OCTI 2014 is here!!

I have been looking forward to OCTI Seminar since last year, and even more since I found out about a month ago that I would be presenting. I loved seminar last year and went back to school with lots of great ideas. I am so excited to now by sharing my ideas with other teachers in my district.

For those of you that don't know my background, I am a middle grades math teacher. I started college as a double major though with Computer Science because I wanted to do something with technology. More and more I am finding my passion to be in using technology in the classroom, and showing other teachers how to use it! I will be starting my Masters next year in Instructional Technology. My dream job would be giving professional development to other teachers about technology or creating technology for the classroom!

I have worked so hard on this presentation this year and I want to share it with all of you for FREE! I figured the easiest way to include it would be on my TPT store, and the link is included below. It includes 10 apps on Math and Science, my top 5 teacher must have apps, and a list of resources where I find many of the apps I use.

I hope you enjoy! Please tell me what you think, and if there are any improvements I need to make. All feedback is welcomed! I am going to talk with my principal about submitting an application to present at the state level conference in March.

Over 25 Apps for Math and Science!

CURRENTLY - OCTOBER

When did October get here?! I swear yesterday was the beginning of the school year, and now end of 1st Quarter is Thursday! I know I have been behind on updating, please forgive me! I need to find a way to balance school, life, and blogging. If one of you finds out the magic secret, let the others know please! :-)

So I figured a way to ease my way back into blogging without feeling overwhelmed would be to link up with Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade for her monthly Currently! I did one in August on Goals and actually have posted it on the back cover of my teacher binder this year so I am constantly looking at it.

Listening - Pandora Radio

So I am obsessed with Pandora Radio. Every morning when I get to school I turn it on when I first get there. I love to listen to a station I created based on Vitamin String Orchestra. They are an instrumentalist group that does popular music and some oldies. Right now it is playing Rolling in the Deep by Adele but it is all instrumental. From this there has also been some instrumental Christian music, and classics. What I love about it is how relaxing it is, and if students walk in and it is on a Christian song or a song that might have some language, I don't have to worry about the words. I have now begun listening to it at home when working on school work and it is helping me be productive! Check them out, they are a great group! 

Loving - Fall Weather

It has been a rainy weekend that is bringing with it cooler temperatures. But I love this time of year and the weather. I hate that it rained out the Art Show and there has been a lot of flooding though. Our drives to Chattanooga will soon include the gorgeous mountains with changing leaves. I need to switch over my wardrobe soon though! We are going to the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular this next weekend and I am so excited. Here is just a glimpse at what it looks like from last year.

Thinking - Too much to do!

I've been working on my presentation that I am giving tomorrow at our county's technology conference. The presentation is on Math and Science apps. I am so excited, but it's been a lot of work. It's a busy week at school with meetings and I am being observed as well. I have a whole list of stuff I need to work on in my room, but I can't seem to find the time to do those things I want to do to help organize when I have/need to grade, create activities, etc. 

Wanting - FALL BREAK!!!

12 days! Included in those twelve days is a weekend, field trip, early release day, schedule rotation, and lots of grading. That twelve days can not come quick enough! Road trip to Memphis for a wedding, football game, and seeing friends and then to Chattanooga to see my new "nephew" that will be here any day now and friends! Can't wait!!

Needing - Write Sub Plans

I say it every time, it is more work to be away from school than it is to be there. I am taking a 1/2 day in the morning tomorrow for the presentation. The classes that I am missing are of course different preps, and we are at the beginning of new material so I can't leave them practice over what we've been working on. Just stressful. Jon is starting to substitute teach now in Jefferson County schools so I am hearing lots of interesting substitute stories. He's actually had two of my previous students already as well!

Trick or Treat - Appolearning

This app has been a lifesaver during the presentation. I could give you a list a mile long about Math apps that are great for the classroom, and I was struggling to find some for Science even asking friends for suggestions. I found this one on Apps Gone Free (another must download!). It is literally an app that rates other apps. It sorts them by grade level, subject, and subject strand. It even includes Sp.Ed., Fine Arts, Productivity, and College Prep! It has been amazing. Check out this video! 

I promise I will try much harder with updating the blog and sharing with you all of my technology ideas! Do you have any new tips for me to try out?

Tune into Technology: Classroom Websites ~ Edmodo

It's that time again! During the summer, I tend to lose track of the days of the week because I don't have things going on as much, especially since I've been on vacation for three weeks!! Today is Thursday which means it's Learning to the Core's Tune into Technology linky party! This has been my favorite linky party, and I've really enjoyed writing for it.

I use Edmodo for my classroom website. I have not logged on since May, and I was shocked when I did today. It has COMPLETELY changed! But I am glad that they did now and not during the school year. They did this last year and it made for some confused students. I have actually already written a post about Edmodo, but will try to talk about different things in this one. :-)

Edmodo is meant primarily for middle grades and above. It is designed similarly to Facebook with a wall that features new posts from any groups they are a part of. We will be going to the computer lab during BTS to sign them up all at once, and to complete a scavenger hunt to get used to the website. This helps out so much during the year, otherwise they are always asking where to find something!

Organize into Groups 

I do these by class period, but you could do them by subject. Each group has a code that you use to join that group. I label mine by the class name and teacher name. If they are part of another teacher's Edmodo as well, it is helpful to have the teacher name on their. You can also add co-teachers to the groups! You will notice that I am also part of "Viergutz". This is my grade level partner's group. We found it helpful to be a part of each other's group to see what we were posting to help keep us accountables. I had the co-teacher for my 4th Block assigned as well.

Folders

I post the learning goal and homework on Edmodo nightly. If their is an worksheet I can post this to Edmodo as an attachment as well. This is to help when you get the inevitable "I lost it" excuse. I can post the homework to the wall, and then assign it to a folder. If at the end of the quarter they are missing an assignment, they can find it there. I also post Show Me videos, math games, info for their INB, etc. All of which is organized into folders!

Assignments

If you are doing a digital project (prezi, ppt, video, doc, etc.) you can have the students upload them to an Assigments post. You can view and grade them right within Edmodo! Saves so much paper and time! I would grade these write on my iPad! Super easy! One of our teachers had them do this after working on a simple word doc in the computer lab. No more printing!

Parent Access

Edmodo is primarily made for students and teachers. There is a parent code attached to each student account that the parents can sign up for. This is tied ONLY to their student for privacy concerns. They have access to the calendar, wall posts, grades, etc. I give my parents homework to sign up the first week, the kids love it!

Accessability

Edmodo is a website, and had apps for ALL devices (YEAH!) They can get notifications sent to their phone when I post something to the wall or an alert. They can easily contact me or post to the class. Parents can have it on their phones. I have it on my phone and iPad. For those users that do not have a Smart Phone they can get text notifications sent to their phone. I never know their phone numbers. 

What website do you use? Have any other suggetions? 

Melissa

Working on PRAXIS Exams? and a FREE Course from Stanford!

So on my last post for Technology Tailgate about Technology with iPads, I said a little bit about an app called "Apps Gone Free". Today, when I got my daily list of apps, there was one that caught my eye. You never know what kind of apps are going to be on there. There are tons of games, picture/photo edit, books, etc! They are all FREE for the one or two days. I have gotten Angry Birds Star Wars, some workout apps, and cookbook apps.

My brother in law is currently working on taking his PRAXIS exams before student teaching. There was one on there for the PRAXIS1 Exam for both iPad and iPhone. There are 500 questions in Math, Reading, and Writing. Once it ask you a question, and you have answered it successfully, it will not show you that question again until you go through the entire question bank. You can use it in a study or exam mode. It does NOT use data! Hopefully one of your friends can use this app!

Here is the link from the Apps Gone Free app and from iTunes for PRAXIS 1!

Here is the link for Apps Gone Free!

I am also starting a course from Stanford today called "How to Learn Math". It is a FREE course from Stanford for teachers that talks about Math and Growth Mindset, Conceptual Learning, Challenges, etc. I am so excited about this course. It is an online course that runs from today until the end of September, but all of the classes will be released by the end of July so you can finish in time for back to school! This will be my first class since my undergrad, and I am looking at starting my Masters next fall so I am nervous. You do not get any Grad School credit, but some schools are allowing professional development credit. I am doing it for myself and for my students so that I can become a better teacher. If you are interested, check it out it's not too late! They are also creating one for students that will be released this fall.

Stanford - How to Use Math

Melissa

Tune into Technology: iPads!! with a FREEBIE!

It's Thursday, and I am linking up (on time hehe) with Learning to the Core for their Thursday linky party, Tune into Technology. This week it's iPads. When parents ask me iPad or *insert brand here* tablet, I always say iPad. As far as apps are concerned, the Blackberry/Google Play market has more, but when it comes to Educational apps Apple takes the prize. I often times can't find an app that I have for Apple on the other markets and the kids get disappointed. I know they are $$$$ but it's worth it. I bought mine during Tax Free Weekend in TN and it was refurbished so I saved money, and it works just like it was brand new!

I have to rely on my students bringing in devices, check out the iPad cart, or use my personal devices in the classroom. If I give the students warning, I will usually have enough devices for partners and definitely one per group, but they aren't guaranteed to have an Apple product. The iPad cart is great, but you have to reserve it weeks in advanced and request any apps that you want on it as well. It just takes a lot of planning. I would die to have a few that would just stay in my classroom. So since I don't have as many activities, centers, etc. to share I figured I would share my top MUST HAVE apps that I couldn't live without!

Teacher Apps

1. Dropbox/Google Drive/Sky Drive - cloud and file sharing programs  

I use Dropbox for school and Google Drive for blogging. The firewalls at our school allow Dropbox, but none of the Google services (otherwise I would only use Google Drive!) I lose USB drives, I want to work on stuff from home, and I will pull up documents when working with my PLC partner. This makes it so easy to have everything at the tip of your fingers. I don't even save anything to "My Documents" or my hardrive  anymore!

2. Evernote

I have folders for all of my meeting notes, and for my RTI classes where I have to do jot downs. You can embed pictures in it as well. This also works on a cloud network and you can download to your desktop or online.

3. Splashtop/Doceri

These are a remote desktop. I used to use Doceri because it has in a built in whiteboard, but I have found Splashtop easier to use. You do have to be on the same network as your computer. Makes it easy to be away from my computer but pull up something from the Internet or our workbook. It has also come in handy during some boring, three hour long faculty meetings where I can work on documents that are on my computer from my iPad in another part of the buidling or if your gradebook is Java/Flash based.

4. Too Noisy 

The kids love this app! I will let them work in partners, but 7th graders tend to get noisy and off topic so this help keeps them in check. If it gets in the yellow three times they have to work independent. I use yellow, because it's really far away from them because I have to use a cable to attach it to my projector. So if it's that loud, it's too loud. I did have to start warning them that if they set it off on purpose that person would be working independent. Some do find it distracting, so I have them sit underneath the projector screen or in the back of the room.

5. Show Me/Educreations

Record your voice and movements on an in-app whiteboard at the same time. See my post HERE for a detailed comparison of the two apps.

Student Apps

1. Cover Up Math

This app is an introduction to Pre-Algebra/Algebra and has the students solve the problems intuitively. The students were doing complex two step equations on the same day I did a pre-test! This led us into some conversations about their mathematical thinking and being able to talk themselves through the problems.

2. Socrative - Student and Teacher Apps

This works in conjunction with socrative.com where you can create EXIT slips and quizzes. The quizzes can be run as a "Space Race", teacher paced, or student paced. I let them work in teams to solve. I have the online version pulled up on the projetor while we are working on the iPads as well. They really like the Space Race, and don't realize it's really a quiz!

3. BrainPop

Access all the videos from online on the iPad. You can use it as a center! Does require BrainPop membership.

4. Scan

We use this app for our QR activities. More to come with the QR code linky party!

5. MathChamp - Student and Teacher App

Now, I have not used this in the classroom yet. I ONLY ever write about apps that have been classroom tested and I approve of. But I hope to use this next year. It looks very similar to Socrative, but maybe geared more towards the elementary student and they can pick their own monster. 

One non-educational app I would suggest to everyone is Apps Gone Free. They offer a list of usually 8-10 apps a day that are free for a limited time. There are usually some pretty good apps in there you might not normally see that are usually 2-5 dollars!

FLASH FREEBIE!! :-)

I have created an Apps to Download poster to use in my classroom. It helps with classroom management and is great for parents to see what you are using in the classroom that they could use at home. I would like to get some reviews and feedback for it, so I am offering it FREE until SATURDAY over at my TPT store. This product is normally $5.00, so it's a great deal! It has a poster and over 50 icons of apps that are common in the classroom. All I ask is that you leave me some feedback! :-)

Apps Gone Free Poster

What are some other ways you use iPads in your classroom? I'm really interested how some upper gradees teachers use them!

Melissa

Tune into Technology: Math!!

I am (late) linking up with iTeach 1:1 for their Tune into Technology link up! We are visiting family in TN for three week so I haven't had as much blogging time as I would like. Last trip before getting back to the grind of school! Each Thursday they are doing a linky party for technology with different themes. This week it's Technology in Math. Other topics will be iPads, websites, and probably my favorite, QR codes!!

For those of you that don't know, while I love technolgoy (and actually started out in college as a Comp. Sci. Engineering major) I actually teach 7th grade mathematics. So combining my two loves, I was totally excited! So here are a few of my favorite things to do with technology when it comes to math! These are all games and websites you can do in class or students can play at home.

Fun-4-The-Brain - Math Facts self timed quizzes

I teach two RTI classes, one every day for 45 minutes and one once a week for 45 minutes. We did not focus on math facts towards the end of the year (I don't know what I was thinking!), but this is something we are starting right off the bat with. I want to build their confidence in math and I feel like finally mastering these basics will help them. I'd like to not just do multiplication/division but also addition and subtraction to help them build the fundamentals. Friday is our testing day in my class that meets everyday, and this is so easy to use! Unfortunately it doesn't work on the iPads.

Manga High - Grades 2 through High School

Our students loved doing games and challenges on this website because they competed with other schools internationally. At one point our school was ranked in the top ten, but since its summer we currently are not ranked. You assign topics that you are working on currently and the students play games and challeges associated with them. A con is that it is a British based program so some of the vocabulary is different. 

Middle Grades "Monkey" App - 6th-8th Math, Science, and Vocabulary

When students are done with an activity, we had them complete default activities that reinforced math skills or were brain teasers. This was a lot of paper and very time consuming so they eventually faded out. When we were working on integers, I found these apps for the kids to play at home, but I eventually let them play in class when done with their classwork. You get some subjects for free but can purchase an additional levels for $.99. Each subject has three levels. You can reset the scores to go to the first level if multiple people play on the same device. You can also send the scores to an email address. We affectionately called them the Monkey App because they have monkeys on the app icon. I keep them on my iPhone and iPad and let the students play with mine if they don't have their own device.

Middle Grades Math 7

What are some of your favorite math based technology that you use?

Melissa

App Review - Show Me vs. Educreations

Instead of writing a post about Interactive Whiteboards, why not Show You! 

Pardon the writing if it gets messy! 

This was my first podcast, more nervous than when

I make these for my students, but I hope you enjoy!

I have posted a PollEverywhere poll below asking which do you prefer. 

All you have to do is text the code to 37607 to cast your vote!

App Review - StudyBlue - Digital, Pre-Made Flash Cards

StudyBlue has become one of my favorite apps! This is an internet and app based program that creates interactive flash cards and allows you to study the ones you got wrong, quiz you, and create a study guide!

Teachers can create an account and have students sign up for the class or students can create an account just for themselves. They have initially only added Universitys and high schools, but you can request a school to be added. Once you join the school, you can add a course. Since I teach at the middle school level, I added my school and then listed my name and Mathematics 7 as the course. The students can then join your class and have access to any flashcards you've created. You can give them a class code to join from or they can search for it. Students do not have to be part of a class to use this program, and they can create there own flashcards.

Once you have the account, you can add a set of flashcards very easily! They have a database of all of the ones other people have created you can choose from or you can create your own. They have pictures to go with a lot of the cards as well. 

I used this with my students during our Geometry unit, because they were not learning the vocabulary on their own. I created the account and flash cards then posted a link to my Edmodo page for the students to use. I also gave them the directions listed below to help.

You can find many videos on youtube to help, and several on schooltube as well. 

What other kinds of technology based study tools do you use?

Directions for Study Blue

FREE Product!- Bring Your Own Device

I am excited to be participating in 
my first Linky Party with 

The Organized Classroom's 
Manic Monday Post!

When we are doing an app based or Internet activity, I allow students to bring in their own devices to use in class. But more specifically when doing app based activities, I have come to realize that not all apps are available on the different app markets. While the Blackberry/Android market seems to have the most apps, the Apple market seems to have the most educational apps. Some of them you can find on both markets, but a lot of the ones I have used are only on the Apple market.

Instead of answering 100 times (or more) which devices will work for an app based activity, I decided to create a poster to hopefully cut down on this. I will laminate and attach a magnet to it and put it on the white board where I display my homework for the night for a visual reminder for students. I will then use it to check off which devices will work.

Enjoy! 

Bring Your Own Device - TPT

OCTI 2013 is here!

Oldham County Technology Institute is here! Two days worth of professional development that I am actually going to enjoy! Lots of apps, websites, collaboration, and observing technology in the classroom.

Today we had a session on apps and websites to use in the classroom. What I loved about these sessions is it gave us a lot of resources in a small amount of time. They talked about 50 apps and 40 websites in two hour long sessions !They talked about the highlights and important information about each app or website, and then you can go out on your own and discover the apps/websites more in depth. I created an app folder called "Apps to Try" because I had so many new ideas. After each session, we had breakout sessions that focused on one of three different things that were discussed during the session.

Tomorrow we are observing in the morning, and come back for a "technology smack down!" and Teacher Productivity app seminar. I am presenting Teacher Assistant during the "smack down", 3 minutes to tell about your app. Whoever has the best app wins a prize.

Here are some of the links to presentations that we had!

1. 40 Apps in 40 Minutes - a little information about a lot of apps! divided into topic groups! I made an apps to try folder on my iPad of apps I was enticed by and have gone in and played with each one to see if I liked them or not.
2. Notability  
3. 40.5 Sites in 40 Minutes - similar to 40 apps, but about websites.
4. The Flipped Classroom - using videos to flip your classroom
5. Computing in the Educational Cloud - Dropbox, Google Drive

Classroom Website: Edmodo

When I joined my school this year, I was expected to create a classroom website. The majority of the teachers used ClassJump, but a few were starting to branch off to Edmodo. I created a website with each website, but decided to go with Edmodo.

I was first introduced to Edmodo in college when one of my professors used it. It was mostly for notifications of class cancelled, changed, etc. But I have taken it to a whole new level and used it as a student and teacher community. I have to do a leadership project as my first year in KY (second year overall) and I chose to do it on Edmodo because of how successful I think it is. Several teachers, including the entire 6th grade, have converted to Edmodo or at least are more comfortable with using it. I chose to use Edmodo as my classroom website for lots of different reasons. 

1. Student Interaction, Promotes classroom community
• On Edmodo students are encouraged to post questions on the group wall or can direct message the teacher. One concern that I had is messaging each other, but Edmodo only allows them to message the entire wall or the teacher. If students have questions on homework, were absent, etc. they can easily get in contact with me. I did set an expectation at the beginning of the year, that I would not respond after 8:00.
2. Quick and easy to update, comment, post
• This year I have planning at the end of the day. I try to set aside the first fifteen minutes to update Edmodo. I post a few sentences about what we did that day, the homework, and will sometimes post a picture of notes, a handout, or worksheet. I can post this to several of my classes at once (regular vs. advanced) in minutes! If I have assigned a quiz, test, or other deadline, I can quickly update the calendar. If parents have signed up for Edmodo, they can elect to receive text notifications or download the app and receive notifications. Everyone is kept up to date so no more excuses of "I didn't know!" I can post videos, links to website, worksheets, warm ups, etc in a library where they have access to everything. 
3. Accessibility: Receive notifications through text, email, and iPhone, iPad, and Android apps.
• I have the app downloaded on my iPhone and iPad. A lot of my students have a smart phone or device (kindle, iPad, tablet) that can download the app. If they do not have access to the app they can receive text messages or emails whenever I post something, and always use the website. 
4. Organization: Allows a student to connect with all teachers at once.
• This was the first thing (maybe quick updates) that ClassJump and Edmodo had in common. A student can have access to all of their teachers that have Edmodo all at once by joining a group. On ClassJump, the teachers are associated with the school group and they can find them from there. 
5. Create small groups, add co-teachers for co-lab or PLC (grade level partners)
• I have a co-lab teacher in one of my classes and she has been added to the class group. My PLC partner and I added each other to one group at the beginning of the year to help each other out when we were first learning things. I can create small groups within my classes if they were doing a project, etc.
6. Great support team! Quick and fast to respond to questions
• Any time I have had a question or stumped on how to make something work, I have posted something to their support group and have gotten a response, or multiple responses within a day, and sometimes an hour! This was wonderful at the beginning of the year.

Like I said, I love Edmodo! It's had a real positive impact with my students and our learning community. Because of the KTIP project, I have a PowerPoint on Edmodo (basics, set up, etc.) if you are interested in it. :-)