iPad Celebrations

We have been using technology all year in our classroom because we have a class set of iPods. When I received my grant from NCFL and purchased an iPad , I was comfortable with using it in small group situations.  We used it in guided reading to look at different non fiction articles. Our #1 favorite site is Wonderopolis. We also used articles from Scholastic News which was wonderful because we have a class "paper" subscription, but we could access the articles which the students listened to on headphones. In addition, students viewed links including watching videos which helped students clarify the article. Also, we use National Geographic for Kids for articles, links and videos typically to enrich students learning.  

Last month, I began to use the iPad on my Smart board which was amazing. Why I didn't use it this way sooner I don't' know?  I was able to use the iPad to teach my students about a new app that I had purchased while they used their iPods at their desk.  I purchased A Life Cycle App for the iPad.  We needed to review 3rd/4th grade indicators and it included most of the state indicators.  I used the iPad as the introduction and then the students composed their ideas on their iPad answering questions in addition to extended responses.  


Next after reading Franki's blog post about the Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore I download it to the iPad.  We needed a break from testing preparation, so I decided to show the class this story.  WOW! I never imagined the comments that I would receive. Here are several from our class.

Kevin:  to see illustrations go from black and white helped me understand the story better
Olivia:  Morris took care of the books first then the books took care of him. She made the life connection to the phrase:  treat others the way you want to be treated
Haley:  the background music supports the mood of the text and the story teller changes his voice to show expression (great mini lesson in fluency)
Betty: helped me to understand fantasy better-many textual supports
Harshitha:  always carry a diary with you and write about your feelings
Mukund:  Great vocabulary: engulfed, scattered, humungous
Eric:  I liked the line, "You always carry books in your heart."
Wyatt:  graphics helped me to understand the story better
Matthew: I felt like I was inside the book-that's cool!
Leah:  I just LOVED the whole thing!


Proof is in the iPad integration of technology and an amazing story.