Guided Reading Independent Activity with IPads

Just thought I’d share something that worked well today during guided reading this week.

I had been thinking about how I could make more of the Ipads during Literacy and Guided Reading, but I did not really want to spend anymore cash on elaborate ebooks or do something for the sake of it.

I came up with an authentic context using the World Book Day App and a google form. The app contains extracts from books and some specially written full texts too. The authors featured have already proved popular with some of my class and certainly texts like Charlie Higson’s Zombie series look  very appealing to my year six boys!

The task could have been look at the books in the app that i have downloaded for you and keep out of my hair while i read with my focus group, but to give it authenticity and focus I included the survey and recommendation aspects too.

Once children had skimmed through or even lost themselves in one  the ebooks, they could then take the opportunity to fill out the details on a google form. As they entered their details into the form they  their preferences appeared live on the whiteboard at front of the class in spreadsheet form, I made the form and the accompanying data accessible to other members of staff too!

In this way I could keep an eye on who had completed the task and who needed to add more to their entry. What’s more – and this is where the authenticity comes in – the Literacy coordinator now had an idea as to what texts to order for upper key stage 2, or at least my class.

An example of one of the responses :

After reading through some Anthony Horowitz, one boy submitted this via the google form:

We should have this book in our school because it is an action packed adventure book that I’m sure all of the boys would love! I would recommend this book from age 9 to 14. There are a series of these books which are all particularly exciting , we could make a decision on either getting this book or getting a different one from the series.

A note about google forms

These are very easy to create, but the url they generate is very long. I would suggest using a service like bit.ly to shorten the web address. You could also use add to home screen on the Ipad, which will create an icon on your ipad pointing to the google form.

Doing it this way also makes the children believe it is another app. There is a helpful video on creating a google form here.

IPADS not laptops – Some reflections

I have been working with my Year 6 children now for about four weeks. They have access to an ICT suite with networked PCS, but for cross curricular work we use IPADS. That is when we can get hold of them.

I just wanted to throw down a few thoughts and observations of my early experiences with these devices.

Create a Car – App Review

Another very popular app in our house at the moment is “Create a Car ” from Abcya.com. It is billed as a creativity app for children aged 3-9 and I would agree with this description. Reflecting on the boys using this app, it  struck me that it is unusual  for Leo to be making and creating on the Pad rather than gaming or gaming to learn.I’d like to see him and his brother use more apps like this one.

What does it do?

The app comes with a range of car, truck and van bodies which users can then add to in order to make their own vehicle. These drag and drop elements include everything from simple wheels to nuclear jet packs. The propellers and engine thrusters are very popular with both boys. These customised autos can later be saved in a user’s garage.

Both Charlie and Leo have enjoyed making their vehicles, most notably adding an abundance of add ons to their police, fire and “blue” cars. Aside from the creative experience, they have also helped each other to  type in their name and  the rather random names they come with for their vehicles.

i have noted there is a built-in tool to allow  user to write a description of their vehicle without leaving the app. using prompts and a word bank based on the parts you have used.this does provide a strong and authentic stimulus for writing and would work well in upper Key Stage 1 and into Year 3.

Once the cars are built they can be shown off in the garage and both my boys enjoyed turning the ignition key and watching all the add ons animate. Exciting though that is, I would have liked to have seen the wheels move beyond a spin and then have the vehicles drive away. My other feature request would be the ability to customise the cars further. Drag and drop is great, but what about the ability to pick a colour for the cars/vans? Or how about being able to photo import a driver image or a texture for paint work?

This is a creative app which also includes opportunities for writing, and as my own boys found it so engaging, then I would include it within my category of recommendations for Key Stage 1 apps.

By the way  If you don’t have access to Ipads in school, then you can still play the game using the web based version, click here for this site.

We are Fundraisers and Entrepreneurs

Today I have been busy planning lessons and gathering resources and ideas for Year 6 in their final summer term.  In our school we have recently bought the “Switched on ICT” scheme of work for ICT, and so part of this afternoon was spent getting to grips with the stuff you see in the box below. I am not a great scheme of work person when it comes to ICT, I prefer to write my own plans, but I am also open to other methods, very busy! and I had heard some good things about Switched On.

The Reading Area

I have been thinking a lot about reading and reading areas of late, particularly as I update and personalise my new classroom.

How do I set up conditions so that reading takes place?

How do I foster a love of reading amongst my pupils?

And then, this morning my boys stopped me in my track for a bit – they both curled up on the sofa for about 30 – 40 minutes reading and pre reading to themselves and to each other and loving it too.

Why did this happen?

• The house was quiet and calm
• They had a comfy area to curl up in
• All other screens and attractions were currently not available
• They had a ready supply of up to date books, comics and magazine – ok so mostly Doctor Who related , but they are interested in the stuff so why not?
• They had seen me read some of these materials and we had shared some of these texts together too.

Charlie and Leo reading and sharing in their ‘reading area’ is not that unusual but it happens more often when the conditions are right.

Just a thought.

Ayah Bdeir: Building blocks that blink, beep and teach

Ayah Bdeir: Building blocks that blink, beep and teach | Video on TED.com.

 

Just watched this and concluded that I would very much like to give sets of these blocks to my year six class along with some card, glue, scissors and other materials. I love the way these Lego hybrids offer lots of design and simple accessible programmable opportunities for their users.