What We Are Doing With iPads!

iPad Fun!
Today we explored using Doodle Buddy as an opportunity to create some of the sight words we are learning. We add the word to our word wall where we are collecting new words we learn.  The word wall is a great place to display new words.

iPads: Help Enhance Our Writing!

Today we created our very first scientific drawings. We made observations of acorns and then created our own. Our scientific drawings have labels and colors.




Creating Different Types of Lines!

AirServer is a great way to remotely access what we are creating on an iPad!  Be sure to ask your child about how it works.

This morning we explore using DoodleBuddy as a way to help us understand the different types of lines you can make and how you can create something when you put the different types together.
Exploring iPads As A Learning Tool!
Today we explored the iPads.  This tool is a wonderful way to help us share our learning.  Today we learned how to get an iPad and put it away.  We practiced taking pictures and video.  Later we trashed the photos that we took so that the storage is not full. 
We explored with Doodle Buddy.  Go here if you want the App.  It is free.

 I noticed lots of collaboration today when using the iPads.  Children helping and showing each other how to take photos and video.

Exploring Lines and Letters!

This morning we explored different types of lines.  Then we explored "how to" make b and f! iPads are a great way to begin to learn about directionality too.

We are so fortunate to have iPads in Kindergarten.  We are learning "how to" take photos and videos.  We also explored taking a screenshot.  We are learning "how to" be safe, kind and responsible with the iPads.  This way everyone can enjoy using them.

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Coding Fun With Daisy The Dinosaur!

Today we explored the world of coding again thanks to a couple of parent volunteers!  It was so fun creating code!

Exploring Number Frames!

During our math workshop time we explored a new app called; Number Frames!  It was a wonderful way to explore the concept of comparing.  We created to 10 frames and then compared the numbers we made!  We discovered 'how to" use more and less!

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Learning "How To" Make Lines!

As we begin to learn "how to" write our letters and numbers we are also learning about directionality and how to make lines! iPads are a great way for us to practice.  We always start at the top! AirServer helps us remotely share our thinking!


Creating Self Portraits!

This morning we used our SMARTboard and iPads to help us create our very 1st self portrait.  We are learning about ourselves, each other and how to create using a variety of tools.  We used pencils, markers, crayons and iPads today to help us create ourselves.  Some of the children needed help using the camera so we just asked a friend to help!  It was lots of fun! 

iPads can capture new concepts we are learning.  They also give us opportunities to design and create as well.  In the photos you see some students practicing sight words, another takes a photo of a sight word that was created with playdough! Doodle  Buddy Exploration! We used Airserver to explore the different features of Doodle Buddy.  This is an App that we will use to help us with our mathematical thinking and our reading and writing!  This morning we explored the App, Doodle Buddy.  Click here if you want to get it.  It is a great App because we can use it when we are learning about letters, numbers, patterns and words too!  Today we explored using the drawing tool and the wallpaper.  AirServer was great to use too because we can compare and contrast our ideas! AirServer in Kindergarten! This morning we explored using AirServer to help us see multiple ways of creating a number!  AirServer is a way to remotely access what is on an iPad.  This helps us think deeply about the many ways we can represent a number. Math Thinking! Today we played a new math game with dice and the App, NumberRak on our iPads.  1st- you roll 2 dice. 2nd- you add the dice. 3rd- you create the sum of the dice on the iPad!   iPads Capture What We Want To Share! iPads are amazing tools.  We use them to deepen our understanding of concepts we are learning.  We also use them to capture things we want to share.  Each of us has different ideas about what is important.    We have many opportunities to create and design things in Kindergarten with a variety of materials.  iPads give us a way to share what we are exploring and discovering. Self Portraits! Today we created ourselves using an iPad!  We discovered that if you took a picture of yourself, you can use the picture to help you see yourself so you can draw all of your features.  Our self portraits are pretty awesome! Geometric Explorations! We have been exploring different geometric shapes and their attributes.  On our iPad we have an app called; Geoboard.  Lots of possibilities here! Multiple Representations!  Air Server is a great way to share and collaborate!  When we share our ideas, we get inspired! iPads help us collaborate and share how many different ways we can represent a number.  Look at some of our great mathematical ideas!  iPads Help Us Think Deeply About Numbers!  NumberRak helps us subitize numbers.  We can also see what makes a number too! This morning during our math workshop time we created numbers by writing them and by using our NumberRak app on our iPads.  This was a fun way for us to deepen our understanding of "how to" create numbers.  Doodle Buddy is a great app to use because we can write with it and it is easy to "Change Our Thinking" too! iPads Are Great For Creating Our Portraits!  This is a wonderful way for the children to see how a technological tool can be helpful in regards to our learning. After reading a great story my students were creating their own reflection of what they could and could not see.  We started with mirrors, but then my intern and another student said; "Let's use the iPads."  So we did and what a great idea.  Our photo remained unchanged so we could check for all of our facial features. What Apps Are We Exploring Today? Each day we use iPads in a variety of ways to enhance what we are learning in Kindergarten.  When we are using iPads we always have a focus about what and how we are using them in regards to our learning.  Each morning during our exploration/independent play time we check the circle area to see what apps we are exploring.  Thanks to Ms. Rachel for this grand idea!  Now we can make independent choices by ourselves.

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Look What We Discovered On Our iPads!

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Showing How We Are Thinking

 This year our iPads have these really great stands that we can use too!  We have been learning a lot about curved lines and straight lines.  We created lots of different things using both types of lines.

As we begin a new year we begin to explore all of the technologies that are available to help us with our learning.  iPads have endless ways that help us interact with what we understand.  The children began their exploration by creating and designing ways that represent a specific number.

Our First Day With iPads!

Today we explored the app Doodle Buddy.  The children created numbers, subitized using the stamps.  Some of the children discovered ways to use the iPad to help them learn something new.  Listen and watch the video and you will see what I mean.

What Can You Make On An iPad?

This morning during number corner one of our mathematicians discovered how to make a T Chart with an iPad!  What a great mathematical connection!

 

iPads Really Make A Difference!

 Look at how the children are making discoveries through their own exploration of this app.  Children naturally make discoveries and then want to share what they have learned with others.  Through this experience children begin to think critically and solve problems in a collaborative way.  The idea of sharing then happens.  Children are proud of what they have created and then want to share.  Having had experience with email, the children understand that this is a tool they can use to communicate an idea and discovery.

 

iPads are a wonderful tool that help us make discoveries, engage us with our learning, make connections and collaborate with others.  During an exploration time with a new app called;"Scribblepress" the children immediately were able to discover how to incorporate all of the features above within 20 minutes!  The children created illustrations and text that created a story about something they new a lot about.  Then children were able to take a photograph of themselves and insert within their pages.  Later on the idea of collaboration and connecting came up.  A few of the children wanted to know "How To" email their story/page to their parents.  One of my students figured out "How To" take a screen shot.  He thought that it would be a great way to share what he did.  Amazing learning opportunities are unfolding with this tool!

Scribblepress!

 

What an amazing app!  Listen to a couple of Kindergarten children share what they noticed!

 

 Digital Learning Day!

A child discovered that she could send her drawing she made in Doodle Buddy on an iPad to her family!

Reading With iPads!

We have been using a new app called; Bob Books in Kindergarten.  One of the greatest things we noticed is that when you come to a page and you want to decode an unknown word, the app uses the same reading strategy that we use during our 'Echo Time".  The app creates a sound for every letter that you move to make a cvc word.  During our "Echo Time" we tap out the sounds with our fingers and then we blend together to make a CVC word.  This has been a wonderful connection for the children to make.  Also what a nice opportunity and an example of how iPads can help reinforce what we are learning!  The children also notice that the sounds made are correct, rather the way we make them in Kindergarten.

 

During an “Echo Time”(Fundations/Reading Time) the children write the letters they hear at the beginning and at the end of words.  They have opportunities to work on letter formation, starting at the top then working their way down.  The children discovered that they could fit more letters on an iPad and even words by changing the line size of the color they choose to write with.  This is an example of what an iPad can do to help support early literacy skills.  The children LOVE to practice letter and number formation because they get to interact with their idea, share it, practice again and get feedback from others.  I have noticed that all children want to participate in activities involving the iPad.  What a great way for all children to shine and be seen in an equal way as their peers, taking risks and building confidence!                   

                   Look at what one child drew(above) as the tools that help his spelling!  The 1st one listed is an iPad!

Check out this word press blog to read and see about all the wonderful things we are doing with iPads in Kindergarten. kindergartenlife

Fingercount app

The children are so independent using the iPads!  Some of the children are beginning to use the iPads to document experiences they have related to their learning too!  For example; 1 child thought to use an iPad during our 4 Winds program to take a picture of something he found interesting!

 

 

 

Look At Some of The Wonderful Things iPads Can Do!

The children have become quite independent in using the iPads.  The apps we are using have been wonderful.   iPads help us learn how to write and recognize letters and numbers.  We even have an app that helps us with our counting!  The iPads help reinforce what we know and help us to think more deeply about our learning.  We even blog on our iPads!  The bookmark on the ipad helps us navigate where our kidblog and class blogs are.  The iPad is great because it is light weight and we can use it anywhere in Kindergarten!  Today we learned how to create a podcast using a new app called; Audio Memos!

A Few Great Clips of Why We Like Having iPads In Kindergarten!

Using The iPad To Send An Invitation 

Today the children created a video invitation!  We have our first celebration of learning in the morning.  So instead of writing an invitation, we each created a video to invite our families!  Love the iPad!

Kid Blogging!

The children have been using the iPads to create posts about their learning.  I love how excited they get to share what they feel is important to them.  The children are using reading/writing strategies also as they sound out words for their posts.  This is so exciting.

Echo Time!

Today during "Echo Time" the children were using their mini"smartboards" to create lower case letters.  We used an iPad to capture an example of a child making a mathematical connection while forming letters!  Wonderful !

 

iPads Help Us Document Our Learning!

This afternoon we discovered that iPads are able to video us and our learning discoveries!  We created a few videos of us reading during our reader's workshop time.  After we created our videos we shared them together on our SMARTboard!  This helps us with our learning because we get to see what we look like and what we sound like during readers workshop time.  We were practicing reading strategies while we were reading.  We were looking at the pictures, reading from the left to the right, turning the pages carefully and making connections!

The videos were taken on an iPad!  Enjoy!

Making A Post About What We Know About The Monarch Butterfly

The children had another opportunity to create and design their own post on their kidblog about what they liked about our presentation from the Audubon about insects.  Many of the children used familiar books to help them write new or unknown words.  Children also used their inventive writing to write their post/message. This is another example of how we use our literacy skills to show what we know. 

Children Practicing Number Formation!

During our math workshop time we have an opportunity to use or iPads to help us learn how to form our numbers correctly.  On the app we use it has a small icon that helps guide us to make sure that we always start at the top! 

 




 iPads are now part of our math workshop rotation!  The children use the iPads to help reinforce basic numeration skills and skip counting!

Today the children used an iPad to log onto their kidblog! Wow! The children were creating a title and making a post about anything they wanted to share. Some tips to think about when you are posting with your child.....

1. Let your child sound out the words they want to say.
2. Tell your child to press the space bar after they write each word.
3. Create a title.
4. Submit for preview

More Learning With iPads!

After the children have had an opportunity to explore a little with this app, I have asked kids to count forwards, then when they reach a certain #, let's say 20.  I would say, now count backwards.  The trick here I have found is to have the child touch one # while counting backwards, if they do not another # will appear in counting order as I believe that is what the app is programed to do.
Another thing I tried and was successful in doing was to have the kids count to 10 or whatever # you wish, depending on the level of the child and then to ask the child to touch the # i say, like press 10, etc. Nice for # ID. Then I tried having the kids place #'s, 1-10, 9-21, etc.  Then I ask the children to touch the # that is either before or after a certain number.  This was also very successful and fun for the kids.  Again, having the kids being careful to press 1 # otherwise the app will produce the next # that appears in counting order.


The video below give you a quick view of how the children are using these amazing tools.