"This is a Great App" Thursday

I am having fun discovering new-to-me ways to use my iPad in the classroom.  I thought I was pretty good learning all about it and using it until my 11-year old daughter got hers for her class.  (She is in a paperless 6th grade class and they use their iPads from the school for everything.)  The things she can do are amazing!  Our teacher-student relationship has made a 360 and she is now the teacher.  The app she uses the most is Notability.  This is an incredible app I am just beginning to learn and realize all of the possible uses.  It has helped her become so organized, I am trying to use it to help me now!  I will hopefully share my knowledge about this app and how it helps me in a future post!  There are so many fantastic apps out there, and I have enjoyed learning about them blog-stalking, I think I will try and pick one to talk about weekly.  (This is just coming to me now as I blog so I don't have it all thought out.)  So today I am starting "This is a Great App" Thursday,  I figure I can pick an app a week to blog about.  It should help me focus a little and hopefully be something you can look forward to.

So for the first app I can't live without.... Splashtop.  This is a remote desktop app.

So how do I use it?  I connect to my laptop that is hooked up to my smartboard/ projector.  I can control everything from the iPad.  So I am not stuck to my laptop or the smartboard.  When I first used it the students were amazed at my magic abilities!  I can walk around the room.  The students can write or work directly with my iPad or the smartboard.  It has changed the way I teach!  I am able walk around the room and not lose the class by stopping the instruction.

OK I can hear people saying, well this sounds great, but I don't have an iPad for class.  (This was me last year and the beginning of this year!)  Great news!  This app is available on all kinds of tablets.  Even the nook or Kindle Fire.  You have to pay for the app (it is like $4.99, a great bargain!) and then the software download for the computer is free.  It works with Mac and PC's.  Give it a try, it will change how you teach and interact with your class.

Let me know what app you can't live without.  Is there an app you would like more information on?  What do you think about "This is a Great App" Thursdays?

Now to continue with my "share more freebies resolution" a 2D Shapes Freebie.

I survived the first day back and a Freebie!

I am excited to have survived the first day back after break.  I even managed to ride my bike stationary bike before school and walk after school!  Woo Hoo!!!  I am proud of me, although very exhausted.

The "All About My Holiday Break" writing is going great.  The kids were so excited to share.  We worked together in pairs sharing verbally what we did, our favorite gifts and who we spent time with.  After sharing with our partner and having it fresh in our minds, we went back and filled in our graphic organizers.  I helped fix spelling on the graphic organizer, so hopefully we won't have as many errors in our writing. If you didn't get the Freebie earlier in the week, grab it here.  Download the preview.  

I also have a few more things to go with it in the zip file.  (I fixed a few minor layout problems I noticed when I printed it out.  So if you got the pack earlier, grab the update. )  My students worked on their Keynote presentations in technology using the templates.  A few students finished theirs and got to share it with the class today.  The remaining students are not excited to finish theirs so they can present to the class.  They even got to use my iPad with the board to present.  (Look for more details on how to link your iPad and board coming soon!)

Several people were asking about my monthly beginning book reports.  I was hoping to finish January, February and March to bundle but January got here before I finished all three!  I did finish my January Beginning Book Report.  Student will make a snowman story map (a Snowmap!) using paper plates.  I can not wait to see these and hang them from my ceiling.

My snowman theme continues...  Here is a cute Snowman Subtraction worksheet for you.  Enjoy!

Hope you either had a great day back or are enjoying the last of your break!

Good-bye Christmas Break :o(

I am blogging during the last few hours of Christmas Break.  Ready or not my firsties will be there tomorrow.  I did not go into school once over Christmas break, I think I may be hating life tomorrow.  So fingers crossed it won't be too bad.  I am planning to go in extra early tomorrow.

We will be reading one of my favorite books this week, "Snowmen at Night"

If you haven't read this book, it is a must read.  A fun bonus is all of the pictures hidden in the illustrations.  Look closely at each page to see what you can find.

I like using this story as a springboard for writing our own narrative.  Here is the graphic organizer and writing paper we will be using.  You can download it here FREE!

Happy New Year and keeping my fingers crossed for a good day tomorrow!

Manic Monday and a great FREE site!

Happy New Year's Eve!  I am busy working on my professional New Year's goal of working more efficiently and still effectively!  (Ok I really need to be out walking and working on personal fitness goal too, that is coming!)  I came across this great site I love and it is FREE!  (This helps with my financial goal!)  It is called ScootPad.  Check out this video.

I can not wait to get this started with my kids.  There is also an iPad app and Kindle app (I wish there was an iPhone app, maybe it is coming?)

On this Manic Monday! I am busy working an planning.  I go back January 2nd if you can believe it!  I only have a 3 day week, but I really could use a little more Christmas Break!  Here is a "Snowman Says..." writing activity I will be using. You can download yours here FREE!

When I go back to school I have to FAIR test my kiddos.  The FAIR test is a reading test I have to give the kids on a one-on-one basis.  It takes 5-10 minutes for each child (sometimes up to 30 minutes).  The question is what to do with the other kids while I am testing!  What do you do while you are giving one-on-one assessments with your kids?

My Holiday Break FREEBIE

Hi everyone!  It has been a while since I have been blogging.  I have had a great and fun filled Christmas break and it is quickly coming to an end!  We go back to school January 2nd if you can believe it (I am having a hard time accepting it).  I am getting ready to welcome all of my little firsties back.  I know they will be so excited to tell me all about their break; I plan to turn their excitement into a fabulous writing piece.  I made a 3~2~1 graphic organizer to do with the students and then coordinating writing paper.  Click here to grab yours free (download the preview).

Then I just kept going...  I added am "All About My Holiday Break" booklet for the students to complete.  Then got to thinking about about having the students make mini-presentations.  I created a Keynote and PowerPoint template for the students to complete using their graphic organizer.  I also included a foldable thank you card for the students to make.  If you would like these goodies you can download them all for only a $1! 

I hope to will be a much more frequent blogger and creator this year!  I learn so much from all of the fabulous bogs out there.

My Christmas Break is passing by so quickly!  When do you have to go back??

Happy Holidays and a Gingerbread Freebie!

WOW have I been busy, as I am sure you have too.  My oldest daughter and I just returned from Disney World with her Pop Warner cheer team national competition.  They were took home 5th place in the nation!  (They also took away two of my important holiday prep weekends with regionals and nationals.)  This is why I have been absent in blog land for a little while.  Now I am playing catch up! As I am writing this post I am sad to say my house doesn't have one decoration up, and for me that is surprising. 

Here is a cute Gingerbread Fact Family freebie!  Download it here.

I am excited that my class is finally getting this, I think!  It amazes me how every class is so different.  Last year my class had fact families down very early in the year, this class not so much.  I guess it is just my year.

We are getting ready for some pretty cool things at school this week!  Each of our 9 first grade classrooms has adopted a country for the holiday.  We have decorated our hall with information on how this country celebrates the holiday, the flag of the country and a map to show the location.  Next weeks we will tour the hallway with our classes as we learn all about holidays around the world.  I will be taking pictures and sharing with you all.

Hope you are further ahead with everything than me!

My Thanksgiving Break

I hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving Break.  I had a very fun and packed break but not extremely productive.  I was hoping to get more work done, but family and fun won out.  I got to see my extended family including my 3 month old nephew,  I did a little shopping and went to watch my daughter in her regional cheer competition.  (They won and are heading to Nationals in 10 days!)

Here is a quick freebie I am using for tomorrows "What did you do on your Thanksgiving Break?" writing.  I am hoping by doing the graphic organizer first, it will help the students come up with  more than "nothing".  Click here to download it.

Also, if you haven't heard there is a Cyber Monday plus Tuesday sale starting soon at Teachers Pay Teachers.  My store and many others will be 28% off.  Don't forget to enter the Promo Code.