Reading Workshop and iPods-Can they work together?

Favorite reading spot in the summer on my dock.

When I heard I was getting a class set of iPods, one of my biggest concerns was how to use them in Language Arts.  I was able to visualize using them in Social Studies, Science and Math however reading and writing had me stumped.  I went back to my 6-box grid and knew that I started the year in reading with a focus on Our Lives as Readers.  Wednesday''s blog will be about word study and writing.


In reading, I wanted to stay true to my reader’s workshop and begin to use iPods within that setting.  Our fifth grade teams have the students bring in a photo of their favorite place to read at home the first week of school, so that will be the conversation starter.  I thought the first way I could use the iPods was to create a survey using Google docs and ask some questions about their reading lives. The students could take the survey on their iPod and it would gather the data for our class and we could look for patterns to learn about our class as readers.  My long time goal is to repeat the survey at the trimester break as well at the end of the year to see how the students have changed as readers.  Check back in June ☺

Moving from paper to iPods.

I have decided to start the year using Notes which comes loaded on the iPod.  It reminds me of a yellow legal pad, and  I chose this because I think it will a fun way for the students to keep an electronic reading log.  Plus my students will begin the year learning how to use the iPod keyboard and practice their typing.  I am sure they will do better than me because it took me most of the summer to learn how to use the small keyboard. Experience would tell me that 11 year olds typically learn technology quicker than most adults.  One of my roles with implementing  iPods into our classroom this year is to expose the students to the tools that come loaded on them and then allow them the time to explore.