My November Apps

A new month means a new folder with some new apps and the return of some old favorites.

My system seems to be going well.  I have had only 2 students venture into the "off limit folders" and because I know my apps well, I quickly heard they were where they were not supposed to be and redirected their learning.  Everyone else is just very excited to use the apps in our monthly folders.

What's new this month?

Mathletics (what I've said about it previously)
 
If you have not yet got this free app - get it!  All the kids in our school have user names and passwords to access it.  It is excellent practice that meets our Manitoba Curriculum.

Spelling City - a class favorite from September.

  
Another freebie that has word list personalized by ME!  Search my name "Christine Williams" to find the word lists.

Monster Squeeze


This app is $1.99.  I was lucky and got it for free.  The kids love it, but I don't think I would pay that price for it.  Watch for a sale instead.

Mo Willem's Pigeon App


For 4.99 we will have hours of fun with this app.  We will draw the pigeon, create our own stories and listen to each others stories.  It is kid friendly, easy to use.  Kids ALWAYS love it!

Doodle Buddy



It's free and it's FUN!  We have almost all had a turn using Doodle Buddy with our idress app project.  We have also learned how we can use Doodle Buddy to practice our spelling words.  I think this month we will be creating our own art work with Doodle Buddy.

This is my last month with the pod.  Not sure how I will live without it come December.

Classroom Organization

How do you share a pod of ipads with another classroom, but always have the apps where you can find them and easy for primary kiddos to locate independently?

This is what we came up with and so far............ it's working for me!!!!!!!

I introduced 7 apps to my class in the first few days of school.  We previewed each one on the lcd and I showed them that they could all be found in the folder called September on the ipad.  These are the ONLY apps my kids are allowed to use during center time. The teacher I am sharing the pod with agreed that those are my apps for the month.

We also set the rule that if you are found in the other folders on the ipad during center time, you will lose the ipad privilege.

I have successfully used the ipads all week in my classroom with and without parent volunteer supervision and so far, so good!

This is how my home screen looks on my ipad.  Notice the September file at the bottom.  I also have Pictello down there (we are using it for a class project right now).

When you open my September folder, these are the apps you will find.  All students in my class also have a profile on either Teach Me Grade One or Teach Me Kindergarten.  They use that app during guided reading time when they are not reading.

All of the ipads in the pod are not set up identical, which is fine with me BUT they all have my September folder in the same place!

Keeping it organized

So how are we going to keep the iPad organized and not distracting for an impulsive 7 year old? My thought is to have it ALL organized in folders. Then to only pull out 2 or 3 apps that are part of the lesson for that day or that week. Everything else will remain in folders hidden away until needed. This will take away from wanting the really fun apps instead of the "work" apps.