Padlet for all!

You can use it for note taking, note sharing, brainstorming, anchor charting, organizational charts, retelling stories, showing their work or thought process, timelines, group work, discussions, the list goes on! You can upload your own pictures, images from the web, or just use words. So what is Padlet? Well it's basically a sticky pad or a cork board style website and app. As the teacher you can create the board and then share it with your students. You can use it to give students information to read, or you can give them the rights to write and post on the pad you share with them. It may seem like a lot of work, complicated, and maybe boring but honestly it is none of those things. It opens up a new kind of collaboration and a new kind of flipped instruction. So here's the 411 to get you started.

Go to padlet.com and create an account if you don't have one already. You'll have to click through a few screens but then it'll put you on your first Padlet to create. You'll have a task bar on your right hand side that will take you through setting it all up. Here's what it'll look like.

After modifying your Padlet you'll choose your People and Privacy settings as well as your options for sharing the created Padlet. This is probably the most important section.

Here is where you'll set your privacy for people searching on the web. You'll also give permissions here for if others will be able to read it only or write/ post to it. This is important for if you have kids posting, make sure you select that they can post.

Here you can add you kids' e-mails to it so they will get the invite to collaborate on it.

A QR code is handy!

From share you can get a link (to put in Google Classroom maybe or on Facebook to share with parents), along with your other sharing options that are more common. You also have the export option where you can save it a myriad of was. I think my favorite is the print option. Then you can write on it, grade it, and send it home for parents to actually see. OR if it's a really good one you can print it and turn it into a poster.

Check out this example I made as a lesson for my kiddos. You could have your kids create this instead though. (If you click on the image it'll take you to Padlet to see how it looks if you're just allowed to view.)

Now let's try one together where you can post a response. So click the image to go to the pad or click here  and double click on the pad. Enter your answer about your favorite holiday tradition- any holiday, any tradition. You'll notice when you double click you have

the option to type an answer and add attachments such as add audio, add video, add an image.

Padlet is a lot of fun for teacher and student and overall it's easy. I hope you check it out and test it out with your kiddos.

Till next time techies!

You don't use Kahoot? Here's why you should.

We know kids love games but we also know that kids have to study. It's difficult or at least was for me when I taught 4th grade to get them to do a paper based review of concepts to prep for a quiz or test... then I started using Kahoot! I started off using it for review purposes but ended up also using it for pre-assessments, review, and informal assessments. Here are some reasons you should try it out.

1. There are HUNDREDS of pre-made games.

Login to the teacher side, in the search box type what topic you want and peruse away!

2. You can preview the questions of pre-made games.

Before you add a game to your favorites to save for later use, you can preview the questions to make sure the game is up to snuff.

3. You can make your own games.
Can't find a game you like? Have really good questions but they're on a boring worksheet? No problem, just make your own game. It's super easy to do on the teacher side.

4. You can upload images for the questions.
Visuals help our ELL students but also our ALL students and you can add the perfect picture to help them understand the question.

5. No paper involved!
Think about all you'll save- prep time, passing out time, grading time, passing out again time. Just grab your clipboard and take down observation notes as the kids play.

6. Very user friendly, for the kids and for the teacher.
For the kids there's very little they have to type in. When they select the answer, it's a colored shape not a number or letter answer choice.

For the teacher, when you login you are taken to your dashboard. From here you can create a game or search for games. You can also view your favorite saved games on your dashboard. When you start a game Kahoot! generates a join code, kids join and you just click "next" when prompted.

7. No password needed for the students (for real)!
Oh the time this saves! Kids will go to the website or just click on the Kahoot! app and type in a join code that they will get from your screen when you begin the game.

8. You can play on the website or on the app.
There is an app, it's super easy. The website is too though, it looks almost just like the app the only difference is kids will use a mouse or touchpad instead of a touch screen.

9. It's on a timer.
The game plays on a timer and you don't have to set it and keep track of it- brilliant!

10. There's catchy game show music.
How fun!

11. The kids get to pick their name when they log in.
A little whimsy with their learning, eh?! This helps keep anonymity and a risk-free environment.

12. While they answer, you can easily spot that kid that's waiting to see what the people around them are choosing.
Grab that clipboard and document away!

13. It's fun. It's differentiation. It keeps kids engaged.
It's a game. They get competitive. But ultimately, it's just a fun way to do school and take a break from the paper. It'll also keep some of your kids on task that otherwise aren't. It'll allow some to open up and show you they really do get it, just not so much the paper way.

14. It's a risk-free environment.
It's less formal and less stress (except for the ones that don't like competition). If that's the case in your room then don't make it about a contest or individual vs. individual. You can have them play 1-1 or as team vs. team. Kids can make code names for themselves to keep some anonymity. Since it's a game and you're just observing, kids don't feel as pressured about right or wrong answers. At the end of questions, if a majority got the question wrong, you can go over the answer.

15. You can play on any device.
Smart phone, tablet, Chromebook, desktop- it doesn't matter. They all work and for the student view, all look about the same.

So, do you have any reason not to try out Kahoot? If you're nervous to jump into it with your whole class, try it out with your small group or as teams instead so you have less devices to manage. It's a game changer and your kiddos will thank you for it.

Till next time techies!

Reflector for iPads- and a teaser bonus app (TinyTap)

If you have iPads in your classroom and like to share student work or creations but don't have an Apple TV I have a solution for you! Or if you want to demo an app but don't have an Apple TV to easily show your device to a large audience I also have a solution for you! It's called Reflector. So here's what it does. You simply activate the software and Air Play your device to the computer by toggling on the mirror option.

If you want to download it follow these directions- you'll have to be at school, connected to the network to do these things if you're in RCISD:

In RCISD, go to Software Center on your computer (search for it in the search box of the start menu). 

In Software Center, select Reflector and click install- it's a pink and orangeish icon with iPads on it. 

After you download it, you just double click on the icon to activate it. 

Then on your device (make sure it's connected to the staff internet), swipe up and go to Air Play.

When you click on Air Play you'll find your device there to choose from (in RCISD it'll appear as your last name).

Just click on your device you want to connect to and toggle the button to mirroring and VOILA! Your device will show on your computer.

I love using Reflector, especially when limited by the amount of devices I have. Here's some ways I like to use it:

• turns my board into an "interactive" board where kids in a small group can play a game together and not be huddled around the iPad screen- they can all see the picture.

• whole group quick checks- I'll pass around an iPad with either a good game I've previewed for an informal assessment or I'll create an informal assessment using an app like TinyTap (love that app for this activity). Anyway, I'll start it off with kid A and pass the iPad along to a different kid for each ?. Everyone is participating and I can observe who's getting each one, who's getting it a little slower, who is relying on their neighbor, and who is just not getting it. TinyTap is fun too and kids can play the games at home that you create or search for other pre created games via the iPad app or a web browser! 

Click here to view my TinyTap profile and games I've created for kindergarten and 1st grade.

• Demoing an app or wanting kids to follow along and go here or there on the device- it's so hard to do when you've got them huddled around your device while you sit in your reading chair... Reflect your device and demo the new app to them on the big screen. It's great too for doing the app the first time, all together as a whole group so everyone can follow step-by-step.

Till next time techies!

SailOn! with interactive games

So we know we can use games we've made/ bought and sites like ABCYa or StarFall games as technology learning centers on our interactive boards but do you know about SailOn! ?

I didn't until a wonderful team member showed it to me, and I'm hooked! So here's where you need to go to get to it... (click the image)

So when you get to SailOn! you'll select your area: Elementary/ Intermediate/ High School, and then you'll select your grade level. Now here's the best part... it's broken down by Texas learning standards for each activity... so you know it is aligned! YESSSSSS!!!! There are games for student/ small group as well as class games you can do whole group. So, go check it out!

Now if you don't have an interactive board in your room or you're just not comfortable with yours, you can still participate. These games can go in a computer station or you can use a wireless mouse away from your computer for students to participate in the same way. Check out this blog by Classroom Teacher Blog on the benefits of using a wireless mouse and wireless keyboard... it may totally rock your world and change your teaching life forever! Till next time techies!

With iMovie, everyone can be a movie producer!

I love creating movies. Software and apps out there for this are now so simple to use. Believe it or not, they actually function like PowerPoint now! It's a slides format or drag-and-drop style to create your segments of the video and then you can drag them around to change the order if need be. There are a lot of different video makers out there but the one I want to focus on is iMovie, simply because it's easy, it works off of your camera roll, you can easily use pictures or videos or both, and it's already on our devices.

So when you open iMovie, you get to choose between creating a movie or creating a trailer. Here's the differences:

Creating a Movie

• it's a totally blank canvas
• you can use iMovie's themes and theme music 
• you can add titles, caption text, and credits
• all you do is drop in images or video you've already taken
• after you drop that stuff in you can add transitions between each clip
• you can trim clips
• you can mute clips
• you can add audio on top of clips or just use the audio from the video
• you can upload to your camera roll or YouTube 

Here's an example using create a movie option:

And here's a student example:

Creating a Trailer

• you select a theme
• you don't get to change the music
• you don't get to change the font
• you don't get to change the template
• it gives you a planning template (insert character here/ action picture here/ etc)
• you can use video or pictures
• you can't record audio over your trailer
• look great when finished

Here's an example using the create a trailer option:

And here's a student example:

I love using iMovie to create picture books or if the kids have gone on a scavenger hunt, it's a great way to drop all the images into one place. Trailers are great for kids to tell a summary or show quick comprehension of a topic. Last year they even used trailers to show understanding in math and science. Check out those videos here by the wonderful Mrs. Lancaster and Mrs. Griffith's students!

So, as the year goes on and your looking for some fun assessments you should certainly consider iMovie. It's fast and easy and the only prep it needs is some pictures. As always I'm here for any help you may need! Till next time techies!

Digital Listen 2 Reading & a FREEBIE!

I love the Daily 5 and so do the kids. I think one of their favorite stations is listen to reading... however, it can be one of their least favorites as well. If done right by the kids, they'll even want to do it during free choice and early finish time. Here's how I have gotten my kids to LOVE listen to reading- make it digital! This means using technology that they know. Kids don't use CDs anymore so they certainly don't use cassette tapes. And as much as I love the LeapFrog follow along books, they don't play video games that use a cartridge any more either, and those cartridges caused a great deal of frustration with my kinders and 1st graders... so embrace two things 1. books on the internet and 2. ways they can listen on an iPad/ tablet.

NonFiction for Older Grades

Time For Kids
Scholastic Magazine I loved this one when I taught 4th grade
Nat Geo Kids, YAK News
Smithsonian Kid
 Dogo News
USA Kids
Highlights Kids 

Apps
App Store search for "story books" - my favorite is "Story Chimes"

Epic! Books App, there are really good NonFiction books here as well.
MyOn!, if your school has a subscription.
Storia
Seussville

Websites

Author Websites- Munsch, Mem Fox
Pete The Cat Books
Story Nory
TumbleBooks, if your school has a subscription.
Curious George
iStory Books
Just Books Read Aloud
Storyline Online

Others Ideas

YouTube books read aloud, create a playlist
SymbalooEDU, you can create a playlist here as well
QR codes from books read aloud- I love using QR codes in class. It's an easy way to use tech, keep kids engaged, and is quick to put together.

If you do use YouTube or SymbalooEDU I suggest you put your videos into Safeshare first. This will get rid of any adds or commercials. You can also use the Google Extension "Turn off the lights".

Now for some FREEBIES!!!! Here are some QR codes I've already made. They are books and sing along songs taken from YouTube. Click the image below to visit my TPT and get your listen to reading QR codes FREEBIE!

I hope this helps you to integrate a little tech into your classroom in an easy no-fuss way! If you use any other apps or sites in your classroom, please share them in the comments, after all educators are life-time-learners and I'd love to learn from you too. Till next time techies!

Welcome!

Hello there! I'm Morgan and I'm so glad you've found your way here. I have taught kindergarten, first and fourth grades in the great state of Texas. I love using new innovative ways of teaching and am married to a techie (we work in the same district)... so naturally he has helped me integrate technology into my classroom. Years and grade levels later, I don't know how I taught without it! It's that saying of "the kids should be doing most of the work" and with tech I've found they do so much of the work and think on higher levels. It has encouraged more collaboration and communication in my classroom and makes our days a lot more fun. Most of all I love sharing my success and failure and my kiddos "ahas" with others in the hope that it'll help others. Hopefully with this blog I can help share some of this experience with you for your own classroom. So here's to collaboratively learning together!