LetterReflex

This is a great app that can help with all those nasty letter and word reversals!

Sight word Jenga

What a fun way to practise sight words in the classroom!

Geoboard

 

Geoboard

Children can stretch bands around pegs to form line segments and polygons. They can make discoveries about perimeter, area, angles and fractions. This can be used with young children who are still doscovering properties of shapes, right up to intermediate phase children who are learning about congruence and angles.

Build a body

 

Build a body

 

This enables children to apply their knowledge of the body's major organ systems by choosing organs from the organ tray and then dropping them in the correct position within the body to build each system.

 

Sparklefish

 

 

 



Sparklefish

This is a funny audio story compilation that you can record voice ads, stories and many other audio clips. It is a good tool to get children to use correct parts of speech. This can be used in small group teaching, or as a whole class activity for application of parts of speech.

Timed Comprehension and Reading

Timed Reading & Comprehension Practice

This app allows readers practice fluency and comprehension. Each level consists of 5 short engaging stories for each Grade. It will you how many words per minute the reader is able to read, therefore marking improvement as the reader progresses. This would be useful in a one to one context.

Mental Maths

 Emma's Mental Maths

This is a fun way to improve mental maths skills! There are multiple levels to move up and you are only able to move up to a new level once you have mastered it. This is a great tool for early finishers in the classroom.

Fractions

 

 

K12 Equivalence Tiles

This is a very useful whole class teaching tool, or small group teaching tool.
The tiles let you compare the the values of fractions, decimals and percents up to 1 by using draggable tiles of varying values.

3D building blocks

Tap tap blocks

This is a great app to use as a whole class or in small groups. From an early age, children can build on the concept of perimeter and area.
Simply tap any block to add a new block to add at that spot. Rotate your 3D blocks with just one finger.

Spelling

Third Grade Spelling

This game can be used in group context to revise phonics. The children can even be timed to see how quickly they can get the words.
One player starts the game. The letters are out of order, a clear human voice states the word and the player needs to rearrange the letters to spell the word correctly.

Spelling

 

Second Grade Spelling

This is a very easy to understand app that can be used in small group teaching for revision of phonics.
The player starts the game, and a clear voice will give the player the word to spell. They need to manipulate the letters and move them into the correct sequence to spell the word.

Recommending an app and creating a link to the App Store

This is a MUCH easier way to do this... On your iPad go the the App Store and search for the app that you want to share with the staff. Click on the App to bring up a screen that looks like this:

When the mail arrives in your in box it will look like this:

Right click on the image and save it somewhere on your computer as a .jpeg file.

Now log in to Blogger

• start a new post 
• give your post a name
• in the body of the post, first insert your image from where you saved it
• type out the name of the app. Highlight the name and click on the LINK button. Paste the link that you got in your email here in the box where it prompts you to
• choose the relevant labels fro your post.
• publish! 

BTW - I used Aviary to write on the screen shot I took.

Investigating 3D shapes

Our Grade 5 maths class have been working with 3D shapes.  Have a look at their site to see how their teacher led them through a discovery process, reinforced their learning and provided resources.

‘Whacky Scientists’ investigate Solubility

Our Grade 5 class was asked to help the ‘Whacky Scientist’ investigate Solubility. The class was divided into groups of 3. Each group was led by the teachers and some experience Grade 11 scientist. Each group did some experiments to help them understand Solubility better. The boys used the technology of their choice to document the experiment. The resources and instructions were loaded on the website so that the boys could refer to them again and be able to access them from home. Have a look at the wacky website to see how they went about this.

Tablet concerns!

I recently visited Australia and Singapore and am inspired and excited by the things I learnt. More so than ever, I am convinced that technology, in the hands of a committed teacher, can enhance the learning and teaching process. Technology can help maximise the teacher-student contact time. What do the students already know? What am I trying to teach them and what tools are there to help make learning and teaching the content effective and engaging? Having said all that, there are things that we do need to be aware of to make sure that we use technology only where there is value add. This article highlighted some of the issues teachers face.

Find my iPad

Download this free app.

Find my iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch: 

https://itunes.apple.com/za/app/find-my-iphone/id376101648?mt=8

Then go to settings, iCloud and switch on ; find my ipad

Most importantly what happens when it's lost.

Go onto another iOS device, open the app above and sign in with your apple ID. It will show you on a map where your device is.  Just as long as its "on" in your iCloud setting.

Animation Desk is a drawing app that allows users to create fun, short, animation videos with just a swipe of a finger! With the free version of the app, you can create up to 50 different scenes and choose from a range of different pencil and brush effects, and opacity. You have the option to share your video to YouTube.

Don't forget to take a look at Animation Desk’s user guide page which includes a selection of helpful tips and screenshot-driven tutorials. You can find it here.

 

IPads in education

'Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time' --- ancient proverb. Have a look at this website, there are amazing resources here.

Using video in science

Show Me is an interactive white board app that allows me to demostrate a topic. While I am drawing, I can record myself explaining a topic and then I can share that video with my class - and with other classes too.
Tom Campbell

Changing App Stores

Changing App Store is easy. If you wish to swop between USA, SA or any other store you can do by going to "settings",  "iTunes & app stores".  Then click on your apple id and log in with your apple password. After that it will give you the country you currently purchasing through. If you do want to buy through the US store chat to me about purchasing vouchers.

Explain Everything Manual

The teacher and inspiration behind the wonderful Explain Everything app has kindly given permission to distribute the iBook Author copy of their manual here in South Africa free of charge. To access the book for download please go here, and follow the instructions. It is a large book (88MB) and will take some time to download. I suggest you download the file on your iPad so you can send it straight into iBooks.

 Alan Goldberg

Science

A website that discusses apps for Science: http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/01/18-great-science-apps-for-ipad.html

Educational Uses: Chris Groom

iPad: Educational Next Steps from Sally Bowes

101 Intro - Bishops Prep iPads

101 intro from Sally Bowes

Great blog with ideas for integration of technology

Mr Andrews's blog

iPads tips and tricks

Taking Screen Shots

This is a brilliant tool. Press the on/off and menu button at the same time. It takes a screen shot and saves it directly to your photos.

If you want to email this you can  either do it directly from your photo's or draft your email first, hold down the paste button and it gives you the option to insert a photo. Select the screen shot from the camera roll. And simply send.

Useful if you need to show something rather than say it !

Flipboard

Flipboard is an app that displays all media in a magazine format. Bishops Prep is a site that you are able to link to This allows you to view all Bishops Prep news and twitter postings in a visually pleasing manner. When you log onto Flipboard, search for Bishops Prep. Be careful to scroll down until you find the "actual" logo. Other Bishops Prep sites are found that are not ours so be careful to choose the correct one.

Once you find it (it appears under Twitter) you can subscribe.

Using the calendar

My calendar now has all my lessons, meetings and my to do list on it.  I find it best to use in "list" view.

How much data have I used to date?

 

 Click on cellular usage

Create a hyperlink to an app on the App Store

How to create a direct link to an app on the App Store

First you need to go the the app store to find your app! It's best to do this in iTunes

Create the link address as follows:

1. First find the complete name of the app you are wanting to link to. For example: “Quickoffice Pro HD”.
2. The link is constructed as: itms-apps://itunes.com/apps/appname
3. So, in this case, the link will be: itms-apps://itunes.com/apps/quickofficeprohdHint: use the link here and just substitute it with the name of your app(In some cases, where the app has a generic name, like “Dictionary”, the app store will come up with a search results list as opposed to the direct link to the app. There is a way around this, but I am still trying to find the best link build to use!)
4. 
   Now highlight the text and click on the blue link icon in your blog and paste the link in the web address as illustrated below and click OK ...
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Notes Plus - take advanced notes, convert handwriting to text on the iPad

 Notes Plus is an app that allows you to write and convert your writing to text... I find it best to turn gestures off while I'm using drawing / writing apps. This app is not free and I'm not convinced that handwriting is quicker but it may be something you'd like to try. I'm happy to let you try it out on my iPad to see how you enjoy it before you buy.

 

In order to convert your written text to typed text, circle the full sentence or paragraph and click bottom right arrow. It will convert all the text written to typed text. This may be copied and pasted into email, documents or just saved.

Penultimate: Note taking app

Penultimate: Note taking app: http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57522562-285/getting-started-with-evernotes-ipad-handwriting-app-penultimate/

Word and Excel and PowerPoint

Quickoffice Pro HD: A number of staff have asked me what I use for writing documents and for doing spreadsheet type work. To be honest, I don't really like using my iPad to write big documents (I'll use my computer for that) but it is nice to be able to edit the odd document or spreadsheet. Unfortunately this app isn't free but it does the job well and you get 3 apps in one.

iPad tips

iPad typing tips

Turn down the brightness to save battery life

To get the most out of your iPad's battery, you can lessen the brightness of the display. Go to your settings and choose "Brightness & Wallpaper". Move the slider to something that is comfortable for you.

Finger gestures

This article explains how to use different finger swipes on your iPad.

iPad Care

Here's a good article worth taking note of.

Winksite

Winksite is a site that allows you to develop  and share a FREE mobile site.

Blabberize

This is a fun piece of free Internet software to use. Blabberize. This tutorial helps show how to use it and also how to apply the software in the classroom.

Evernote

Evernote is an Internet based note (and other) taking program that works cross platforms (pc/phone/tablet)

Lesson Ideas

schoolnet  - Fiona Beal is a fantastic educator and her blog and tips on this site are well worth watching. Her courses are designed to be short and fun and I ALWAYS learn something. The schoolnet site also gives lots of practical examples of how to integrate technology in a meaningful way.

iPADS PILOT

iPADS PROJECT

After much investigation around the best deals, we have finalised the arrangements as follows:

Staff will have a choice of entering into a 24 month contract for either –

         

• 32Gb 4th Gen Wifi and Cellular  with 2Gb Data Bundle – R449
• 64Gb 4th Gen Wifi and Cellular  with 2Gb Data Bundle – R499

 There is a once off connection fee of R105.

The following form part of the agreement between yourself and the school:

• The school will pay each participant a monthly allowance of R200 for the duration of the contract.  This allowance will be subject to tax.

• Digicape, the provider, is offering a 15% discount on any iPad accessories purchased at the time of taking out the contract.
•  You are the owner of the iPad.
• Accessories, apps, etc, will be for your own account.
• Maintenance of the iPad – such as is required – is the responsibility of the user.
• There will not be dedicated technical support at the Prep – this will be reviewed when appropriate.
•  We are not considering extending the number of Wi-Fi points or other hardware in the near future.
•  In taking up this offer you will join a professional development team to investigate the use of iPads and the extent to which they could transform teaching and learning in the Prep classroom.

We are very excited about the possibilities that iPads in education present and look forward to your interaction and feedback.

Yours sincerely

GREG BROWN

HEADMASTER


Please note the following logistics: Curtley is the Digicape Vodacom representative. It would be advisable to make contact with him or Gaynor before going to Digicape, so that they can confirm the model and to ensure stock availability. Curtley is at the following address: Digicape, Shop 1, Roeland Square, Roeland Street, Cape Town. Curtley and Gaynor are contactable on 0860105155   

Please bring with you identification and proof of employment at Bishops.