Using QR Codes in Classrooms

Quick response (QR) is very similar to a bar code. They are easy to create and they have many uses in the classroom. With the posting of a QR code, teachers can lead students to information by just using their iPad's or mobile device's camera. There are tons of ideas for using QR codes in the classroom. QR codes are the perfect tool to help students to accomplish and achieve the good learning. Basically, It's a quickly scannable barcode. The idea of this image takes the students to a specific digital destination. For example, this code on the left will take the students to a QR code generator. Teachers will be able to create all sorts of QR codes. You will need an app that reads the QR codes and there are plenty of free QR code apps to download for Android and Apple Products. Just search. To read them all, you need a phone or computer with a camera and then make the device recognize the code after that QR codes will send you to a link, for example, a mobile number, email, SMS, bookmark, homework, story telling link and more.

Why QR codes are exciting?

There’s a number of reasons to use QR codes, the main reason is that it’s easy to give students web addresses and allow them to be more independent. Teachers all about releasing responsibility to the students as much as possible. Teachers want to be the facilitator of learning and not the one who tells them all the answers. QR codes reduce student frustration of typing in a web address. In know, we can use a link shortener to create shorter links, but even those are difficult for a seven-year-old to type in accurately. With a QR code, teachers can save time (no typing) and students get it right the first time. There’s no chance that students will mistype the web address.
Finally, it’s just plain fun. I mean, who doesn’t love holding a device to a code and having it open a whole new world?

This is the way of using QR codes in the classroom. Also, This technology will enhance students in a variety of ways. For example, students take their device, scan the codes, and listen to the story being read aloud to them. This is a great way for students to get some more reading time without an adult reading to them.

Resources 

Canvas. 2013. Scavenger Hunts: More Uses of QR Codes. [teachers]. URL https://learn.canvas.net/courses/96/pages/scavenger-hunts-more-uses-of-qr-codes
Joeyo. Dec 26, 2016. Hello, Neighbor! QR CODE PUZZLE SOLVED! Secret code number revealed! (1003063) 'alpha 3 gameplay'. URL https://youtu.be/MQsOHIxbn2U

Marragem. Mar 28, 2011. Using QR Codes in the Classroom. URL https://youtu.be/hSA3YsBy_pU

Fourteen Fabulous Free Math Apps

Many districts are recommending more technology. To help the students who are in grade K-4 to improve, educators put together this list of Free Math apps that students would enjoy and learn with. Hopefully, this app will be useful for all students.

1. Arithmetic Invaders Express
Grade K-2 Math Facts students can pick addition, subtraction and multiplication games to defend the solar system and master K-2 arithmetic. Also, along with the way, they will learn some basic facts about the Solar System too!

2. Dial-a-Fraction
This mini-app allows you to picture fractions in the form of slices of a circle. As you move the two dials, denominator and numerator, the picture adjusts instantly to show the fraction you have ‘dialed’.

3. Counting Bills and Coins
Counting Bills & Coins lets you practice identifying and solving math problems with money. Count, match, and make a change with coins up to quarters and bills up to $20. Practice money skills in five unique activities.

4. Math Puppy
This app is the perfect way to build up your math skills. Three game types: Bingo, Challenge, and Swing. Three adorable avatar puppies to play with you. Five game modes: Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide and All Three in One.

5. Splash Math
This app teaches elementary drills for numbers, addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, including flash cards with cool educational facts.

6. Numbers Addition and Subtraction
Fun math learning games for kids in Preschool and Kindergarten! Embark on a fun adventure in which your students can learn key math skills such as counting, ordering numbers and adding or subtracting while playing with cute savannah animals!

7. Cloud Math
Students are given problems with addition and subtraction operations on numbers up to 50.

8. Telling Time Free
This app is great for a brain training exercise. Telling Time Free is the only telling time app that has over 700 different clock values.

9. Number Frames
This app helps students structure numbers to five, ten, twenty, and one hundred. Students use the frames to count, represent, compare, and compete with numbers in a particular range.

10. Pick-A-Path
Help Okta reach the target (maximum, minimum, or a specific value) by choosing a path from the top of the maze to the bottom. Seven levels with seven puzzles will test your skills with powers of ten, negative numbers, fractions, decimals, and more.

11. Madagascar Math Ops
Play 15 levels of physics-based gameplay in New York with the Madagascar crew-Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria and those lovable Penguins -- Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private!

12. Tell Time
Little Matchups Game - An exciting interactive matching game that helps your child rapidly learn how to tell time by matching analog and digital clocks.

13. Third Grade Learning Games Free
Ten entertaining and educational mini-games for 3rd Graders! Help them learn multiplication, grammar, geometry, division, and more all while they are playing fun and engaging mini-games while they fly spaceships, race cars, and throw darts. Language, math and critical thinking are all practiced and tested.

14. Sushi Monster - This game provides a fun environment for students to practice their addition and multiplication skills.

Receorces
Smith, F. ( 5, 2015). Fourteen Fabulously Free Math Apps With An iPad Giveaway! [teacher]. URL https://www.pinterest.com/pin/37436240631142265/

Using Google Slides for Stop Motion Animation

What is stop motion animation?
Stop motion animation is an animation that is captured one frame at a time, with physical objects that are moved between frames. When you play back the sequence of images rapidly, it creates the illusion of movement. If you understand how 2D drawn animation (early Disney) works, stop motion is similar, except using physical objects instead of drawings. The basic process of animation involves taking a photograph of your objects or characters, moving them slightly, and taking another photograph. When you play back the images consecutively, the objects or characters appear to move on their own.

As much as I enjoy watching stop-motion animation as the easiest anyone can create their own. It is so fun to create one. With technology, there are many programs and apps to make the process much easier so that anyone can make a stop motion animation. One easy tool to use for this is Google Slides. Many times we think of slides as just a program for creating multimedia presentations. However, with just a few tricks your students and you can actually use Google Slides to make stop motion movies.

By using Google Slides we can be creative and do a fun thing in:

• Tell a new story
• Retell a story read in class
• Reenact a historical event
• Demonstrate a scientific concept
• Explain how to solve a math problem
• Define a vocabulary term
• And much more

For creating your own Google Slides stop motion animation. Here are the steps in more detail:

1. Create your Google Slideshow as normal.
2. Insert images by taking a snapshot with your webcam.
3. Insert shapes, text, and other items.
4. To save time, make copies of slides and make small changes to the items on the slide to simulate movement.
5. To make certain slides last longer, make multiple copies of the slide.
6. When done, use "Publish to the web" option to get the playable link for your slideshow.
7. Adjust the "Publish to the web" link to shorten the time between the slides to make them appear animated.
8. Share the link with others to view!
9. If you are not familiar with the basics of using Google Slides, you can learn more with the help guide below:
10. Using Google Slides - Google Document link

References

Gemaline Day. ( Mar 14, 2016).Using Google Slides for Stop Motion Animation. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/8Y45YoX1G6A

TWITTER In 1st Grage Classroom

Catherine Reed is a fourth-year teacher. She is sharing about how and why she is using Twitter in her 1st-grade classroom! she said that she loves seeing other professionals in their happy place and learn from their classrooms. She is a passion for turning to alternative methods to build her professional networks – blogs, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. She is sharing her twitter account and taking the permission from the family at the beginning of the year, for their child’s face and work to be shared in this way. She comments Twitter offer families and real-time view of what is happening in our classroom. So often our students arrive home to be asked – “How was your day? What do you all do?” and so often, our they respond “Nothing.” or “I don’t know ” While our 1st-grade team does things to prevent that. Everyday family can see students reading, work on pyramid words, and writing a story

Why TWITTER works in classrooms?

From her perspective, she said that twitter is important to build up a community's teachers. The top reason is she tweets to connect with other first grade classrooms. There are 14 elementary schools in that district and between schools, there are only little pockets of collaboration or communication. As classrooms following, the same scope and sequence, Twitter allow them to see:

• What’s actually happening from other 1st grade classrooms.
• What does their student work look like? 
• What was their math mini-lesson about on any day?
• How do they celebrate student success?

My reflection on her idea is I love the fact that she's connecting with the families and the other schools. Also, I like the ability in how she can pick up ideas and see how things going in other classes. Absolutely, she's motivated to try new things in different ways.

References
Reed, C. (2015). Twitter in the classroom. [teacher]. Retrieved from http://brownbagteacher.com/twitter-in-classroom/

Bring your drawings to life with Quiver

With the app Quiver education, teachers can transform their classroom students with augmented reality. it is a fantastic, easy- app. This app is a very innovative application supporting both learning and fun in a less usual yet highly interesting way. The app has a set of coloring pages that make cells pop off the page and let children spin a globe in midair. Quiver lets students go beyond the pictures in their textbooks to interact with three-dimensional figures. The Quiver trigger images that children scan and activate experience. Quiver Education has a one-time purchase price for all of the content, is compatible with the volume purchasing program and includes educational discounts for schools too! the app contains with a range of top coloring pages already with content designed around topics as diverse as biology, geometry, and the solar system.

                                         

How does this app work?
The navigational design of the app is quite straightforward and simple. It features three main functions:

• The user can access and print a range of coloring pages including strange animals, educational series mainly related to geography, biology, two and three-dimensional shapes, and cartoon characters. 
• These coloring packs can be printed either directly from the app or through a web page online. 
• The user can color in these pages using normal coloring pencils. 

By placing the Quiver app on top of a coloring page and pressing the tap button, the coloring page comes to life in the form of an animation. By moving the device that hosts the app around, the user can view the animation from different angles. Every colored page in the app or which kids color comes to life in its uniquely colored way, giving the artist and the kids an immediate and special sense of ownership and pride! Not only is the app incredibly fun, but it is also a great tool for developing skills and knowledge on various topics. Try it out yourself and we are sure you will agree.

According to the reviewers, people have come up with coloring pages have never been so much fun! The Quiver App combines physical coloring from “back in the day” with state of the art augmented reality technology to bring children an extraordinarily magical experience. Every colored page comes to life in its uniquely colored way, giving the artist an immediate and special sense of ownership and pride! Not only is the app incredibly fun, but it is also a great tool for developing skills and knowledge on various topics. Try it out yourself and we are sure you will agree. coloring packs

References
iOS Gaming World. (Sep 25, 2016). Quiver - Education - iOS Trailer. [video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/lxEFYD8JmwA
Quiver Augmented Reality. ( Aug 26, 2015). Quiver Education. [vodeo file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/xirCqQFr6K8

Gone Google Story Builder In The Classroom

Use Story Builder is to retell a moment in history or a social studies or science concept. Sharing some samples on the interactive whiteboard or projector have the students or groups of students create their own Story Builder and retell a story or tell a story from a single character's point of view. Assign student groups to tell a story related to the curriculum is a goal at the beginning of a unit with what I want to know questions or use for the end of a unit as a review. Share student Story Builders with a link on your website or blog. In math class have students explain a procedure using Story Builder. Use Story Builder to create drama scripts or to demonstrate writing skills. Have "Annie Adjective" add colorful words to a draft while "Pete Punctuation" proofs for errors. Have students collaborate to create their own "live" edit sessions using an anonymous student draft you provide or from their OWN writing. By naming the character who is making changes, they can show what they are emphasizing, such as Sam Support adding supporting details when writing informational texts. Teachers of gifted could challenge students to create "epistolary" tales using this tool. Once they discover it, your gifted students will come up with new ways to share projects using this tool (and a little humor).

Anticipatory Set

This tool is used for setting the stage for a lesson. It is actually, inspired students to write posts after they heard the teacher taught a lesson last week ago. You can't imagine how Gone Google Story Builder is a quick, easy and straight up AWESOME tool. It would incorporate the students into the classroom. Teachers showed how they used this web tool to kick off a lesson. For instance, let's say you are getting ready to teach a lesson about the water cycle. Captivate your students' attention with something like this before starting the lesson.

Retelling
Students could use this web tool to retell a story they have read, a historical event they have learned about or even steps to take to solve a math problem. Critical thinking really comes to play since it only allows them to have 10 interactions between characters. Students will have to figure out how to get everything in. Great summarizing practice too. The first example I embedded into this post shows a retelling of The Three Little Pigs using Google Story Builder.

Writing with Voice
Using Gone Google Story Builder would be such a FUN and meaningful activity to practice writing with a voice as well as characterization. Students can take on the "voice" of a certain character whether that be a specific person, animal or thing! It would even be fun to use this in social studies to review historical figures. Teachers or you could partner students up on one computer and have them write a conversation or story as if they were that person, animal or thing.

Word Work/Language Arts Skills
Another idea for using this story builder in your classroom is to have students create videos by having the "characters" be the word features they are working on. Parts of speech, affixes, different verb tenses, r-controlled vowels, or whatever the feature of the week is could all be practiced. You could also really target language arts skills such as literary devices which can help a lot.

Enhancing Videos

Gone Google Story Builder would be a great addition to a video your students are creating. In order to capture the video to pull into a video editing program, students would need to screencast the final product. If you have QuickTime software already on your devices, that would be an easy way to accomplish this task. For those of you who work with Chromebooks, check out the extensions Nimbus Screenshot, Screencastify, or Capture Cast. Read about these three options HERE.

References
Julie. (March 20, 2017).  5 Ways to Use Gone Google Story Builder in the Classroom. [Educator]. Retrieved from http://www.thetechieteacher.net

Kristinia Haney. (Jul 29, 2014). Google Story Builder Instructions. [video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/XIr5kBoqFeY

Search&Rescue. (Jul 28, 2014). StoryBuilder - The Three Little Pigs. [video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/G2bNWSezJAk

Making Learning Fun With Kahoot!

A Kahoot! is a free game-based learning program that makes subjects fun to learn, it works in any language, on any device, for all ages! A Kahoot is a collection of questions on specific topics. It's created by teachers, students, business people and social users, they are asked in real-time, to an unlimited number of “players”, creating a social, fun and game-like learning environment. It works in any language, on any device, and for all ages!

A Kahoot is a collection of questions on specific topics. Created by teachers, students, business people and social users, they are asked in real-time, to an unlimited number of “players”, creating a social, fun and game-like learning environment. Here is the way how to create a fun learner game:

create
a fun learning game in minutes by Singh up for free. It made a series of multiple choice questions. Add videos, images, and diagrams to your questions to amplify engagement!

Play
Kahoots are best played in a group setting, like a classroom. Players answer on their own devices, while games are displayed on a shared screen to unite the lesson – creating a campfire moment’ – encouraging players to look up.

Share
Social learning promotes discussion and pedagogical impact… whether players are in the same room or on the other side of the globe! After a game, encourage players to create and share their own kahoots to deepen understanding, mastery, and purpose.

Players answer questions displayed at the front of the room on their personal device, motivated to answer correctly and score the most points. The faster someone answers a question correctly, the more points they get. The top 5 highest points scorers are displayed on the leaderboard at the front in-between each question, and the ultimate winner is shown at the end. Results, including who answered what for each question, can be downloaded afterward.

This is an example of Ms. Irma Molina's 6th-grade class Math class used Kahoot! to learn about mix numbers, fractions, and whole numbers.

References
Cook, J. 2014. (teacher). The Agony and dx/dt. Retrieved from URL http://mrscookkhs.blogspot.com/2014/02/kahoot.html
Molina, I. (Oct 23, 2015) Ms. Irma Molina's 6th-grade class Math class used Kahoot! [video file]. Retrieved from URL https://youtu.be/z8YWsjur-Vc

Useful Apps for Students

Best useful Apps for Students

According to the new research, 81 percent of students found they use mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets) to study, the second most popular device category behind laptops and up 40 percent year over year. Of the different types of learning technologies available, students found that adaptive learning technologies were the most effective, with 85 percent indicating a moderate or major improvement in grades. Teacher Recommended: 50 Favorite Classroom Apps there’s (almost) an app for everything nowadays, and this can make student life easier, cheaper, safer and more fun. Whether the student wants help with taking notes, revising, waking up on time or keeping fit.Apps can give very limited and selective, and unuseful information after you select (filter) the topics you’re interested in.

News apps can be limited so they only show news you are interested in, but that can take away the big headlines and news that an ordinary newspaper would show easily. In the New York Times article “All the News You Want, When You Want It”(Sep.21 2011), writer Mickey Meece states (about news apps) “I feel informed, but I always have the nagging feeling that I missed something important or that I am reading the news superficially.” Because of this, if you were to use a news app for a school project, you might not be getting the most relevant information that you could be getting due to the filters and restrictions you previously set on the app, without even knowing. News app tends to display different, less useful information than newspapers and websites.

Refrences
Kelly, A. (2017). [desighner]. The 70 Best Apps For Teachers And Students.Retrieved from URL https://www.pinterest.com/pin/340514421805981686/

Ways to increase student engagement using technology

According to (Schwartz, 2015) students are quickly becoming more comfortable with classroom technology, allowing them to shift from thinking about the technical side of integrating a new tool to focusing on how it improves learning. While the sheer number of education apps is still overwhelming, increasingly teachers have found what works for them and are sticking to them.Most 12-year-olds love playing videogames -- Thomas Suarez taught himself how to create them. After developing iPhone apps like "Bustin Jeiber," a whack-a-mole game, he is now using his skills to help other kids become developers. (Filmed at TEDxManhattanBeach.)

According to (Erbaggio 2016), online technologies can be used as powerful tools to realize these principles in language and culture education. Course Management Systems (CMS), for example, with their integrated communication tools such as email, chat, and discussion boards can create effective learning environments by making learning more social, enjoyable, and less stressful (Carmean & Haefner, 2002). The deployment of a CMS facilitates cognitive processes in language learning (Hanson-Smith, 2000).

I believe when students have this technology, they can create things and they have the opportunity to engage with each other. They can innovate things…. when they have photoshop in front of them and I say do this, this, and this, what they can create is always going to be complete, uniquely different. And, they become artists with that or they become filmmakers, or they become web designers. Like they can take on a lot of really advanced roles, and I think that’s something that technology does uniquely provide because you can’t be a web designer without that technology.You can’t create a film without that technology. And, I feel like that’s really different than a textbook.


References

Schwartz, K. (February 27, 2017). Teacher Recommended 50 Favorite Classroom Apps. Retrieved from URL https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/07/29/teacher-recommended-50-favorite-teaching-apps/
Suarez, T. (Oct 24, 2012). [video life]. A 12-year-old App Developer | Thomas Suarez. Retrieved from URL https://youtu.be/Fkd9TWUtFm0
Erbaggio, P., Gopalakrishnan, S., Hobbs, S., & Liu, H. (2016). Enhancing Student Engagement Through Online Authentic Materials. IALLT Journal of Language Learning Technologies, 42(2).
Wolfram. (February 27, 2017). Wolfram Technology System for K–8 & Primary Schools. Retrieved from URL https://www.wolfram.com/education/elementary-schools/

What are ISTE standers?

According to The ISTE standers community, they are criteria which provide a framework for amplifying or even transforming teaching and learning with technology. This community is dedicated to discussions and resources related to the ISTE Standards. Topics may include adoption and implementation, the individual standards themselves, the standards in specific grade bands or content areas, and anything else you want to discuss or share.

How do ISTE works?

The ISTE Standards serve as a beacon for students and educators as they navigate the digital universe. Teachers and leaders from around the globe share their insights into how the standards are helping them guide systemwide change, design instruction for the digital age and prepare students for an inconceivable future.

I believe the advantage of application this stander is to give the students the opportunity to share and talk about their skills. The strengths in their understanding help them develop socially and confidently. I believe this technology would improve the students’ capacity in developing and engaging because it is integrating all sciences and acquiring them knowledge. Students will grow up with unique concepts such as; students can express their needs and what they are thinking about in a sophisticated way and earlier age.

Some improvement that would help the student more is to make a sure focus on some students’ skills. For example, there are students who accommodate simple in their understanding. We need to increase all the students’ abilities in skills. Motivation is the right way to enhance and promote students to expand their thinking.

References 

ISTE. (Jan 9, 2015). ISTE Standards: Preparing Students for The Digital. [video life]. Retrieved from URL https://youtu.be/Beb45Q4dsig