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!

Videos of Apps in use by A4CWSN

An amazing resource for when you want to see more than a few screen shots before buying an app.  By my count there are about 300 reviews on here.  http://a4cwsn.com/apps/apps-a-z/  Be sure to check out A4CWSN on Facebook too.

Teaching Tools: Spinners and Dice

Teaching tools: spinners and dice
Decide Now! is great!

I spend way too much time making, finding, and passing out homemade spinners and dice... I use them for reading, writing, and math primarily.  So I have been looking for an app that could replace all of those homemade spinners, and dice I have in my room. They are handy for word games, math games, and writing practice, but finding the right ones at the right time, storing, and making new ones is a pain.  I do it frequently as the words/numbers/shapes... kids are working on changes frequently. 

One game is to spin, say and write the word, continue doing that until one word wins. I give the kids a piece of graph paper with the words across the bottom. They can play as a group or individually (great for differentiation). For numbers, kids roll or spin then name and write the number, again on graph paper. Or, have them spin/roll and then circle the word in a reader, magazine, newspaper, or on the board.For easy bingo games, have kids choose numbers or words from the spinner and write them anywhere on their bingo cards. Then choose a kid to be the spinner/caller.

With the Decide Now! app, you can input up to 22 words and have them visible as they spin. I added up to 35, it probably could go higher- and the spinner shows the color, but not the word while it spins. It does display it on the top when it stops spinning. I've been using the spinner on my Mimio IWB, but Decide Now! Is so much easier, and, can be easily used for differentiating learning. Try out the lite version for free or purchase the full app if you like it. I tested the full app when its price was reduced to free... I would recommend it to any teacher who makes their own dice and spinners.
Another app to try is Make Dice Lite, I believe the full version is $.99, but I can't recommend either version wholeheartedly... The lite version has ads and isn't as customizable as it could be, specifically I would want to delete their pre made dice. I have not bought the full version. I would use the Decide Now! app over Make Dice Lite unquestionably.
For various games you might try Game Tools. It does have ads, but on my class iPads I usually have the Internet off or web sense requires a login and I don't log it in, so the adds don't show. It lets you pick up to 6 dice, use a timer, keep track of score, and has a beeeep for when time is up.

I found a dice app yesterday, Decision Dice, that while a little buggy, is simple enough that it could be great for dice activities. You can edit the words on up to 2 dice. I would like to see them add dots too, and to be able to save your word lists. Hopefully the bugs will be worked out soon, if so, I'll be using this for my roll the word games.

Free Fun and Useful Apps

Songify, Magic Numbers, Sand Box, ChorePad

Songify is a simple, fun app that allows you to record yourself (or students) speaking and then transforms the speech into a song. There are three styles that are free, and then more you can purchase. What a great way to practice your elocution skills.

Magic Numbers is plain and simply a fun parlor trick... but it sure is fun to stump my husband and sons. Also, it makes you work on your addition skills!
Sandbox also has a lite version, is literally a digital sandbox... with fun tools for a zen like experience on your iPad.

Chore pad can replace your chore charts, tokens, etc. There is a lite version to try for free, and the full version (keep in mind it is a separate download, so don't enter too many chores in the lite version, you'll have to do it all over again if you opt for the full version) you can add multiple children.

These are a few of my most recent apps...

I have been lazy, busy, unconnected (while in Alaska) lately... but I have still managed to find some new apps.

First,  my current favorite app finder app is App Hits. 

For those who like grasshopperapps be sure to check out alligatorapps- both developer pages offer several good, customizable FREE apps.  This is one I check out at least twice a week as they usually offer their new apps for free the first couple of days after release.

Great whiteboard apps:  
ShowMe Interactive Whiteboard lets you record your drawings and audio and replay or upload. 
Sketchio  Sketchio is a very basic whiteboard app (NO adds or overwhelming choices) that allows you to "turn the page" and go back,  Great replacement for whiteboards, and it's FREE.  LOVE IT
iDoodle100 idoodle gets on my like list because I love the magnetic boards it resembles.  The only drawback is a reent update added sounds!

Remember, the whiteboard apps are useful instead of smelly markers... paper, etc.  It is also motivation for spelling word practice, math facts, etc.  Sketchio is my favorite basic whiteboard app for class use.  I have several apps like these in my "digital ink" folder.

Decent but not amazing, however, free is still free...
Ladybug addition, subtraction and counting
Gingham Games
Storywheel
Chisenbop (a cool way to count up to 99 using fingers)
Magic Numbers HD (fun guess my number trick, but has kids use addition skills)

Finding Apps for Second Grade

Here is a list of  Recommended Apps for Second Grade, my colleague is looking forward to getting her first iPad for her classroom next week, so I searched through my apps and used applist.me to make the list for her.  I wanted to share it with YOU too.  I would love suggestions if any second grade teacher knows of a great site I haven't found yet.


If you are starting out for the first time in the App store I highly recommend NOT paying for any Apps at first, unless it's been highly recommended to you by another teacher.  Apps add up quickly, and there are many free apps available.  I found that my criteria for what makes a good app in my opinion changed dramatically over the past 9 months- I am sure yours will too.

Also, for those new to the app store, here is my recommendation for finding great apps among the multitudes. Sometimes it feels like finding a needle in a haystack.

First, on your iPad, go to the App Store.  Open the categories section.  Type a specific skill or subject into the search box on the upper right (ie: vowels or addition).  You will get two groups of apps, iPad or iPhone that match your criteria.  I usually only look through the iPad section unless there is a limited selection, then I browse the iphone section too.  Remember ipod/iphone apps work on the iPad too.  Click on "show all."  If you get a lot of apps that match your subject you need to weed out the ones without good ratings and/or free or paid apps using the options above.

Apps on my iPads

Here is a handy list of most of the apps I've got on my personal, classroom, and my kids' iDevices.  I will work on making a whittled down list of my recommended apps using http://applist.me, but for now here's almost 600 apps I've tried out at some time.   If you open the url, you can click on the link to see the app in itunes.  Sorry it's partially in Deutsch- the site is in Beta testing.

Please note that these are not all great apps- some are marvelous and others on this list are simply OK.  I leave it to you to decide if you want to try them out.  I will make another list that only includes my absolute favorites soon.

http://applist.me/YXGhDV

Apps for children with special needs

If you have, or work with, children with special needs I hope you've already discovered a4cwsn.com or Facebook.com/a4cwsn

Be sure to 'like' his Facebook page: every so often he holds an app party, with free codes to give away. There's also good reviews of apps on his site.

Dear Sync Letter

Dear Sync,

I'm sorry, but I just can't stand you anymore! I'm abandoning you today, as you are too complicated and can never quite meet my needs. You take way too much time and interfere with my enjoyment of my iFriends.

If you have to know, I am going to be with iCloud now. He's easy to be with, dependable, and is there when I need him, no matter where I am.

Sync, I hope you and I can still be friends. We may see each other from time to time, especially around ios4. Once ios5 is ready for iCloud and I we will probably never see you again.

Love, Digitalkindergarten

Kindergarten Angry Bird Competition!

I will always advocate for full day kindergarten. My first year of teaching K my class was split into am/pm and I hated it. I was very limited to reading, writing, math and I always felt rushed. The afternoon kids were drooping, and so was I. I hated repeating the same thing I'd already done in the am. The kids were already staying all day, just with an enrichment teacher (a para Ed) for the time they weren't with me. By February I'd had enough and combined my kiddos... And It was amazing. Suddenly I had time to do projects I'd felt guilting fitting in before. So, for the next 4 years I've begged to keep all day kindergarten no matter the class size. and I've loved it.

However, the kids are so tired by Friday I have instituted 'Fun Friday'. We stick to routine M-Th and then change it up on Friday. I have a parent volunteer in the morning, so I do messy projects and things I won't tackle on my own with so many busy kiddos. I try to plan special events on Fridays and save the best ideas for Fridays... One of which was our own game of Angry Birds.

When I first got the iPads I downloaded Angry Birds for my family to play, and of course we all loved it. I left the free version on the class iPads and of course my students loved it. Recently I decided to take 'non educational' apps off the class iPads, including Angry Birds. Yes, I know, many teachers will insist that the game teaches physics, strategy, and other worthwhile skills. I however, think it's pure fun and would rather have my students use apps that are more meaningful during learning times.

Then, normally kind students started arguing over the iPads I hadn't changed (erased the fun games on) yet. A parent of a somewhat emotional child told me he'd cried at home because I was taking Angry Birds away. The kids were using blocks and plastic counting bears to build Angry Bird style structures.

So I finally decided to cave in, and put Angry Birds on all the iPads again. I also started planning a way to play Angry Birds in class after seeing the intricate structures they were building.

Then this Blog Archive » Using Angry Birds to teach math, history and science
http://ilearntechnology.com/?p=3970 came to my attention and I knew it was time to go hog wild (pun anyone?) and embrace the craze. After all, it is my job to captivate young learners and make curriculum to fit their interests and the standards.

How we played Angry birds in K:

First, I let the kids play the game on the iPad or other device. I also showed a few YouTube clips of lifesize angry bird games and one stopmotion paper recreation.

Then I printed off the piggy targets (targets available if you follow the above link). I printed and attached them to tissue boxes for the practices and then plastic cups for the competition (easier to knock over). I collected various materials for the launchers and angry birds. For the launchers i had some wooden parts; shims, popsicle sticks, blocks and tape, small plastic frisbees, straws, plastic spoons, rubber bands, thread spools, pipe cleaners. For the birds a student suggested eraser caps, I wrapped styrofoam eggs in tape, and we also used large white dried beans for the birds.

I put the kids in groups of their choice, but that didn't work well as the kids all wanted to make their own. Then I let them work alone or as a group. I did ask them to talk about and draw pictures of their designs. Some were great depictions of what they actually created.

After they'd had time to create, we went outside to practice using targets made from tissue boxes and the pig targets I'd printed off. Then I gave more time for adjusting their launchers, and then for practicing shooting at the targets, which were now taped onto plastic cups. We assigned points: 10 for a small cup being hit, 100 for a knock over. 50 for a big cup, 500 for a knock over.

I announced the competition would be held the next week, with school made and homemade launchers. Suggested Rules for homemade launchers: kid directed and assembled, with some parent help, No store-bought (one child did bring a professional slingshot) or touching the "bird" allowed.

Our local stores did not carry any angry birds merchandise so I bought a $4 slingshot from Fred Meyers and three slingshot airplane gliders as prizes. I also printed off copies of the targets for all students so they could play at home. Each child was given 3 shots of 1-3 angry birds of their choice. They got two chances, for a total of 6 shots.

I think this was the coolest project I've ever done in K. The kids had so much fun and were very creative. The 1st-4th graders who observed us practicing were so jealous I hasn't done it with them when I was their teacher.

Video to follow... Hopefully this weekend :)

Best apps for end of the year kindergarten

Here are some of my favorite teaching tool* dock apps for use by most end of year kiddos. While not an exhaustive list... These are apps I feel improve on some more traditional activities, or they provide personalized feedback that I just can't do in a class of 23.

Apples in Hour Hands

Line 'em Up

Find the Sum

Park Math (not pictured)

Talking Memory 123

Montessori 100 Board

I teach the kids how to adjust the settings to make it harder if they are ready for it, and most love the challenge.

Reading...
Preschool University's Reading Magic apps
Grasshopper's Little Reader and Little Speller apps (I personalize these a lot).

Word Bingo

Little Speller

Skill building spelling- this is great to target specific words for specific kids.
Pocket Phonics and Dot to Dot Number Whiz are good ones too.

This Is My Story

Writing...Story Kit, Kids Slate, Pen Board,




Misc... Teach me first grade





*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.

Appnoxious

I am feeling very appnoxious today. I am drooling over a few new apps. Due to a recent fraudulent use of one of our cards I don't want to add money to my account right now... Someone used our Paypal card (which is tied to our bank account) to order things from Apple, including, apparently a $100 itunes card. I am hoping to wait until it's all straightened out or I can buy another gift card (in my usual $10 or $15 dollar denominations from Fred Meyers.)

I talked with a parent tonight about how awesome iPads are in the hands of young children. I am becoming more sold on an AppleWorld as I have my students use them more and more. I have 11 now for my class of 23 students, so I've been having half use the iPads while I work with the other half, or with one student while the others are doing a project. It is amazing how excited they are to use them to practice sight words and math skills. In the mornings I have let them choose from books on the iPads or the reading and math apps I have placed on the dock.

For anyone new to this blog, I use the dock for apps that meet my criteria of a teaching tool.

*Teaching tools should improve traditional learning activities by:
1.)  saving time, because we never have enough educational time, or prep time.
2.)  allow for differentiation to meet each child's learning needs.
3.)  motivating reluctant learners.
4.)  make learning fun.

These are apps that, if anyone were to come in and say that my learning time was wasted on apps, I could laugh and then show exactly how the apps are sometimes the best use of learning time, when it's just me and 23 kids of various levels and with challenging behaviors.

I would swear that the iPads have saved my sanity this year. So, I am sorry if I come across a little appnoxious... It's just that until I can clone myself and hire a personal and classroom assistant I never want to be/teach without my iPads or the awesome apps on it ever again.

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.

Loving using my ipad2 for this end of the year project

Today I used my iPad to take pictures of my students profiles. I printed them out, aligned it with a black piece of paper, then cut around the profile. Next I glued the profile and picture to opposite sides of a blue page of construction paper.

In the past I used an overhead projector, a step stool, taped the black paper to the wall, made a 5 year old stand still (yeah right!) while I traced their profile, cut it out and glued it to the page. I will never do that again!

The picture above is from google images... I will add my own pic soon.

Teaching Tools: Dramatic Play Center

Last week I dreamed up a new (to me) dramatic play center. I try to change it every few months... Most recently it was a Veterinarian's Office. We went on a field trip to Country Pet Vet and the local Public Library- Naselle Timberland library. So it made sense to create a library next. Between the props I already had, and loans/gifts from both our school library and Timberland library, an awesome center was born.

I moved the bookshelves and cozy red chairs, repurposed the kitchen furniture (the sink is the book drop), and moved the iPad shelves back there too. I added the play phones, a cash register (to pay for overdue/lost books), a wait list form for the iPads, a shelving cart, a real barcode scanner, book placeholders, library cards, and of course lots of books. When I asked the kids what else we needed in the center, they said a computer (well, duh, Mrs. Holt).

I was slightly ashamed I hadn't thought of that sooner... And then I brainstormed a way to utilize Google Forms... It would be the K Library database! I kept it simple, librarian name, borrower name, item checked out (iPad or book or other) and time (we've been studying telling time). I put the link to my form on www.tizmos.com/kgrade . Yesterday was the first day they used the center and it's popularity surprised me!

The Google Form works great, the kids had a blast, and technology was integrated on the request of the students more than me. How awesome is that? Plus, the kids are handling the check out of ipads for free play use, not me.

So I ask you, how can technology be incorporated into other dramatic play center themes?

Two funnies to share: When my kids go to get a book to read during non-free play times, they just have to scan the barcodes. It's like they can't resist.

Today one child was busy shelving books (we had reading buddies, so most books got checked out) and I overheard her saying "I am tired of putting these books away, but I have to. I need to earn more money."

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. :)

iPad use during reading group...

It was brought to my attention from one of the fabulous creators of ABC Pocket Phonics (and Dot to Dot Number Whiz) that the video link I'd included in my iPad as a reading group wasn't functioning properly so I thought I'd use my new friend, Blogsy, to try to fix it. I will go and update the original blog, but for now, here is a more recent clip of a student using ABC Pocket Phonics during my reading group time- he had just finished reading/writing with me and was practicing letter writing and sounds and blending words on the iPad.... And another try at using the original clip the first one with my students using iPads during reading groups. Cmon Blogsy, be a pal and talk to YouTube for me. I really want BOTH links to work. (update: YouTube is still not playing nicely, so if you'd really like to see the original video, follow the link below...)

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...

WA and CA iPad2 trainings- iPad included in class cost!

If you are interested in using an iPad in class but don't know where to start you might look into these trainings, where for about $700 you will get a new iPad2 AND get support from opening the box to actually using it in your classroom.

current CA trainings

WA state trainings

I think these would be great for teachers new to iPad technology. I am attending one in May myself, mostly because I had PD money and want another iPad for my classroom.

If you go to the CUE site they actually have an agenda on there so you know what you'll get from them- or your school could hold your own, using your iPad knowledgeable teachers.