The Techie Times
September 2015
The Daily 5 and iPad Apps
Right now, many of you are focusing on increasing your student's stamina to work independently during reading stations. While students are completing their reading tasks, you meet with them in small groups or work with students individually. The Daily 5 support this initiative while providing them with strategies and tools to help them become better readers and writers. But,"How can technology help support this process too?" is the question I challenge you to answer.
During The Daily Five there are many apps that can be used to bring your reading stations alive! However, I implore you to focus on the "HOW" instead of just using any app. Below you will find three apps that have been highlighted for this month's issue. They can currently be found on our iPads (Hint: check out the blue cart). In addition, I suggested ways you could use them during your reading stations. Before placing the activities in your reading station, remember to model how to use the app during a whole group lesson.
As all always, I would love to hear how you use iPads during your next Daily Five lesson. Send a picture with a short description and I will feature your class in the next Techie Times, or you can always invite me to take pictures myself. Remember sharing is contagious:)
Tellagami
What does this app do? Tellegami is a mobile app that lets you create and share a quick animated message called a Gami..
Daily 5 Reading Station that could be used: Read to Self, Listen to Some Read, and Fluency
How can you use this app in your next reading lesson? Tellagami is a great way for a student to tell or listen to a story. However, it is even better to use it to improve a student's fluency. Before using in a station, model how to use it appropriately with students. For example, use anonymous reading. Allow the whole class to critique so that you are reinforcing skills and knowledge of reading fluencies. Then in your reading station, have these steps the following steps posted:
- Read Text
- Record self with Tellagami
- Hand over to a partner
- Partner views recording
- Partner offers feedback by referring to criteria (simplify for your class)
- Expression (stress, pitch, volume and clarity)
- phrasing (pauses, word groups)
- Rate (speed is just right)
6. Students re-do the recording taking on feedback
Camera
What does this app do? The camera is a built-in app with all iPads. Student's can take a photo or video. It's easy to use and integrate with other apps, especially if you want to do some App Smashing.
Daily 5 Reading Station that could be used: Read to Self, Listen to Some Read, Work on Writing and Fluency
How can you use this app in your next reading lesson? The camera app is simple for students to use and can be used in a variety of ways in your classroom. The ideas listed below can be shared with their classmates or parents with a QR Code reader.
1.Book Reviews: Has your student ever read a book that they wanted to share with others. After the student finishes reading their book, have them write their own book review, then record themselves reading the book review.
2. Story Telling: Have students tell personal stories and turn them into digital stories using pictures and images from their classroom and their lives.
3. Photo Essay: Have students take a photo and use it to construct a photo-essay. Photo-essays are powerful ways to convey messages through visuals and text. Students can easily be added to text-based slides with iMovie.
Chatterpix Kids
What does this app do? ChatterPix is an app that allows you to take any image, add a "mouth" and then record audio to allow the image to talk for 30 seconds.
Daily 5 Reading Station that could be used: Read to Self, Fluency, and Word Work
How can you use this app in your next reading lesson? Chatterpix is a great way to practice fluency phrases, sight words, introduce vocabulary or share a short summary of a book. The ideas are endless. Here are a few:
- Adjective Station: Preload the iPad with pictures you want the students to use. Then have the students record adjectives about the image when using the app.
- Integrate Social Studies: Preload the iPad with pictures of historical figures or important leaders you want the students to use. Then have the students record key facts and/or events that relate to person when using the app.
Daily 5 Reading Stations with iPad Apps
READ TO SELF
- ICDL - Free Books for Children - International Children's Digital Library: This app provides a worldwide collection of free books to the iPad for students to read
- World Book -- This Day in History for iPad: Read about an exciting event in history while also hearing important speeches and interesting facts along the way.
READ TO OTHERS
- Booksy: This K-2 leveled reading app captures the reading and emails the recording. It also has assisted reading option.
- Book Creator: Create and record your own iBook with this wonderful app. Easy to share with others.
- Sparklefish: This app allows you to complete audio stories to listen and share with others.
LISTEN TO READING
- Reading Rainbow Skybrary: Over 150 interactive books as well as video field trips on this app. (Subscription is needed to access all books)
- Tumblebooks on Wheels: This application contains a rich library of read-a-long storybook videos designed to provide hours of educational fun.
WORKING WITH WORDS
- Spelling City: Fun way to practice spelling and vocabulary words.
- Wordventure: Students will create a story by practicing parts of speech.
- Sight Words by Photo Touch: Learn sight words through sight, sound and touch with this app.
- Glow Draw: Students can practice drawing their spelling words with glowing colors.
- Grammer Jammer: This app comes in primary and elementary. The catchy animated songs and rhymes make language arts exciting.
WORK ON WRITING
- Popplet Lite: Organize student thoughts, ideas, and images with this graphic organizing app.
- Little Bird Tales: This app is wonderful for early elementary students to create and record digital stories.
Helpful Videos to get YOU Started!
Join me for our first Techie Thursday, starting September 10th at 3:00 pm in the Media Center.
Techie Thursday's is Here!!!
Do you want to learn about a new idea or technology tool? Well, in September you can drop in the Media Center every other Thursday to do just that!! Tech Thursday's are professional growth and development sessions designed to increase our knowledge and experience level in using a wide range of instructional technologies.
Every other Thursday topics will be chosen based upon what YOU want to learn more about, so make sure you complete the Google Form Survey below. If you want to share your favorite tech tool or app with your peers you are welcomed to do so, just indicate your topic and name on the survey form. Future topics include, but are not limited to, Twitter, Edmodo, KidBlogs, App Smashing, NearPod and so much more. Attendance is optional.
Don't forget to complete the survey!
Credits
Reading Fluency Using the Tellagami IPad App by Kristin Parone
Kindergarten Word Wall with Chatterpix Kids by Lance Yoder
Stacy Hubbard
If you have any comments, questions or suggestions on how I can improve the newsletter, just drop me an email. I am here to help you meet the needs of our students by integrating the curriculum with more technology! Every idea counts because I believe in the power of what we can do together. Each issue is different because of your input and comments. Keep reading and sharing ideas.
Email: hubbards@fultonschools.org
Website: http://www.interventionswithasmile.com/
Location: Fairburn, GA, United States
Phone: 770-969-3430
Twitter: @HubbardsStacy