Roland with iPads Week 2

Another exciting week with iPads has come to an end. This week students created keynote presentations about themselves. They used the information from their inspiration maps they created last week. Students enjoyed creating the keynote presentations especially once they learned how to use the animations.

We also continued to learn to use our email. I would like students to get in the habit of checking their email each morning. I am still figuring out the best way to mange the emails I receive as students turn in their assignments. I've set up folders for each block and if the block number appears in the subject line the email will automatically go to that folder, but it takes some training to get the students to but the block in the subject line.

Looking forward to more Ipad learning next week!

Roland with iPads Week 1

Today ended our second week of school, and our first week with iPads. Despite the fact that there are still some things to work out the students learned a lot and were very excited!

During the first week students wrote bio-poems, they were anxious to type them up and create their QR codes. That was our first activity, and it was a success. Read my post titled "QR Bio Code".

Inspiration Maps was the next app we used, and I will say this is a must have for any language arts teacher. I had never used it before, but it was very easy to use. We created cluster maps about ourselves, and with a tap we could turn our cluster map into an outline.

PDF Expert was another app we learned to use this week. Our text book and workbooks are loaded into this app., so we will be using this app a lot! It seems easier to navigate through compared to some of the other PDF apps I've used. I also used it for grading. I liked the fact that you are able to create custom stamps, that serve the same purpose as stickers you are probably use to placing on students papers.

Finally, students learned to use their email. This is how most work gets turned in. So, it was very important that students understood how to send and receive emails.

It was a good first week with iPads! I even learned a few things from my students. Looking forward to next week.

First Day Jitters

The first day is history, and what a good day. We started out with a read aloud of the book titled First Day Jitters, by Julie Danneberg.

Then we drank "Jitter Juice" (Hawaiian punch and Jitter Juice Labels from Teachers pay Teachers),

 and created jingles for Jitter Juice commercials the students loved it! 

                                                                       

Using the app talkapella, pictures of the students (missing from the video below), and iMovie I created our class commercial for Jitter Juice.

Flip-Floppin' Through...3rd Grade

Getting Started

It's been a busy month! One day until school starts, and I'm so excited! Students will be too on the first day. They're going to want to get their iPad soon as possible, and I don't blame them. After all they have been awaiting this day since May. My plan is to hand out iPads right away. As students enter the room they will have a "Student Pledge for iPad Use" sheet on their desk. They must read over the pledge, write down any questions they may have and be ready to sign it after I review it with the class. After they have read the "Student Pledge for iPad Use" sheet they are to complete a short technology survey. Once school has officially started we will have some introductions, review the "Student Pledge for iPad Use" sheet, and I will begin handing out iPads. It will be a busy first block.

My district has a technology use policy that parents and students agree to and sign, but their is not one specifically for iPads.  I wanted to have something specific to the iPad, so I googled and found that many districts have iPad usage handbooks. After reading through a few, I came across Bellows Free Academy Fairfax Middle School's handbook and liked their "Student Pledge for iPad Use." I decided to tweak it and thus the "Student Pledge for iPad Use" sheet  I will be using was created.  Here is the link to my form Student Pledge for iPad Use.

With the one-to-one iPad initiative technology will be integrated into just about every lesson, so giving students a technology survey will give me an idea as to the various skill levels. Here is a short survey I will be giving students on the first day: Technology Survey.

After students have their iPads I will show them how to use the camera and photo booth. The first day is always a great day for picture taking! Smile :)