Our second “Apps in a Flash” 15 minute session featured the Draw & Tell app. I had used this about a month ago with first graders explaining fact families so a few of the teachers were familiar with it.

This is a simplified screen casting app for younger children. The user is able to draw a picture or upload from the photo roll. What I like is the easy recording aspect and the fact that students can manipulate stickers and “highlight” parts of the image with a laser-like pointer. The recording can be saved to the photo roll and from their emailed to parents, uploaded to the student blog, etc.

After a quick overview of the app, I used one of Kristen Wideen‘s Ready to Go iPad Centers – “Making One Dollar 4 Different Ways.” Each teacher received a copy of Mrs. Wideen’s dollar organizer and a bag of play money. By going through the process, the teachers were able to experiment with the app while doing an activity that their students could do.

As we wrapped up, I again asked for an “exit” ticket listing ideas on how to use the app with their students.

Brainstorming!

Ideas from Our Teachers:

• Use for making arrays.
• Use for fractions when explaining a fraction of a group.
• Fact families
• Money
• Give kids a paper with sentences (no punctuation) and ask them to punctuate. Take a picture and explain the punctuation that was added. Or use for capitalization.
• Pretend you are a teacher and teach someone else how to add, subtract, show place value.
• For art: Draw the elements of design and describe (i.e. Create repetition with stamps or variety with stamps.); Create variety of lines.
• While studying addition and subtraction, the kids could create an addition/subtraction story using stamps and the pencil tool. Then they can tell us about the story they have written.
• In math, take pictures of a concept learned and explain.
• Stamps would be good for showing multiplication and division.
• In Language Arts, design then explain a story.
• In Kindergarten – Make addition/subtraction sentences using the stamps. Use with our money unit. For penmanship, trace letters (take a picture of a worksheet).
• Spanish: Illustrate spoken sentences. Have kids draw picture then explain what is happening while touching corresponding sections of picture.
• Spanish: Identifying Vocabulary – make vocab sheet, take picture then have child record and highlight words.

Thanks to Amy, Melissa, Kay, Kate, Harriett, Leslie, Gail, and Jane for sharing their thoughts!

Draw & Tell Handout