Using Hue Animation Studio in Kindergarten

Hey! It's Katie from Little Warriors!

Have you guys heard about Hue Animation Studio??? I got one this Summer and tried it out with my kiddos this week!!!

I have to tell you, the process of making a movie with my Kinders was sooooo SUPER EASY and the kids just had a BLAST!!! They learned so much AND they are so proud of their movie!!

Hop on over to my blog to read and find out more about how easy it is to use and how to make an animated movie with your kiddos!! You MUST have one!!!! :)

Just click on the picture to below!

iPads With Kindergarten... Sanity Saving Tips

Hello Blog Hoppers!  It's Ashley Hughes from The School Supply Addict.  Today, I'm sharing a few of my favorite sanity savers for integrating iPads with your kindergarteners... or any class for that matter.

Obviously I am assuming that you have already established rules and procedures for your iPads.  That is definitely the most important thing to do before giving your sweeties full iPad reign.  The tips below are the ones that have seriously saved my butt.  It's just made management easier and productivity higher.

To give you a small glimpse into my K life, here's how we roll in my room:

• We have 11 iPads in our classroom (23 kids).  I'd LOVE to have a 1:1 room, but it's not in the cards right now.  I'm just happy to have those 11.  
• Students are paired up when we do whole group lessons.  They know who their iPad partner is, which is the same person who sits next to them at their table.  Each pair is assigned an iPad.  
• I integrate iPads as much as possible during whole group instruction.  I may use it for phonics one day, reading the next, then math the next.  It just varies on our needs.  We also use them everyday for centers (fluency & phonics centers).
• We have an iPad manager job.  One of my kids is in charge of plugging them in at the end of the day.  

Now for some fun tips...

Tip 1.  Consolidate All Those "Non-Essential" Apps
The iPad is so amazing.  It's a staple in our room.  However, there are several apps that I just won't ever use with my kids (maps, contacts, email, etc.).  Instead of removing them completely, you can consolidate them into one group... and give it the title "No."  My kids know that they shouldn't be messing with any of those apps.  This is a really easy tip and it just cleans your screens up a bit.  If you're an iPad newbie, just google how to "move apps around."

Tip 2.  Customize Your Bottom Bar
Those apps you use all the time?  Move them to the bottom bar!   This allows your students to have quick and easy access.  I currently have four that we use pretty frequently:  Seesaw, Nearpod, QR Code, and Safari.  (Seesaw isn't pictured in this one)

Tip 3.  Print Icons of Your Apps
Seriously.  It's THE best.  Just Google an image of your app, copy, paste, then print and laminate.  I would totally post mine on here, but that's a no-no.  So sorry.  Printing icons will make management a lot easier.  When it's time to have everyone find a certain app, just flash the large picture of it.  I even use them on my center chart (see below).

Tip 4.  Label Your iPads
Like any type-A teacher, labeling makes me happy.  I just use my little Dymo label maker for this job.  Another teacher I know uses little colored dots.  Labeling just allows me to keep track of all of them, allows students to consistently use the same iPad (and have access to photos they've taken), and makes it a little easier to manage updates.

Tip 5.  iPad Manager Job
The last thing that saves my sanity is having one of my students be in charge of the iPads.  They are our iPad Manager.  They make sure they're stored correctly, plugged in at the end of the day, and locked.  That's just one more job that I don't have to worry about at the end of the day!  Below is how I store mine.  It's a plate rack that you'd use in your kitchen.  The cords are a hot mess, but it works.  It was literally like a $3 investment.  Doesn't my iPad Manager do a great job!?

I hope you found some of these helpful!  iPads are such powerful tools, but it's definitely important to make it work for you.  You shouldn't be pulling your hair out over management issues!  Keep it simple, model, and give some of the jobs to your kiddos.  You'll be surprised at the experts they are with the technology.  Thanks for reading!  :)

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iPad Freebies!

Over Spring Break I spent some time updating my classroom iPads and doing some much needed maintenance on them.  I've had "make backgrounds for iPads" on my to-do list for months now... like 7-8 months.  I don't know why I took so long to complete such a simple task, but life just gets in my way sometimes.  I wanted a simple but fun look... so I went with black/white stripes and added a colorful number!

How did I install these backgrounds?  Well I probably could have used dropbox or a file sharing app (like Google Drive), BUT I took the hard-way and emailed each picture to myself... then saved it as the background.

Sidenote:  If your backgrounds/wallpapers look too enlarged or stretched, check THIS website out!

You can grab backgrounds with the numbers 1-20 HERE for free!  You will need to be able to open a zip file in order to download!  You can find the cases shown below HERE.  I've had them over a year and they are still as good as new!!!

I also spent some time nailing down a few iPad rules for my class.  Once again, I should have done this months ago, but oh well!  My students actually do a really good job handling my devices.  Since my husband and I purchased the iPads, they are very aware that I can take them away at any given moment.  I've actually never had a problem with inappropriate behavior or students misusing my them!  You can grab the rules that I made HERE for free!

You can check out my 10 favorite apps HERE!  I try to update my little blog with apps as I find them!  I sure hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend!  I can't wait to celebrate my Risen Savior with family and friends!!!

Top 10 iPad apps

Hey, y'all!  It's Amy here from Step into 2nd Grade.  Do you have iPads in your classroom?  This post is dedicated to MY favorite iPad apps (as of late).  I'm not a technology guru, but I know what keeps my kiddos engaged and strengthens their skills!

Most of my favorite apps are geared towards math since we use the iPads during math stations.  So, here we go:

1.  ChatterPix Kids- I first saw this on Amanda Madden's blog post.  We used it to present our penguin research.  The kids LOVED it!  It's so simple to use, and there are so many options on how to use it.

2.  Base Ten Bingo- Great for differentiating and studying place value

3.  Todo Math- A very interactive telling time app

4.  Educreations- this can be used as a interactive whiteboard or for presentations.  Some of my students used it to present what they learned about spiders. 

5.  Counting Money Bingo

6.  Math Regrouping- This is one of the only regrouping apps I can find, and I love it!

7.  Sushi Monster- fact fluency

8.  Endless Alphabet- Great for learning new vocabulary words or focusing on a word a day/week

9.  Spelling City- We use this for weekly spelling practice

10.  PopMath- fact fluency

What are your favorite iPad apps?!  I'm always looking for new downloads, so leave your recommendations in the comment section below!

Keyboarding Skills for Kindergarten

A few weeks back, I shared this on my own blog.  In case you missed it, here it is again!

I thought I would share the sites we are using to help with our typing and keyboarding skills here in  kindergarten.

These are from a site called Fun to Type.

Students type the letters that are shown on the balloons.

Also from Fun to Type.

 Students type the letters to move up in the jungle.

The final one that I want to share from Fun to Type is...

ABCYA has this fun and very basic activity.

It can be a challenge to find computer activities that are "just right" for this time of year in Kindergarten. 

Additional sites found:
Ann Rymer

Learning Games for Kids

BBC Schools

Typing Master

Only Typing Games

I would love to hear about other sites you have come across!

Technology Tip: The Hour of Code

Hello everyone! Let me introduce myself real quick…. my name is Natalie and I blog over at What the Teacher Wants with my BFF Rachelle! (You can read more about us: HERE!) I consider myself to be a 5th grade teacher since I taught it (and LOVED it) for 7 years. After having two little babies, I made the switch to part-time teaching and this will be my second year as my school's computer specialty teacher. I miss 5th grade, but am overall loving my new job! Today I'm sharing a technology tip and something that I'm really excited about.

Last spring I got to attend an amazing technology conferece (UCET) where I was inspired in many different ways to implement technology in the elementary classroom as well as find new ideas to teach in my computer classes. The main idea I took away from the conference was: My students need to complete The Hour of Code!

Have you heard about it? Here's the short version: The Hour of Code is a fun and interactive way to teach students (starting at age 6!) how to do computer programming! Plus, it's completely FREE!

In today's world, knowing how to write and understand code is HUGE, and starting kids out at an early age will give them a great advantage! (Imagine writing on your collage resume that you learned to write code at the age of 6 or 10… pretty impressive, right?)

Have you seen this inspirational video? It's only 10 minutes and explains in a kid-friendly way why learning code is so important.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to be among the 90% of schools that don't teach any type of computer programming skills.

And… here's just a two minute clip you should watch too. Hint: you should watch it just to see Ashton Kutcher. 

I have already mapped out my year and have decided to do The Hour of Code with all 700 of my 1st-6th grade students! I have planned to do this in three 30 minute sessions which will hopefully allow enough time to introduce the program, complete one hour of code, and talk about what we've learned. December should be a great time to fit this in since it's right before students leave for Christmas break. (Another great time to teach it would be at the end of the year after testing is all over.) 

I'm excited to try it and know my students will love it!!

Think this sounds like something you would like to try?
Would your students benefit from learning code?

Have you already done this with your students?

Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

Using Edmodo Badges for Tracking Student Goals... In Kindergarten!

Hey everyone!  It's Ashley, The School Supply Addict!  I hope you are getting a great start to the school year... or enjoying your last bit of summer!  Today I wanted to share a little bit of what I'll be utilizing this year with my kindergarteners.  This year, we are jumping into data binders, student led goal and data monitoring, etc.  At first I was a little skeptical about it working well in kinder, but after visiting some other schools with a team of colleagues, we are pumped.  Yes, nerd alert.  We are pumped about data binders!  Here's a little bit of how it will be laid out in my room.

1. Set Goals: (learning goals, personal goals, and class goals)  These can be anything from learning letter sounds to increasing our reading stamina by 10 minutes to sitting on the carpet for an entire lesson without nose picking.  Obviously, goals will vary based on each child's needs.
2. Data Binders:  Each student has a binder where we will keep hard copies of their individual growth for various goals.  Each student will have graphing pages for things like letter naming, fluency, sight word reading, reading level, stamina, etc.  They will also have individualized pages for their personal goals (shoe tying, # of books read at home, etc.)
3. Edmodo Badges: Each of my students has an Edmodo account.  Sounds a little ambitious for K, right?  We are just getting started with it and the parents are pretty excited!  We don't utilize it in the same way (or frequency) that a high school class would, but we make it work for us.  Baby steps.  Edmodo has a feature where you can award badges to students.  There are badges for things like homework, attendance, hard work, etc.  There is ALSO a feature that allows you to create your own badge for whatever you want it to be.  I have been making a lot that will coincide with the various skills that our little friends will master throughout the year.  That #2 above?  Whenever a student achieves a goal and tracks it in their binder, they will receive a digital badge!  We don't start until this Wednesday, but I sent a badge out to students who have already joined our Edmodo group.... and oh my y'all!  They're obsessed.  

If you're new to Edmodo, it's pretty easy to use.  I won't get into a tutorial on how to get started because there are a bazillion out there.  Google it if you want to get started. :)

I do, however, want to show you how to make your own badges.  It's SUPER easy.  All you need is PowerPoint (or similar program), some fun digital papers, clipart, and time.  This little tutorial is for PowerPoint, but there are similar steps for other programs.

Screenshot of some of the badges I have in my Account.                  

How to Create Custom Badges

• Open a new PowerPoint File
• Insert a circle from the "Insert" tab
• Adjust the size of the circle to about 6" in diameter
• Play with the settings of the circle: add a thick border, fill it with a digital paper or color, etc.

•   Add clipart and text to indicate what the badge is for (I have lots if you need some! Haha)

• Select ALL the elements by pressing CTRL+A.  Right click and "Goup" them together.  You can also just use CTRL+G to do it.
• Right click your creation again and select "Save As Picture"
• Save it however you want!  It will be saved as an image and you can then upload it to Edmodo via your Badge manager.
• Finally, they're ready to be awarded!  Dish them out as your kids reach their goals... and watch them become little badge kleptomaniacs.  Haha!  They LOVE getting them and showing off what they've accomplished.  

Easy peasy, right?  You can make as many as you need.  I've got a long list of badges to make for this year, but the kiddos love it!  One thing I've found helpful is to make similar badges the same color.  All of my ELA's have a red chevron background, science is green, writing is yellow, etc.  

 I hope this was helpful for anyone who uses Edmodo or is interested in getting started!  It's an amazing tool to get your kids engaged outside of class, build relationships, share content, receive feedback, and track progress in a fun way.

Have a wonderful week Blog Hoppers!

3 Apps to Share Student Work in the Elementary Classroom!

My Terrific Three Apps for the Elementary Classroom

As a working parent, sometimes it is difficult to sign up for volunteer dates. So, when I have the chance to see what's happening inside the class or on field trips, I treasure those moments. As a teacher, I've found that the more I share with parents, the less they tend to question. When they feel like they are an active part of their child's learning experience, they are also more able to help with specific needs their child may require since they have an idea of what is going on in the classroom.  

Before spring break, our school went on a field trip to the Henry Ford Museum. Our second graders explored innovations through history. Of course, I snapped photos of their creative minds at work throughout the day. Using my smartphone, I was able to quickly snap tons of photos and share them with parents in a secure way that was quick and easy.

I like being able to spend actual hands-on time with my students. So if a tool takes too long to figure out or use, I tend not to use it (no matter how amazing it is). I need to have my focus on my students. That's why I love the tools I'm sharing in this post. They allow me to stay focused and still capture memories to share with others in the moment.  

I. PhotoCircle

PhotoCircle is a free, secure app for photo sharing. My good friend and fifth grade teacher Todd Nesloney introduced me to this app. To give it a try, I set up a circle with Todd and invited two other friends and fellow elementary teachers, Brad and Drew. Within minutes, we had all been added to the same circle and each shared a handful of photos. We began commenting on the photos and sharing more as the week progressed. What started as just a group of teachers testing out an app has now become the way that the four of us share photos with one another. Prior to PhotoCircle, we were texting each other tons of photos and our conversations would get lost within the steady stream of images. Now, our pictures are organized and saved within one app.  

Since PhotoCircle was simple to use, I decided to set up a separate album for my family. I invited my mom, dad, daughter, husband, and other family members. Once each member is added, they can add photos, too. Each member that is added can also comment on the photos. This was a terrific way to share photos from our recent family trip to Disney World. Each day, my husband and I would add all of the photos we took so that other members of the family could see the highlights of our trip.  

For the classroom, you could set up a circle for "Third Grade 2013–2014" and add the parents of your students. You could invite them at open house by bumping phones with each parent, sending a text, or sending an email invitation to join your class circle. They have the option to join or decline.  

It's important to clear with parents. Let them know if they're invited to share photos with the circle. You may want to set up guidelines for leaving comments. I know some teachers encourage the social aspect of this feature; however, other teachers ask that parents only use the app to view the photos and not leave comments.  

My favorite part about this app is that you can easily invite several people to the circle, share unlimited photos with the circle, and have a secure platform for only those invited to view the content. Plus, it is free!

II. and III. Remind101 and Animoto

Remind101 and Animoto are my favorite two apps. I've used both of these apps for several years now, and I stand behind both products 100 percent. What I love about both of these apps is that you can use them via your mobile device or the web. You can also get quite creative in the ways you use each platform. You can click here to see how creative teachers are using Animoto with their students. Be sure to sign up for an educator's account to unlock premium features for free.  

I love opening the Animoto app on the bus ride home after a field trip, adding the photos, and clicking "create" to produce a beautiful video slideshow. After the video is produced, I receive an email that my video is ready. I open that video in my Internet browser and copy the link. Then, I open my Remind101 app, add a text message (like, "Enjoy this video from our field trip to the museum today! *insert link*). Then, I paste the link and click send. By the time the parents pick up their children at dismissal, they've already received the text and viewed the video of their child's learning experience.  

It warms my heart seeing the children run to their parents and hearing their mom or dad say, "I loved seeing you check out the Rosa Parks exhibit at the museum today." Those specific conversations spark such meaningful conversations right there in the parking lot. I've received such positive remarks about using these two applications in the classroom. No more do parents have to ask, "What did you do today?" They can start by mentioning something specific to encourage rich dinner table dialog. My students get a kick out of it, too. They love coming to school and saying, "My dad got to see me touch the snake when we were at the zoo!" These magical moments from field trips can now be shared to help strengthen relationships. You can click here to see other ways I use Remind101 in my classroom.