Grant Project Homepage

We have discovered that we needed to create a webpage specifically devoted to our grant project. This will have all of the links students will be using throughout the year. It's so much easier than having students type in web addresses. I have created the page and linked it to our Terrace webpage. This will allow us to put all of the links for students in one spot.

iPod Touches + Reading + Notes = Success

My students began their new reading group books recently and instead of writing their thinking and questions on stickies I decided to let them use the Notes app on the iPod Touch. It allows them to save their thinking from each assignment and I can go in to make sure they are typing something and not using another app. This has really changed the look and feel of my reading time. I have noticed that my students are much more focused and on-task during reading time. They are asking some great questions in their books. They are also working on their typing skills! Students come down to reading group with their books and iPod Touches read to discuss their book.

Book Trailers

Animoto Fun

Annie and I attended Region IV's Technology Conference last week. Animoto and Wordle were the two most popular web 2.0 tools that it seems like everyone was talking about! While I have used Wordle before I didn't realize how much more you can do with it. My students used it at the beginning of the year to introduce themselves and they loved it. This is something we will continue to use throughout the year.

My students have never made an Animoto, however, they have seen an Animoto that I created to introduce the Texas Regions. While at the conference we attended a workshop on book trailers. I loved this idea! I adapted it to fit our time frame and a week later I had my first book trailer published! It worked out really well because my reading groups are in the process of finishing their books. Within each reading group students work with a partner to create a book trailer for their reading group book. I was able to find some book trailers for us to consume. We analyzed and critiqued them the new few days. By this time they could not wait to get started!
Students planned what images they would search for and what they would say. They were limited in what they could say so they had to learn to be concise.

The first group finished and they were even shocked at how quickly it took. It took all of 10 minutes to import the pictures, add text, and choose the music. I limited their music choices to classical only. There are some inappropriate lyrics under Hip Hop. As soon as they finished they asked when they could make another one. What a great way to demonstrate their understanding of the book and what they felt was important to share to the reader as well as images that were key to the book.

All of the book trailers will be posted on our classroom blog, but I'll post a few here as well.

Curriculum Uses for the iPod Touch

The iPod Touches and mini Dells are transforming my math station time. Prior to using the iPod Touches and mini Dells my math station time has been louder than I would like, which made working with my small group a challenge. My laptop station is using Odyssey to reinforce math skills and my iPod Touch station has become a math facts station. Browsing through the many Apple Apps is overwhleming at times, howeve, I downloaded Math Racer (99 cents), Math Dr. Lite (free), and Math Missing Numbers Attack (99 cents). Students love these games. They are engaged and reinforcing their math facts at the same time. My math station time is so quiet.

In science we have been tracking the weather and the Weather Channel and Weatherbug apps have been great. Students are able to see up to the minute radar and temperatures for locations all over the world. The first day using these Apps took longer than I anticipated to teach since I had to walk around to make sure everyone was in the right spot and pressing the correct buttons, but after that it was smooth sailing the rest of the week. I have started to search the Apple Store site for a cable to connect my iPod Touch to the projector--I have found a cable, but I'm now debating whether or not I should spend my money purchasing it.

I am pleased at how responsible my students are at getting and putting away the iPod Touches and mini Dells.