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

www.wegivebooks.org I love reading books to children and have hundreds of books in my personal classroom library of children's books.  One of the ways I can enjoy a new book is through the site We Give Books. 

Better yet, every time I read a book to my students or my own children a book is donated to a cause I choose.  This month you can choose to "Read for Your School" and if you read 50 books the organization will send books to your school.  Normally though, you choose an organization that is trying to get books to children in need or for a good cause,  My students and children LOVE clicking the "Give a book" button after we read the books. What a terrific way to encourage reading and building a sense of urgency.  Our favorite books to read right now are the Skippyjon Jones series... the kids beg for a story.  We also like all the informational texts.

Today we read the book Little Dog Lost http://www.wegivebooks.org/books/little-dog-lost .  My students talked about the problem (Ahlena says the dog was lost and he was on the ice) and some solutions (Austin thought a boat would come to help him).  After reading the book the kids shared with a partner what they thought about the book. Jayden thought "He didn't know that the ice was going to come off."  Jocelyn said "that  the dog was floating away on the iceberg and he fell off halway and he came back up and the people rescued him."

Did we like the book?
17 kids thought the book was great.
Christian liked the dog being on the iceberg.
Cannon liked that people helped save the dog.
Kayli liked that it was a true story.
Ahlena liked that the people rescued the dog.
Maggie liked the part of when he was on the boat sleeping and he woke up.
Ashtyn liked when the dog put his chin on the rescuer's knee.
Tristan liked the part when the recuer grabbed him and got him off the iceberg.
Jayden liked the part when he was floating on the ice.
Isaac liked that it is a true story.
Nancy likes the name of the dog (Baltic).
Jacob liked that it was a true story.
Derek likes big ships and he really loved seeing them rescue the dog.
Austin liked when the guy saved him.
Kaylee liked it because it was real.
Avalon liked when the rescuers saved the dog.
Moses says the dog is cute.
1 kid did not like the book.
Allen did not like that the dog had to wait three days to be dry.