Writing – Page 4 – Teaching with Technology

iPad, Projects, QR Codes, Reading, Roanoke County Schools, Writing

A Wild, Wonderful World

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Tina Coffey

Students in Mr. Ryder’s class embarked on a project allowing them to explore the world around Oak Grove Elementary, searching for hidden beauty and wonder. It was based on the story Wild Shots, written by Tui De Roy for Ranger Rick magazine. In the article, Tui shared her “Up-Close and Personal” approach to nature photography. During a four session project, students used iPads to take pictures of things animals, plants, or anything that fascinated them.

They created descriptions about their pictures using the app, Popplet. Then using the app Videolicious, they created a slide show with their pictures and descriptions. On the final day of the project, they presented their slide show to the class. To display them in the hall, they posted their popplets with QR code links to their videos.

Here’s one example:

Watch the example video here.

You can see all the project on the Oak Grove Digital Library, complete with Popplets and Videos! Please take a look. The kids are so proud of their work.

iPad, iPod Touch, iTunes U, Reading, Roanoke County Schools, Science, social studies, Writing

Great Ready-to-Go K-5 iPad Units on iTunes U!

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Tina Coffey

Have you checked out the courses lately in iTunes University? The teachers at Boyne City Schools have been busy. They have created a wide variety of iTunes U Courses on subjects that are suitable for elementary schools. If you haven’t taken a look, make sure you do! These courses contain activities using video, audio, ibooks, and apps. They also include project based activities. You do need an iPad or iPod Touch to really use these courses. Here are a few of my favorite:

And I love their course for teachers and principals on Flipping Professional Development!

Take a look at the news article about students using these courses in class. But don’t worry, you don’t need your students to have their very own iPads (thought it would be SO nice if they did). These lessons would still work great with the carts we have.

Boyne City is in Michigan, so they are using Common Core Standards. That means that some of these units might work for other grade levels in Virginia than indicated.

If you are a teacher at one of my schools and would like to use any part of these courses with your students, let me know. I’ll make sure the course is loaded on the iPads at your school!

Projects, Reading, Roanoke County Schools, Writing

Poetry Voicethreads

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Tina Coffey

Mrs. Sander’s students created poetry Voicethreads with their orginal poems. Check them out!

https://voicethread.com/book.swf?b=4351420

https://voicethread.com/book.swf?b=4352685

https://voicethread.com/book.swf?b=4352689

Projects, Roanoke County Schools, Writing

Sock Worms, Banana Split Milkshakes, and Homemade Pillows!

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Tina Coffey

Need to know how to create a sock worm? Or banana split milkshakes? What about a pillow, potato woman, hamburger, or a friendship bracelet. Students in Mrs. Devlin’s class created videos to show you how!

In this project, they wrote step by step directions on storyboards, took pictures with digital camearas, and used photostory to record and create digital stories with step by step directions

. Taking Pictures Recording