Verb Pic Collages

We have been doing many different activities to learn about verbs.  We have sang songs, made anchor charts, played verb charades, and even made angry verbs!

Then we decided to show off our learning using the iPads. I gave my students the choice of using Popplet or Pic Collage to show me some verbs.  We have used both apps several times this year. I was surprised by the results, but all my students chose to use Pic Collage for this project. I guess it shows how much they love this app and how easy it is to use!

The students took pictures of each other demonstrating different verbs around the room. My students love using the camera and posing for the camera as well.  Then they imported their pictures into their Pic Collages and added a label to tell what verb was being demonstrated. 

Noun Pic Collages

We have been learning about nouns in class. We sang songs about nouns and made a nouns anchor chart illustrated by the students.  Then I decided we would integrate technology to show off our learning about nouns.  I had the students make a noun Pic Collage.  The students went on a noun hunt around the classroom and took pictures with their iPads. Then we imported our pictures into the Pic Collage app.  

Pic Collage is a free app that is very easy to use, even with my first graders.  In this app the students were able to create a poster showing some of the nouns in our classroom.  Here is how a few of the final products looked.

Addition Popplets

We have been working on simple addition within 10.  We worked on using many manipulatives and strategies to solve problems and write addition equations. We also worked on finding all the ways to make a certain sum.

I decided to have the students use the Popplet app on the iPads to demonstrate their learning.  The students selected a sum between 5 and 10.  Then they used the camera to take photos of the 2-colored dots to show all the ways to make that sum.  My students saved their photos to the camera roll and then imported them into their popplets.  We also worked on trying to type in the equations to match our dots.  Here is how a few of them turned out.

Pic Collage with Beginning Word Sounds

We have been reviewing beginning consonant sounds in words.  One way I had my students demonstrate their knowledge was through the Pic Collage app.  

This app was very easy for my students to use.  Basically this is a free app that allows you to create a poster on a topic by adding photos.  You can search the web to add photos within the app or take your own photos with the camera.  You can easily add text to your posters too.  My students enjoyed changing the text fonts and colors.  The app has many choices for different backgrounds as well.

I had each student choose a different letter of the alphabet.  Then they went around the room hunting items that began with their letter.  They snapped a photo of that item and added it to their Pic Collages.  The students loved moving around the room, hunting for items that began with their letter, and using the camera.  This was our very first Pic Collages and they turned out great!

Popplet & Doodle Buddy App Smashing in 1st Grade

My first graders have been enjoying getting to use the iPad cart in our class.  We have been using the iPads to help us build our classroom community and get to know each other as this year begins.  Our first project involved two different apps on the iPads - Doodle Buddy (free) and Popplet (free).  

First we used the Doodle Buddy app to draw about 5 of our favorite things.  Doodle Buddy is a great white board app that was very easy for the kids to use.  You can change your pen styles, colors, and widths.  My first graders caught on to this app very quickly.  We drew each of our favorite things individually and saved them to the camera roll.  We also used this app to write our names and saved them to the camera roll as well.  

 

This is an example of one of the drawings from the Doodle Buddy app saved to the camera roll.

Next we imported our pictures into the Popplet app.  Popplet is a great graphic organizer app.  This app was very easy for the students to use.  You can tap anywhere on the screen to create a new box.  You can insert photos, type or even draw in the boxes.  We uploaded our doodle buddy images into our popplets to show some of our favorite things.  My students then saved their popplets to the camera roll.  From the camera roll we uploaded our Popplets to our Kidblogs.  We also showed them on our SMARTBoard to learn a little more about each other in our new class.  Here is an example of one of our finished products.  My first graders did an awesome job with their Popplets!

Getting to Know Each Other with Tellagami

As school inches closer and closer I have been researching how to use the new iPad cart with my first graders.  Our school is going to have creation apps on the iPads so the students can demonstrate their learning.

In looking at many different apps used in classrooms with iPads, the Tellagami app quickly caught my eye.  With this app the students create an character and then record their voice explaining a topic.  The students have a few different choices for clothing, hair, and backgrounds.  Also you can import your own photo to be the background.  This app is very quick and easy to use...plus it is a free app!

I have seen so many great educational ideas for the Tellagami app.  I have seen some examples of this app being used in many grades to increase reading fluency or just as an opportunity for students to explain what they have learned about a topic.  I have a few different ideas on how I could use this app to give the students an opportunity to get to know each other and build our classroom community at the beginning of school.  One idea for this app would be for students to tell the class a little bit about themselves.  They could tell us some of their favorite things.  Here is an example that Ruthie made to introduce herself to her new class.

Another way we could use this app would be for the students to tell everyone a little bit about what they hope to learn this year at school.  This is an example of what Ruthie hopes to learn in second grade.

As you can see, this app was an immediate hit with my niece.  She wanted to make another gami. I know this app will be a hit with my new class too!

Technology Ideas for the Beginning of the Year

My school is getting an iPad lab this year!  I can not wait to have the opportunity to use the iPads with all my first graders at the same time!  I have been searching the web for great apps and ideas for using this technology in the primary grades.  Here are some of my ideas for incorporating the iPad lab with my students for back to school, community building, and getting to know each other lessons.

All About Me with Popplet

I made this one by drawing some of my favorite things in the Doodle Buddy app.  I then saved those images to my camera roll.  Then I imported my saved images into my popplet.  I'm thinking this is how I will have my students make their own.  I am hoping to have them draw about 5 of their favorite things and then use their drawings in the popplet app.  I know that drawing their favorites will be easier than spelling their favorites at the beginning of the year.

This is another popplet example that my niece Ruthie made when I showed her my example.  She chose to take some photos of her favorites to use in her popplet.  

Telling about our Summer with Tellagami

I have just learned about the Tellagami app and I am in love with it!  I can see so many possibilities for this app with my first graders!  I am thinking I will start the year off with letting them use the app to tell the class a little bit about their summer.  Here is an example I made.