Reading Rewards

Are you looking for a more engaging way to hold your students accountable for their reading at home or at school?   I learned about a site called Reading Rewards at the conference I was at last Friday.   The best thing about this is free website has a lot to off teachers, parents, and librarians.  As a group administrator, you will be able to create and manage reading groups, set up reading incentives for your readers, and even log reading time yourself.

Creating a free account is quick and easy.  Once you create your account, your next step is to create a group for your classroom, and add your students as members.  Once you do that you'll be easily able to track students' reading progress, sharing reading lists, and even set up some customized reading rewards for them.  Talk about a great reading incentive!

Do you want more information specifically for teachers?  Click here for their teacher page or just ask me for help!

Storybots

I know that I've posted about the Storybots website in the past, however, they have a lot of FREE videos that are on You Tube for you to access with your students!   Storybots, whose main goal is to make learning fun for kids, is related to JibJab, another fun video site to send ecards.    To learn more about the company, click here.

To check out some of the videos, see below.  Or please visit their You Tube page (which is not blocked at school) and you can check it out for yourself!  They are cute, short, very informative, and lastly FUN!

If you like what you see, you may be interested in joining their Educator Network. To request a code to join the Educator Network please fill out the form here.  By joining their educator network you can access all of their other videos on their website, Storybots.    The YouTube videos are free no matter what.  

Enjoy!

Bones in Your Body
Science

 



When You Breathe (Lungs)
Health




Seasons

Google Maps?

Do you have upcoming travel plans for spring break?   Do you wish you were going to some place really cool and exotic?   Now you can explore some of the highest peaks in the world on Google Maps, with Street View of Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus and Everest Base Camp.

To learn more about these new exciting features, and see some of these awesome places in action, click here.  I know a good 5th grade friend may be checking out the beaches in Hawaii...  Who wouldn't be?

And just because I'm excited for my spring break, I explored my destination with Google Maps below.  

Great beach view.

I dragged the little yellow man to get a beach view.

The A is where we are staying.

Enjoy using Google Maps in your classroom!  If you need ideas of how to implement it, let me know!  I'm happy to help!

App of the Week: Easy Chart HD

App of the Week:  Easy Chart HD for iPad 

What is it?

In Easy Chart HD you can create line, bar, pie and sidebar charts easily. This application provides you simple and beautiful charts on your iPad. You can save in photos in different sizes like small, medium and large. Now you can also able to use this application without an internet connection.

Many exclusive features:

- Get various color schemes 

- Set font size

- Axis labelling

- Get mini chart styles

Who is it for?

Easy Chart HD for iPad is a great app for all ages - in learning about graphs, as well as creating them.  We can also print out these great graphs for the camera roll.

Are you interested in trying out this app?  It's on Cart #2 in the LRC - check it out!

  

       

Bedtime Math

Have you seen the website Bedtime Math?   It's a great resource for parents and teachers, giving both parties ways to incorporate math into their everyday lives...  Every day they post a new math question and then differentiate the questions to fit different levels of learners.

Definitely a resource worth checking out and sharing with your parents as well.

Thanks for sharing with me, Dana!

From their website:

How to Do Bedtime Math

Don’t sweat it.  

Bedtime Math hopes to be part of your daily routine, but if you’re having one of those days that started with the toilet overflowing, don’t worry.  Bedtime Math problems are here when you want them, when you’re ready.

It’s not official.  

Bedtime Math isn’t an official “curriculum.”  It’s just a fun chance for kids to do math in their heads, so someday when they’re shopping and everything’s 20% off, they can figure out the sale price before the store closes.

Take it by the horns.  

While Bedtime Math loves mental math, it’s totally cool to use paper and pencil when needed.  And if your child wants to tackle a harder BMP, go for it!  You can walk your kids through the steps if they’re stuck, and they’ll be excited to wrestle hard with something and get the answer.

Simmer down.  

The BMPs aim to be fun and lively, but they won’t keep your kids from falling asleep.  In our experience, math can get kids to sit still, focus, and quiet down.

No sibling rivalry, please.  

If you have more than one child doing these, you might want to give each of them different numbers.  Just as we all love our monogrammed toothbrush holders, kids like custom-tailored things, too.

To help this along, each BMP offers three levels of challenge: Wee Ones, Little Kids, and Big Kids.  Again, these don’t signify rigid age ranges or grade levels, but as a rough guideline, Wee Ones are targeted for pre-school kids, Little Kids grades kindergarten through 1st or 2nd, and Big Kids grades 2nd onward.  That said, they differ a little every day, so feel free to pick and choose – and to swap in your own numbers if you like.  There’s no one right way.

App of the Week: Creative Book Builder

Are you looking for a fresh way for your students to publish their work?  Wouldn't it be cool for them to write their own book?   If you think this is something that your students would be interested in, check out this app!

What is it?

Creative Book Builder is a fantastic app that allows students to create books in epub format, which can then be exported to iBooks and shared with others. There are a variety of instructional uses for this app, from using it as a publishing tool for project-based learning to a summative assessment at the end of a unit.  Students can embed images, audio files, video files, and write text.  The advantage of an epub document over a PDF document is that all of the media will be preserved and available for readers to interact with when the final product is published.  

Who is it for?
I can see this being used at all different grade levels, from a class book to students or groups of students creating their own books.   This can be use across subject areas as well - with an exciting way to share information.

One of other ITCs has also created a Google Folder with helpful how-tos on how to use Creative Book Builder in your classroom.  Click here to view her helpful tutorials.  Thanks to Amanda Pelsor for sharing!   I also found a very helpful slideshow in getting started with Creative Book Builder.  Check it out below.   Of course, if you want help, just ask!  I'm eager to try out this app with a class!

Check out How to Use Creative Book Builder by Penelope Doyle on Snapguide.

Flipping Out?

I know that ISATs, report cards, conferences, the big snow storm, committee meetings, trying to fit into your swim suit before spring break, among other things may have people flipping out!   But this is a different kind of flipped...

Created by Knewton and Column Five Media


There are many great resources to help you with flipping your classroom.  Like TedEd for example, which has videos, resources, and questions to assess students learning after watching the video.

TED-Ed is a great resource for teachers with instructional videos for students, like the one about water above, as well as great some great professional videos for teachers.

TED-Ed has amazing resources for teachers... especially if you are considering flipping your classroom.   I'd be happy to help you flip your classroom if you are interested, even if it's trying it for a lesson!   After the ICE Conference and some good researching, I feel that we can flip classrooms, even in elementary school!  Let me know if you are interested in trying out this concept with me!

World Education Games

Who doesn't love a competition?

The World Education Games is an annual global online challenge to get all students (4-18 years of age) excited about learning, and to give the top students in all schools an opportunity to see how they measure up against the best in the world. Last year, over 5 million students were a part of what is now the world’s largest online education event.

The World Education Games are completely free to register for and participate in.

Split over three days and focussing on literacy, mathematics and science, the World Education Games is a hugely exciting and engaging way to promote learning and education across the world. Our partners UNICEF and Samsung work with us to promote our key messages of education for all. 

If you are interested in having your class participate, let me know - I'd love to help out!   

Click here for more information or email me!

Super Super Bowl Activities

I always loved doing some sort of Super Bowl Activity when I was a classroom teacher.  Here are just two of my favorites:

Superbowl Bingo:  I loved printing out Bingo cards and giving kids the option of taking some home to play with family and friends.

Click on the links below for BINGO cards. 

• Studio DIY Bingo Cards
• Buzz Buzz Bingo (refresh page for new cards)
• She Knows Bingo Cards

Mean, Median, Mode, Range: Students can find out the mean, median, mode, & range of the scores for the game totals (each quarter's score) - or individual player stats for each quarter, or the game combined.

Today on E is for Explore they had some great activities that I just had to share as well!

Superbowl Prediction: This activity comes from Kid Zone. Kids draw both teams' jerseys or you could have them design new ones! Who do they think will win? Why do they think that team will win (just a guess, past experience, they like their uniform, statistics, etc.). Click here for the original activity! Kids estimate, tally, and graph!

Team Geography - Locate the teams on a map!

Create a Commercial - Give students 1 minute to persuade their classmates to buy a product they made up! They must create visuals and possibly a jingle!

Halftime Planner - If students were in charge of the halftime show, who would they invite to perform?

Superbowl Scavenger Hunt - Kids try to find things during the game, such as "Which quarterback had the most passing yards?" Visit Illuminations for a free printable! Also, check out their analyzing scores activity!

Superbowl Pool - Free printable from Teach Hub! Students estimate the sum of the final scores while watching the game!

App of the Week: Virtual Manipulatives

What is it?

This app is a a set of fraction bars to be used with students.  This app is meant to be used with direct teacher instruction, and give students the opportunity to interact with fractions, decimals, and percents right at their fingertips.   They are able to drag fraction bars on to their workspace, press and hold on a fraction bar to see an equivalent, as well as draw or show work using their finger and the pencil tool. This is a great tool for visual learners to see how fractions compare as well as spot equivalent fractions.  It's also great for students to see how fractions, decimals, and percents relate to each other.   

Who is it for?

I would recommend this app starting in second grade all the way through fifth grade.  It provides a great instructional space for teachers to instruct whole group or with small groups as well as allows a great opportunity for differentiating with the decimal and percent options.   As a visual learner I would of loved to of used this app for adding and subtracting fractions too!  This would be also a great app for student to use with the AirServer for those teachers 

CCSS Connection

Click here to see in detail how this app can help support the Common Core State Standards in math in grades 3-5.   Specifically:

• Develop understanding of fractions as numbers.
• Extend understanding of fraction equivalents and ordering.
• Build fractions from unit fractions.
• Understand decimal notations for fractions and, compare decimal fractions.
• Use equivalent fractions as a strategy to add and subtract fractions.

If you'd like a demo of this app or help implementing in your classroom, please let me know!  I'm happy to help!

Something fishy is going on here...

Gulp, it's Monday. Here's a snappy little gif of our goosefish snarfing down a shrimp. Learn more about this incredible lady and see video of the beautiful egg veil she lays here: http://goo.gl/t7VaQ #oceans   #animals  #gif  

The New England Aquarium's status caught my eye this morning as I was scrolling on my Google+ page.  It seemed a little scary to me but also prompted me to check out his goosefish a little bit further.   I'm so glad that I did as the New England Aquarium has some amazing images and videos of many different ocean animals.   I know that the 2nd graders are starting, or have just started oceans, however, how cool would this be to show your students?   These real images and videos of their exhibits and animals could really bring the ocean to life your classroom.   This could be great for the 2nd graders ocean unit, or great images to extend another story that includes ocean animals, great research tool, or an exciting writing prompt.   Be sure to check the New England Aquarium out here. 

Want to go to Antartica?

Check out this Google "Hangout" (just like a virtual field trip) that took place today!    Google is changing the way students are going on field trips... and luckily, Roosevelt is going to get to be a part of it through their Virtual Field Trip Project.   If you are interested in taking your class to a "Google Hangout", let me know and we can work together to make it happen!   I am in touch with an awesome Google employee, who lets me know a few days before these hangouts happen.  Once I'm given a time and a topic, I'll contact you to see if it could fit into your day and curriculum.  If you have somewhere that you'd like to host a hangout, let me know and we'll see if we can arrange it!   As always, I'd love to tell you more, so contact me if you are interested!   I'm SUPER EXCITED about this opportunity!

Check out this visit to the Seattle Aquarium!

App of the Week: Sonic Pics

App of the Week: Sonic Pics

What is it?

SonicPics makes digital storytelling fun and easy! Turn your photographs or pictures of student drawings or work into narrated slideshow movies to share! 

• Add images from your photo library or snap new ones with your camera. 
• Arrange your photos however you would like. 
• Record a voiceover narrating your images as you swipe through them. 

Once you are finished, you have a movie with your images synchronized to your narration. You can share your recording with students and parents. 

What can it do?

• Create and narrate custom photo slideshows.
• Records your voice while you flip through your images. 
• Automatically synchronizes your images to the audio recording.
• Present your stories on the SMART Board or projector
• Make movies of your images and narrations from the iPad.
• Record up to 60 minutes per session! 
• Easy image selection and editing. 
• Give images unique names and descriptions that can optionally be shown during recording.
• Build slide shows with photos from photo albums, camera roll or built in camera (great for taking pictures of student work). 

Who is it Good For?
This app is good for all ages.   Students in primary can take pictures and reflect on their work or build slideshows multiple images (pictures taken or drawn).   This app can be used more complex in intermediate with inserting images from the internet, students own photos, or drawings.  If you are interested in trying this with your students, let me know!  I'm happy to help!

CCSS Connection
Click here to see the connection to CCSS for ELA.

ELA CCSS

Today I had the pleasure of presenting to the 2nd & 3rd grade teachers (as well as some support staff) about the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards.   It was great to have the opportunity to present about ELA standards and give teachers some great examples of the shifts.   I know that the information can be overwhelming at first glance, but luckily, there are lots of great resources out there to help us as teachers absorb the information and figure out how we can make these shifts in our instruction.  Here are two to help you get started!

• District 64's Reading & Language Arts Page
• This site is maintained by Curriculum Specialist Meghan Keefer and has AMAZING resources on it.   Be sure to check out the links on the left hand side, especially the online resources.
• CoreStand 
• This great website for teachers to collaborate with all things common core. After creating a free account you'll have access to free resources, best practice videos, blogs, and more.   They also have a great weekly newsletter that has some great ready to use activities in it. Check out this week's newsletter and look at the great activity on page 2 (Elementary Template).
• You will notice that the activity has great kid friendly "I can" statements so students understand the standards as well. 

Doodle for Google

Did you know that Google has a yearly contest where students can draw a Google logo to be published and shared with people everywhere?  Google has just announced it's sixth Doodle for Google Contest. The theme for this year's contest is "My Best Day Ever..." The contest is open to K-12 students in the United States. The winner will receive a $30,000 scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant for his or her school. Entries must be received by March 22, 2013. The complete contest rules can be found on the Doodle 4 Google contest page.

Google has made this easy for teachers to incorporate into a lesson as well.  Click here to be taken to the lesson plan resources Google has created for teachers to integrate this into their instruction. 

Here is a pamphlet that can be printed and distributed to students as well.If you would like me to come and and co teach this lesson with you, just ask!  I'd be happy to come on in!

I will be trying to set up a bulletin board somewhere on the first floor during open house to advertise this opportunity as well to all students and make the forms accessible to students.   Let me know if you would like any more information, and I'd be happy to help!

 

App of the Week: Comic Life

What is it?
Comic Life is an awesome app on the iPad that allows users to create comics from a variety of templates, or allows you to build your own.  You can integrate photos, drawings, pictures, and text to create the perfect comic.

Key benefits of using comics in education

- A great visual Representation of Knowledge
- Presents what is essential
- Easier to remember a visual graphic containing key information
- Engaging through thinking, creating and writing.
- Perfect avenue for writing dialogue
- Incites students with low interest in writing
- Helps organization through storytelling and storyboarding
- Using visual images convey meaning to a story or topic
- Develops creative and higher level thought processes
- Develops composition techniques through visual-verbal connections
- Enriches reading, writing, and thinking
- Serves as and assessment and evaluation tool
- Sequencing promotes understanding

Who is it good for?

This really can be used at all levels and across various subject areas.   Students can collaborate on comics or work alone.  Once the comics are finished, students can print them to display. 

If you are interested in giving this a try, let me know and I'd be happy to show you or model making comics in your classroom!

App of the Week: Missing Numbers

App of the Week: Missing Numbers

What is it?

Missing Numbers focuses on problems involving addition and subtraction. Initially students solve problems through counting all the objects visible or through partitioning or segregation and counting all the objects given. Missing Numbers encourages students to use more sophisticated strategies such as counting backward and counting on.   Missing Numbers scaffolds students through the use of seen and unseen (hidden) objects, allowing students to 'check' their answer by 'peeking' at the hidden objects and the ability to move objects to allow ease of counting.

Who is it good for?
This is a great introduction to problem solving for younger students.   The four different games allow a great opportunity for differentiation.  

• How Many - How many altogether?
• Show Me - Move the objects to show partitioning in subtraction.
• Addition - There are 11 altogether.  How many are hiding in my hand?
• Subtraction - There are 4 altogether.  How many are in the box. 

There is also a Teacher Tool available for you to create your own problems or equations.

CCSS Connection:  Operations and Algebraic Thinking
For specific standards, click on the links below.

• Kindergarten
• 1st grade
• 2nd grade

If you'd like to use this with your class, please let me know!  I'd be happy to help!

StoryBots

Today, while helping at teacher with a holiday project for her class I stumble across a great resource called StoryBots.   Storybots is a site that is dedicated to making learning fun for kids, created by the talented guys you created Jib Jab.  There are various different resources on Storybots to help kids learn about letters and various songs including printables to help students learn their letters and videos with songs about each letter.  The printables and videos would be great practice or great station work. However, the most fun thing on the site is Staring You, giving you the ability to create videos by inserting your (or your students') head.   Then they are actually in the video!   All you need to do is upload a picture and play the video.   This site is worth checking out... as our their alphabet videos.  

If you'd like help using Storybots in your classroom, please ask!