Soft Technology

Click the image to view larger. Posting a little early as I'll be traveling home from Code.org Facilitator training on Sunday and wasn't sure if I'd get this posted! Enjoy!

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Students in Mrs. Heringer's 2nd grade did a fantastic job publishing their opinion writing pieces using PicEdu, Apple Clips & Seesaw. The results are creative, engaging videos that tell their opinions and give voice to their stories. Keep reading to see how they did it! Mrs. Heringer's students worked on their opinion writing pieces and drafted their writing on paper. Students used a graphic organizer to organize their thoughts, using the Step Up to Writing method, then wrote finished drafts onto lined paper. Because students' writing was organized into four groups (first, next, then, last), we had them use the app PicEdu to create four illustrations for their stories. We allowed them to use web search, drawing, stickers or the camera to create their illustrations - our main focus was that students created illustrations that made sense with the words they wrote. Once illustrations were done, we showed students how to use the app Apple Clips to finish their projects. If...

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Allowing our youngest learners access to technology is so important in today's classrooms. These students are digital natives, and many are using tablets and other devices each day in their homes. Teaching them how to use these devices as tools to create, make and do (rather than just play and watch) can be important part of their day. I loved providing my kindergartners with access to iPads as a way to document their learning, take pictures of their creations, and share their voices as they told me stories or read books aloud. Publishing this work to an authentic audience and sharing with parents was a beloved and essential part of our routine in kindergarten. Teachers often ask me what some of my favorite apps to use with young learners (K-2) are. Here is a list of my Top 5 Favorites. You can see a more extensive list in this P articipate Learning Collection . Seesaw This digital learning journal has embedded tools and allows students to publish both digital and physical work to...

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Click the image to download a PDF.

Click the image to download a PDF.

Click the image to download a PDF.

Click the image to download a PDF.

Let your students create these clever bunny collages as a way to publish a writing project, and become familiar with tools in PicCollage EDU . To create this, have students use the web search tool to search for grass, bunnies, chocolates, etc. They can double tap the grass picture to set as the background of their collage. Remind them to add "png" to the end of the image search to find images with transparent backgrounds. They can use the FREE Easter-themed stickers in PicCollage EDU, the doodle tool, and the text tool to add additional details and words to their collages. When finished, have students save to Seesaw to share!

Use this adorable FREE directed drawing activity from First and Kinder Blue Skies and let students draw digitally using an app like Doodle Buddy or PicCollage EDU. Then, they can add to Seesaw and use the text tools to write a poem, tell a story or add a reflection. Super cute and simple St. Patrick's Day idea! CLICK HERE for a bunny directed drawing that you can use for Easter!

Click the image to download a PDF.

Click the image to download a PDF.

Click the image to download a PDF.