iPads in the Classroom

Happy Wednesday!

As I sit in my quiet house (nugget is at gymnastics camp) reviewing and preparing for an interview this afternoon I stumbled across a presentation I made a few years ago for a county wide professional development workshop. Honestly, I forgot I still had the presentation saved and thought I would share it with you all.  If you haven't heard of or used Prezi, I definitely recommend it (it's free).  I love the fun presentation style choices provided to input my information.  Prezi is basically a "turn key" style presentation tool that can be used for lesson presentations or student presentations.  My students LOVED sharing projects, math concept procedures, and book reviews using Prezi.  Click the picture to be taken to my brief presentation on suggestions of effectively using iPads in the classroom.  What do you use to engage your students?  Post below...I enjoy reading comments and writing back.  Have a fabulous Wednesday!

MobyMax Anyone?

WOW!  Two days of blogging in a row?!  The snow days are definitely helping to free up some time for blogging.  ;)  I've been meaning to write this post for quite some time; however, like I mentioned yesterday, time hasn't been on my side.  

Have you heard of MobyMax?  It's one of my favorite research based tools I use daily in my classroom.  I use it in several ways and I will tell you more about how in just a minute.  One of the first things I do at the beginning of every school year is set up accounts on MobyMax for my students to take an online placement test.  The results of the placement test provide data to remediate and guide my instruction each year in Math.  MobyMax also provides these same services and data points in several other areas.  I took a screen shot of what is offered for you to see the awesome options you have using MobyMax in your classroom. 

This is a screenshot of options/subjects offered by MobyMax.

I've only used MobyMax for math, but plan on beginning the Language lessons/assessments when we return from the snow days.  My students will begin by taking the placement test for Language just like they did for Math.  After the placement tests are complete, they will visit MobyMax Language as a workstation rotation during our literacy block to practice grammar.  Having students visit MobyMax during our literacy block allows them exposure and practice with grammar that otherwise wouldn't get the attention it needs. It's also a clever way to incorporate the Common Core and technology daily in Reading Workshop/Daily 5.

Now back to how I use MobyMax Math in my classroom~

Like I said earlier, I use it in several ways. I've listed my "Top 5" ways I use MobyMax; however, I use it in more than 5 ways and hope to have a follow up post on more ways to use it in the classroom at a later date.  First, I use it to learn more about my student's strengths. Second, I have students visit MobyMax Math as a workstation in math workshop twice a week for 20 minutes each session.  Third, I have students practice online at home twice a week for part of their homework.  If students don't have access to the internet at home, they complete it for morning work the following day at school. Fourth, I use it for progress monitoring of students I'm concerned with and are considering for RTI paperwork and EC/Special Ed referrals.  Fifth, I use it to help my EC/Special Ed students get more practice in math in hopes of making progress towards IEP goals.  Below are some screen shots to help you visualize what I'm talking about.  

Now for the gist of this post....MobyMax is an AMAZING research based tool!  If you don't use it, you should start..like tomorrow!  ;)  Thanks for hanging in there!  Until next time...

Measuring Student Growth

Assign Assessments

Progress Monitoring Graph

Monday Made It and a Freebie!

Happy Monday ya'll!  I've linked up with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics for my first Monday Made It!  I've been so busy creating, throwing away, re-creating, and finessing my latest Pinterest project for the Monday Made It Linky Party.  I pinned a book suggestion tree idea on Pinterest at the beginning of the summer and couldn't figure out how I wanted to put my spin on it for the classroom UNTIL the middle of last week.  You can view the original idea here.  I simply loved the idea, but it wasn't going to fit my Dr. Suess/Technology themed classroom.  I also couldn't find a fake stick to spray paint.  The sticks I found in my yard were just too brittle to use.  I did try and even bought yellow spray paint to spray on the stick.  Mid spray painting, I imagined some of my future kiddos making poor choices and snapping the limbs off the tree!  If this happened I would have to start all over..."Aint NOBODY got time for that!!" (shout out to Sweet Brown...from Oklahoma like I am).  

Extremely frustrated and wanting to use the idea, I stumbled across yet another fabulous pin you can read about here.  I LOVE the QR code twist.  I was also inspired  by this pin you can check out here for the Truffula Tress. So, after several weeks of brainstorming as well as trial and error I bring to the table my latest classroom project!

Book Suggestion Truffula Tree

Close up of what is written on chalk trim

The chalk says, "Take a Look!  We suggest these books!"

QR code Book Trailer Example

I'm loving my book suggestion tree that incorporates both themes so seamlessly!  Thanks so much to the listed bloggers for the inspiration to create something new and fun for my classroom.  If you would like to see how to quickly make voice QR codes for anything, check out this awesome resource here.  I made tons of these signs and taped them to craft sticks.  There will be a basket set up at the table with the extra signs, tape, and wet erase markers for student use.  Students will write with wet erase markers the book title, author, and reviewer.  They will then create a book suggestion voice QR code with our iPads and classroom computers.  If you would like a copy of the sign template you can get yours here

If you're interested in creating something similar for you classroom you will need the following materials:

1.  Large ceramic pot
2.  8 sheets of tissue paper
3.  Floral wire
4.  Easter grass or some other filler
5.  Floral foam block to put trunk of tree in
6.  Acrylic Paint
7.  Chalk Board paint
8.  Paint brush
9.  Scissors
10.  Yellow duct tape
11.  Pipe insulator (98 cents each at Lowes-this is just a small piece of it)
12.  Chalk
13.  Hot glue
14.  Printer if choosing to use the printable and colored cardstock
15.  Lamination (if wanting to laminate)
16.  Craft sticks
17.  Packing Tape (clear)

That's enough for now!  Thanks so much for checking out my newest completed project.    Have a fantastic week!

Vocabulary Idea for 5th Grade Common Core RL5.4 Objective

Okay, so I just recently realized I haven't posted many ideas about literacy lately.  Honestly, I've been so wrapped up with making sure I cover everything in math before our state testing next month; my creative juices haven't been focused on literacy. Something that I've been doing the past few months that has helped tremendously with student achievement is with the use of QR codes, thinking maps, and padlet.com.  Obviously, every teacher and school uses a different basal series, news magazine, or novel study to teach Literacy with.  I choose to use StoryWorks Magazine by Scholastic.  You can check it out here.  I enjoy this publication because it's aligned with the common core and has a variety of genres with each magazine.  The children really seem to enjoy it as well.  I don't use the worksheets very much, but turn what the worksheets are asking into different thinking maps.  My reading scores have jumped significantly after transitioning to this as my primary resource for whole group mini lessons.  I do still keep a variety of novel studies going on within my different reading groups each week.  

Vocabulary QR Code Examples

Now, back to the QR codes.  I randomly group students each week to look at the vocabulary before reading the article, play, poem, or story for the week.  Each group is given a sheet of quotes with the bolded vocabulary words.  The students look at how the word is used in the quote and discuss what it could possibly mean using context clues.  After an agreed upon word meaning has been established with the group they scan the QR code to check and see if they were correct with the word meaning.  After checking the word they add the word to a tree map of vocabulary words and list the definition below the word.  After all vocabulary words have been discussed, checked, and written on the tree map; students make a prediction with the information they have on the tree map as their frame of reference.  Next, the group members share their predictions and decide upon the strongest prediction.  Students then go on www.padlet.com to post their groups prediction for the story.  After all groups have posted we meet together to review predictions.  Finally, students read the story within their groups and discuss what they've read.  Groups are given specific questions to discuss and post their answers on padlet.com.  It's fun, engaging, and an interactive way to kick off a new story for the week.    Below are screen shots of a set of QR codes and www.padlet.com.  

Example of Groups Posting Predictions After Vocabulary QR Codes

Examples of Groups Posting Answers to Discussion Questions

Inferencing With iFake Texts

This is a picture of my completed example for the children and for you all.

Need a way to connect with your children and practice inferencing?  I highly recommend  www.ifaketext.com.  We read our weekly basal story and then the children picked two characters from the story to create a text message conversation.  Students had to infer what the characters would text about if they had iphones in the story.  Their text conversations had to be relevant to the story itself.  After entering the text conversation they printed it out.  Colored pencils were used to color the conversation bubbles to save printer ink; crayons were too dark.  Next, they took the printed out conversation and used black construction paper to trace an iphone inspired shape on the construction paper so they could glue the conversation down.    Then, they used a white colored pencil to add the iphone details.  After that, they wrote a few sentences explaining why the characters were texting what they were.  We glued the phone and explanation sentences to a piece of construction paper.  Voila!  The children were able to infer about characters without realizing it.  They had so much fun and we will definitely do this again!  Click the bolded words for the printable links to the sentence starters and iphone tracer.  FYI, there's also an ifakesuri web site.  I'm not quite sure how I will use it, but hope to.  How would you use ifakesuri in your classroom?