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!