Weekly Tech-y News

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Weekly Tech-y News

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Weekly Tech-y News

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Weekly Tech-y News

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Weekly Tech-y News

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Weekly Tech-y News

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Weekly Tech-y News December 10th-14th

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Technology for Little Learners

Allowing our youngest learners access to technology is so important in today's classrooms. These students are digital natives, and many are using tablets and other devices each day in their homes. Teaching them how to use these devices as tools to create, make and do (rather than just play and watch) can be important part of their day. I loved providing my kindergartners with access to iPads as a way to document their learning, take pictures of their creations, and share their voices as they told me stories or read books aloud. Publishing this work to an authentic audience and sharing with parents was a beloved and essential part of our routine in kindergarten.

Teachers often ask me what some of my favorite apps to use with young learners (K-2) are. Here is a list of my Top 5 Favorites. You can see a more extensive list in this Participate Learning Collection.

Seesaw

This digital learning journal has embedded tools and allows students to publish both digital and physical work to an authentic audience. I love that parents can connect and see their students' work. Projects that students make in all of the other apps below can be published to Seesaw and shared with classmates and parents. FREE!

Classkick

Classkick allows teachers to create assignments, then watch students complete the assignments and give feedback in REAL TIME. This is awesome! Easy to create assignments from scratch or from PDF files teachers already have, as well as provide differentiated work to students. FREE!

 

Book Creator

One of the first apps I started using with my kindergartners is still one of my favorites. Can be used across all subject areas and grade levels. Allows students to create their own books including text, voice, images, drawings and other embedded items, plus publish to an audience. $4.99 (WORTH IT!)

PicCollage Edu

This kids version of PicCollage allows students to create collages using text, drawing, photos, and web search. Students use their creativity to share what they know. $1.99

Apple Clips

Students are able to make videos to share their learning using easy-to-use video editing tools, voice text, stickers, posters and music. Excellent for how-to videos or to publish research. FREE

Using Fill in the Blank on Classkick

Classkick is one of my favorite tools to use in the classroom - if you haven't tried it, be sure to visit classkick.com to check it out. Classkick is FREE, and can be used on computers, Chromebooks or iPads. It's such a terrific way to send multiple-page assignments to students, allowing them to respond with text, audio, drawing, photos and video. And HUGE BONUS: teachers can watch their students complete work and provide feedback in real time!

The lesson I made in Classkick was created using the first 10 words on the Fry Sight Word list, and was made to satisfy standard RF.K.3.C in the kindergarten phonics & word recognition strand. Using Classkick allows me to say the word to the student using the audio feature in Classkick, rather than having to pull students back one-on-one for an assessment, or repeat myself many times. I love that by using a digital tool like Classkick, teachers can place this activity in a center or reading group rotation, and students can work independently while the teacher is working with a small group. Such a better use of teacher and student time in the classroom!

To create this activity, I recorded a separate sight word on each page, and used the fill in the blank feature to make this a self-checking activity. Using fill in the blank, I was able to add an acceptable answer. This will allow teachers to quickly glance at students' responses to see if the sight words they entered are correct.

By toggling on the "show students their grades" option under "View Student Work", the assignment will self-correct and students will receive immediate feedback on whether or not their response was correct. How cool is that?!

If you'd like to try this activity with your own class, you can grab a copy here that you can share with your own students. The Classkick assignments are also super easy to duplicate, so you can make your own versions with different sight words, or even differentiate the assignment for groups of students in your room. 

Traci's Summer Courses

Using Classkick for Instant Feedback
June 18th 8:30-11:30 Lincoln Center, room 308
REGISTER HERE

Let's TACO 'Bout PicCollage
June 18th 12:30-3:30 Lincoln Center, room 308
REGISTER HERE

Seesaw Activities, Folders & Skills (for intermediate to advanced users)
June 19th 8:30-11:30 Lincoln Center, room 308
REGISTER HERE

Seesaw Basics (for beginners to Seesaw)
June 19th 12:30-3:30 Lincoln Center, room 308
REGISTER HERE

All of these courses are worth 3 OPI renewal units. Don't forget, if you are planning to use any of these courses for step up, you'll need to complete the step up request form online at bit.ly/BillingsPD.

Nikki Vradenburg, Teacher Liaison for PBS Montana, also put together a great list of summer PD opportunities in Montana and surrounding areas. CLICK HERE to view her list!

Weekly Tech-y News March 19-23

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Peeping Awesome Classkick Activities

I've been creating some Easter-themed activities for Classkick. Click on the images below to grab a copy that you can use as-is, or edit and adapt to your own classroom needs. Remember to check the Classkick YouTube channel for quick, helpful tutorials, or email me if you have any questions.

Weekly Tech-y News with some Tech-y Shenanigans!

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Lucky Numbers in Classkick

Classkick is a fantastic FREE tool that lets you share assignments with your students and view their work in REAL TIME, while providing immediate feedback. It's amazing! I adapted the Valentine's Day double digit number activity I did for St. Patrick's Day. This is a fantastic hands-on activity to introduce your students to Classkick. Click the image to copy the activity and use with your students.

Mrs. Bishop adapted this activity to differentiate in 1st grade. Click the links below to use her adaptations in your room.

Lucky 2-Digit Addition with Regrouping B-L

Lucky 2-Digit Addition with Regrouping A-L

Lucky 2-Digit Addition with Regrouping O-L

Weekly Tech-y News Feb 12-16

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Double Digit Number Practice in Classkick

If you aren't using Classkick in your classroom, you should definitely check it out! Classkick allows teachers to view student work in real time and provide immediate feedback on their work. It makes learning fun and engaging for students, as they use a variety of tools to show their learning. Classkick assignments can also be exported and shared in other ways (like on Seesaw!) Check out the video below to learn a little more.

Here is a fun double digit hearts assignment I created for Valentine's Day. If you'd like to try the assignment out with your students, create a FREE Classkick account and then just click the link below. You can share it with your own students, and even customize it to fit their needs. Classkick is also a fantastic way to differentiate for your learners!

Let me know if you'd like to try it out or learn more! I love coming into classrooms to model lessons and help you get started.