Kidblog

Technology Tip of the Week: Kidblog

Description:  

Kidblog is a safe, secure way for students to publish their thoughts, questions, or writing online.  The great thing about online publishing is that students can show their teacher and other classmates what they are thinking or wondering.  Even better is that everyone who is part of  the blog can comment back to the person making the post.  So it is very quick and easy to get feedback from others to help answer questions or shape thinking.

For teachers, Kidblog can be a great way to get students thinking about something before it is taught, collect thoughts and questions during instruction, or get exit ticket thoughts as students wrap up their studies.  Kidblog also allows for anytime/anywhere access and learning.  Teachers can stay connected with students as they move through postings and make any necessary adjustments to the learning taking place.

Birdville ISD has recently purchased access to Kidblog.  If you currently have a Kidblog account or are new to Kidblog, these instructions will get you going!   Your campus DLS is eager to help at any step of the process  Email them with any questions!

Click the link for more on what Kidlblog can do for you and your students:  Why Kidblog?

What others say/think about blogging:

• Possibilities of Student Blogging
• Blogging is Elementary

Integration Ideas:

Kidblog is a great resource to use in all core content areas...and beyond.  Here are a few ideas:

• Gather student knowledge prior to focused instruction
• Gather formative assessment data throughout the lesson/adjust instruction
• Students comment at the end of instruction to show what they know.
• Blog postings as 'Exit Tickets' 
• Students post writing samples and receive feedback from classmates/teacher
• Blog between classes within the school/district
• Blog about Science experiments to record data/make predictions
• Blog about current events
• Students post blogs explaining steps to solve math problems

Support:

• BISD Kidblog Resource Page
• Getting Started with Kidblog

Research & Information Fluency

Technology Tip of the Week: Kid Friendly Research Sites

Information is expanding exponentially.  Thanks to the internet we have access to much of that information at our fingertips.  Research and Information Literacy skills are vital to today's learners.  These skills include the ability to locate, evaluate, and record information from a variety of media formats.

The BISD Digital Learning Online Resources page is a great starting place for kid friendly research sites.  Here you will find links to encyclopedias, online databases, and image search sites.  Your campus librarian and digital learning specialist would be happy to assist you with any of the sites listed here!

Another great tool for research is a new kid-friendly safe search site by Google called Kiddle.co.  Kiddle provides a safe place for young students to search the internet.  The search results are filtered for safe and easier to read content.  

App of the Week: SimpleMind+

App Store Link:

• Click here to download SimpleMind+  

Description:

• Mind mapping tool that turns your iPad into a brainstorming, idea collection, and thought structuring device. 

Integration Ideas:

• Collect notes for a research topic.
• Describe the character, plot, and setting of a story.
• Brainstorm ideas for writing.
• Document the results of a science experiment.
• Create a mindmap to illustrate the steps for UPS-Check problem solving model.

Support:

Digital Manipulatives

Technology Tip of the Week: Digital Manipulatives

Clarity Innovations (The Math Learning Center) has created a suite of apps and web applications that students could use to demonstrate and explain their knowledge of math concepts.  Teachers could use these apps for small group and whole group modeling. 

iPad and Web Apps of the Week: Math Learning Center Apps

App Store Links:

• Click here to download Geoboard 
• Click here to download Math Vocabulary Cards
• Click here to download Money Pieces
• Click here to download Number Frames
• Click here to download Number Line
• Click here to download Number Pieces
• Click here to download Number Pieces Basic
• Click here to download Number Rack
• Click here to download Pattern Shapes

Web App Links:

• Click here for Geoboard
• Click here for Math Vocabulary Cards
• Click here for Money Pieces- Coming Soon
• Click here for Number Frames
• Click here for Number Line
• Click here for Number Pieces and Number Pieces Basic
• Click here for Number Rack
• Click here for Pattern Shapes

Description:

Geoboard

Geoboard is a tool for exploring a variety of mathematical topics introduced in grades K-8. Learners stretch bands around pegs to form line segments and polygons and make discoveries about perimeter, area, angles, fractions, and more.

Math Vocabulary Cards

Math Vocabulary Cards help students deepen their conceptual understanding of key terms in mathematics. Each card features three sections: a math term, a representative example or model, and a concise definition.

Money Pieces

Money Pieces help students visualize and understand money values and relationships. Two versions of coins and bills are provided: virtual currency pieces that replicate the appearance and relative size of U.S. coins and the dollar bill, and area money pieces.

Number Frames

Number Frames help students structure numbers to five, ten, twenty, and one hundred. Students use the frames to count, represent, compare, and compute with numbers in a particular range.

Number Line

Number Line helps students develop a deeper understanding of place value while building their computation skills with multi-digit numbers. Students use the pieces to represent multi-digit numbers, regroup, add, subtract, multiply, and divide.

Number Pieces Basic

Number Pieces Basic is a simplified version of the Number Pieces app, designed for use with primary students. It has fewer features, putting greater focus on place value, counting, addition, and subtraction.

Number Pieces

Number Pieces helps students develop a deeper understanding of place value while building their computation skills with multi-digit numbers. Students use the number pieces to represent multi-digit numbers, regroup, add, subtract, multiply, and divide. 

Number Rack

Number Rack facilitates the natural development of children’s number sense. Rows of moveable, colored beads encourage learners to think in groups of fives and tens, helping them to explore and discover a variety of addition and subtraction strategies.

Pattern Shapes

Students use Pattern Shapes to explore geometry and fractions, creating their own designs, or filling in outlines. As they work with the shapes students think about angles, investigate symmetry, and compose and decompose larger shapes.

Integration Ideas:

Students could use these apps with a laptop or iPad to explain their knowledge of the math concept. Teachers can use these apps to model and demonstrate the math concept in whole group or small group instruction.  The teacher could use their desktop computer and projector or an iPad.  The web apps would work great on a Smartboard.  A teacher could also project their Project Innovate iPad using Reflector 2.  The directions for installing Reflector 2 are located in our Technology Knowledge Base, Installing Reflector 2.

All app descriptions and images are from The Math Learning Center.  

Seesaw

App of the Week: Seesaw

App Store Link:

• Click here to download Seesaw  

Web Link:

• Click here to visit Seesaw 

Description:

Seesaw empowers students of any age to independently document what they are learning at school. Students capture learning with photos and videos of physical work, or by adding digital creations. Everything is uploaded and kept organized for teachers.  Teachers can invite families to Seesaw so parents get an immediate, personalized window into their child's learning.

Features:

·         Easily Capture Student Learning in Any Form

·         Students can use photos, videos, drawings, text notes, links or PDFs to show what they know and store evidence in their digital portfolio. You can also import directly from over 100 other apps.

·         When students add to Seesaw, content is uploaded, organized by student, and accessible from any device.

·         Teachers can browse work from the entire class or for a single student. Optionally, use folders to organize work by subject area project, or assessment standard.

·         Teachers can flag items in the digital portfolio for follow up or to review at parent-teacher conferences.

Sign In Options that Work for All Ages:

·         Younger learners or classrooms with shared devices can sign in with a QR code.

·         Older students can sign in with their email address or Google account.

Examples:

• Seesaw Demonstration
• Auroa School Example

Integration Ideas:

• Ideas for K-2
• Ideas for 3-5

Support:

• Features of Seesaw
• Teacher Resources