On Fridays, we grow our #PLN!

All month long we’re devoting Fridays to growing our #PLN!  When you take a look at the #JulyiPadChallenge, you’ll notice a verb at the bottom of each column.  That means that day of the week each week is set aside for using free digital tools in a specific way.  In this case, Fridays center around building our professional networks using resources like Twitter, Google+, and even Pinterest!

More info about the challenge is here, and today’s task is to use Pinterest to connect with some teachers in your content area or grade level…or whose resources interest you!

Of course Twitter is where I do my best PLN-growing, but once I connect with someone on Twitter, read his/her blog, or heck,even buy products from them on Teachers Pay Teachers, I really like to find them on Pinterest to discover even more of their resources and ideas.

Don’t underestimate Pinterest for finding great ideas for your classroom–it’s not just for crafts and cooking anymore!

Thanks for joining us this week.  Check back on Monday for a new task!

Day 2, Master Shadow Puppet!

Day 2 of the #JulyiPadChallenge is all about one of my favorite free digital tools, Shadow Puppet EDU!  Shadow Puppet lets students easily create videos to tell stories, explain ideas, or document the learning taking place In the classroom. 

Safe image-searching and image citation are two of my features of Shadow Puppet.  A helpful tutorial is built in to the home screen, so it’ll be a breeze for you this week even if you’re a first-time user. There’s lots of additional info and resources (scroll down for printables) here, too.  

Students in grades 3-6 in our 1:1 iPad school really became experts on this app this past school year; now I’m excited to help more middle and high school teachers discover how useful it can be for their classrooms, too!

Here’s one of my favorite ways to use it with “big kids”…as part of a spongework choice board! 

Just based on a few random tweets with them (see pic above), the kind folks at Shadow Puppet (the same team behind Seesaw, which will be featured in our challenge later in the month!) made this awesome editable choice board! I’ve loved using it with my kiddos; it’s super easy to change the squares and print new versions as needed.  

The participants at all of my workshops this summer have made really cool “Puppets” and have come up with some really innovative ideas for how to use it in their classes.  I can’t wait to see more examples! Feel free to share your ideas with the hashtag #JulyiPadChallenge!

We’re QRazy for QR Codes!

Day 1 of the #JulyiPadChallenge is all about QR Codes!  I know the teachers and students in our 1:1 iPad environment can all scan QR codes, but I want to empower teachers to create codes more often.  Once printed, adhered, and/or displayed, teachers can use the codes to engage students, to add student voice to school work, etc.  The sky’s the limit!

This is my favorite app for scanning and creating QR codes, but there are many other free apps and digital tools that work equally well.  Since I print from my laptop and not my iPad, I actually do most of my QR code-creating with the goo.gl URL Shortener Chrome extension (because it will automatically generate a QR code along with shortening a URL!)  Then I can print right away to hang the codes on my bulletin board, glue to book covers/pages, etc.  (I can also right-click to save the codes as .jpgs and then insert them into another project or file as needed.)

One of my other favorite resources that automatically generates a QR code is OneTab, also a Chrome extension.  Padlet will also generate a QR code for you once your wall is created, which is great if you are projecting.  Your students can quickly scan the code rather than typing out a convoluted URL to start contributing to the wall.   

Here’s an old list of QR resources and ideas I made a few years ago; I didn’t update it but I’m including here in case it’s helpful.  Other QR-related pins here.  Finally, scan the code below to get an idea of what QR Voice can do!  

Let me know how you and your students use QR codes; feel free to post ideas and pics using the hashtag #JulyiPadChallenge!  

July iPad Challenge, 2015

The July iPad Challenge is back by popular demand; boost your digital skills before the kiddos come back to school!  Click here to learn more about this free and easy summer PD opportunity.  

I teach and help teachers in a 1:1 iPad school district, so I designed this activity (both this year and last) with some specific skills and tools in mind.  Because we’re K-12 iPads, I didn’t create an alternate Google/Chromebook challenge, but that would also be fun and I might keep that in mind for 2016!

This challenge is designed for us to complete on our own using our iPads and should only take about 5 minutes per day.  The link above will take you to a calendar that looks something like this:

Complete one a day…or just the ones that interest you…or go at your own pace… or just whatever!  It’s a great opportunity to try out 20+ apps that we’ll be able to use or share in our classrooms.

Please feel free to post your creations and check back here for more information and updates each week.  If you want to use Twitter or Instagram, post your pics with the hashtag #JulyiPadChallenge. 

Write on Photos with You Doodle

Ever want to draw on top of a photo (a la Snapchat) without actually being in Snapchat?  You need You Doodle!   

Just click the + in the upper right corner to add a photo, and then use all kinds of drawing tools to make your masterpiece.  The share button is in the upper left when you are done, and there are many great options there, too!  

S/O to Brock from my workshop last week for recommending this cool (new to me) app!

CraftyText Chrome Extension

I haven’t met a Chrome Extension that I didn’t love! Check out this 2-minute video to learn about Crafty Text, which writes really big on top of a website (like when projecting.)  

What’s On Your (iPad) To-Do List?

A *teacher handed me this simple yet awesome list the other day after our workshop had wrapped up.  I loved that she was thinking purposefully and realistically about some free digital tools she wanted she (and, of course, her students!) to master in the coming school year. 

 What I love about this list in particular is how it mixes some creativity tools (Toontastic, Tellagami)…with some productivity tools (Remind, Evernote, Evernote Scannable)…with some tools that promote good digital citizenship (KidRex, PhotosforClass)…with the BEST portfolio app around, SeeSaw!  

(For the record, this teacher and her students spent last year using Google Classroom, Shadow Puppet, 30 Hands, and Adobe Voice.  So I appreciate how she’s adding some new tools to her “digital toolbox!”)

Have you thought about what would be on your iPad to-do list?  Let me know! 

*S/O to Ms. F. for using some of her summer “free” time to boost her digital skills!  As always, teachers who make time for tech training in the summer really inspire me!

Using Siri to Set Reminders

If we aren’t teaching students about this, we’re doing it wrong!

Using Siri to Set Reminders

Vidra App

I’m totally digging Vidra this week–loved sharing it with teachers at my workshop.  Check out this quick introduction if you have 2 minutes!

Vidra App

Using Digital Tools to Share and Show Student Creations | Listly List

Using Digital Tools to Share and Show Student Creations | Listly List