Write About This

How many times have you heard your students complain about not knowing what to write about? I'm sure a lot! Elementary students have a huge imagination, yet when it comes to writing, it seems to disappear. Write About This is an application that erases this problem! It provides writing prompts for students to spark some ideas for their writing. There is a free version and a paid version for $3.99. The free version has a lot of limitations, but there are ways to getting around those if you aren't willing to pay $3.99.

I will go through how to navigate these 6 icons and the basics of the app. 

First, the search icon! This can be used to search for a specific topic or idea a student might have.

Next, the categories icon. This is where students can search for a topic by category. Unfortunately, with the free version, only one topic per category is available.

I chose animals as an example category. This lion picture is the only topic that was available since I have the free version. It provides a question at the bottom of the screen. Students can click the 'voice' button to have the question(s) read to them. When they are ready to write, they click the pencil, 'write' button.

Once they select 'write', this screen will appear. There is a space to provide a title and begin writing. If they wish, students can also record and audio about the writing prompt. It also includes the date, which is a great way to monitor students' progress over the course of the year.

To record an audio, click the 'record audio' button. The screen below will appear. When you are ready, click the 'record' button and begin speaking. Once finished and satisfied, click 'save audio'.

To begin writing, click on the notebook paper and your keyboard will appear. When you are finished, click the very bottom right button (icon of a keyboard) to make the keyboard disappear.

Before saving, you must create an author profile for yourself! Choose a existing picture or take one.

Then your picture will appear to show that you wrote this piece. When you're completely finished, click 'save to camera roll'. This will export the write about to your iPad's camera roll. However, with the free version, you can only save 1 write about at a time. If you don't have the paid version and still want to save it, you can take a screenshot by holding the home button and power button at the same time. This won't save the audio, but it will save the writing! The screens hotted photo could be uploaded through Showbie so the teacher has access.

The next icon on the home screen is 'random'. By selecting this, a random writing prompt will be chosen for the student. Once the screen below is shown, the same process as stated above is used to begin writing.

The 'My Write Abouts' icon will take you to all the saved Write Abouts.

The 'Create a Prompt' icon allows you or the students to create a writing prompt. The screen below will appear and you can create your own: adding a picture, text, and audio. 

For example, I took a picture of the ocean and added a question as a prompt. I added an audio clip to read the question aloud.

To save these prompts, click the 'Save to Category' button. The prompts made will appear in a 'Custom' category, found on the categories page.

The 'Quick Write' icon allows students to begin writing right away, without a prompt. By selecting this icon, the screen below will appear. Students can add photos, record, and begin writing immediately.

Next time you hear your students complain that they have nothing to write about, refer them to this app!

Kid's Journal

Kid's Journal is a free iPad application that allows students to keep a digital journal ongoing. It is very student-friendly and easy to begin using. No account is required. 

Upon opening the app, you will see this screen. Tap the box to add a new journal.

Now you can begin personalizing your journal. Tap on the 'Name' and type yours! Click the camera at the bottom of the screen or the camera in the middle of the journal to add a photo.

You can add a photo from your camera roll on the iPad or take a photo.

Next, select the paint bucket at the bottom of the screen to change the color of your journal.

Once you're finished personalizing, click the purple mouse holding the checkmark to begin writing! The journal will open up to today's date. There are 4 boxes on each page. The first is a spot to choose an emotion to express how you feel. Use your finger to scroll through the options, there are more than just the first ones you will see!

Next, there is a picture box to select where you are on this day: home, school, or away. 

Another text box that is available is a weather choice. Select what the weather is like on the day! If you select the 'Photo of the Day' box, you will be asked if you want to take a photo (camera icon) or import a photo from your iPad's camera roll (pile of pictures icon). Select a photo to represent yourself, your classroom, or even the weather outside to document the day.

The calendar feature at the bottom of the screen allows you to quickly jump from day to day to see your journal entries.

There is an option to export journal entries by selecting the paper airplane icon at the bottom of the screen. The choices are the entry you have open, all entries, or entries between a certain date. Select one of these and click the blue 'export' button. 

Once you select one of those options, you will now have to decide how you want to export it. I chose Showbie, because this would allow students to virtually turn in their journal entries so the teacher can view and comment on them.

Once you select Showbie, it will open up the application. I was logged into Showbie as a fictional student.  This student is logged into 3 classes, so I had to select a class. 

After I selected a class, I had to choose an assignment. The only assignment 'Johny Jones' has right now is a journal assignment. I selected that.

Then it will ask you to add the file. Click the 'add file' blue button.

Now you can see the PDF file named 'Jenny' is uploaded to showbie and available for viewing.

You can click on the file in Showbie and see it, annotate on it, etc.

This is a great way for students to document their writing over the entire year. It gives teachers the ability to have record of their progress. By combining this app with Showbie, teachers have easy access to students' journals. It is a very developmentally appropriate app for elementary students - especially K-2! 

Try it out in your classroom!