Saturday, September 26, 2015

Tech Field Day

Texas teachers and all other teachers that might like to make a trip to the Alamo city . . . I am super excited to share with you the FIRST TCEA Area 20 Tech Field Day!

There is NO FEE for this event! So that makes it FREE! Who doesn't love free?

Who is this for?
Teachers, administrators, tech directors, library media specialists, tech support staff and anyone who is interested in finding out more about the integration of technology in education.

Currently, we are looking for presenters Topic strands to be addressed include:
Google Apps
iPads
Web 2.0 Tools
Global Communications


Registration is now open! Join us!


Saturday, September 19, 2015

FlipQuiz Me



FlipQuiz Me is a great site for creating fun reviews for students in a gameshow format. Boards are quick and easy to create. 

There is a free version and a Pro version.




Creating your board is simple . . . give it a title . . . create your categories . . . add the questions/answers!


You can add an image using a URL. Also,  you can add a hyperlink. This link could send students out to a site that has a bit more information on the topic.


There is a search feature for boards that are created by other educators.


Create an account to save all the boards you create. You can share the board with your students by posting a URL or the board can be embedded in your class webpage.



Sunday, September 13, 2015

Talk Like a Pirate Day & App Smashing

Give me a patch, a parrot on my shoulder and I'm ready to write about my swashbuckling adventure! September 19th is Talk Like a Pirate DayWho doesn't love talking like a pirate?!

I love creative ways that encourage students to write!

Pirate Cam (4+) is a great app that allows student to add pirate props to their own picture.
What a perfect way to engage student on Talk Like a Pirate Day!
"Wear a tricorn hat, put on a pirate beard, hide one eye behind the skull patch, and standing on a sailing ship on the sea. Jack Sparrow is suddenly reborn with his Black Pearl!
Put your friend into a frame full of skull and ghost and send him to the terrible hell. Then share your masterpiece on Facebook and let everyone laugh at your tricks."

Here are a few fun pirate books to read to your students!




Have students write about their adventures or describe their picture.
Click {here} for free writing pages in English and in Spanish.



Put it all together for some App Smashing!
Write - record - and share!
I love this part because it really is a great way to work on fluency. Have students practice reading their writing piece with a partner before they record. 

You will need 3 apps for this project

Click on the image to get a free copy of the app smashing guiding card. 

Shiver me timbers . . . this is going to be sooo fun!


Sunday, September 6, 2015

International Dot Day & Augmented Reality

September 15th is International Dot Day!
International Dot Day is a global celebration based on Peter Reynolds' book, The Dot. Join the Dot Club to get great resources to use with your class.


The Dot is a great book for talking about growth mindset. 
Take this fabulous book, mix in some augmented reality, using the Quiver app (formerly know as colAR Mix) and get some highly engaged students! 

Have students write about how they will leave their mark on their classroom . . . school or the world!
Download the sheet and have students decorate the dot. They can draw pictures depicting how they will leave their mark.
Use the app Quiver to bring the dot to life.

Connect with other educators with Skype in the Classroom.
Click {here} for more information from The Busy Librarian.
Connect with other classrooms using the hashtags #DotDay#Makeyourmark



Here is a past post about International Dot Day.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Pic Collage Kids and Chirp

Selfies and Making 10!

The first few weeks of school set the tone for building relationships and creating a class community. The first few weeks are about creating class norms and expectations.
It's also about having fun!

The week before school started, the other 2 Instructional Coaches and I met with our 2nd grade team. We had fun playing with Pic Collage Kids and Chirp . . . several other apps, but that's another post.


Pic Collage Kids is such a fun app to create a variety ways to show learning.
I love the fact that Pic Collage Kids is 4+.

After working with the teachers, they scheduled us to help them in the classroom.
Here is the first way we used Pic Collage Kids!

Students used the card shown above to help guide them to a finished product. (Click on the card to get an editable freebie.)
It was a hoot! I wish I had captured images of the students taking selfies!

We talked about how the stickers were meant to be conversation starters with their classmates . . . the 3 stickers represented things they like or like to do.


Stephanie, over at Principal Principles has a great product  - Student "Selfies". It is a super cute packet that I shared with our second grade teachers. The teachers had the students color the iPhone and glue each student's picture on it. Within the packet, Stephanie has a very cute S-E-L-F-I-E banner that can be posted with the finished products. (I made one and gave it away during our teacher learning session.)



Once, the collages were finished, students "Chirped" it to the teacher's phone. Chirp is a great way to get a finished product from one device to another. The teachers sent the pictures to Walgreens to print  so they were ready for "Back to School" night! 
(I'm heading over tomorrow to see the finished products. I'll post their hall displays.)
Then, students wrote about their selfie . . . it's in Stephanie's packet!
Chirp allow you to quickly "chirp" the image to another device that is open to Chirp. You need to make sure that only one person chirps at a time. Reason . . . I was at one end of the hallway and another  Instructional Coach was at the other . . . she got our Chirp! This is a looooong hallway! How cool this that?!!!

But, there's more!

Pic Collage Kids continues . . . 
I got to work in my friend, Stephanie's class. Just realize there are 2 Stephanie's in this post!
This Stephanie, is a fabulous classroom teacher. You can follow her class on Twitter @learninginTX-just the other day her class posted about swabbing the school for germs! Gross!)

However, our task at hand was about making 10. (Less disgusting!)
Using unifix cubes, students created 3 different ways to make 10. They took pictures and created their collage. They added the number sentence, a background and their name.
Again, another check card for student to follow the steps of completion. 


Once, they saved it to the library, they signed up to Chirp it to their teacher.
(Disclaimer: If you have multiple Chirp apps open they will all receive whatever is being chirped.
The sign-up helps prevent this from happening.) Click {here} for the I'm Ready to Chirp sign.


Chirp! Chirp! All collages sent to her phone!


Happy creating and chirping!

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Teacher Week - Office Tour

It's classroom tour time . . . only I don't have a classroom anymore . . .
As a PreK-12 Instructional Coach, I have a home base that I share with 2 other lovely ladies.
We often start at this location (by the way, we are in the basement) to chat about appointments, add to our calendar, check email and have weekly meetings. We collaborate, plan lessons, gather resources, mentor, co-teach, model, provide professional development . . . . I love my job!
Sorry, no classroom pics, but I'm sharing our tiny office . . . pretty cute . . . or at least it's getting there.


My space!
Laura's space!

Cristie's space!
We each have a corner.

This banner is right outside the door to the technology department. 
The district created these for different departments and schools. 


Recently, the tech department was renovated. They expanded and moved some walls. 
That allowed the creation of a break room for the technicians and now us! 

A nice big space for the technicians. (Just got a shipment in.)

Here is my second office . . .
I live out of this bag! It rolls . . . has a handle . . . computer padded section! Perfect!

Hop on over and join the blog hop . . .  share your classroom or office . . . or rolling office!
Have a great Wednesday!

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Currently - September

Currently time! Wahoo! Who doesn't love a Currently?!!! When I was in the classroom, I used Currently each month with my fifth graders. They loved them! If you don't have Currently for Your Classroom, you are missing out! It is such a great way to get kids to think about writing in a different way.

Here's what's currently happening in my life!


Listening - Criminal Minds is just one freaky show! I love it! (Thomas Gibson lives in my neighborhood. No sightings...yet!)

Loving - My team! They rock!  We are an awesome team that meshes really well. We each bring to the team different strengths, which makes collaborating and presenting so fun and easy.  Our role is more along the lines of technology integration coaches, but have the IC title. Best practices are best practices with or without technology! (See tomorrow's Teacher Week post - I'm showing off our tiny office.)

Thinking - I have no excuses since grad school is finished . . . I need to get myself to the gym. I actually went this evening . . . and even signed up with a personal trainer! Now. . . add in a healthy eating . . .

Wanting - I really want a new purse.  I travel from school to school, so I started carrying a small Vera Bradley because it fits in my computer bag. I'm ready for a sassy new purse. No clue what kind . . .

Needing - Sleep! I have this weird sleep pattern going on . . . internal clock goes off at 2:30am and I don't seem to fall back to sleep until around 4ish. Maybe the working out will help.

Goals:
Let it Go - Nothing to do with the movie Frozen! (I just wish people would think before they speak.)
Gym - at least 4 days a week!
Drive the boat - My husband is dying for me to learn to drive our boat. I've got to push myself out of my comfort zone and just try! (Click here to see the boat . . . my anniversary gift.)

Hop on over to Farley's Currently to check out the other posts!
Happy September!

Teacher Week - Make ahead Meals!


Day 2 of Teacher Week - Make ahead Meals! I am excited about this one! I told myself once grad school was finished I would be much better about cooking for the family! The hubby took over most of it (and laundry-he's a good man!) so that I could focus on my classwork and help the daughter with all the homework she had  . . . and let me tell you she had a ton! Anyway . . .
Here are some of our go-to meals for the week!

This is our newest favorite meal! Saw it on a few Pinterest boards . . . or Facebook . . . somewhere! I love anything that has a few ingredients and doesn't require a ton of prep!

Fiesta Crock Pot Chicken
Holy yumminess!

3 Chicken Breasts
1 Packet of Fiesta Ranch mix (by the salad dressings)
1 can of black beans (drained)
1 can of Ro-tel
1 can of corn (not drained)
1 block of cream cheese (8oz)

Dump in the crock pot! Cook 4-6 hours.
Shred the chicken and serve over rice or in tortillas!

Next up!
Chalupas!
No frills . . . quick and easy!
Add some Shreds, pico and avocado . . .


Grilled Turkey Sausage with Grilled Veggies
We love this turkey sausage! Sliced up and served with grilled veggies or the hubby eats it in tortillas. Sausage wrap style!
Gotta be honest . . . Love Zoes Kitchen. . . order online . . .  pick up in 15 or so minutes!
We love their chicken and beef kabobs!  Yummy!
They have an app! Scan your receipt and you get a free goodie . . . could be a cookie, a side or drink!
You never know what freebie will show up . . . it's always a surprise!



Happy Tuesday! Can't wait to check out the other posts for some great meals! I'm going to make a come back for cooking dinner for the family . . . thanks to all the fabulous bloggers linking up!