Need new ideas about what to do with your I Pad?

So you just got some new I pads, now what? Are you looking for something new to do with your students?  What’s the best way to embrace new technology in the classroom?

Have you heard about Boom Learning?  It. Is. So. Cool.  No more printing, cutting, or laminating. I love bright and shiny new laminated centers just as much as the next guy, but let’s face it, it can be a lot of work. Boom Learning is awesome. You can use it on your I pads, chrome books, laptops, pretty much anything that has a screen. 

It is a new platform that uses teacher made resources for your students. The students access “decks” which are basically digital task cards. Boom will give you reports about how many the kids completed correctly and how fast they finished. Each child in your class can work on the same deck or on different decks. This is a perfect way to differentiate in the classroom. All the kids can be working on Boom and they can all be working on different levels. Because in 30 years of teaching I have never had a class where everyone is working on the same level.

So you can get to Boom here, and this is what you will see. 

You’ll need to sign up for a membership so they can keep your records. There are different levels; Starter is free and it’s a great way to start to look around Boom and see what it’s all about. If you teach in elementary school you’ll probably want the Basic level, it costs $5 a year and you can add 80 students and make decks for your students. You’ll also get 500 points which is worth $5 which can be spent buying decks other teacher authors have made. If you want to check out what I  have made, here’s the link to my store.
Here's a sample of what is available. 

The decks usually cost 10 cents a card. So if you buy a deck with 24 cards it will most likely cost 240 points or $2.40.  Once you have an account you can add your students. I teach kindergarten so I add all my kid’s names to my class and give them all a password.  Each student gets a cute little animal face.  They use that to log in.

You can assign different decks to different students. When they sign in they go to their assignment tab and get to work. Once they are done, you'll be able to access their reports. The reports give you the number of correct answers and the time it took to complete the task. 

Check out my store and preview the decks so you get an idea what this is all about. You can get started with a free membership and play around with creating decks, or upgrade and have someone else do the creating.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask. I love Boom and I think you will too.

What's a BEE BOT?

I love robots and so do my kids. Honestly, bring a robot out anywhere and everyone takes notice. If you don’t have a BEE BOT you should seriously consider buying one. They are sold on both Amazon and Lakeshore.  The sky’s the limit with BEEBOTs. I always say robotics is not something new to teach.  Bee Bots and robotics are simply a new way of teaching.

Even your most reluctant student gets interested when you bring out the BEE BOT. My most challenging kids NEVER have behavioral issues during robotics. Hmm maybe we should spend some time thinking about that last sentence. No behavioral challenges when we use robots? Really? Really!
                                         

 The kids are practicing complex thinking, and problem solving.  They are actively engaged, and did I mention no one has behavioral challenges. You had me at no behavioral challenges. 

                                    What is a BEE BOT?

A BeeBot is a small robot that looks just like a little bee. It takes very simple commands. Forward, back, turn right and turn left. That's it. Simple. But oh the possibilities are endless.

                                                                                   

There is something about using a robot that levels the playing field.  The vast majority of my kids  (so far, that means 100%) have never seen a robot up close and personal. Everyone has zero background experience. That is powerful for my kids who have challenging home lives. It’s usually the first time they start at the same place as my kids who come from homes that are filled with enriching activities.

BEE BOTs are awesome. The kids have no idea they are learning to code. They just love that little guy. The lights, the sounds, the movement, are you kidding me who doesn’t love that! 

If you are looking for BEE BOT resources. I am adding to my list every week. These resources are designed to be cut out and put together to make a mat. Don't feel like cutting, taping, and laminating?? I have started to offer fully assembled mats sent directly to you.

My top 4 reasons for using Google Drive in kindergarten

What's the best way to integrate technology in a kindergarten class? Is kindergarten too young to start with Google Classroom?
My top 4 reasons for Going Google.

1. More and more districts are going 1:1. I see so many administrators purchasing chrome books, and I pads. I remember just a few years ago when no one in my school had an I Pad. Now they are in every classroom. We may not be 1:1 yet in my school but technology is becoming more and more abundant. 
                                           

2. It's paperless!!!! Yay, yippee, halleujah, no more long lines at the copy machine. I can't tell you how many lunches, and planning periods that have been cut short because of that dreaded line at the copier. Not to mention everyone's most feared phrase - paper jam!
Just think you can send homework, notes to parents and worksheets all digitally. No more lost papers. No more mountains of papers.

3. It's so much easier to differentiate. Even the youngest learners can see their work just doesn't measure up to the child next to them. As the saying goes...comparison is the thief of joy. Once kids start comparing their work to their neighbors they begin to see themselves as "less than". Less than! In kindergarten, sad but it's true. When you use technology the difference between students is less obvious to the kids. But for the teacher it becomes so much easier to adjust work for our struggling learners and increase the rigor for our more confident learners. 

4. Kids will take risks with technology that that just wont when using a traditional strategy. We all achieve more when we push ourselves out of our comfort zones. That great researcher Vygotsky taught us about the zone of proximal development. We all strive to hit that sweet spot with our students. That moment when it's no longer easy, but it's not too hard. We should all strive to push ourselves- kids and teachers alike.

Check out my video that shows how to Go Google





If you're ready to give it a try check out my best selling Google products.

An InLinkz Link-up

OWLS

For the last couple of weeks we have been learning all about OWLS. I am always amazed at how well even my youngest learners respond to non-fiction. The kids have been obsessed with sharp talons catching mice!

First comes research!

Owls in the Block area. The kids are filling in an outline of an owl, then counting the types and number of blocks used. I love the ear tuffs on top!

Owl ten frames in the math center.

Creating a "wood" to go owling.

 

Everyone's favorite- Paper Mache!

What a great unit!

If you would like to see some of the products used, please visit my store 

Next, we're on to wolves!!!

NONSENCE WORD FLUENCY (NWF)

What is 4 Square Writing?

Visit My TPT Store at Della Larsen's Class

Click here to see My Martin Luther 4 Square Writing Pack

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Salmon!
We are well into our study of animals and habitats. This week our Kindergarten Class started learning about the life cycle of a salmon.  We started out reading the book ______________. To be honest I had a lot  to learn about salmon as well.  Check out the great kindergarten salmon centers and activities. Please visit my store to download the unit. This unit aligns with the common core, NAEYC standards and Focus on K2 unit on Salmon. Della Larsen's Class