Saturday, October 10, 2015

Fun Writing, Math and Science Halloween Activities


October is a fun month! 


Chatterpix Kids is a great app that allows student to use their own voice to make things come to life. I also love it for fluency practice. You only get 30 seconds! Write a poem, short story, but do it in 30!


First up . . . Monster Mash!
We often say that our students need to have fun, but so do our teachers! Cristie, one of the Instructional Coaches and I met with our second grade team for a Play Dough Monster activity. We brought play dough, google eyes, chenille rods (aka-pipe cleaners) and beads. We asked each teacher to make a monster! Too much fun!

We talked with the team about creating a writing assignment geared to where they were with their students. Verbs . . . Monsters in Action! Adjectives . . . Describe your Monster! BME! Sequencing...

I've written before about the importance of having students write a script prior to recording. A script allows students to practice fluency and inflection.
Only 30 seconds . . . be sure to add emotion!
Click here or on the image to see an example.

Next up!
Monster Money and Problem Solving!
Keeping with the monster theme, we shared how students could take a set of coins, write a word problem using a script and record using Chatterpix.
Upload the video to your Google Drive.
Create a QR Code using the URL and post the finished products around the room. Students record their answer on the recording sheet and lift the flap to check their answer.

Create any kind of problem solving question! Subtraction! Perimeter! Area!
Click here or on the image to see an example.


Pumpkin Poetry!
I love the app Carve a Pumpkin! Have students write a poem about a Jack-o-Lantern.
Practice reading it . . . fluency!
Carve a pumpkin! Record using Chatterpix!
Click {here} for the Pumpkin Carving sheet.


Storybird Educator
I love this site! 
Storybird is a fun site that “lets anyone make visual stories in seconds.” Artists have created a lot of images especially for the site, and writers then use those images to inspire new stories.
Post the links on your class webpage so other students (and parents) can read all the stories. 
You can also create a QR code for students to access the story. There is even an embed code!



Augmented Reality!
The Quiver app, formerly known as ColAR mix, has dancing 3D pumpkins. Students can color the sheet and write a story about their pumpkins. Hover the app over the sheet and watch the pumpkins come to life!

The science of candy! Be a chemist and learn about transforming matter from one state to another!
This fun website that compares the amount a heat that is needed to create candy. 



Story Time!
"It's Halloween night, and creatures and critters from near and far are starting to gather outside the front door. And now here comes a whole army of monsters, on broomsticks, buses, and bikes, all clamoring in the darkness. What is it they want? Are they coming for you?"
This is a fun series. There are books across the US. Click {here} to see if your state has a book." ~Amazon
Not just Texas . . . find a scare in your town!



Click {here} for a previous Tech or Treat post! 
Hope you enjoy the tech or treats!

Friday, October 2, 2015

Currently - October

It's Farley's Currently linky time!!!!



Listening - I just dropped the daughter off at 6:30am cross country practice, so the only sound in the house is that of the dogs crunching on their breakfast and me typing away!

Loving - Every day I get to work with amazing educators. I'm very lucky that my role is one where I support teachers in the classroom with integrating technology . . . really just best practices. I love that my role is not tied to me evaluating them . . . just supporting! 

Thinking - Working out is much more fun with a buddy! Thanks, Alma!

Wanting - There are some super cute ankle boots out there . . . brown, black  . . . really want some leopard ones!

Needing/Boo-tiful - Cut and Color!!!! Badly! All it takes is a phone call to make that happen! Why can't I?!! Ug! No more excuses!

One more thing . . . my shameless plug at the end.
Texas teachers! Great FREE PD opportunity in San Antonio! Tech Field Day at the Region 20 Service Center co-hosted by the TCEA Area 20 Director . . . that's me!
Also, looking for presenters!
Join us!

Hop on over to Farley's blog to see what others are Currently doing!

Have a boo-tiful Friday!