The One iPad Class ~ Essentials, Part 1

Today is going to be some of the 'teacher essentials', things that help the class run smoothly!

In addition to all the other apps I've mentioned (especially notetaking apps!), I've found that there are some 'essentials' that I use almost every day.

{FREE w/ads; $2.99 w/o ads}Timer+ Now, I know that there are a bunch of timer apps out there, but this is the one I use. I did spend the $2.99 to get rid of the ads-they were in an awkward place when I was using it repeatedly for fluency checks.

I like it because I can set different sounds (and I like to pick fun ones!)

You can also choose different colors for the timers, as well as how long.

And  you can run multiple timers at the same time, plus it saves previous times, so you can just hit the start button.

I use it a lot when I'm doing a turn and talk, or having them do a timed assignment (or when I'm doing fluency checks!). This definitely comes in handy!

Next up is:
{FREE} Pandora! (Or any radio app). I play Pandora's classical music station or nature sounds station when it's independent work time.

I use it during reading groups, to remind the kids to keep it down when they are working on their independent work.  I'll also use it during math independent work as well.

I will run the internet station through my SMART Board speakers (my computer doesn't have speakers-and they were all replaced with new computers this summer-without internal speakers....), but if the SMART Board is off, I'll pull it up on the iPad.

My favorite thing is when the classical music station will play the instrumental version of the popular songs-and I'll start hearing my kids hum and sing along :)

Another one I like is:
{FREE/Premium $5.99/month} Show Me! You can use this to create quick videos or drawing models/skills.

 I used it to show the kids how to FAST-I had some absent the day we did it.

I've also found it handy to write notes to the kids when we were in a lockdown (for half an hour) and they were getting restless-reminders to be good! ;)

Another one like Show Me is:
{FREE/ Pro $11.99/month} Educreations. It works on a very similar principles, so it's up to you which one you choose. The free version only lets you have one saved video, while in Show Me you can have more. You can add photos to both and record over each. This'll be personal preference.

 The Primary Gal uses Educreations to do her math videos-something I'm hoping to work on over the summer!


Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Quadrilaterals

We finished up playing with squares and rectangles last week, and I had one of the lightbulb moments myself (of course, it happened right before the lesson, so while the kids were finishing up work I quickly prepped :)

We had started out the day before by making a quadrilateral tree and doing some math notebook stations (this also gave me a great idea on who had it and who didn't-since I was available to float)

I pull most of my math notebook entries from here.

The next day (my brilliant idea :), I cut out shapes and we wrote the properties of each one on it!

I color coded the different quadrilateral so we could tell the shapes apart.

We're storing them in our notebook with a half an envelope (I sealed it and then cut it down the middle-instant pocket! Plus, it saves on envelopes.)

Then, I sent them off to do an activity in their math book with partners.

This is the teacher edition-they don't get to have the answers :)

I loved seeing how they organized their information!

It was so cool to see how different groups worked it out together.

Plus, they all did a super job on this standard-and a fun resource to check when they forget!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Notebook Evolution ~ Reading

I've talked before about my reading notebooks, but they went through an evolution just like all the others!

The first year, we had composition books.  I switched to a 3-subject notebook for subsequent years.

In year 1, I made an attempt to have foldables and information.

We wound up using the notebooks for reading responses-which I didn't have very well organized or really graded.

I feel bad for that class-I was experimenting with different things, and not all of them worked out. My style has definitely changed in just a few years (both literally and figuratively! I used to wear higher heels when teaching-now it's super low heels (like less than an inch), flats, and on rare occasions-wedges. I've embraced my shortness :)

The next year is when the revelation occurred. I discovered Nicole Shelby's Reading Notebooks!

That's all I used for reading.

This year, year 3, I've started adding in some of my own things, and having the students do examples as well.

I still use her notebooks as a base, but I'll change up the writing, or add in another page, or example for practice.

Inspired by the blizzard that started it all this winter:)

Nicole Shelby on the right-me on the left!

I'm excited to see how my notebooks will evolve next year!

That's one of my favorite things about teaching-we're always looking for ways to be better, to change it up and to make it more meaningful. Every day, every year is different!

I hope you've enjoyed seeing how my notebooks have evolved-it was very interesting to me to lok back and see how they've changed!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

The One iPad Class ~ Library Apps

I've discovered a few apps that have helped make my library life easier.

Now, I'm going to start with book leveling, since I don't have students check out books-but I do have some apps for that too! (Fifth in the Middle also has a great post on this)

{FREE} Scholastic Book Wizard (just like the website) lets you scan books and add them into your library.

When it works, it will pull up the book with the different levels and description.

But a lot of times, I get this message instead...

What frustrates me about this is that the majority of the books that I buy are from Scholastic-and not listed in the wizard. 

After I scan (and actually get a book), I add it to my library. When I access it, it looks like

One that I really  like is
{$3.99} Literacy Leveler. Now, you can get it in a bundle with the classroom checkout app (and save a dollar). I only purchased the leveler, as the kids are free to take and return as many books as they like in my class.

When you scan a book, it looks like this:

If the book is not in the app, then

I have found that the number of books it doesn't know is way less than book wizard-I don't get that message very often.

Usually, I get

Sometimes it will have the DRA and GRL level filled in as well. If I need to add it to my library, I hit the "Add to My Library" in the corner. It will be blue if I need to add it. I do wish that is was bigger or in a better place-sometimes I forget to hit it.

When I access my library, this beauty pops up

I love that I can see the covers of the books.

It's also cool because it has this handy dandy chart built right into the app

This gives me a nice range for things.

One classroom checkout app that I have found is
{FREE} BookSource. This is also a web-based service, and you need to sign up through the internet before you download the app.

I use this one mostly to keep track of what books I have.

It scans super easy, and pretty much has every book that I've scanned.

Definitely not all of my library-in fact, these are just the fantasy-myth and fairy tales books I have!

The really cool thing is that I can assign genres, collect information on the condition of the book, students can review it and more-all from when they check the book in and out of the app.

Right now, I'm just starting to sort into genres. A summer project will be to scan all my books-maybe I'll start a checkout system next year (dependent on if I get some class iPads!)

Another app I found was Level It Books {$3.99}. I did not purchase it because it did not have the greatest reviews when I was looking at it, and I figured between the Scholastic Book Wizard and Literacy Leveler (which had better reviews, and that's why I purchased that one), I would be covered for most of my books.

Now I just have to go through all of my old books! :)

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Currently

Happy May!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Five for Friday

TGIF!

We're in the 'home stretch' (with 8 weeks to go), and a lot is happening between now and then!



I got so fed up with my desk that I did a deep clean just before vacation. (As in, took EVERYTHING off, lysoled multiple times, recycled a bunch of stuff, redid files and neatened up.)

Got frustrated with my desk and did a deep clean-love how it looks now! Hope I can maintain it! #iteachfourth #cleandesk #teachersofinstagram #teachersfollowteachers #igteacher #teacherdesk #teacherproblems

MA photo posted by Smiles & Sunshine (@smilesandsunshineteacher) on Apr 17, 2015 at 10:58am PDT

My goal is to keep it this nice until the end of the school year-and one week in and I'm doing well with it!

I did a post on how I curriculum map-and I finished my ELA maps!

They look so pretty! :)

We've been working on our colonial unit (post to come soon!), and I created some PowerPoints to go along with it!

Making some colonial PowerPoints for Social Studies this week-we're working on the 13 colonies! #socialstudies #iteachfourth #iteach456 #teachersofinstagram #teachersfollowteachers #igteacher #history

A photo posted by Smiles & Sunshine (@smilesandsunshineteacher) on Apr 25, 2015 at 2:02pm PDT

We did this cool shape activity in Math yesterday (that I came up with on the fly!). I'll be posting about that next week! :)

I've been doing some crocheting...here's a sneak peek of what I've been working on!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn