Jumbled Sentences 3

Knowing sentence order is a very important skill for elementary students to have. Jumbled Sentences 3 is a gamed based app that allows students to practice this skill. There are 3 different levels; varying in sentence structure difficulty. Students are timed and given coins and a score for each correct sentence.

Words appear and rotate in a circle. Students drag words into each gray section to make a sentence.

When they are done, they select the "ok" blue button. It will either give them points or omit the incorrect word and require them to try again.

It is a fun and educational way for students to practice creating sentences!

Venn Diagram

Comparing and contrasting is a task that happens quite often in elementary classrooms. It is a great way to check for understanding about a story or compare two different stories. An app called "Venn Diagram" is the tool to use for this! It is free and does not require students to create an account. Students will be asked to create a "user" which only requires them to put their first name. Once they have created a "user", they can begin.

The first task is to create a name for their diagram. As an example, I created a compare/contrast of cats and dogs.

Next they will begin using the diagram. The students can change the size, color, and name of the circle to distinguish between whatever they are comparing or contrasting. 

To change the name, double click on the current name. A box will appear which allows you to label and change the color, if you choose. 

Next, you will begin adding items in each circle. In the top left corner, select the "new item" button. A box will appear with a space for you to type the item and select the size you wish that item to be. Once finished, click the checkmark to add it. It will appear and you can drag it to the correct area of the diagram.

Continue adding items to fill up your circles! If you wish, adding more circles is also an option; just select the "new circle" button in the top left corner. I added a "birds" circle as an example.

When you are all finished, select the "finish" button in the bottom right hand corner. The screen below will appear. If you want to save, but continue working on it later, select "save draft". If you are completely finished and wish to save, select "save final". This will save the diagram in your photos on the iPad. It can be emailed or shared to parents from there.

Here's the final product; a digital venn diagram! By using this tool, your students will be much more excited to compare and contrast.

QR Codes

Have you ever seen those boxes with random black and white lines and dots that look like this?

This is called a QR (Quick Response) Code and can easily be implemented into the classroom to enhance learning.  

Some ideas on how to use QR Codes: 

• If you want all of your students to go to the same link, instead of writing it on the board and then having to wait for your students to type it all out, you can make a QR Code and put it on the projector.  All of your students will easily be able to quickly get to that link!
• You can record yourself reading a book and put the QR Code on each page and the students can listen and follow along.
• Scavenger hunts work great with QR Codes.  Links can be made to voice recordings, videos, websites, text, etc. to make clues.
• Practicing English for ELL students or any other language could be done using QR Codes.  A QR Code is made for objects in the room with the word spoken or written out.
• Bell ringers or ticket out the door activities posted at the front of the room for students to answer.
• Adding QR Codes to student homework which links to video tutorials to help students if they are stuck on the problems.

The QR Reader app works great for decoding these codes.  Now you are probably wondering how to create all of these codes.  To generate codes from the internet, qrcode.kaywa.com is a simple one to use. To generate QR Codes from voice recordings, vocaroo.com works well.  A blog with a lot of sites and tips to use QR Codes that I've found is http://www.schrockguide.net/qr-codes-in-the-classroom.html if you would like more information.  The QR Code at the top of this page is actually a link to that blog also!  Feel free to add comments to this post if you have ideas of your own or any questions! 

Toontastic

You have probably seen the app Toontastic on your students' iPads, but aren't quite sure how to use it.  Just because it has cartoon graphics, doesn't mean it's just for the younger grades.  Toontastic is a great app for all ages, and can be implemented using the Common Core!

Students create their own story or retell a story using this app.  They pick the setting and characters, and then can record their voice and move their characters around to tell the story.  They can draw their own characters or even add their face.

Here is a video tutorial on how to use this app:

If you don't have time to watch the video, here are step by step instructions on how to use Toontastic:

1. Open the app and tap “Create Cartoon.”
2. Tap “New Cartoon” on the screen that appears.
3. Listen to the app narrator who explains the concept of the “Story Arc.” (Or, to bypass the narrator after the first time you use the app, tap the circle with the X in it located in the top left-hand corner of the screen.)
4. Optional: Click the + (plus) sign in the bottom left-hand corner to add a 6th story frame if you desire. Note: Each cartoon is limited to six frames. Students can choose where to add the frame. Most often, the frame that they need to add will be another climax frame, to further explain the high point of the story.
5. Tap the “Setup” frame then tap the green paintbrush that appears.
Begin creating your first animation segment.
6. Choose a setting background; your choices include preloaded options or creating your own. If creating your own, the tools you need are located along the bottom of the screen.
7. After choosing (or creating) the setting, tap the forward arrow in the top right-hand corner to continue.
8. Select or draw characters. If creating your own, the tools you need are located along the bottom of the screen.
9. Tap the forward arrow again.
10. Tap “Start Animation” and have students retell the scene using narration and dialogue. Note: The app will give a 3 second countdown to the start of recording.
11. Tap, hold, and drag to move characters around the screen as the app records.
12. Tap “Stop Animation” when finished with the scene, which will instantly begin replay.
13. If you need to rerecord your scene, then simply repeat the recording process.
14. Tap the forward arrow to move on to music selection.
15. Tap to choose an emotion, then adjust the mood of the scene up and down on the screen to hear the variety of music within that mood.
16. Choose the most suitable music for your retelling.
17. Repeat these steps for each scene in the story arc.

Source: https://psusd.haikulearning.com/lgrafton/ipadapptest/cms_page/view/1212020

Classroom Management Tools

If you've ever been into an elementary classroom, you know that at times, it can be noisy and chaotic. During work time, that is not what we want our classrooms to look and sound like.

An app called Too Noisy and an online tool called Bouncy Balls are a great way to give students a visual of their noise level. The website or app can be projected onto a projector screen so students can easily see it. As they work, their noise level will be monitored using the tools.

Retrieved from [http://toonoisyapp.com/#panel-3]

On the Too Noisy application, a noise-o-meter will rise if the noise level raises. The smiley face changes emotion based on the level so students are aware if it is acceptable or not.

Retrieved from [http://bouncyballs.org]

On the Bouncy Balls website, the balls begin to bounce higher and higher as the noise level raises.

At a young age, visuals are very helpful for students. Try these tools out in your classroom to help manage the noise!

Class Dojo

Class Dojo is a tool that allows teachers to reward and manage behavior in the classroom. There are also features to take attendance, view class results, and share reports with parents.

It is a free tool that can be accessed on a device or computer. It is available through Google Play and iTunes. 

Students and parents can log in to view only their specific child's results. Teachers have the ability to text daily reports to parents. Once parents are connected to Class Dojo, their child's reports will be automatically emailed to them each week.

Not only is this tool great for sharing information with parents, but it can also be used throughout the school day to communicate with the students. During a lesson, the teacher can have the application open and reward students positive or negative points based on their behavior. It gives the students an idea of the teacher's expectations without the teacher having to interrupt while teaching.

Try Class Dojo out in your classroom and let us know how you like it!

Showbie App How-To

How-To: Effectively Implement the Showbie App into the Classroom

picture source

What is Showbie?

• Showbie is an app that allows for very simple assigning, collecting, and reviewing of student work.
• It can be accessed on the iPad and the computer.
• Dan, our tech director, has invited all staff to join the Showbie account he has created for the district. Accept his invite and create your own log-in. If you no longer have this invitation, ask Dan to resend the invite. 

How do I use Showbie? 

• Each student does need his or her own account on Showbie in order to access the account. When I did this for a teacher, I went onto each iPad and individually set them up. No email is required for students. Older students could definitely do this themselves as a whole class lesson. It is very simple. 
• Information needed to set up an account:
• Student First and Last Names
• Student User Name: RS + first initial of first name + last name
• example: if Jane Doe were a student, her username would be: RSjdoe
• Example Password: norski (choose something simple)
• Please note:
• It helps to have the teacher account set up with a class created so while you’re on each iPad, the class code can be entered for students to join your class.
• Usernames and passwords given above aren’t required; it’s just easy to remember to help students log back in if they log out by accident. It also prevents students from having to create new accounts every year they get a new teacher.
• Notify tech interns if you would like them to teach a lesson to your class helping your students set up their accounts or teaching you/your students how to use Showbie.

"How-To" Videos to Use Showbie

• How To Set Up Showbie
• How to Create a Class
• How To Create an Assignment
• List of "How-To" videos to better understand Showbie
• Showbie's YouTube Channel

Quick Tips to Use Showbie

• After students’ assignments have been turned in and reviewed and you want them off of Showbie, delete the assignment or archive the assignment. Archiving hides it, but can be accessed again. Deleting it is permanent. It is possible to delete and archive individual files or entire assignment folders. To delete, right swipe and push delete. This can be done on either the teacher or students’ end. Students are not able to delete teacher files.
• How to Delete

• How to edit student work after it’s uploaded:
• Images will need to be submitted as PDFs in order to edit them. There are two options for converting images to PDFs in Showbie.
• When you/your students tap the “plus button” there are six options for submitting work:
• The first two are for submitting images, which cannot be annotated on. 
• The middle two take images and convert them into PDFs. They are called Capture PDF and Photo Library PDF.
• PDFs can then be opened in Showbie and you can annotate on top of them.

• How can I access other apps from Showbie?
• The end of this video explains how to annotate from other apps!
• List of Apps that work with Showbie
• How to Save to Showbie from Other Apps

How can I use Showbie in my classroom?

• As a student:
• Student can take a picture of his or her Daily 5 assignments and turn them in. Prevents the teacher from having to access every single iPad individually.
• Students can take a picture of a journal entry they’ve written and submit it to their teacher. Journals stay in the desks and the teacher doesn’t have to lug the journals everywhere.
• Students can verbally and visually record a task or assignment, showing what they know.
• As a teacher:
• Record your voice or type directions to an individual assignment. Have students access that assignment and the directions. Allows for students to work independently in stations.
• Unexpectedly, you need a sub. Record the directions or share an assignment or video with your students from home.
• “Screencast-o-matic” is also an awesome tool for recording yourself or explaining directions to students or a sub when you are not there.
• Use it as an assessment tool. Give students a passage to read, a list of sight words, etc. and have them record themselves. This can be done independently while you continue to teach a class. Share this with parents at conferences or collect the data later on your own, all from your own iPad.
• After students turn in an assignment, you can record, edit, make notes, etc. on student work and upload it for them to see.

Please share how YOU use Showbie in your classroom or any tips to make implementation easier and more effective for our staff!