We are 1:1!

WE ARE 1:1 WITH IPAD MINIS!

We have been for almost a week now and it has already revolutionized our teaching! Students at first needed to follow an intense instructional session before actually using them, but we survived some of the issues that occurred with a great learning mentality!

The students and I have already learned to create and curate a presentation on animal adaptations on the iPad using the Keynote app. We are also learning how to collaborate with one another as we use the Google drive and other apps, generating a culture of enthusiastic learning in Room 204!

 Students using the iPad to write about reading using a Google doc.

Students taking notes on the Notes app while watching a science video and presenting their animal adaptations Keynote.

So, families of Room 204, before students can bring home their iPads, they need: 1) You to sign the iPad User Agreement & 2) Students must answer the questions in a comment to Mrs. Sisul's blog after watching the digital citizenship video! If you're just a visitor to my blog, please feel free to read our principal's blog about how our district got started with the 1:1 iPad scout! I'd also love some feedback about how you use technology in your classroom!

MAP: Plants

Plant Cycle 

Parts of a Plant

Plants Grow and Grow 

Plant Sound-Off

WebQuest

As we approached the end of our Science Living Systems unit, I wanted to incorporate what Jen was doing with her class. So, we wrapped up the GLAD [Guided Language Acquisition Design] portion of learning and applied all the information we acquired into the WebQuest Jen had created in one of her graduate courses in technology.

I already love teaching science because of the GLAD strategies I get to use, but the addition of the WebQuest has made my love for teaching science even greater! Why? Because this is what I saw:

As this was a partner project, I saw students using iPads to collaborate, research, and imagine an animal based on what they learned in terms of classification and dichotomous keys. They were creating a presentation using Keynote or ActivInspire, while brainstorming on paper and pencil and watching videos on BrainPop. I mean, there was some serious learning going on in here and the students were taking responsibility for it! I wish I had taken pictures of the final product instead of just the process because it was evident to me that the students had learned the knowledge and were able provide evidence of that learning.

How do you incorporate WebQuests or technology into your classroom? I'd also love to hear if you incorporate Project Based Learning because I'd love to learn how to do more of that!