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Real Time Remote Formative Assessment with Classkick

2/20/2015

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With Classkick, students work assignments on their iPad and get instant feedback. Teachers create assignments, see all their students’ work in real-time, and give LOTS of student feedback. Best of all, students can help each other.
First Grade Teacher, Kimmy Zaroba, has been using it during her math time.

Here are some photos of it in action.
But...here's what Classkick does that no other app can do....
Classkick Resources

follow them on twitter  @getclasskick

Classkick YouTube Channel

From Dan Meyer: 5 Reasons to Download Classkick

A Review from Hillbert's Hotel
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Using QR codes in Daily Five

1/30/2015

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Earlier in the year I  had the pleasure of working with first-graders downloading the Qrafter app and using it to scan QR codes.

These codes took them to a world of  books that were read to them online, and they used them during the Listen To Reading time of their Daily Five


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First Grade Teacher, Kimmy Zaroba, found many of these QR codes, that she used in her classroom, on the Teachers Pay Teachers Site.
Here are a few of the sites you can find them on (search the site for QR codes):

http://myteacherfriend.blogspot.com/

Digital-Divide-And-Conquer
First Grade Teacher, Amy Lugo, pasted QR codes into books in her reading library.

Many of these are on SafeshareTV, or YouTube, and can be accessed on iPads.
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Here are some collections of Read Alouds that are easy to access through QR codes.
Make a QR Code link to each Symbaloo collection, or create QR codes for individual titles and paste into corresponding books, or on cards with graphics.


From Matt B.Gomez: 50 Online Early Readers   and  Another 50 Online Readers with Audio


From #Kinderchat:  Meegenius Collection,  Starfall Collection, eBook #1 Collection,  and eBook #2 Collection
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Conjunctions and Popplet

1/21/2015

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4th Graders in Holly Peterson's class are learning about conjunctions and compound sentences.

One of the introductory activities was watching the well known School House Rock Video, Conjunction Junction.

The theme of the video was train cars connecting, so what better app to practice using conjunctions to create compound sentences than Popplet!



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Holly and I team taught this lesson. She reviewed with the students what complete sentences were, what compound sentences were, correct punctuation, and a brilliant way to remember the conjunctions:

FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

She had a handout with samples of complete sentences and conjunctions for those who wanted to refer to it.

I described the Popplet activity they were going to do with a partner
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The partners each opened Popplet on their iPads and created two popples, which looked like train cars, with one complete sentence in each
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They handed their iPad to their partner who added the conjunction then rewrote a compound sentence with the two sentences and the conjunction.
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They handed the iPad back to the owner and checked each others work; then created another conjunction train.


While the students were working, we were able to move among the groups for reinforcement and discussion with them.
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In addition to monitoring students and giving feedback as they worked, we had the students email their Popplets to Holly so she could look more closely at their work.

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Popplet makes this very easy. Touch the export button on the top right, Select email JPG.

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Then fill in the address line in the email box.

Click the images below to see in full screen.
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Here are some Popplet resources:

The Tutorial from their Website

Popplet App SnAPPshot
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Pic Collage Across the Curriculum

12/16/2014

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Vocabulary Work, Shark Studies, and Dream Universes are a few of the topics explored using the creative features of the Pic Collage App.
Science and Social Studies Vocabulary

4th graders in Holly Peterson's and Rochelle Hebert's classes used graphics to better understand Social Studies and Science vocabulary.

By partnering with these 2 amazing classroom teachers, we were able to structure a learning environment in which students thought about the meanings of the vocabulary terms within the context of each unit; then created a Pic Collage for each term, which included the definition of the term and a picture that best illustrated the term.

An important part of this activity was reinforcing safe searching practices while doing their research for pictures.  We used the Safe Search Engine links and the Safe Sites for Pictures links on our Student Resources pages for our searches. We reviewed what an advertisement looked like when pulled up in a search, how to read annotations in search results, and how to search for and save images.

After helping the students download the free app and a brief tutorial on the features of the tool, we supported the students as they created their vocabulary collages for Electricity & Energy  and for Native American Studies.


Sharks!

Check out the Pic Collages from Mrs. Abell's 3rd Grade Shark Studies.


Weslandia and Dream Universes!
Danielle Rivas's 3rd Grade Student Teacher, Katy Armstrong, used Weslandia as a starting point for students to create their own Dream Universes.
After creating them in 3D with paper, scissors, glue and markers, they used their iPads to take photos of them and then create a Pic Collage poster of them.


Want to start using PicCollage?
It's Free!!
Here are some resources.....

Using Pic Collage in Math

More Ideas for Pic Collage

A Video Tutorial

5 Ideas for Using Pic Collage in Your Classroom

Pic Collage in the Classroom on Pinterest

Pic Collage in the Classroom



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Hour, Month, Year, Life of Code

12/4/2014

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The Hour of Code was started last year to bring awareness to computer programming in K-12 schools.
It was such a hit that it reached 15 Million students in just 5 days.
http://hourofcode.com/us

Over the course of the year a vast collection of coding activities for students of all ages have been developed and shared; and the Code.org YouTube Site has added several short videos encouraging kids to code, including this one by President Obama


I gathered a variety of these resources that have emerged over the past year and put them together in one location for my students and teachers to access easily.

http://vveedtech.weebly.com/hour-of-code.html

Students from kindergarten to fifth grade will be learning about coding and participate in coding activities through December and into January (and hopefully continue throughout the year...and their lives!)

As a result of last year's work, many students were familiar and comfortable with coding using blocks.This year students are using a variety of activities from this coding resource page as it fits their ability and interest in coding.

With many coding apps available for iPads, and the student's ability to download free apps, I am looking forward to more frequent opportunities for students to code during their school day.


Why are we coding in elementary schools?
Check out this S'more created by Debbie Smith for 5 reasons



Kids are having fun, solving problems and learning the basics of coding in a variety of ways.

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Learning in Comfort-Still on a Dime

11/21/2014

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Our bond election last May had some funds earmarked for classroom renovations. Unfortunately it did not pass.
Undaunted by this turn of events, teachers across the district are redesigning their learning spaces creatively with existing materials.
Here are a few examples from VVE.




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A cozy reading center, complete with a water feature

2nd Grade Teacher, Becky Canelos has created a special reading area where her students can get comfortable, enjoy a good book and relax to the soothing sounds of a water fall. (On the top of the piano)



Comfy couches and soft chairs

Nancy Abell, our Gifted and Talented Teacher, has brought in a comfy couch, coffee table and a cozy rocker.
Students choose to sit and work where they are comfortable.


Extreme Makeover - classroom edition!

At the beginning of this school year, Rebekah Ellis, 5th Grade Teacher, took the extreme makeover approach.
She pushed a few tables to the edge of the room and created a variety of learning spaces with something unique in each.
She had no idea how it would work.
But it did!
Every student can find comfort in one of these spaces.
Some move around from day to day, but many have found their favorite place.
Where they sit and how they move is not a focal point in Mrs.Ellis's class.
The students find their comfort zones and are able to focus on the tasks, learning, and activities at hand.

Student engagement is high and behavior issues are at a minimum.

And...Juggling Breaks Happen
(apologies for the vertical video)



More cozy corners and inspiring spaces

Just about every classroom has a cozy corner or an inspiring space for reading, reflecting, and creating.  Here are some:



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Google Story Builder

7/30/2014

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Here's a fun way to encourage student writing while applying an understanding of a concept or story line.

The tool is Google Story Builder and here's the link.
http://docsstorybuilder.appspot.com/
Be sure to check out their samples on the start page of Google Story Builder.


Students create characters, develop their lines that show the interaction, explanation, or plot, add music, and save as a video.



Here's a tutorial:



Here's a Prezi with more information:




Try it with Math story problems, as a book trailer, as a review of science concepts, or a discussion between historical figures:


Earth: Center of the Universe?

Math Problems From Refranz Davis 

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Here is a great quick step set to Google Story Builder by Jason Carooll from Text Help
http://blog.texthelp.com/2013/12/google-story-builder/

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For the Pinterest Lovers, I did a search for Google Story builder and quite a few pins of samples have been posted:


http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=google%20story%20builder

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ISTE 2014-Turn Around Take Aways

7/10/2014

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ISTE 2014 (International Society for Technology in Education) was truly an International event.


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There were children from all over the world showcasing their digital learning in the Poster Sessions.



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I heard a potpourri of different languages as I walked through the convention center and exhibit hall.





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It was huge, overwhelming, and wonderfully insightful.

And it strengthened my belief that, all over the world, the importance of deep, meaningful, learning experiences is of utmost importance among educators.  

(hopefully lawmakers will follow suit soon)

Be sure to check out my friend and colleague,  Debbie Smith's,  ISTE Take Aways

Each one strikes a similar chord with me and I couldn't have explained them better.
http://edtechnological.weebly.com/iste-2014.html

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Debbie and I had bookmarked sessions about Professional Development, Project Based learning and all things STEM...and in the process, we came across an exciting collection of new tools that can be used with the click of a mouse.


We are excited to share these ideas with our teachers, fellow EdTechs and Instructional Partners.

I have put all of my resources on a List.ly list which will be updated as I continue to curate ideas and resources from this powerful conference:
http://list.ly/list/N1s-iste-2014-new-ideas


Be sure to check out Debbie's List.ly list, too. Some items may overlap, but many are different:
http://list.ly/list/Mxo-iste-2014


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I want to highlight here what I call the "Turn around tools and tricks".
These are things teachers can click through and and get immediate inspiration for use in their classrooms without a lot of lead in time and preparation.
 Image: http://www.copyediting.com/four-tips-writing-respectfully-about-disabilities


We Video
Mix, Edit, add music, publish videos from computer or downloaded from YouTube or Discovery Streaming.
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Last Pass
The last password you have to remember-true, it's in the cloud, but what isn't now?
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QR voice
Type in a message, assignment, or positive comment, it turns it into a QR code with a not- too-awful voice.



Voracious Vocabulary Livebinder
This was a poster session, and the live binder is full of vocabulary building activities
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Powtoon

Create animated videos and presentations--
As easy as Powerpoint!
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Concord Consortium Interactive Science

Science Simulations that can be used on iPads.
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Passion Project Update Week 10

5/16/2014

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This is the third in a series of posts about the Passion Project that 3rd graders, and now 5th graders, are participating in.
Clike here for the first post, and here for the second post.

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Many students are in the presentation stage of their Passion Projects, and many have started a second one.

The students in the first column of today's Trello board have done their presentations and are starting a second project. Those in the last column will be presenting next week. Click on the photo to enlarge it.

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Today, as every time I am able to be in a Passion Project work and presentation session, I got goosebumps as I watched the students work, create, collaborate, communicate, present, and problem solve.

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This student worked on his extension of his first presentation about Minecraft. He is taking videos of classmates giving tips and tricks about Minecraft. He decided to do this on his own, figured out how to place live video in his Keynote, and presented to the class with quite an entertaining style.

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Here is a little bit different point of view about Minecraft. She was interested in the creator of the game. During her presentation we learned about the creator of Minecraft and other games he created.

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We learned about basketball from someone who loves to play the game.
Not only did he create a website about it, he created a video and embedded it into his website, and a Keynote which he also put in his website.


I recently heard some state lawmakers discussing education and there was a reference to productive noise.
I think the video below is a great example of productive noise. It also captures the focus and busyness of students engaged in learning and creating from passion.

The girl walking in front of the group of girls looking at a poster board is practicing her presentation.

The slideshow below captures some of the activity and Driving Questions from our 5th Grade Passion Projects

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Bingo Baker and 9 Lines

5/15/2014

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After reading about the Bingo Baker site, and the ability to create custom bingo cards that can be used with iPads, Mrs. Manzano was eager to try it with her 2nd Graders.


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She quickly and easily created one with answers for basic multiplication facts.
Then created a QR code for the site

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Students used the Qrafter App on their iPads to open their bingo boards.

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Mrs. Manzano demonstrated how to use the bingo board on their iPads, then started the game.

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Students have been using 9 Lines to learn their multiplication facts, which is a multisensory approach to math facts mastery.

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Using the 9 Lines Model, students quickly knew the answer to the multiplication problem shown on the dice and touched the answer on their iPad bingo board.

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BINGO!!

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    PictureMs. Brown, Retired VVE Ed Tech

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    Check out my Falcon Blog, too!


    Hi, I'm Margie Brown, an Educational Technologist at Valley View Elementary School in Eanes ISD. I love working with students and teachers and discovering new digital tips and tricks everyday!

    As the  Educational Technologist on this campus, I am responsible for facilitating the integration of technology into the instructional program by supporting teachers, librarians, and Instructional Partners. Our district believes that this position is essential in establishing a digital age learning culture by supporting, training, coaching and mentoring staff. In addition, I am also involved in program planning and implementation of all district initiatives that pertain to technology integration. 

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    Check these out:
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