iPad Project with Montlieu

My High Point University technology class has been paired with Montlieu Academy of Technology to work together on an iPad project. Each High Point student is paired with one Montlieu student, and then small groups were created to make a larger project.

We are working with the iPad application MyCreate which allows students to bring their stories and ideas to animation through stop motion video. A series of still photos are taken, moving the object of the story slightly each time, and combined to create a motion video.

The group I am working with has designed the mini unit iCreate The Three Little Pigs. Our group has three students and each student is going to be their own pig, in a cohesive MyCreate story. Our lessons include reading various versions of the Three Little Pigs, exploring with the Lego Story Starter kits, writing individual and group stories, and building and video taping their finished product with Legos and MyCreate.

Week one:
I met the student I will be working with for this project, he is a second grade male, eager and excited to learn, listen very well, follows directions, and works well with others. As a group we read the original version of The Three Little Pigs by Nancy Parent and my student was listening and engaged witht story, and answered questions about the plot when I asked. We explained the overall goal and timeline of the project. The students built with the Lego Story Starter Kits to get to know the pieces in the kits. My student was creative with his design, he built a property that was like a castle.

Week Two:
We read the story The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz and the students really enjoyed it. This story included houses built out of bricks,
concrete, metal and barb wire and the boys enjoyed seeing those. After reading we worked with the iPads and practiced using the MyCreate app. My student worked very well with the iPad, being careful and considerate. I showed him an example and then he practiced taking videos of students and people walking down the hallways. He enjoyed replaying the videos and watching people walk. He did very well for a second grader, some fine tuning of holding the iPad still and only moving slightly is what I think would need to be worked on before the final project.

Week Three:
This week we read The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pigs by Eugene Trivizas and talked about how stories can be told in different ways, three pigs or three wolves, and that point of view can change how characters are thought of. The students were really shy with answering the questions me and my fellow classmates were asking them. We talked about the two previous stories we read, and what all the houses were made out of in every book. Then the students drew what they would want their pig house to look like when we make it out of Legos and add it to our story. My student created a couple of different houses, including metal, brick, and a "regular" one. He decided he liked the one made of brick the best. As my student was drawing his houses, I asked about the elements of his drawing and he had a reason for each of them.


Week Four:
This week the students took the drawings that they created last week and built them out of Legos. My student built a brick house and added details that he thought of on his own. He added guards, tree, traveling guards around the whole property, barb wire and more. By adding these protective elements it showed me that my student understood the assignment of creating a house that would protect his pig inside from the wolf.

Week Five:
The students drew the houses they were going to create, paying attention to the details and that it could be realistically created with Legos. As a group we talked about the story that we were going to create. One of my partners Caroline Stalvey typed up the story that we talked about as a group. We asked the students what they wanted to happen to their wolves, if the pig would blow down their house or not.

Week Six:
My student was absent this week. I wasn't aware that he was going to be absent. I was nervous that because he was absent he wouldn't be aware of the field trip on Friday. The other two students built their houses out of Legos.

Final day at HPU:
The students came to High Point and we created the final project with the MyCreate app. The students built their houses and we set up the scene. The college students did most of the work with the iPad and app because the students didn't have enough practice to get it to be "perfect", but the students helped moved the pieces and say the parts of their wolves. I think this day went really well and the students enjoyed coming to High Point for a special treat and watching the video of their story.

If I did this project again I would have had the students practice the MyCreate app more so on the final day they could participate more with creating the story. I also would try to see them twice a week to get more lesson plans in and to get them more comfortable with us and the MyCreate app. My group worked really well together and I wouldn't want to change much, only working with them more!

If I was the administration from High Point or Montlieu doing their project again I would have groups be the same grade level. Although our three students worked very well together the ability levels vary greatly. Having grades 3-5 for this project might work better when using the actual myCreate app because older students could make the video more easily than the younger students.

Splash Math 2 -iPad App

The iPad Application Splash Math 2 is a mathematical application geared towards second graders and the content intended to be mastered in the second grade. This is a free application through the iTunes application store and I would highly suggest downloading it. You can also buy the full version which will give you access to more sections of mathematical topics in the game. The game has high quality colors and engaging graphics to entertain children. The theme of Splash Math is indeed the ocean and the character icon is a frog that pops the bubbles of the right answer.




The home screen has a couple of different options for you to choose from. The first and main option is PLAY, this will give the child different questions that are related to addition and subtraction, place value, counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s, greater than or less than numbers, base ten blocks, and more. The PLAY feature allows a variety of different topics to be practiced as one review. At the bottom on the screen there is a cool feature called the scratchboard. It's a small grey tab that can be pulled up and and your finger acts as a a pen and can be used for scratch work. Rounds of PLAY go by 10 questions, but the amount of rounds play can be of your choice.





Here are two examples of questions asked during the PLAY game. The one to the left involves place value, identifying the value of a certain digit in a certain place value spot. The one to the right involves base ten blocks, and identifying the correct number represented by the blocks.






There is also a part of the main screen, called math facts, that can be used to practice addition and subtraction problems to become more fluent in basic mathematical facts. The range of numbers used in the addition and subtraction problems can be changed, as well as the amount of questions asked. A question must be answered before moving to the next one. The scratch pad feature is also available in this section. This section allow students to practice their basic math facts in which more mathematical facts are built upon. Mastering these quick calculations is beneficial to the speed of mathematical calculations in real life.

The practice section allows students to practice second grade math concepts through answering questions. Completion of each topic in percentage form is shown for a parent, adult, or teacher to see progress. Students can move from topic to topic and within subtropics. The lite (free) version does not give access to every topic, therefore a taste of what the full version is like is given for students to test out. These problems are again a different type of review for students to master second grade concepts.







This application is best used for individual students to work on. It would be useful for an extension part of a lesson, after a topic has been used and practiced students can take an iPad and practice what they have learned in a fun educational game. I would also use this application for students who need differentiation of a lesson, specially Exceptionally Challenged learners who might need more practice with mathematical concepts. I would use this for EC students because I think the review concept of the game is not geared towards Advanced Learners who need higher level mathematical problems. The game also features sound if necessary which could be useful when having English Language Learners needing to hear a problem read allowed. This game is not intended to teach students the concepts and rules of mathematical concepts, instead it works as a fun and education review game to practice the skills they have already learned.

Resources:

Splash Math Icon Picture Retrieved April 22nd 2013 from: http://nymetroparents.com/article/Which-Apps-Will-Help-My-Child-With-Critical-Thinking-and-Memory

All other pictures screen-shoted from Katie McCabe's iPad.

Integrating Technology into Science

There are many ways to incorporate technology into the science lessons of your classroom. The more overlap between subjects the more students will connect topics. Technology is advancing every day making our society more competitive, and teachers needs to grab ahold of these advancements and bring technology into the classroom every day.

Here are some of the best practices that I've found for incorporating technology.

LEGO has come up with LEGO WeDo activities that allow lower elemetnary grade students to build animals and program them with computers. Also LEGO has created LEGO Mindstorm kits which would be be used in upper elementary and middle schools, that allow students to create robots that can be programmed to do certain functions. When creating these animals and robots out of LEGOs students are developing experimental apparatuses that allow them to explore and question the factors that make them move. (K. Williams, I. Egel, R. Poveda, V. Kapila, M. Iskander. Pg. 4) Students are engaged with building LEGO models and connecting them to computers to make them mechanical. By using computer programs they can collect data and analyze why something is happening. The models that students can build can represent every-day problems and demonstrate how things work.
Things to remember about working with LEGOs is that the ratio of kits and devices to students should be as low as possible to facilite that most interaction and hands-on engagement. Students also need to be taught how to use the equipment properly. (K. Williams, I. Egel, R. Poveda, V. Kapila, M. Iskander. Pg. 21)





Go!Temp probe ware allows students to take and record temperature data. Students use the thermometer-like rod to capture the temperature of what they are experimenting with. One activity allows students to explore heat and what traps heat into the body. Students would measure the temperature of their open-palm, then their hand in a mitten and see if the heat is greater in the mitten and why. Students can also measure the temperature of water and what makes water colder or hotter. Probes are tools that students can use to test their hypothesis of temperature and it's factors.

Through building and testing models students are participating in engineering objectives. Students should be allowed to explore  design, and build LEGO activities and machines that interest them. They can then use their robotic animals and machines to test it's functions and abilities. Elementary aged students should be focusing on materials and tools used to design and build machines and then testing them to understand their purpose. (S. Brophy, S. klein, M. Portsmore, C. Rogers pg. 370) Experiments involving LEGOs and probes allow studentsto plan, make, and evaluate their device while being reflective and adaptive of their curiosity.(S. Brophy, S. klein, M. Portsmore, C. Rogers pg. 375)



There are many ways to incorporate technology in science lessons. These are only a few. When using these tools students are engaged. Teachers should use technology to enhance instruction and exploration  Students are collaborating about their ideas and questions and becoming "content creators" when using these technology tools. (G. Bull, R. Bell. Pg. 1-4) When using these tools students are participating in inquiry-based learning and becoming active learners and problem solvers. Students are engaged and use their imagination to explore how things work in our world.




References
G. Bull, R. Bell. Educational Technology in the Science Classroom. Technology in the Secondary Science Classroom. (Chapter 1)
K. Williams, I. Egel, R. Poveda, V. Kapila, M. Iskander. (2012) Enriching K-12 Science and Mathematics Education Using LEGOs. Advances in Engineering Education. 1-27
S. Brophy, S. klein, M. Portsmore, C. Rogers. (2008). Advancing Engineering Education in P-12 Classrooms. Journal of Engineering Education, 97(3), 369-387.
Picture of LEGO WeDo models and computer. Retrieved March 13, 2013, from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/curiouslee/2635731642/

Technology in a Mathematics Lesson?

For most people technology and math are two separate areas that have nothing in common. One's the future that's always changing and one's the past with specific algorithms and equations. However as an educator, fusing the two together has great advantages for students to learn and comprehend mathematics. Students are more versed in technology and it can aid in their understanding and engagement with math.

There are many different pieces of technology that teachers can use to present information, give examples, and practice mathematics. Most young to mid adults probably remember using overhead projectors and document readers. The present technology in classrooms is interactive white boards and iPads. And the future pieces of technology going to be used in classrooms is still to be developed. Technology is changing fast and teachers need to embrace this, learn the new ways, and teach using these pieces of technology because it's what the tech-savvy younger generations are already using in their free time and at home.

Interactive white boards are probably the most common piece of technology used for mathematical instruction. Students can see what is being taught with examples and visuals, rather than trying to imagine the concept in their head. Having students come to the board and complete problems and activities allows for the whole class to see how someone at their level is solving a problem. If students have multiple ways of solving a problem then allow for space to show these. This brings a piece of collaboration and entire classroom involvement to the lesson. This also brings a factor of enjoyment and motivation, students can come to the front of the classroom and show their work. Engaging the entire classroom; either having everyone write the answer to a specific problem and how they solved it on the board and comparing it, or having a race between teams to see who can solve and write their answer on the board first. Allowing for students to move around the room will gain their attention and excitement for math.

Visual representations and imagery improve knowledge retention. Using images of angles and shapes and allowing students to interact with these visuals will help them connect the concept to a image and vice versa. For example having an activity where an item like a box of cereal and money is displayed, and having students create the correct amount of money to buy the cereal with coins and dollar bills. Or for higher grades, having images of pizzas with specific amounts of slices missing and figuring out what the fraction is, of either pizza gone or still there. 

Animation and videos allow for engagement as well. These can be used to explain a lesson, concept, or problem; giving the teacher a break from lecturing and giving the students another way to listen to information. Here is a quick voki avatar I made. It's Abraham Lincoln and he is asking the class to figure out how many years he lived. By having an avatar ask a question that students have to listen to and figure out what operation to use, adds variety to the classroom and another way of presenting a problem. 

In previous blog posts I talked about using iPads in the classroom. For mathematics lessons, each student could have an iPad and it would work like a white board but more fun! One way would be to write a problem on the board and have each student solve the problem on their iPad. Have each student hold up their iPad and see the answers, and if necessary share with the entire class different ways of solving the problem. 

Computer games using math skills are great for free time or if a student is finished early. Quick and short math games allow for students to practice their basic math facts and retrieval of math facts quickly. This website of Interactive Math Sites is a "livebinder" with lots of tabs to different sites with interactive math games. While browsing I found some that would be great for individual practice, and some that could be used for a whole class activity. 

In a study done in the UK in 2003, children said it was easier for them to remember things when using an interactive white board. Research has been done and is constantly continuing to be done to see if technology and the use of it in the classroom is beneficial to the students and their ability to grow as learners. Technology aids in children's learning because it engages them and motivates them to interact with the content and lesson being taught. Opportunities that involve visualisation and physical interaction will further the connections between concepts and real-world application.

 
References
Goldenberg E. P. (2000). Thinking (and talking) about technology in the math classroom. The K-12 Mathematics Curriculum Center, Issues in Mathematics Education. Retrieved from http://www2.edc.org/mcc/pdf/iss_tech.pdf
Prabhu, M. T. (2010). Technology adds to students' math comprehension. My eSchool News. Retrieved from
http://www.eschoolnews.com/2010/03/17/technology-adds-to-students-math-comprehension/?
Two kids at interactive white board picture. Retrieved From http://www.hmheducation.com/singaporemath/interactive
whiteboard-lessons.php
Girl at interactive white board picture. Retrieved From http://www.borenson.com/AboutHandsOnEquations/HandsOnEquationsfortheInteractiveWhiteboard/tabid/1383/Default.aspx