Archive | November, 2012

Old and New: Primary Sources in the 21st Century

30 Nov

I’ve shared some of my favorite apps for studying the American Revolution and industrialization.  National Archives DocTeach and Today’s Document are two great apps for exploring American history in your classroom.  Search by topic or check daily for high quality images with detailed information on a variety of subjects.

Check out my common core aligned lesson using this app in the classroom!

Here’s another common core aligned lesson using history apps in the classroom!

One more common core aligned lesson using history apps in the classroom!

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Pick a Student

28 Nov

There are so many  classroom management tools that I love and here’s another. iLEAP Pick A Student makes sure that you call on every student in your class.  Instead of the traditional coffee can full of popsicle sticks with students’ names on them, use this free app to make sure that all of your students are held accountable in class discussions.  Try projecting the screen from your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch so that students can see which one of their peers is up next!

Check out this common core aligned lesson where this app could be used during discussion time!

Here’s another common core aligned lesson where this app could be used during discussion time!

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What’s Trending? Try a Wordle

26 Nov

Lots of websites display images of popular search terms, tags, or keywords to show what’s trending on their site.  I love using Wordle, an online tool that takes the most popular words from a text and displays them according to how frequently they appear.  You can copy and past text from an article your class is reading or an encyclopedia entry.

After students in my class emailed their essays on deforestation in South America, I copy and pasted the text into Wordle.  Now I can display what’s trending next to a bulletin board of student work!

Wordsalad is an app that let’s you do the same thing straight from your iPad!

Try Wordle using speeches!

Try Wordle using current events!

 

 

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Draw Your Own Graphic Organizer

23 Nov

Graphic organizers work in all subject areas.  There are lots of apps I like, but Grafio Lite allows you to design your graphic organizer by drawing the shapes on your screen.  Can’t draw a perfect circle? Me either. The shapes autocorrect and allow you to duplicate in case you want four ovals on your graphic organizer that are the same size.

Check out my common core aligned lesson plan using this app!

Here’s another common core aligned lesson plan using graphic organizers in the classroom!

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ELA Talk Bubbles

21 Nov

There are lots of great ways to incorporate Perfect Captions in your classroom.  I love using this app with primary source documents, but it’s also perfect for reinforcing literacy skills.  Have students create captions to record their predictions, to jot questions that they have, or write dialogue for the main character.

Check out my common core aligned lesson plan using this app!

Here’s another common core aligned lesson plan using this app!

*I have students email me their work, I print it out, and it goes straight on my bulletin board

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Math Fluency

19 Nov

Math instruction has come to life in my classroom thanks to apps that allow my students to work together, create podcasts and identify factor pairs.  Students of all ages need to be fast with their math facts in order to be successful.
Here are three math fact apps that are great for practicing fluency:

Check out my common core aligned lesson plan for teaching math with iPads!

Here’s another common core aligned lesson plan for teaching math with iPads!

One more common core aligned lesson plan for teaching math with iPads!

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American Revolution Timeline

16 Nov

It’s easy for American History to come to life if you’re on iPads!  I’ve shared some great timeline apps and here’s another that’s worth checking out.  The American Revolution Interactive Timeline app let’s you travel through this period looking at artifacts and documents that tell the story of the Revolutionary War.  Students can tap and explore primary sources while swiping through the years of the American Revolution.

Here’s a common core aligned lesson using this app in the classroom!

Check out my common core aligned lesson using timelines in the classroom!

One more common core aligned lesson using primary sources in the classroom!

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Social Studies Slogans: Make Your Own Memes

14 Nov

I chose this slogan because it contains domain specific vocabulary and demonstrates the courage of George Washington and the faith he had in his troops.

You’ve seen them in emails, on Facebook, even the Today Show features memes that have gone viral.  Students can create their own memes using Haiku Deck on their iPads.

Follow these steps:

  • Create a new presentation and choose a theme
  • Add an image from your camera roll to set as the background
  • Add your slogan and format the text so it works with your image

Check out my common core aligned lesson plan using this app in the classroom!

Here’s another common core aligned lesson plan using this app!

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News Sources for the iPad

12 Nov

Current events have an important place in my classroom and I’ve said it before – there are a lot of great apps to help your students explore the world around them.

Here are a few news apps for the iPad that are worth trying out in your classroom:

Check out this common core aligned lesson plan using these apps in your classroom!

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Sushi Monster: Math Factor Fun

9 Nov

There are lots of great math fact apps for the iPad that turn the times tables into interactive flashcards. Sushi Monster gives you numbers to chose from (factors) to find the answer (product) when you multiply two numbers. This app goes beyond the times table – it’s engaging for students while helping them practice their math fluency.

Check out my common core aligned lesson plan using Sushi Monster in the classroom!

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Management Tools on the iPad

7 Nov

There are lots of great management tools on the iPad that I use in my classroom (Timers, Quickvoice, Siri).

Here are two more that I love:

Red Light, Green Light - This programmable traffic light can be less intimidating than a timer is you’re working on pacing your students and keeping them on task.

TooLoud? - Watching the decibel level change as volume increases can be a powerful tool to monitor volume in your classroom – the graph can facilitate discussion as well.

Check out this common core aligned lesson where management tools will come in handy!

Here’s another common core aligned lesson where management tools will come in handy!

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Titanic Timeline

5 Nov

National Geographic has a fantastic app that shows the construction of the Titanic over time.  Building Titanic allows you to scroll across a timeline and view the different stages in which the Titanic were built.  This app could be used to discuss timelines or analyze primary source documents (there are lots of photographs spread throughout the app).

Check out my common core aligned lesson using this app in the classroom!

Here’s another common core aligned lesson using timelines in the classroom!

One more common core aligned lesson using primary sources in the classroom!

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Complete Student Work and Reduce Paper

2 Nov

One thing I love about using iPads in my classroom is the ability to reduce paper how much paper we consume.  I fill my class Dropbox with graphic organizers and activity sheets and have my students complete them on their iPads. PaperPort Notes is a great app for importing PDF files from Dropbox and adding text.  My students will annotate the document and email it to me.  I can decide what to print and display after looking at their work. The rest I can leave in my inbox and I know where it is if I need to reference it.

Check out my teacher store for lesson plans with activity sheets that can be completed on iPads!

 

Import PDF files from Dropbox

Use text boxes to answer questions

Have students email their work to you for review


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