Create a Graph with Number Frames

Kindergarteners worked together in small groups to create a graph with the Number Frames app by the Math Learning Center.  To start, add a frame.

Choose a frame that will be large enough for your results.  This app allows you to customize your frame size when you choose to make your own.  The students were polling about 11 people so they created a 2 x 10 frame.

The students chose to ask their classmates about whether they liked red penguins or black penguins.  These images are in the app.  If you tap the shapes icon on the bottom left, the counters can be customized.  The students could have also had a color represent a choice, as well.

Once students had their counters customized, they asked the students in their class which he or she preferred.  The student would drag out one counter to represent his or her choice and place it on the graph.

When students were done asking their classmates, they saved the graph by taking a screenshot.  Together, we cropped the image in Photos and used the markup tool to add the question we used to create our graph.

Lastly, the students uploaded the graph in Seesaw and used the recording tool to tell at least two things they noticed about the graph they created.

Click to view a student’s example in Seesaw.

 

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QR Code Scavenger Hunt

At the beginning of the school year, I like to introduce/review how to be responsible with the iPad. This year, I decided to use the idea of Seesaw Go! to create a scavenger hunt to teach iPad responsibility. The QR Code Scavenger Hunt was a great way to make a lesson interactive for the students. They loved it!

How did I create the QR Code Scavenger Hunt?

I created a video for each important point of being a responsible digital citizen with the iPad. To do this, I used an image that could be used as a visual reminder of that concept. For example, I used an image of two hands for the video explaining how to carry the iPad safely and I used a camera icon in the video about asking permission to photograph others. I then created the videos in ChatterPix Kids or Tellagami.

I uploaded each video into the same folder in Seesaw. A fabulous feature about Seesaw is that the app generates QR codes for each item. I went online to web.seesaw.me and opened the folder that contained my iPad safety videos. Online, you can print out a QR code for each item at one time by selecting “Print Folder.” It’s so easy! I cut out the QR codes and taped them up around my classroom.

I also created a scavenger hunt game board by creating a table in Pages and inserting the images I found for each video. I printed these out and laminated them so teams could cross out each image as they found the video. Now, I was ready for students to play!

We practiced using the QR reader in Seesaw before playing. Then, students worked in pairs or groups of three to find all the QR codes posted in the scavenger hunt. Each video explains an aspect of being respectful, responsible, and/or safe with the iPad. Every video includes a question for students to discuss in their groups before hunting for the next QR code. When students have found all of the images on their scavenger hunt card, they had completed their mission!

When everyone had finished the scavenger hunt, we shared ideas about how to use the iPad responsibly. Students then responded in Seesaw to share about how to take care of the iPads and be responsible while using them. Some students drew pictures and used the label text feature to write about what they learned. Others typed a note to share thoughts. In one class, we used the scavenger hunt card as our background image. In primary classes, we created a quick book in Book Creator to share the class’ learning. I had a template book ready for the lesson that incorporated the same images from the videos. When we finished the book, we shared a PDF version in Seesaw.

When the teacher approves the items in Seesaw, the parents get notified of a new item in their child’s portfolio. I hope the iPad responsibility and digital citizenship discussion continues at home, too!

The activity was a success not only because the students enjoyed learning, but were able to share that learning with classmates and family members.

Sharing Forms via Seesaw

Did you know you could create a form and share it with your students via Seesaw?  It’s an easy way to share the link.  After you create the form, copy the share link.  Then, go to your Seesaw class and tap the + to add an item.

Tap the link button.  Usually, your copied link automatically gets copied into the box.  If not, paste your link into the box.  Then, continue the steps as usual to add an item.  Don’t tag anyone since this link is an activity for the students to do.  (If your students can’t see each other’s work, you could print out a QR code instead.).  To help students find the form in Seesaw, you can put this item in a particular folder, such as “Reading Unit 7” or “Green Group.”

When students tap the item to make it full screen, they can fill out the form right there in Seesaw!!   This is a great feature for our elementary students!  If you need to know who is completing the form, make sure to have one of your questions require students to enter their names.

If your form requires a log in, the students should log into Office 365 or Google first on Safari.  Then, go to Seesaw and tap the item to make it full screen. Then, they will be able to complete the form and submit it in Seesaw.  After submitting the form, make sure to go back to Office 365 or Google and log out if students share devices.  I haven’t had students log in and use Forms in Seesaw in a class setting.  I’ve only tried sharing Forms without having to sign in to an account for our primary students.  Let me know if works out or not.

We have Office 365 in our district.  If you send a quiz to students, they can get feedback on answers by accessing the same link after the teacher has posted scores.

In Microsoft Forms, tap … to Post Scores.

Adding a link in Seesaw can make using forms with our youngest students easier.   A teacher can also share the form with a QR code, but I see a lot of possibilities in Seesaw. 

An Adapted Version of 10 Essential iPad Skills for Teachers

Share Button for Seesaw in Shadow Puppet EDU

For those of you that often use Shadow Puppet EDU and Seesaw, you need to know that the share button for Seesaw (in Shadow Puppet EDU) works again! You need to update to the latest version of Seesaw for it to work. Make sure your students are logged into their Seesaw class, then after creating a video in Shadow Puppet EDU, tap the Seesaw button to upload the video. Makes sharing video creations so much easier!

Collaborate with Nearpod

Nearpod has a new feature, Collaborate.  In your Nearpod session, you can add a slide to collaborate.  Participants can add posts (including images) to a shared virtual bulletin board.  The post is limited to 150 characters.  It’s a simple way to share thoughts that everyone can see in real time.  I used it in my professional development session last week and it worked very well.  Before, I would add a link to Padlet so we could collaborate there.  Padlet does have some more features that weren’t available in Nearpod, but who knows what future updates will bring? 

If you would like more information and ideas, visit their Nearpod Blog.

A Digital Tool for Brainstorming and Making Decisions

My first Dotstorming board

Recently, I discovered Dotstorming, a website where a group of people can share ideas and vote for the ideas they like the most.  I am trying it out for the first time with our school faculty.  I facilitate a weekly professional development session for our teachers that features educational technology.  My hope is for the sessions to be relevant and meaningful to our teachers.  In the past, I have sent out surveys to find out which sessions will be the most beneficial.  However, when I found Dotstorming, I instantly wanted to try it to get feedback from the teachers about our future professional development sessions!

Why? The beautiful aspect of Dotstorming is that the group can share ideas on a topic that can be voted on by all.  Each person invited to the brainstorm can add an idea with text, an image, a video, or a combination of those.  I included topics that are trending at school and globally.  Many of my ideas on the board have short YouTube videos that provide clarification of that particular app.  In addition, our faculty can add ideas that I may not have included and everyone can see that idea as soon as it is posted.  This feature does need to be enabled when creating the Dotstorming board.

Another feature that can be enabled is voting.  The board creator can allow voting on the ideas and limit the number of votes.  When the board is accessed, I can rank the ideas by the number of votes and easily see what our teachers are most interested in exploring.

I also enabled a few other features.  Individuals can comment on ideas.  I encouraged our teachers to comment on an idea with specific areas to dig into or questions they might have.  I can see the comments and so can the community.  There is also a chat box feature that can be enabled where the group can have a discussion.

Gareth Marland is the creator of Dotstorming.  I love this creative idea that fosters collaboration and group decision-making.

I created my first Dotstorming board on my iPad.  However, it is easier to work with on the computer.  On the iPad, I cannot access the editing features for each idea.  Other than that, it was easy to use!

I can definitely see using Dotstorming boards with students, too.  Groups could add ideas for a collaborative project.  Classes can use it to vote for favorite ideas for an upcoming event.  Students could share about favorite books and give a short description.   The board doesn’t always have to be used for voting.  It could simply be a space where ideas are shared and discussed.   There are a lot of possibilities.  Have you used Dotstorming?  How would you use it in a school setting?

Pic Collage Kids

 

Pic Collage Kids is a fantastic, kid-friendly app students can use to customize text, backgrounds, and images to share learning.  Students can write about research they’ve done and incorporate images.  Pic Collage Kids can be used for compare and contrast activities.  Students use Pic Collage Kids to go on a scavenger hunt for shapes, beginning sounds, angles, and so much more!

Students are able to easily add photos from the iPad.  They can insert images already in the Camera Roll or take a photo directly from Pic Collage.  Furthermore, Pic Collage Kids has a student-friendly web search feature that allows students to use a a wide variety of images in their collage.  I love that feature when taking a picture of an object isn’t an option.  Double-tapping  on an image brings up a menu of options for that image.  You can change the lighting, crop an image, whiten teeth and more.  Images can be clipped into a variety of shapes.   Borders can be added and you can quickly duplicate an image.

There is a great assortment of fonts to choose from.  Students can customize the style, the color, and the background of their text.  The option to have a background for text is helpful to ensure the text can be easily seen.

Plenty free backgrounds and templates are available, too!  We’ve used the templates to create digital holiday cards from students to their families.  Each student chooses a template they like the best and adds personal touches that include a selfie and a message.

One of the ways we love to share our Pic Collage images is with Seesaw:  The Learning Journal App.  Students can further enhance their image by adding voice, annotations, and a pointer as they tell about their work.  The Seesaw item can then be shared with parents via the Seesaw Parent app and with other classrooms around the world when the item is added to the classroom’s Seesaw Blog.

To make using Pic Collage Kids as easy as possible, I created a basic guide to Pic Collage for our teachers and students.

Lastly, I started collecting examples of ways to use Pic Collage Kids with Padlet.  Please add to the collection with your fabulous ideas or amazing ways you’ve seen students use Pic Collage Kids.  What is your favorite way to use Pic Collage Kids in the classroom?

 

Gamifying Assessment

  
 Teachers having been using Kahoot! for a while now. It’s a great way to review material, introduce subject matter, and increase student participation.  Students can also develop quizzes for their classmates. Kahoot! is quick and easy to use. 

  
Quizizz is similar to Kahoot! However, it has some customizable features that Kahoot! doesn’t. Teachers can change the order of the questions, the order of the answers, and view reports based on quiz performance. Teachers can view data by question or by student.  Quizizz still has a gamification effect because teachers can impose a time limit and show a leaderboard. 

Both of these interactive sites work on virtually any device. In a limited device situation, teachers can share a Quizizz link for a workstation or students can participate in teams.  Go interactive with Kahoot! or Quizizz in your classroom. 

QR Codes for the Classroom

QR Codes in the Classroom

Have you ever wished you could be in two places at once?  It’s possible when you use QR codes (in a roundabout way).  You can create videos with instruction for your students and get a QR code for the video.  If you print out the QR code and attach it to the workstation directions, you can be giving instructions/reminders in a video while you are teaching a small group at the same time.

What could QR codes be used for in the classroom?

• Instructions for workstations
• Quick link to an education video
• Link to a website
• Link to an online book
• Link to an online collaborative activity (like padlet.com)
• Homework help
• More…

How do you create a QR code?

1. Create a video.  Get a weblink for video by adding it to youtube or by using Shadow Puppet.
2. Use the Creator feature in QR Reader for iPad (or online at www.qrstuff.com) to create your QR code.
3. Download your QR code to your device. Email your QR code to yourself.  Name it specifically.   QR codes look very similar!!
4. Optional:  Use PicCollage to create a “photo” of your QR code with a label.  You could then print out the “photo” from the app or email it for use from your computer.
5. Use Publisher or Word to make a sign/poster for your workstation.
6. Make sure a QR Reader is installed on your student devices.  QR Reader by Scan is a free app without ads.

Use QR codes to support students