Category Archives: iPads

Students Love Discovery Education Science Techbook

Quotes from students this year about the Discovery Education Science Techbook:

” Mr. Rowland, can I get Science Techbook at home?”

“Would it be OK if I took my username card home so I can work on this at home?”

“Science Techbook actually makes science fun!”

“We learned about Earthquakes on Friday and we had an earthquake on Saturday!”

“I think Science Techbook is the best because I love the videos, we all do!”

I have the distinct privilege of training teachers and students how to use technology in Greenville County Title I schools.  After attending a workshop with  Discovery Techbook in October, I decided to train teachers and students how to use Techbook and set that as my professional goal for the 2013-2014 school year.

Welcome Elementary School and Monaview Elementary School piloted DE Techbook this year.  I decided to spend time working with teachers during planning and after school to help them plan lessons and navigate the app.  The best part was modeling ways to integrate the amazing resources that are available to students using this app in their classrooms.

Welcome Elementary is a 1:1 iPad school and Monaview Elementary has a variety of devices such as laptops, iPads, mini iPads, Dell tablets, and 2 computer labs.

Both schools have a Virtual Science Lab and are able to partner with each other during Science experiments.

Here is the padlet wall that I built to help teachers with the Techbook Implementation. I took off the school specific information that I originally included on the padlet wall.

Here is a video as I introduce Techbook to students in 3rd grade.

Welcome iPad Learning Walk

On March 12, several teachers and Administrators from Anderson 1, Greenwood County and Greenville Schools came to observe the Welcome Elementary students and teachers in their 1:1 iPad environment.  We called it an iPad Learning Walk. The visitors were excited and extremely complimentary of the lessons they observed in the classrooms.

We created a survey to gather feedback and here are the results about a few things they learned on the walk:

  • how independent the students were
  • how well Related Arts were using the iPads
  • how well K5 and 1st grade use the iPad
  • how each class differentiated instruction
  • how knowledgeable the student leaders were
  • how useful the iPads were in every subject
  • how effective the use of Air Server was
  • how crucial it is to have an expert on site
  • how well the students behaved and were engage
  • how the classroom flowed and was differentiated
  • how much the students love the iPads
  • how feedback is generated for each student
  • how important it is to have a strong foundation and implementation BEFORE putting iPads in teachers/students’ hands
  • how an iPad classroom operates
  • how a number of apps worked across the various grade levels
  • how important teacher training and follow up is
  • how to limit apps

The apps they were most interested in were: Explain EverythingBook Creator, EdmodoDiscovery Education Science TechbookRaz Kids A-Z, HMH App for leveled readers, the ability to mirror using  Air Server, the usefulness of QR Codes, and the features of Padlet website.

For a list of apps and activities that students were using click here. Welcome iPad Learning Walk Activities (Responses)

Common Core Research Projects for Elementary Education

Common Core Standards: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/CCRA/W

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

Range of Writing

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Here are a few ways our students are conducting research in the classrooms.

Science Stations in 4th Grade

Research: Edmodo and Ask3

Graphic Organizers

Popplet Lite and Smart Art in Word are great tools to use to organize information and essential facts required for the research project.

My favorite website to use for research is Instagrok. You can change the reading level of your searches by sliding the bar at the top of the page, which is helpful and you can build your own Journal to share with students or they can create their own journals of notes.

Another favorite research tool is SC Discus.  Students can create workspace projects as they conduct their research.

Students using iPads have enjoyed using the App StoryKit  and Book Creator to create their own textbooks using photos, their own paintings, recordings of their voices, and typing their findings on each page.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/common-core-ela-resources-elementary-matt-davis.   Edutopia ideas

Publish Student Work

www.schooltube.com

Register for a Schooltube account tutorial

Upload videos to Schooltube tutorial

GCSD Blog publish video tutorial

Websites for Research

www.instagrok.com   Use Firefox or Chrome, not Internet Explorer

http://scdiscus.org     SCDiscus

www.enchantedlearning.com  Ask your PTA to buy a school account, no ads

Photos:

http://www.edutopia.org/life-magazine-online-photography-analysis

www.pics4Learning.com

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/lincoln/  Library of Congress

Apps:

 Book Creator  iMovie  StoryKit  SockPuppet  Popplet

QR Code Generator for FireFox

PDF QR Code Generator for Firefox

QR Code Movie: How to Create a QR Code

T Search Research Graphic Organizer

How to Create a T-Search Research Tshirt SCAN-ETS3327_000

Nanoogo

Fun Research Projects

Instagrok

Photos for Primary Sources 

Parker’s Blog

Sara’s Blog

http://childrenfirst.blog.greenville.k12.sc.us/files/2013/08/Learning-pyramid.jpg

Screen Chomp and Ask3 for Formative Assessment

We plan to use Screen Chomp and Ask3 for formative assessment this year with our students at Welcome Elementary.  These apps are cross-curricular and will allow teachers to evaluate students’ understanding of concepts and skills.

We would also like to post their Screen Chomp screen recordings on the teachers’ blogs so others can see their work.  Here is a very simple hand-out about how to do this:  Screen Chomp Hand Out

Here is a YouTube video about Screen Chomp:  Screen Chomp Video 

Here is a more detailed Hand-Out about how to use Screen Chomp.

How to add a hyperlink to your GCSD Blog:  Adding Hyperlink

Ask3 Videos are contained within the App for students and teachers to view on the Bulletin Board. Students and teachers can add comments, critique and collaborate using this App.  Here is a video about using Ask3. Ask3 Video

Here is a Hand-Out about Ask3.

Good luck as you share tutorials created by your students.

“OWL” In at Welcome Elementary

We are all in this year at Welcome Elementary. Every student and every teacher has an iPad and the learning possibilities are endless.  Let’s get started. Here are the resources from today’s workshop August 15, 2013.

PowerPoint

QR Code Blog

QR Code Generator for FireFox

AR Flashcards

Link to Websites: Kathy Schrock iPad and Kathy Cassidy Blog

Set up your own blog: Tutorials

SchoolTube website

RESOURCES FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2013-2014

Reflections of what went well using the iPads last school year.

Welcome iPads 2013-2014

Resources needed for the 1:1 iPad Initiative will be uploaded to this site.

Please read this article about Teachers Who Just Got iPads.  This is a must read for all teachers with iPads.  TechChef is the Best!

Here are the Resources to help you get started with the iPads for 2013-2014.  Click on the link and save the files to your computer.

Core Apps – Free

iPad Planning – 1st Two Weeks

iPad Management Strategies – handout

iPad Expectations for Teachers

Welcome ES iPad Implementation Plan

iPad End of Year Procedures End of Year iPad Checklist

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Extra Resources

UTC 13 iPad Forum w photos

ISTE 1 to 1 iPad Intiative

iteach_in_an_ipad_classroom

OLD iPad Contract DO NOT USE: Welcome Elementary School iPad Contract