iPads in Kindergarten LiveBinder

Here are some of the LiveBinder's I've created to accompany my seminars- they have lots of information and links to sites that focus on using technology in kindergarten, with an emphasis on iPads for both the beginner and advanced iPad user.  It's something I hope to add to as I find more resources, so I hope you'll bookmark and come back often!  Let me know if you find it useful or have links you think I should include.

Teaching with Technology in Kindergarten LiveBinder

Awesome Apps Livebinder

 Digital Kindergarten LiveBinder

















NCCE Session Teach Connect Learning with Social Media

NCCE Workshop NCCE Wiki- Magic of iPads

The Best Apps and Websites

Are playful.
Have spoken directions.
Give suggestions or support (visual and/or auditory) when child chooses the wrong answer or takes a long time.
Have varied level of difficulty.
Avoid unnecessary sound effects.
Track progress for teacher.
Encourage, not discourage.
Teach concepts.
Allow for creativity.

The iPad as an All-in-One Device

What is the iPad to YOU?

for me, it replaces a lot of items and makes so many things possible...

And in the classroom...

Telling a Story: Meeting The Kindergarten Common Core State Standards with your iPad using Apps

Beyond the Camera and my favorite apps for open ended use (Sketchio, StoryKit) kinder-kids can demonstrate their understanding of key ideas and details of stories using some awesome apps.

Key Ideas and Details

RL.K.1. With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

RL.K.2. With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.

RL.K.3. With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.

Common Core State Standards  http://www.corestandards.org

Toontastic, FREE, allows children to create their own story and even publish to YouTube (not required).  It includes learning about elements of stories- including the effect music has.  Children pick from or make their own settings and characters.  Absolutely terrific for RL.K.3!

Puppet Pals, FREE, is another story/play making app.  Create or use provided characters, animate and narrate.  You can even turn your photos into characters.

Felt Board, $, lets your students create a fun scene using ‘felt’ pieces.  Included are parts needed for retelling popular Monkey stories and many more. 

This is the first of several posts I'm planning on doing combining CCSS's and apps that help kids meet the goals... if you want more let me know and I'll try to get to it sooner! -Mrs.H

There's an App for that: Using iPads in Kindergarten Schedule

There’s an App for That!

A Day in the Life

of a Kindergarten iPad

by www.adigitalkindergarten.com

Dear Diary,  I love being an iPad in kindergarten- especially when I am used all day long.  It gets boring on the iPad cart and it's sad to see kids sitting around bored, or time being wasted when things are done the 'old' way... luckily I'm in Mrs. H's K and she knows I can do anything (ok, well... almost anything!) and her students use me a LOT!  
Here are some of the ways I am used in adigitalkindergarten!  

Before school starts: 

Sketchio to practice writing alphabet, numbers, sight words

Read I Like Books, 

Play apps in the ABC/123 folder

Create stories using StoryKit, Show Me, Screen Chomp, Doodle Buddy, Toontastic

Teach Me Kindergarten to practice addition, subtraction, phonics, sight words

TooLoud to help regulate volume control

During group time: 

Help teacher pick students randomly with Stick Pick or Decide Now

Sketchio for writing letters, numbers, words

Twitter (whole group) to write to K Around the World Pals

Counting Board to follow along as you count

Check the weather locally, and in K Around the World  locations (whole group)

Literacy Centers/Daily 5/Workshop

Sketchio to practice writing alphabet, sight words, sentences

Read I Like Books, We Give Books

Play apps in the ABC

Write stories using StoryKit, Show Me, Screen Chomp, Doodle Buddy, Toontastic

Play What Rhymes, ABC It! Or Alphabet

Handwriting Practice with Write My Name, BlobbleWrite, Letter School, iWriteWords,  Little Writer, Alphabet Tracing

Advanced readers can use Accelerated Reader to take tests

Practice phonics with ABC Magic series, Pocket Phonics, 

Rover to access websites like Starfall online

Math Centers

Use counting board to help fill out 100 board worksheets

Use Apples in Hour Hands to practice telling time

Rover to access websites online

Number Magic Apps, Montessori 100 Board, Montessori Numbers

Social/Free Time/Choice Time/Reward 

Angry Birds

Toca Boca (Band, Store, Salon, Tea Party, Doctor)

Felt Board

Playhouse Lite

Alien Assignment

Clock/Timer to let kids know how much time is left or when to clean up

Getting Started with Twitter

Twitter is: Professional development, collaboration, and community like no other!

So you want to Tweet but don't know where to begin?  

Here's a great place to start- Hundreds of Education Related Hash Tags are available from http://edudemic.com/2012/06/2012-twitter-hashtags/

Hashtag (#) 101

Use the # before your most important words or phrases (no spaces)

Click on a #word to find  other posts with the same hastag.

#’s can be in the beginning, middle or end of a tweet

Popular Education Hash Tags

#edchat – Education, worldwide 

#kinderchat – Kindergarten teachers unite! Mondays at 6e/9p

#edtech – Use of technology in education.

#edapp or #iosedapp – Educational apps

#slide2learn – iDevices and learning

#mathchat – Mathematics

#scichat – Science

#engchat – English

#artsed – Arts in education

#musedchat – Music

#eltchat – English language teacher

#SSChat – Social studies chat

#ntchat - New teachers

#spedchat – Tuesdays at 8:30 e/9p special education chat

My Favorite People/Companies to Follow:

@TCEA Tweets when apps are free!

@Kristy_Vincent Tech Integration Specialist- often tweets from conferences about tech

@happycampergirl of the #kinderchat hood

@learningmurd of the #kinderchat hood

@Matt_Gomez of the #kinderchat hood

@NAEYC The National Association for the Education of Young Children

@hechternacht of the #kinderchat hood

@iPodsibilities shares tech news and ideas

@ipadSammy follow his iPad!

@tonyvincent my favorite tech guru

Terrific New Apps by Toca Boca and Spelling City

Today is a good day for iDevices!  Two terrific apps were released today and I immediately downloaded them and have spent time playing around with them tonight.

One I've been eagerly awaiting is TocaBand ($1.99).  The wonderful thing I've loved about Toca Boca is that just prior to a release of a new product they make one or some of their other apps free or reduce the price.  I highly recommend 'liking' their Facebook page or following them on Twitter to be kept up to date on new releases, free and reduced apps.

I have downloaded Toca's free apps (Toca Doctor lite and Toca Hair Salon-Christmas) for my  and classroom iPads.

For my personal iDevices the Toca apps are an immediate purchase- my children love them so much!  If I make the 'mistake' of telling my daughter there's a new one coming out she harangues me daily to see if it's ready.  They are reasonably priced (usually $1.99) and provide hours of creative play.  There are few apps I pay for based on their 'brand name'.  Toca Boca apps are one of them!  My 4 year old plays Toca Birthday/Tea Party, Toca Store and Toca Salon the most.

The Toca Band app had my 10 year old son engaged instantly.  My 4 year old daughter beamed when I  opened the app and she saw the new logo change into a drum set.  The great thing about Toca Apps is that children learn real life concepts in a playful way.

My son playing around with the app for the first time...

Demonstrating the "solo" feature


The placement in the band determines and demonstrates tempo and pitch changes.  My daughter says likes switching who goes into the Star spot frequently "if you let her be the star you can play the piano" (or the instrument the character represents).  Her band members talk to each other and argue a bit- "that's my spot' when she plays! 

The second NEW FREE app is the IOS version of one of my all-time favorite webpages for education.
Yes, Spelling City has launched their iDevice app(FREE)!  Most of their website doesn't work on the iPad, (some features do though) so this app should make iTeachers thrilled.

The app allows you to pick from lists loaded by username, teacher name, parent name or school zip code or their sample lists.   It does not (yet? I hope they add it in!) allow you to add words within the app.

My only problem though is that the word list (my own or one that shows up in their window) isn't loading on my iPad.  It loaded fine on my iPhone though, my son typed in his words and scored an 87%.

Teacher tip- have students take a screenshot (press home button and power button briefly) to show you their results/progress on your next walk around or at the end of the learning time.

Twitter: Source for Professional Development, Community and Authentic Teaching Opportunities

I tweet, therefore I am?  Not at all.  I try very hard not to tweet what I eat, where I am, or what I am doing unless it might be beneficial to someone.  Specifically the 200+ people who follow me (which means they receive my tweets in their timeline).  Thanks by the way, if you follow me AND read my blog!  Sometimes I tweet about something funny or interesting.  Mostly though, I tweet to communicate with other teachers and for professional development.  I LOVE that it is short and concise- 140 characters does not take much time to read over.  I may check my Twitter account several times a day, or I may go a week without checking in.  Many of the 1,156 times I've tweeted (thus far) have been conversations with people who follow me or the #kinderchat hashtag.  Tweeting is a bit like instant messaging all your virtual friends about a topic- and then some of them reply.  Anyone following you or the hashtag can see and take part in the conversation.

If you're clueless about Twitter check out this tweet/link:
Ben Sheridan ‏@B_Sheridan

Blogging : For Twitter newbies: "What’s a # mean on Twitter and what is a Twitter “Chat”?" Shout out to #kinderchat http://goo.gl/OFpO7

Here are some of my tweets from #kinderchat past- I like to think of the #kinderchat as a station- everyone tuning in is for some reason interested in K and most are experienced educators.  When I am facing a dilemma, a frustration, or want to share a laugh... I go to my #kinderchat peeps.

Every Monday night at 9ET/6PT  a bunch of kinder teachers gather round the world wide web and share ideas, resources, frustrations...  During the school year there are scheduled topics- theses tweets from me were on using tech with kinders.


@i_teach_K Handwriting practice on iPads- if you gotta do it, it might as well be fun. #kinderchat

@i_teach_K tweeting w/kiddos= meaningful reason to read and write #kinderchat

[re: skype play and twitter with kinders] @i_teach_K increases communication skills and teaches manners... The kids LOVE it, good enough reason there #kinderchat

[re: skype play and twitter with kinders] @i_teach_K helps children consider others point of view, learn about culture and geography in meaningful ways #kinderchat 

@i_teach_K I like StoryKit, free for drawing, adding text and recording them speaking about it #Kinderchat 

@i_teach_K Instead of whiteboards we write on iPads with sketchio #kinderchat 




I love Twitter for professional development.  If I'm following someone it's becasue I trust their judgment and value their opinions.  So when someone tweets about an article, I can trust that I want to read it.  I don't subscribe to professional magazines (who can afford to, really?) and don't have time to search for articles.  Yet on Twitter I can find articles and websites that are amazing and timely.  
Matt Gomez ‏@Matt_Gomez

New guidelines for tech & young children by @NAEYC and @FredRogersCenter http://ow.ly/1HPGDK #kinderchat #ecetechchat #edtech

Jon Samuelson ‏@ipadSammy

Think Share Teach: Teaching in the one-iPad Classroom | @scoopit http://bit.ly/ygn4YL blog post of things you can do with the lone iPad.

 

One  of the best ways for free professional development is to follow a conference hashtag such as #iste2012 or #mobile2012 or #naeyc12 - attendees tweet quotes, key ideas, resources and links... which you can digest in the comfort of your comfiest chair while they sit in a cold or hot, crowded conference room on hard chairs.  
Good Teaching nuggets
‏@Kristy_Vincent

I don't look at the app and try to teach it. I teach math and find an app that goes with it. - Go @ipadSammy !! 

Katherine Burdick ‏@iAppleLearner

From Graham of Learning Without Frontiers on QR Codes "just because it's digital doesn't mean it's good ;)" #mobile2012 

Twitter also is a GOOD source for free apps/websites

Tony Vincent ‏@tonyvincent

45 of these 60 educational iOS apps are free: http://tonyv.me/60a60m (via @ComputerExplore & @iPadSammy) 

TCEA ‏@TCEA

New free iOS app BrainPOP Jr. Movie of the Week is fun for students in grades K-3: http://bit.ly/KXsTc6

Through Twitter I found out about Daily Five- which revolutionized my literacy instruction this year.  My kids BEGGED for Daily Five time.  
Heidi Echternacht ‏@hechternacht For your reading pleasure: archive to tonights #kinderchat re: #daily5. Enjoy! http://ow.ly/6MuhO #kinderchat

And Symbaloo and the AWESOME #kinderchat mixes
Matt Gomez ‏@Matt_Gomez

Here is the link to the #kinderchat @symbalooEDU webmix of youTube songs to get them moving http://ow.ly/8UEZD

AND Wonderopolis
Jon Fines ‏@Mr_Fines

BTW @Wonderopolis is brought to you by the great people at @NCFLiteracy http://bit.ly/wmH2sQ #kinderchat

And my classroom families LOVED when I discovered how to use Facebook to connect and share daily what we were doing in class
Heidi Echternacht ‏@hechternacht

RT @Matt_Gomez: I use a closed group for my class FB page. Little more info here http://ow.ly/629wi #kinderchat

Resources too great to miss
Matt Gomez ‏@Matt_Gomez

Kids loved that THE author was rdg it RT @happycampergirl: The Kissing Hand B&N online storybook: http://ow.ly/6hbJf. #kinderchat

AND 
Tweeting is not just for adults- get your kinder kids involved next year- as I tweeted ealier it is a way to connect them with the world, give them authemtic reasons to read and write, an audience, and expose them to culture and diversity AND timezones!  
Great blog post about tweeting with kinders

more re K and tweeting

Another about tweets in K

Kathy R. Cook ‏@kathycook1

Guide to using Twitter in K-8 Classroom http://langwitches.org/blog/2011/08/27/guide-to-twitter-in-the-k-8-classroom/

Lastly, the laughs on Twitter are awesome when it's humor you totally get becasue it's from the kinder-universe:  Hint- look at the picture in the link!
Matt Gomez ‏@Matt_Gomez

Sometimes play is awkward http://ow.ly/i/nmvs worst part "Mr. Gomez you are the one on top" ... I changed tables after that #kinderchat 

 

So,  if you've been hesitant to join Twitter... I hope you'll dive in and discover it's amazing opportunities for connecting, learning, and especially teaching!  Follow some of the people I copied the tweets from @matt_gomez @tonyvincent @hechternacht @mr_fines @tcea and definitely check out #kinderchat on Monday nights or anytime for great kinderworld inspirations!

Tell me how you use it in your professional life and say hi on twitter: My accounts are @i_teach_k or @tweetsueh

Privacy and protecting ourselves and our children

A colleague shared a disturbing article about the Teach Me Series, link here (picture is from iTunes store NOT my classroom! :) today at my school.  The Teach Me Kindergarten App is one of my favorite educational apps, they have made a series of apps designed for toddlers through second grade.

Apparently kids photos, and first and last name as well as device information have been sent to a third party site. Luckily it is optional in the program, my students only have their first name entered, and with the iPad1 you can't take photos so my kids info was protected.  I feel very let down by this company and it is a reminder to the consumer/teacher we need to be vigilant to ensure that the very apps that are 'helping' aren't also potentially harming our students or children. 

If you use the Teach Me Series, or plan on using it be sure to not use your last name or use your child's picture. I am disappointed to hear about this and I sincerely hope that the security lapse was unintentional. It is a great reminder though about protecting the children's privacy as well as our own.

 This week as well, LinkedIn, a service for adults, announced 6 million passwords were stolen, and as my husband, the techie says- "it is best to have different passwords for all your different school, home and online accounts.  I know it is a pain to remember them all but if you have a few you like to use and change each one a little bit you will be safer in the long run.  A reminder that you should use at least 8 characters with upper and lower case, numbers and symbols.   Here is more info on the LinkedIn leak:"

http://lifehacker.com/5916177/65-million-linkedin-accounts-may-be-compromised-change-your-password-now

Teaching Math Skills with Technology:
Common Core Standards K.OA.2 Add and Subtract within 10

Today's math lesson was a review of ways to add to ten. First, we practiced on our fingers- a tool that is always with us!

Then, we used a great free app- Find Sums by Math Tappers Their description from the iTunes store"MathTappers: Find Sums is a simple game designed to help learners to make sense of addition (and subtraction as a related operation), and then to support them in developing accuracy and improving their speed."

The students used a ten frame and selected numbers that added up to ten. The game tracks accuracy and speed, so the children kept playing to try to get 100% accuracy and fast. I was amazed at how many kids were chanting '8 and 2' '7 and 3' '5 and 5' as they played. They math addends until are are done.  They can also add up to 20, and 100 using the apples.

Right after, We used a deck of cards with A-J and the 10's Go Fish with the cheat sheet printable from www.kidscount1234.com by Shari Sloane "10s Go Fish - This game is played just like "Go Fish." Instead of asking for a card to match your card, you have to ask for a card that would add with one of your cards to make a sum of 10." Thanks Shari for your awesome math games! My students love them.

Using fingers, apples and ten frames, and playing cards my kindergartners "got" how to add to ten!

National Association for the Education of the Young Child- how do I love thee, let me count the ways... your book "Developmentally Appropriate Practice"guided my first years teaching in a NAEYC Accredited Center. The book "Anti-Bias Curriculum" was a favorite too.  I miss being a member and getting the magazine Young Children. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for updating your Position Statement on Technology.

 Go to NAEYC's page about Technology and Young Children

 NAEYC makes recommendations for early childhood educators (teachers of children ages 0-8).  Reading their recommendations always resonates with my innate beliefs about young children and helps me stay committed to  providing a quality education to the young children I am blessed to teach and raise.


 Technology changes at such a rapid pace, I appreciate the update regarding it's use with young children.  A small kernel in me has worried I could 'damage' my students (and my children) using technology- I feel reassured- if NAEYC supports AGE APPROPRIATE use, that's all I need to know!

 Directly From NAEYC's Key Message Document, with underlines from ME!

"Key Messages of the NAEYC/Fred Rogers Center Position Statement on Technology
and Interactive Media in Early Childhood Programs
This summary highlights key messages of the January 2012 joint position statement, Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8, issued by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at Saint Vincent College.

Why this statement is important
Advances in technology and interactive media rapidly are transforming how we communicate and use information in our homes, offices, and early childhood settings. This position statement offers guidance—based on research-based knowledge of how young children grow and learn—on both the opportunities and the challenges of the use of technology and interactive media. The statement focuses on their use in early childhood programs—schools, centers, family child care—serving children from birth through age 8.

When used intentionally and appropriately, technology and interactive media are effective tools to support learning and development. The fundamental premise of the position statement is that technology and interactive media are tools for teachers and administrators to use in early childhood programs. The effectiveness of technology and interactive media, as with other tools, depends on their being used in the right ways, under the right circumstances, by those skilled in their use. Within the framework of developmentally appropriate practice, this means recognizing children as unique individuals, being attuned to their age and developmental level, and being responsive to the social and cultural contexts in which they live.

Effective uses of technology and media are active, hands-on, engaging, and empowering; give the child control; provide adaptive scaffolds to help children progress in skills development at their individual rates; and are used as one of many options to support children’s learning. Technology and interactive media should expand children’s access to new content and new skills. When truly integrated, uses of technology and media become routine and transparent—the child or the educator is focused on the activity or exploration itself and not on the technology.
Intentional use requires early childhood teachers and administrators to have information and resources regarding the nature of these tools and the implications of their use with children.

Ultimately, the key decision regarding the use of technology and interactive media is whether specific goals—both for individual children and the program as a whole—can be more effectively achieved using traditional classroom materials, or whether the use of particular technology and interactive media tools actually extends the opportunities for learning and development. There are many ways that technology can extend opportunities for learning and development—helping to better meet the needs of individual children (e.g., assistive technologies that improve children’s ability to learn, move, communicate, and create); supporting enhanced communication with families (e.g., digital portfolios documenting children’s progress); and providing children new opportunities for exploration and mastery (e.g., making a book of scanned images of children’s artwork and dictations).

When making decisions about technology, program administrators must consider the allocation of limited resources and cost effectiveness, including initial cost, the ongoing costs of updating and upgrading hardware and software, and unspecified costs, such as additional items needed to use the product. Decisions about resource allocations also should consider the range of available and increasingly affordable technology along with the associated learning value and cost effectiveness relative to other materials.

Limitations on the use of technology and media are important. The statement recommends carefully considering the screen time recommendations from public health organizations for children from birth through age 5 when determining appropriate limits on technology and media use in early childhood settings. Screen time estimates should include time spent in front of a screen at the early childhood program and, with input from parents and families, at home and elsewhere.
When used appropriately, and keeping screen time recommendations in mind, technology and interactive media have the potential to enhance, without replacing, creative play, exploration, physical activity, outdoor experiences, conversation, and social interactions. Technology should never be used in ways that are emotionally damaging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to children. This includes undue exposure to violence or highly sexualized images.

Special considerations must be given to the use of technology with infants and toddlers. The statement recommends prohibiting the passive use of television, videos, DVDs, and other non-interactive technologies and media in early childhood programs for children younger than 2 years of age, and it discourages passive and non-interactive uses with children ages 2 through 5. Any uses of technology and interactive media in programs for children younger than 2 years of age should be limited to those that appropriately support responsive interactions between caregivers and children and strengthen adult-child relationships.

Attention to digital citizenship and equitable access is essential. When using technology and interactive media, teachers and administrators in early childhood programs have a responsibility to protect and empower children by helping them learn to ask questions and think critically about the technologies and media they use. Adults have a responsibility to model good digital citizenship, defined as developmentally appropriate and active uses of digital tools, media, and methods of communication and learning in safe, healthy, acceptable, responsible, and socially positive ways. Digital citizenship also means working to assure equitable access to technology and interactive media experiences.

Ongoing research and professional development are needed. It is difficult to imagine the technological options that will be available in a few short years, yet alone what today’s young children will use as adults. We can anticipate, however, the need for professional development and research.

Teachers and administrators need information and resources to effectively select, use, integrate, and evaluate technology and interactive media tools in intentional and developmentally appropriate ways. They need to stay current regarding the rapid changes in technology and the implications for their use in programs.

Preservice and professional development should include in-depth, hands-on technology experiences, ongoing support, and access to the latest technology and interactive media. Educators need opportunities to play and create using these tools. And, examples of successful integrations of technology and interactive media in early childhood programs should be compiled to provide support and inspiration.

Ongoing research is needed to better understand how young children use and learn with technology and interactive media and to better understand any short- and long-term effects. Research should help guide policy and evidence-based practice, ensuring that, now and in the future, the use of technology and interactive media is intentional and developmentally appropriate for all children, extending and supporting active, hands-on, creative, and authentic engagement with those around them and with their world."

From the Examples of Effective Practice document (Also has infant/toddler and school age recommendations).
"Preschoolers and Kindergartners
During the preschool years, young children are developing a sense of initiative and creativity. They are curious about the world around them and about learning. They are exploring their ability to create and communicate using a variety of media (crayons, felt-tip markers, paints and other art materials, blocks, dramatic play materials, miniature life figures) and through creative movement, singing, dancing, and using their bodies to represent ideas and experiences. Digital technologies provide one more outlet for them to demonstrate their creativity and learning.

• Allow children to freely explore touch screens loaded with a wide variety of developmentally appropriate interactive media experiences that are well designed and enhance feelings of success.
• Provide opportunities for children to begin to explore and feel comfortable using “traditional” mouse and keyboard computers to use Websites or look up answers with a search engine.
• Capture photos of block buildings or artwork that children have created; videotape dramatic play to replay for children.
• Celebrate children’s accomplishments with digital media displayed on a digital projector or on a classroom Website.
• Incorporate assistive technologies as appropriate for children with special needs and/or developmental delays.
• Record children’s stories about their drawings or their play; make digital audio or video files to document their progress.
• Explore digital storytelling with children. Co-create digital books with photos of the children’s play or work; attach digital audio files with the child as the narrator.
• Share e-books with a small group of children.
• Use digital microscopes and other science materials to capture images and store them on a computer.
• Search digital files for photos of places, people, animals, or objects and converse with children about what they are finding.
• Use video-conferencing software to communicate with families and children in other places.
• Arrange play experiences for children to construct and explore their ideas about how technology works.
• Provide access to photographs and experiences children may not otherwise encounter (a visit to the crayon factory, for example, or images of people and places not represented in their environment)."
 -NAEYC

 Go to NAEYC's page about Technology and Young Children