Presidental Election Comes to Oak Hills - November 2012

The 2012 Presidential Election Comes to Oak Hills! by Slidely - Slideshow maker

MEMO Conference - October 2012

My friend and colleague, Paula Hansen and I were given the opportunity to speak at the annual MEMO conference in St. Cloud, Minnesota.  We spoke to a packed house of educators who seemed genuinely interested to hear about our experiences teaching with iPads.  We were able to talk about what we had tried and what we had learned, our successes and failures.  As our presentation neared an end, we opened it up to questions.  The questions led to wonderful conversations with everyone in the audience contributing.  This was my favorite part!

Library Scavenger Hunt With QR Codes

 

It is a new school year and we have iPads in the library!!!  I traditionally start each new school year by reintroducing (introducing to new students!) the library to returning students.  What a great opportunity to try out our new technology.  I introduced the app Red Laser to students.  This app allows the user to create QR codes that once scanned, will connect to followup websites or messages, often advertisements.  It is not uncommon to see QR codes in stores and magazines. For this lesson, I created the QR codes before students arrived.  I placed the QR codes in areas and on items that I wanted student to see around the library.  Once I demonstrated how easy it was to scan QR codes with Red Laser, I sent students on a scavenger hunt to find the QR codes. As student located and scanned each QR code, I asked them to record what they found in a Google form.  This way we could have a followup conversation about what they learned from each QR code.  

iPad Presentation to Returning Lakeville Teachers

To a full auditorium of returning Lakeville teachers, my friend and colleague, Kathryne Nguyen and I were given the opportunity to share our plans for transforming our media centers with the help of our newly acquired iPads.  Yippeee!  We were full of hope and enthusiasm for the year ahead!  There were several speakers, and it was fun to hear their plans for the new iPads as well!  Hearing other educators share their ideas sparked my own new ideas that I am anxious to try with my students!

Bloom's Taxonomy and iPad Apps!

In one of my rounds to my favorite blogs and online periodicals, I found a great article at Edutopia by Diane Darrow.  It lists great iPad apps for developing higher order thinking skills.  Each list will highlight a few apps that connect to the various stages on Bloom's continuum of learning.

In a similar vein, I found this Bloom's Taxonomy revisited by Kathy Schrock.  

I found it fascinating reading and discovered several new apps I am anxious to try!!

Edutopia's iPad Apps and Bloom's Taxonomy

Animoto

When I first discovered Animoto, I couldn't get enough.  It takes your photos, video clips and music and combines it all to produce what can be most closely described as a music video.  Create 30 second videos for free.  The fee for longer videos is quite reasonable!

Here is an example I created with 5th graders studying Ecosystems!

Ecosystem Lesson

The iPads are Coming

I didn't write about this until now, partially because I didn't want to jinx it... I applied for one Lakeville School's iPad Grants.  The grants are for class sets of iPads, and I am so happy to say that the recipients are announced today...and...drumroll please...the iPads are coming!!!  Before I go any farther, I have to say that I had several collaborating teachers who coauthored the grant with me.  My wonderful colleagues, Maureen Long (3rd Grade Teacher) and Karen Osborn (4th grade teacher) will also be integrating the iPads into their classrooms.  Maureen is planning to have her student map the places from the literature...traveling the world from the 9" X 7" screens in their hands.  Karen is planning on infusing the iPads into her literacy lessons with a variety of apps that she has painstakingly researched.  I am planning a video blog about internet safety with my older students.  So many ideas, so many apps, so much to learn and not enough time in the day!

Most important in all of our excitement is our belief that this technology will provide a creative tool for our students.  I know it is certainly stimulating us to be more creative teachers!  Though I am not yet certain what the timeline will be for actually receiving the iPads sets, I know it is soon.  Stay tuned.