EDT+676+iPod+Touch

http://marianipod.wikispaces.com/


 * Assignment #1:**

[|http://www.classroom20.com/forum/topics/ipod-touch-schoolwide] This site is a blog that describes how this school is using their iTouches. They explain some of their favorite applications. I am definitely going to check out the recommended ones.

[]This site is an apple education community. It has several tips for different applications you could use on the touch. I am looking forward to the flashcard application.

[]This site shows the top 50 apps for educators. There is a section called "Teaching Tools". There are many apps that give a quote of the day or word of the day, it would be fun to have students do this daily.

[] This article explains great math apps for teachers. It has top free app listing for math class. I am noticing that the author of the article says that there are limitations with free apps and that it can be very basic.

[]This group of educators in the UK used ipod touches for a variety of reasons. There are a few descriptions of awesome apps to use and examples of how to use them.


 * Assignment #2:**

My husband and I love, love, LOVE to cook. We are always looking for new recipes, new ways to improve our cooking and any tips that we can get our hands on. I subscribed to the Culinary Institute of America: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-culinary-institute-america/id212491725

In my classroom we do current events every Friday. I am going to use this podcast (CNN student news) to have running for select students who are struggling readers. I think it would be great for them to be able to listen and still participate in the current events activity. http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cnn-student-news-video/id179950332

__5 personal applications__: //Angry Birds:// This is one of the most addicting games I have ever played! It requires a huge amount of critical thinking, and some basic knowledge about physics: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/angry-birds/id343200656?mt=8
 * Assignment #3**:

//Pandora Radio//: I love listening to Pandora Radio. This application allows me to listen to it where ever I have internet access. Pandora is an amazing free program. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pandora-radio/id284035177?mt=8

//iMap my Ride//: I am an avid cyclist, so this app is awesome for keeping track of how far my ride was. It also keeps statistics of how fast and far I went. I just tuck it into my bag and I'm off. I haven't used it too much yet but am looking forward to using it more. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/imapmyride/id292223170?mt=8

//Facebook//: I am a facebook addict I guess. I have been using it in my personal life when the laptop is not available. I think it is great and fun! http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/facebook/id284882215?mt=8

//Line Up//: This is a fun app that I can play when I'm waiting for time to pass, each level is quick. It is a little like Tetris but in addition has great sounds. I It is sort of like Tetris backwards! http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/line-up-free/id330791480?mt=8

__5 school applications:__ //Google Earth//: When we were Skyping with the director of ERSLA (Emergency Response Services for Latin America) in Nicaragua, I was able to pull up Google Earth with out disrupting the video conference to show my students the location of the water filter that we raised money for. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/google-earth/id293622097?mt=8

//Math Drills (Lite)//: This is a great app to help students practice their math facts. It has a very basic interface. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/math-drills-lite/id302881372?mt=8

//Number Sense:// This one was a bit more Elementary, but I used it for one of my students with special needs. He was struggling with number sense and it helped him get pretty interested in math for a brief period of time! http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/number-sense/id368493462?mt=8

//Pop Math (Lite)//: Another way to help students practice their math facts. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pop-math-lite/id303258911?mt=8

//TAO//: With education becoming more global, I thought that this translator would be handy. You put in English and it translates into several languages for you. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tao/id297842740?mt=8


 * Assignment #4:**

Podcast #1: Cooperative Learning-This was done with the whole class, four different groups of students came to the mic and recorded a sound of their choice. Then we put it all together! They listened after each step and agreed to something that they wanted to add on to the mix. It was a ton of fun! media type="file" key="cooperative learning.mp3" width="240" height="20"

Podcast #2: Nature Preserve Assessment I created a difficult, high level thinking assessment for a Life Science Unit. I did not want my third graders to be worried about reading the words correctly so I read the test in this Podcast for those struggling readers. It was a huge success because I was able to have them take the test in the computer lab then, listening to each question as they went along. media type="file" key="6_17_10 8_18 PM.m4a" width="300" height="50"


 * Assignment #5**:

I have used the iPod in both my personal life and at school. With my personal life it has been mostly recreational. I already have a Blackberry which has all of my contacts and addresses in it. Unfortunately a Blackberry and Apple product will never "speak" with each other, so I have mainly used the touch for fun things like music, games, podcasts and checking Facebook.

In the classroom I used it to create several podcasts. Most of them being tests that I read. I also had students read out loud near the end of the year when we were studying fluency. It will be awesome next year to record them in the beginning of the year and then at the end to hear how their fluency has changed. I also used it as a funny writing quick activity. I showed them the game Angry Birds with the sound off. I asked them to write Onomatopoeia words down that they thought the game had. They were really close!

Overall I have enjoyed my touch very much, and so has my family!


 * Assignment #6: In my classroom we study water conversation quite heavily, and we link water sanitation issues to current environmental concerns. This is a link to a video by artist Jay-Z who is working to raise awareness regarding water sanitation problems globally.

media type="youtube" key="1VvmrgreNb0" height="385" width="480"

Assignment #7: I found some links for free audio books:

__Classics__: http://freeclassicaudiobooks.com/ http://www.openculture.com/freeaudiobooks

__For Kids:__ http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/storynory-stories-for-kids/id94571049 http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/

__Random__ (Antiques!): http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/

I have found this to be a difficult exercise. Many of the books are homemade or are not by actual published authors. Finding free ones of popular books that my students will want to read is quite difficult. Perhaps some day we will have a budget where we can purchase the "good stuff". It seems that traditional literature (like fairy tales, fables and folk tales) are easy to find. This is probably because the copyright on these stories is long gone.

Assignment #8:

I am floored by this awesome professional development mini for me! I have been searching for ways to help students try math differently, especially in relation to number sense. This is a series of podcasts, and then a video where a student is actually showing an example!

http://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/inFlorida.edu.3106344166.03106344172

Brainteasers www.mathpodcast.com/videos/Brain-Teasers/rss.xml **