Finally A Mind Map That Is IOS Friendly!

For several months I’ve been looking for a FREE IOS app or online tool to help facilitate student brainstorming and the organization of ideas.  I’ve used 3 major criteria in my search:

1. iPad accessible- there is nothing worse than trying to use a tool that makes the job more difficult.  Unfortunately, many of the apps that claim to work “seamlessly” on the iPad have not delivered.
2. The app must be able to handle both links and images.  People use these brain mapping tools to highlight and organize important details.  Not being able to visually represent these or to click on links makes highlighting a challenge.
3. Most importantly, students must be able to collaborate.  

Stormboard.com is a tool that meets these criteria.  It is not fancy but does help students to organize their ideas in a way that make sense.  They do offer premium accounts for educators that come with unlimited collaborators and accounts.  These accounts come with access to over 100 amazing templates.  These include:

• Compare/Contrast
• Character Maps
• Storyboards
• Goal Setting
• Action Plans

Infographics- It Need Not Go To The Printer

A New Tool for Teachers AND Students

We often ask our students to gather information, synthesize it, then to report out in a way that is informative, engaging, and captures the attention of our audience.  Movies, podcasts, posters, and brochures are all examples of ways that students do this.  Recently though, I was introduced to infographics for the classroom.  Until now, I thought that infographics were something produced by professionals in a printing shop.  These apps opened by eyes up to a couple of options that deliver professional looking results and have lots of classroom applications.  And still more ideas.

The two apps are:

1. Picktochart- I like that you can embed links into the graphics with this tool

2.Easelly- I like that this seems to have more templates
3. Venngage- Professional feel

A group of EMS teachers recently used these two tools to create infographics for their classrooms. This is a snapshot of their work.  

A late addition to this post-I’ve had students testing the above programs on iPads for the last two classes. Easelly works but is glitchy.  Picktochart is really not functional at all.  I’ll be searching for functional “App” alternatives in the coming weeks.  Canva- was suggested.  Stay tuned.  A group of EMS teachers recently used these two tools to create infographics for their classrooms.  

Music Makes Everything Sound Better

Students love music.  It helps them to relax and is an important strategy used by adolescents to entertain themselves.  In our schools, students also like to use music to compliment their learning.  Music is exciting and engaging.  Using it well forces students to think critically about how the piece helps them convey their intended message.  To facilitate this process, classroom teachers must educate students about the legality and ethical issues of using copyrighted music.  This is something most educators are accustom to as copyright has been a part of education forever.  The bigger challenge for many teachers is directing students to sites that are easy to navigate, reliable, and have libraries that align with learning objectives.  There are a few free sites that are very easy to use and provide great resources for students.  These include, The National Archives,  Jamendo, and Incompetch.  Another resource, that has become very relevant of late is Youtube.  They've added 1000s of free songs that are searchable by artist, theme, mood, and duration.  It is extremely easy to use and there seems to be a song to suit almost any need.  This is a great short video to guide students and teachers through the process.  Flip your classroom by sending the link out to students the day before using the tool!  Doing so will build excitement and will create a community of experts who are ready to help those for whom this is a challenge.  Who knows, they may even be able to help their teacher:)

Building A Foundation For Our Learning Devices

Below are learning objectives, skills, and outcomes that teachers address in their classes each day.  Frequently, teachers use devices to help students progress in these areas.  Prior to selecting a tool it is critical that one first identify learning objectives:

1. What is your essential question? OR What Common Core Standard will you address in this unit/lesson?
2. What skill and/or content do you want kids to be working on?
3. Will the use of an electronic device assist in the the achievement of the above goal?

Below are hand full of core tools that we have identified for use at our school.  This list might grow and change slightly; however, changes will be deliberate and thoughtful. Our goal is not to build a never ending library of “Apps”.  This does not translate into improved student learning.  

Initially, teachers may elect to use a highly structured approach where there is one tool that all students must use. As student’s comfort level increases, you may promote student choice, allowing students to select tools that best meet their learning profiles and needs.

Flipping your classroom is an excellent way to introduce students to any of these tools.  Flipping the Classroom simply means that you are front loading content before the lesson.  Below is a link to a brief tutorial which provides an overview and some basic guidelines on how to use each tool.  Having students watch these videos and play with a “tool” for “homework” is a great way to insure that instruction time centered around learning objectives as opposed as opposed to learning the technology.  This is an example of “Flipping the Classroom”.

Outcome/Objective/Focus	Tool
Creation	Explain Everything
Planning/Organization	Link to Popplet tutorial
Communication/Production Tools	iMovie, StoryCorps
Class Collaboration	Today’s Meet or Padlet or Google Hangouts
Formative Assessment/Reinforcing concepts	Nearpod Kahoot it
Productivity and Analysis	Google Docs/Sheets/Forms/The Google Suite

It goes without saying that there are countless other tools that will be used to complement the learning process.  Focussing on the outcomes insures that instruction and learning is purposeful and moves students forward.  

Time Saving Google Doc Tips

I know that some of you continue to prefer Google Docs as a writing tool.  I think that you might find this 7 minute video very interest and relevant.  I found several great tips from the 3  minute mark on.  Setting up these shortcuts will take a little work on the front end but could, ultimately, save each of you a lot of time.

Time-Saving Google Doc Tips

Creating Engaging Stories Across All Disciplines

Story is the EMS theme.  Many teachers at EMS have embraced this and have their students doing considerable work around it.  Digital tools like “StoryCorps”, “Spreaker”, and “Ted Ed” education have all helped facilitate  this process.

Ted Ed. education is an excellent resource for teachers in every discipline.  It provides videos are that can introduce a topic and, in some cases provides “exemplars’ to motivate students to think outside the box.  These three links might prove helpful as you introduce topics to students.

1. Link To Ted Ed.-Explore the library- if you like what you see set up an account.  All disciplines are touched on here and come with short quizzes and guided questions.  They can and can be expanded and adapted.  
2. Let’s Make History...by recording it- story crops & Ted Prize- A great short video that touches on the importance of preserving stories.  
3. An example:  Blake and his Grandfather
4. Soccer: the world’s favorite game- Exemplar- Teachers may choose to show a short clip as it would seem to appeal to many of our students.  In the soccer fields of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, a provincial soccer star shares how her love of soccer has changed her life and the lives of the kids in her neighborhood.