Looking to add a few apps to your repertoire? Check out some of our favorite classroom apps!! Do you have a favorite? Please share it in our comments.
 |
Rover
|
 |
edmodo
|
 |
SmartFind Express
Getting Started:
**Important Note – When reporting an absence, be sure to click “edit schedule” and enter the times you will be absent. If you do not do this, HR will call you to determine how many hours you missed, as the app default is 0. |
 |
Falcon Download Manager
|
|
|
Show Me
|
Have you noticed that iOS devices are pretty popular? Probably not. Who could have possibly noticed the MILLIONS of iPhones out there, the MILLIONS of iPods, and MILLIONS of iPads wandering around?
Ok, obviously we know and you know that iOS devices are popular and we have hundreds, if not THOUSANDS of them in the district alone, but how can you keep up with all the new apps that are out there and evaluate whether it is something you should try using in your class? Well, the iCafe team is going to try and help!
Check back each week as we look at a few of our favorite apps that we recommend. Here’s our first four…and some are even FREE…at least for today!
 |
Scribble Kid – Give the kids chart paper and markers to create! |
 |
Creative Genius on-the-go – Supplies you with a bunch of writing prompts or acting out activities. |
 |
Counting and Skip Counting – Practice counting and skip counting…click on the numbers to follow along. |
 |
Counting Board – Put the hundreds chart an your device…click to reveal the numbers. |
While there is no replacement for a fully functional computer, the iPod Touch can certainly compare.
Apple launched its most popular product, the iPod, in October 2001. Since then, over 220,000,000 have been sold worldwide. Six years later, Apple released their newest creation, the iPod Touch. It is called a “touch” because of its ability to navigate and input information by touching your finger to the screen. With the younger generation being the prominent users of these little devices, you will want to find a way to incorporate them into your classroom.
Though it is a bit more cumbersome, the Touch has many of the same functions as a laptop. The basic features include a calendar, e-mail program, address book (contacts), calculator, notepad, media player (video and audio), photo album, GPS and web browser. Another powerful feature of the Touch is the ability to download applications or “apps.” You have probably seen the commercial for the iPhone and the catch phrase is, “There’s an app for that.” Well…there really is an app for just about anything you can imagine. The only difference between an iPhone and an iPod Touch is that a phone has calling capabilities (with a hefty cell phone plan from AT&T) and a built in camera. That is it! To see how one school is using the Touches in their classroom, visit the iPod Touch Project. The site gives an overview of how they got started and the pedagogy behind the project.
Need some ideas on how to get started? Try out these ideas:
Bringing some iPod touches into your classroom will quickly change the way your students interact with the curriculum and make your classroom so much fun! Give it a try and post your ideas on how you use iPod Touches in the comments section below!
There are basic skills that form a foundation in each of the core subject areas. Students who cannot quickly recall basic math facts struggle with daily mathematical problem solving. A child who doesn’t have his sight words memorized struggles with reading fluently. Poor spelling can cause a student to have trouble writing. You get the idea. These foundational skills must be mastered if we are going to help students build the complex concepts that they need. We know we need to provide opportunities for students to practice these basic skills but it takes time and traditional practicing methods are often boring. Adding a dose of technology into your skill drill-and-kill can grab a student’s attention and keep them interested long enough that they just might remember the facts.
Here are three ideas to make skill review more fun:
1. Raps on iPods
Catchy tunes and rhythm can often aid in the memory process, so it only makes sense to pair our reviews with music! Examples can be found all over the internet and here is a fantastic example found on TeacherTube:
You can then take the songs and videos and load them onto iPods for students to review anywhere!
2. Video Flash Cards
Power Point slides saved as jpeg files can make great video flash cards to practice math facts, sight words, or vocabulary. Load the slides into Photostory or Movie Maker. Have students record the answer, pronunciation, or definition. Flash cards can be viewed at the computer or loaded onto an iPod for portability.
3. Websites
There are a number of great websites that provide opportunities for students to practice basic skills. Many of the websites mimic traditional methods of practice (i.e. flashcards), but they add color or animation to grab your attention or make things interesting. Other web sites hone in on students competitive nature by presenting the skill review in the form of a game where students can earn points for correct answers or speed. I’ll include a few of my favorites.
| Math: | Spelling: | Vocabulary: | |
 http://www.mathnook.com |
 http://www.multiplication.com |
 http://www.spellingcity.com |
 http://www.funbrain.com/words.html |
Repetition of basic skills and information is important, but it doesn’t have to be dreadful. Take some time to add a little technology into your rote practice of skills and I guarantee you will grab students’ attention and keep it!
