Watch What Yer Sayin'

I had another ScreenChomp assignment due today, and I'm spending my entire planning period listening to the same problem 35 times.  Yes, I'm bored.  However, they love it, and it's a great way to make sure they understand the problem and the process.

The crazy thing is that I hear myself in the background numerous times.  With all these voice recording toys in my room, I just realized how I need to be careful of what I say.  When I think of the potential sound bytes that could be recorded and replayed for parents or administrators... Wow!

Take this one for example.  The young lady does a fine job of explaining the problem, but listen to me in the background.  Yes, I'm reprimanding a kid.  No, I wasn't particularly mean, but it does wake me up to realize that what I say is not just heard in real time but is now easily recorded for future use. Gulp.

http://www.screenchomp.com/t/DWcV6MkqqD6W

More ScreenChomps

More chomps came rolling in today.  I thought I'd share my favorites.

http://www.screenchomp.com/t/IV0Iq90P
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/dnnpaZxya7
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/fFz2qG9fjk
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/xydjFDr11ZAk
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/0n2UcDDBf
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/m5IRLqoWPC
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/rD0GIJoBbw7h
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/00UooltHQpyK
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/J4zH5aXZFlcL
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/WWGpjoWl

ScreenChomp

I haven't used ScreenChomp too much this year, but I decided to give it a whirl today.  I incorporated it into my Station Day activities.  You'll see two sets of examples below.  The math ones are from my 6th grade math students.  As you can tell, we're working on decimals and fractions.  The biography ones are from my 5th grade language arts students.  We are about 2/3 of the way through a biography project.

Enjoy!

http://www.screenchomp.com/t/ThMyCSphqot
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/sadc43O5
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/LCRBKPKr1Z
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/HhkLOabTLsWN
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/3wBtXwmaIY
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/y5olCTfP

I think that ScreenChomp will become a permanent part of my curriculum.

This one here is the chomp that inspired my blog post, but the young lady had to redo it to get her name off of it.  Enjoy!
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/kX0kk8RXmae8

iPad Training, Round 2

Last week, we had more iPad training at our school.  I was excited to hear that it would focus more in depth in how to integrate iPads into our teaching.  Here are some good ideas I walked away with.

• StoryKit is a digital book creation tool.  You can type text, add pictures, draw pictures, and add audio.  The one drawback is that it's only viewed on StoryKit.  You can email a copy to your friends, but it won't be book like.  Here's my example from the Stamp Act. This version has less bells and whistles than what you would see on your iPad, but you get the idea.  
• Popplets is a graphic organizer creator.  I love it!  It's more fluid than the software our school requires, and students can even insert pictures.  You'll see my example also from the Stamp Act here.  My link is the free version, but our school is going to use the paid version which has more capability like putting a popplet in Drop Box.
• SonicPics helps you create stories using pictures and audio. I have the lite (free version) which only allows three pictures.  The paid version has more capability.  
• ScreenChomp is an interactive white board.  You can start with a blank screen or a picture background.  Then you draw on the board and talk at the same time.  I told my social studies class about it, and they looked at me like I was crazy.  I told my advanced math class about it, and they looked at me like I was crazy.  I told my regular math class about it, and they got excited.  I think they are excited to have another way (verbal) to explain how their understanding of math procedures.  I have not had the opportunity to use it in class yet, but I will soon.  I've had kids play with it already and the enthusiasm is  obvious.
• PhotoCard is a postcard app. I plan to do this on my next vacation. Take a cute picture of my daughter.  Put it on the app.  Write a neat note.  Email it out.  Cheaper and more personal than a real postcard.  However, this could be a good way to get a one short snippet of information out of a kid.  See my example below.

Funny.  I never was into professional development till someone handed me an iPad.  Now I love it!