This week's topic is Technology.
Our school has not purchased any iPads so I use my own in my classroom and I only have one. It took me awhile to decide how to use it effectively, but here's what I've come up with. I hope I can explain it clearly!
I use the iPad as one of my Listen to Reading activities during my Daily 5 time. Obviously, because I only have one iPad, only one student per rotation gets to use it. I use the stick pick app (A LOT!) to choose which 5 students will be on the iPad that day.
Sorry about the bad picture!
I know many of you assign your kids to groups and they rotate through the Daily 5 activities in a certain order, but I do let my students choose which Daily they go to (yes, it can be done in an organized manner even in kindergarten--but that's another post!). The kids that will be on the iPad need to know that before we start choosing activities because they can't choose Listen to Reading until it's their turn for the iPad. Have I lost you yet? It goes a little something like this:
1. We gather on the carpet to begin our Daily 5 rotations.
2. I use the stick pick app to choose 5 names.
3. I jot those 5 names down on a little sticky note and say "Here's who will be on the iPad today!"
Daily #1-Susie
Daily #2 Johnny
Daily #3 Joey
Daily #4 Sally
Daily #5 Timmy
Now the first few weeks I had to constantly keep reminding them when it was their turn to do listening. I use my SMARTboard to choose Dailys so I would just move that child's name right into the Listen to Reading box before I even called any other names to choose so that they remembered. But, trust me, most of the time they remembered! This system worked really well for me and it got everyone on the iPad at least once a week. They all knew that because I was drawing sticks, they would get their turn eventually so there was very little "when's it my turn for the iPad???" going on. If that doesn't make sense, please ask any questions in the comments and I'll try to explain myself more clearly! I know exactly what I'm trying to say! HA!
Now here are the apps we used the most.
And do you remember that I mentioned a sale in the title? Well, this morning I discovered that I had 250 instagram followers and 200 blog followers on Bloglovin'!
I thought it was cool to hit nice round numbers on the same morning so I thought we needed a little celebration! My TpT store will be 20% off all day and hopefully there will be a couple new items added before midnight. No promises though--my kids have 4H project book judging tomorrow and my son may or may not still have quite a bit of his book to finish today so we'll see how that goes! If you are a follower, THANK YOU! My hope was to reach 100 followers before school started so to get to 200 before the end of July is an awesome surprise!
Congrats buddy;) I will have to check out the nursery rhyme app. That might be good for Tommy.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I've not got enough ipads for my whole class either and have been wondering how I would manage it.
ReplyDeleteI use Monkey Word in my classroom as well! The kids love it! Haven't seen the nursery rhyme app so I must check that one out. Thanks for the recommendations!
ReplyDeleteJanaye
Tales of Frogs and Cupcakes
Thank you so much for this post. I, too, only have 1 iPad in my classroom. I can't wait to play around with the apps that you recommended.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Marcy
SearchingForTeacherBalance
I wish I had an ipad for my class. Maybe someday. :) If I do, now I have an idea what to do. Thanks for the recommendation. I have been following you on instagram, but not here. :/ Thanks to the flash freebie hunt this morning, I am your newest follower on facebook and here! Yay!
ReplyDeleteWallis
First Grade Wolves
Thanks Wallis! You know, I think I only follow you on Instagram, too. I'm going to go take care of that right now and head to your blog!
DeleteI will have only one Ipad this September and it will literally be my first time using one. I like the idea of the app choices. What I do with activities is have the children go in their # order. That way they are paying attention to when it is their turn and begin to notice number order right away.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your ideas. I will follow you on your blog.
Ann