Final EDET Assignment

As the semester comes to an end next week, I have one more requirement to fulfill for my educational technology course. I need to increase the popularity of blog by choosing two strategies that my peers have utilized and have been successful.

The first strategy I chose to implement was posting my URL on the Classroom 2.0 site because it seemed logical and appropriate. If you haven't checked out Classroom 2.0 you are behind the times my friend. This website offers endless advice, resources and great technological ideas to  practice in schools with students of all ages. The best part is this information is coming from other educators who have tried it out.... think of Classroom 2.0 as Facebook for Educators.  I searched for iPod Touches and came across a discussion started just a few days ago on April 21, 2011 asking, "What are some ways of using iPod Touches in the classroom?" Jackpot! That is exactly what my blog is all about... using iPod Touches with kindergarteners. If I can implement these devices in a classroom filled with 5- and 6-year-olds than anyone one can adapt these devices to meet their learners. 

The second strategy I chose to try out was adding my URL to the signature of my emails. I currently have two emails one being for work and the other is for school, so I chose to only include it on my college email. A few of my college professors have commented (through email not on my blog!) about how wonderful it is to share such great resources with everyone! In time I would like to follow other bloggers in hopes they will follow my site in return. I will look into this strategy in the coming months. 

Lastly, as an educator, it has been a real joy blogging about the successes I have had in kindergarten using the iPod Touches.  A little less than three months ago, I wasn't familiar with the iTouches and was unsure how this project was going to play out. All 36 children have had some experience with these hand-held device playing all sorts of "games" focusing on reading, writing, word recognition, handwriting, numbers, shapes, telling time to the hour, addition and subtraction and more. I plan to continue blogging about various ways to use iPod Touches across all grade levels and ages. These devices are very easy to use and the children have a ball with them!

Coloring and Stories!

The students continue to work on letters and writing using the iPods. This past week, some of the children had a chance with a "Coloring" app. I believe this app was free but any of them will do. It provides different coloring pages and paint options for the students to "color". 

Can you figure out what they are saying?

Pictures can be saved which would allow students to work on their stories for several days. At first, I planned for the students to just have a free time with the iPods, but when I asked them about their drawings they had so much to say, it had to be recorded on paper! Teachers could also assess student knowledge of colors, animals, places, nature and more. 

Apples in Hour Hands

Today a few of the students began practicing telling time by the hour, which is a kindergarten SOL [K.8], using the Apples in Hour Hands app. The game offers both digital and analog time. The children are to read the clock on the tree (analog clock) and then match the apples (digital clock) with the correct time. Players must move the iPod left and right to then get the apple into the bucket, 12 times. This game has 3 levels: kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade. The first grade level offers hour and half an hour times, while second grade challenges the player with quarter after, and quarter of, as well as, hour and half an hour times. 

First match the digital clock (on the tree) to the digital clock (on an apple).

The player must move the iPod right to left to get the apple into the bucket. 

Yay! Scored a goal :)

Features that I like: 

• it is not a timed game
• it provides both digital and analog clocks
• it is grade level appropriate
• simple graphics and sounds effects

My cooperating teacher and I are planning to implement this game into our math centers tomorrow. Check back for some more pictures!

Old MacDonald on an iPod!

I began my full time teaching two weeks ago. In English, the students were starting a "Down on the Farm" unit, which tied into the science VA Standards of Learning (SOLs) for understanding that young animals are similar but not identical to their parents [K.6c]. The students had a blast with this unit, but the only thing I wish I had integrated was singing Old MacDonald. It is ridiculously hard to fit every content area into one day. So when I found an Old MacDonald iPod app, I bought it for a dollar! The students get to sing along (in a whisper or hum) to the song, as well as, "paint the picture". My favorite part of this application is that the words are highlighted in blue so the students can follow along and read.  

The students can run their fingers over the picture to bring it to life.

Since rest is already apart of our day, it has been my goal to incorporate reading, writing, mathematics, and science into that time period. This is a fun app that doesn't require writing or drawing in their rest notebooks. Plus it is a great review to our English/Science unit.

Egberta's Equations & Math Centers with shapes!

Some students have started using Egberta's Equations. This app was already available on all of the iPods and is great for all ages. In kindergarten, we have only been using addition and subtraction on the "easy" level for "beginners". When I use this app with my tutoring student (a 4th grader) we've played all of the equation types (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing) as well as using the timed feature, and it is hard, fun but hard! :)

   

Addition

Subtraction

On Wednesday's we have an hour of math centers. The students rotate in groups for 4-5 through four math related centers. This week, my goal was to use the iPods as a center using the shapes app. I am so very proud to say it worked very well! The students loved having more iPod time. I used the Shapes app by Toddler Teaser (mentioned last week). The students had about 10-12 minutes to play the game as well as, select the corresponding shape (wooden patterns) from the manipulatives provided. After the students obtained a variety of shapes and colors, they were asked to make a pattern using the manipulatives and explain their pattern to a teacher. It sounds like a lot of work but I wanted to include concrete shapes for a more hands-on visual representation of the shape and to create conversations about the characteristics of shapes. I believe this is an excellent use of the iPods in an academic setting.

Letters & Shapes for Spring Break!

Radford's on Spring Break? Oh.. I wouldn't know since I follow the elementary school calendar which entails a 4-day weekend in April as my "Spring Break" instead of this luxurious week. :)  As I move into full time teaching I am finding it is harder to provide the students with more iPod time. I've continued to incorporate it into our daily "rest" time but that is the only time I can fit it in. 

The majority of my kindergartener's continue to practice letter formation and recognition using the Letter Tracer app and their "rest" notebooks. There are several component I do not like about Letter Tracer for students who are struggling. It does not follow Zaner-Bloser handwriting which is confusing when the students arrive at an uppercase I or a lowercase q. Also the students are expected to trace the space in a bubble letter and I am watching most of the students wanting to color in the whole letter defeating the whole purpose of feeling the formation of the letter. 

Capital I or lowercase l?

lowercase q, backwards p, or a number 9?

After more research, I found the ABC Tracing app ($0.99) which is extremely ideal for my children who are struggling with letter recognition, letter name, and letter formation. ABC Tracing follows the Zaner-Bloser Manuscript, the letters appears on lines, both upper and lower case, and are "dotted" for easy tracing, plus a picture is provided with every letter, great way for a quick and easy assessment tool as I walk around during rest time.  

Great example of an uppercase I

No more, "Ms. Kelly what's this letter?" :) 

We began a mathematics unit on shapes this week: comparing and contrasting squares and rectangles, triangles and right triangles, and circles and ovals. I found an app called Shapes by Toddler Teasers, that has been working well with the students. Students are asked to identify the shape requested. What I like most, is that not only is the "voice" saying square, but it's also written on the screen to reinforce that vocabulary recognition, as well as providing the shape, along with several others to choose from. After 3-4 questions students can choose a sticker to place on a picnic picture. My goal is to implement the Shapes app as a math center next week when I have all the ipods loaded with the app!

Same Meaning Magic!

I have been working with a fourth grader twice a week since September. Mainly I've been focusing on reading comprehension, vocabulary, and spelling patterns, but we've integrated science and social studies into our reading. 


For two week now, we spend the last 8-10 minutes of our sessions playing Same Meaning Magic. This game is beneficial for my student by expanding on his vocabulary, assisting with antonyms and synonyms. There are five different grade levels (2nd-6th) available and games can be timed and untimed. I prefer to choose untimed and allow the child to pick the level. The student is given a sentence with one word bolded and italicized with 4 multiple choice options. The object of the game is to find the correct word (synonym) and drag it to the well, each correct answer is worth 10 cents. At the end of each level (approximately 11-12 questions) a score report appears. Since I use this time as a teaching moment, we have only reached level 2, I am uncertain what happens after level 2. 


Last week, I had my student write the words in his tutoring notebook. For example, he has sniffs and smells; large and big; believes and trusts; gives and donates in his notebook. At the beginning of this week, we went back to those words and looked for patterns within the words listed to make a concept sort. This was very interesting to see his thought process on how the words relate to each other. My student also like to draw, so I am allowing him to draw pictures for 2 words each session.


Next week, I plan to use math apps to strengthen his multiplication and division, just in time for the SOL testing!

Letter Tracer

I am student teaching in a kindergarten classroom that utilizes “Rest Time”. For 45 minutes in the afternoon every day, the students are expected to lie on their towels and draw/write in their notebooks (or can choose to relax). Since writing is encouraged during this time period, I have been using Letter Tracer ($0.99) with the children in combination with their already existing notebooks. The students are to say the letter name, trace the letters with their index finger on the iPod, then write the letter in their notebooks. My cooperating teacher is focusing on the Fountas & Pinnell letter formation language, so I have been implementing the “talking letter” language into these mini-lessons. For example, to write an uppercase A, the letter formation language is:

Slant down

Slant down

Across. 

The students sit near me, while I stuff go home folders, so that I can reinforce the "talking letters" and assess the students randomly throughout the alphabet. Once they have completed all 26 letters, it is time for someone to use it!

Some ideas to differentiate among learners:

• Ask students for the sound the letter makes,
• Students can write the letter in lowercase (it appears as an uppercase on the screen),
• Students can write both uppercase and lowercase, 
• Students can write a word that starts with the letter, or has the letter in it,
• After the student has completed the alphabet, ask them to circle the vowels. 

The only downfall I found with this app is that is it not Zaner-Bloser handwriting and so the uppercase I looks like a lowercase l, which confuses some of the students. 

Obstacle Course..

We are a third of the way through this spring semester and I am still struggling to find time to fit everything into the day. For a week now, I have had 5 iPod Touches in my possession to be used in my kindergarten classroom. I spent a few moments charging one to test out and play around with it. I need to become more familiar with this device before bringing into the classroom.


A few obstacles have popped up... Since I still live in the stone age, I cannot access wireless Internet in my apartment. Off to campus I go to and it works beautifully. I test out a few games that are already available on the iPod and search the Apple iTunes App Store but I am still so incredibly new to this I do not download any new apps for kindergarten level, not yet.


It dawns on me the next day, that I will need wireless access to the Internet while I am at school in order for the students to use the iPods. Again, I run into a similar obstacle. I now need access to the wireless server for our school and what on earth would the password be? After speaking with the principal on Friday, February 18th, it is my understanding the iPods will have access the following school week!


I have chosen to begin this experiment with students who are struggling in academics. After viewing PALS (Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening) scores from the benchmark testing, which occurred in the end of January, I have chosen 4 out of 16 students to work with during "rest time" that last 45 minutes each day. I will focus on alphabet games - recognizing letter names, letter sounds, and letter formation - and number games - recognizing numbers, forming numbers, and begin simple addition and subtraction. As I acquire more apps and games I will implement the iPods into the morning center, which will allow all the students to have 15 minutes working on the iPods daily.


It is my goal to begin blogging twice a week, I will share lesson ideas, good/appropriate apps to use with kindergarteners, other materials if used in collaboration with devices, as well as, videos of students using the iPods. But in the meantime, check out the iLearn Website for Teachers. Grade profiles has a handful of videos and testimonials from teachers using iPods in the classroom!

Horizon Report

Most technology buffs already know the Horizon Report (2011) is a great source of upcoming, innovative technologies that will most likely “have a large impact over the coming five years on a variety of sectors around the globe” (p. 2). We have already seen the addiction most Americans have with their mobile phones, smartphones, iPods, and much more. Most electronic geeks already have their hands on an electronic book (Kindle, Nook) but many Americans are still debating this endeavor. I, for one, still enjoy highlighting passages, taking notes in the margin, and being able to read in bed. Apparently all of the above can be done with an electronic book! Electronic books hit Main Street within the past year or so, and have started to transform our definition of reading, learning, and studying. Gone are the days of lugging around a 20-pound backpack, killing millions on trees, and the never-ending search for a pen.

Electronic books with web browsing ability such as iPads and Samsung Galaxy are making reading a more social and collaborative activity, engaging readers, instead of isolating people. Some universities are thinking about switching to electronic textbooks, which would “secure cheaper buying options for the students” (p. 9) that is, if you already own an electronic book. Stanford University School of Medicine has begun to utilize this tool by supplying their medical students with iPads to provide them with interactive study materials (graphics, videos) to maximize their free time in between classes without the heavy backpack (featured on page 10). As I continue to travel home to Rhode Island for holidays and special occasions, it’s usually a toss-up for which textbook (or magazines) I’ll bring with me, having an electronic book I could bring them all!

Now, take a moment and think back to grade school, when you first learned to read. Everyone was so excited to hear to read a short story, and as you became a stronger reader, what happened? They asked you to “whisper read” or “read yourself” or “spend 20 minutes in your bedroom reading... to yourself”. Now imagine a classroom (or household) with an electronic book with web browsing, children are able to read wherever, whenever, and share it or publish a video with whomever they wish. A treasure to all those parents overseas. Children could access interactive, online websites to strengthen their academics, while on vacation, or at the dentist office. As an elementary educator I envision positive learning experiences for children with a variety of learning needs, with and without support, when utilizing an electronic book. “The promise offered by the technology is such that electronic books are being explored in virtually every discipline” (p. 9). Endless possibilities will arise from this new phenomenon.

iPod Touches in Kindergarten?

RU just finished up with the third week of classes this semester :) 12 more weeks until Graduation.. eeek!! I'm in the process of figuring out my course project/objective. There's a slight possibility of acquiring iPod Touches for my classroom full of Kindergarteners. Now I need to figure out what I can do with the children and an iPod touch. As a requirement of this course, I have signed up to be a member of Classroom 2.0 which has an abundance of resources and information on how to integrate technology into the classroom. The only problem is I have been coming across plenty of comments about using iPod Touches in the upper grades - middle and high school - but I'm working with 5- and 6-year olds. 


Any suggestions folks? Once I have a definite answer of whether or not RU will be able to loan my classroom a handful of iPod Touches, I will dive into the iPod world and hopefully come out with something useful for everyone. Stay tuned!

Week 2

I'm in my final semester for Graduate School (at Radford University - Go Highlanders!) and I have one last elective lingering over my head. I've chosen an educational technology course to help develop my technology skills in order to become a better (cooler) teacher. In our 21st century world, the classrooms and our students are changing at lightening speed. Even though I am in my mid-20's and highly addicted to facebook, I am not computer savvy in the least bit. Our course objectives almost made me drop the class, even after an engaging and motivating 3-hour class, I thought to myself, how on earth am I going to complete any assignments in here?

Here are our course objectives for the semester:

1. -create a series of augmented reality games and implement them in your classroom.
   
2. -create a Youtube channel to support other teachers across the world who are interested in integrating technology.
   
3. -create and share via the iLearn website a video library of iPod Touch integration strategies
   
4. -Develop an online relationship with teachers from other countries and Skype their classes into your classes throughout the semester as a cultural exchange.
   
5. -Create an iPod Touch integration blog to share ideas, lesson plans, etc.
   
6. -and many more...
   
   
   At first I was totally hooked on the reality games, and in fact, I still would like to give it a try. My biggest obstacle is I'm a student teacher in a kindergarten classroom, and implementing augmented reality games to 5 and 6-year olds seems a little far fetched. My second choice would be to Skype a teacher friend of mine who is in Africa, although more obstacles arise. She is in a 6th grade classroom - what do kindergarteners and 6th graders have in common? Plus our computers at school don't have cameras, so how are they going to see us? And is it really going to be beneficial and cultural for kindergarteners to chat with people on a computer a few times? The only other objective that is slightly appealing would be to blog about the iPod Touch... if only I had an iPod Touch in my classroom to actually use...
   
   
   Oh dilemma's... dilemma's... It's only week two and my anxiety is through the roof...