Today’s Apps in a Flash workshop focused on the Book Creator app. Book Creator is available for iOS (free and paid versions) and, as of a few days ago, for Android ($2.00 at the moment)!
Because our Apps in a Flash workshops are only 15 to 20 minutes long, I created a “Book Creator: Tips and Examples” book for our teachers. Just click on the above link, download, and open in iBooks.
We had a small group for our workshop but still brainstormed several ideas for using the app. Instead of using an index card for the exit ticket, we worked on a Padlet wall. Feel free to add your ideas to the list!
Another “Apps in a Flash” workshop took place yesterday afternoon.
We didn’t have as many participants but that’s okay. It’s a hectic time of year!
Our topic this week was the Tellagami app (free from the App Store and Google Play). Tellagami lets the user create a short (30 second) animated video called a “Gami.” An avatar is created that “moves” with the narration. There are some free backgrounds plus the option to buy others. What I prefer doing is to upload images from the camera roll.
You are able to save the finished “Gami” to the camera roll where you can use it in other apps (such as iMovie). Or the “Gami” can be emailed – that gives a link to where it is stored on the Tellagami site. From there, you are able to get an embed code for blogs.
Here is a PDF tip sheet for the app: Tellagami
There are all kinds of educational activities that can be done with Tellagami.
- Draw a self-portrait and record a bio-poem. Embed in a blog or combine all to form a class video.
- Add your own Tellagami to your blog as an introduction to your class.
- Students can use it to introduce themselves at the beginning of the year.
- Add images of landforms and describe.
- Our kindergarteners make a display of a planet during their solar system unit. They could take a photo of their project then tell what they have learned. Combine into a class video.
- Use for foreign language practice – take picture of vocabulary learned and tell about it in another language.
These are just a few ideas. What have you done with Tellagami? We would LOVE additional thoughts!
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
Knowing how busy our teachers are but wanting to provide professional development, I started “Apps in a Flash” as a quick way to introduce an app to the Lower School faculty. The promise was a 15 to 20 minute look at an app and how it could enhance learning.
I tried my artistic (or rather inartistic) ability using the Paper app to create a logo to hopefully generate interest.
Our first session featured Tell About This and Write About This. I had no idea how many teachers would come to the workshop so I was thrilled when 9 showed up! It was fast talking to fit everything into 15 minutes as promised! Before leaving, the teachers were asked to fill out an “exit ticket” to provide ideas on how they might use the apps with their students.
Here are their fantastic thoughts!
Tell About This:
- You could load a picture of money and ask the kids to tell you how much is there and how they counted it.
- With our Lucy Calkins program – Brainstorm for writing assignments such as beginning, middle, end; “small moments”
- Have pictures of objects and list adjectives.
- Seasons (pics of trees) – explain weather in picture
- Use to explain science, math, social studies concepts, etc
- Create an illustration based on a story you just heard – take a picture and tell about it.
- Children build something with geometric figures and describe shapes used.
- Positive Actions – Pictures of Pix It & Nix It and explain a specific scenario.
Write About This:
- Use this as a journal. After teaching a certain convention (i.e. commas) tell the children you will be checking their writing for correct usage of commas.
- A child could first record their idea. Then, have the child transcribe their story.
- Use vocabulary to have students create a sentence and then discuss the meaning.
- Use this app to demonstrate ability to write and use it along with other things for use in student portfolios and student-led conferences.
- Take a photo of favorite artwork done so far and write about it.
- Take a picture of an element of design (example: value) and discuss it.
- Science: Science research/drawings; lab reports; scientist of the week
- Social Studies: Take photos of campus and write about locations.
- Record special events (such as Seuss week) and write a “news” story each day.
- Write and explain regrouping (i.e. 32-17)
- Flat Stanley – Write and share pictures of where he’s been and what he did.
- Literature: Upcoming unit on Boxcar Children, retell the story using the map.
A huge thanks to Allison, Jane, Leslie, Carol, Amy, Diane K, Gail, Kim, and Diane M for sharing their thoughts about the apps!
Handouts:
Tell About This
Write About This
Today’s Apps in a Flash workshop focused on the Book Creator app. Book Creator is available for iOS (free and paid versions) and, as of a few days ago, for Android ($2.00 at the moment)!
