriter