iLearn Technology

      Dragon Box

What it is: Dragon Box has got to be the most brilliant game for teaching a new concept I have seen in a LONG time.  I am SO impressed with this app, I can’t say enough about it!  This is a math game that teaches algebra without you really realizing that it is a math game teaching you algebra.  It feels more like a logic card game than anything else.  There are 200 puzzles that secretly teach kids to solve equations.  They unlock each level by figuring out how to balance an equation (you have to isolate the dragon on one side of the board in order for him to emerge). After each level, he grows a little until he is full-grown.  Students learn concepts such as elimination, fractions and isolating variables throughout the game.  This is the best math app I’ve seen. It is NOT a drill/skill type app. It is actually teaching students to think like mathematicians instead of just asking them to solve a bunch of problems.

How to integrate Dragon Box+ into the classroom: I cannot say enough about this app.  The way that it gets kids thinking is completely fantastic.  Students learn algebra and how to think like mathematicians without even realizing it.  The game gives minimal direction, and invites students to explore and try new things to isolate the dragon.  The best way to use this app in this classroom: just let students start playing with it!  I love that this app could be played by students as young as six years old successfully, but also used by high school students where they would get those “aha” moments of understanding how algebra works that they may have missed along the way.

Put your students in teams, or let them explore Dragon Box independently.  Dragon Box allows for multiple logins, so you could even use it as a classroom center rotation.

Because you can download Dragon Box on multiple device types, you could even use this on a classroom computer connected to an interactive whiteboard or a projector and take turns playing as a class.  There are plenty of levels for every child to participate multiple times.

Price: $5.99

Devices: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPod Touch (3rd-5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS4.0 or later

Tips:  Dragon Box is also available on the Mac App Store, Google Play, PC shop, Amazon Appstore for Android, and Windows Store.  Even if you don’t have iDevices, your students can play with Dragon Box!

I’ve been nominated for a Bammy Award for Educational Blogger.  I’d appreciate your vote to help spread the word about iLearn Technology.  Vote here.  Thank you for your continued support!!

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using  Dragon Box in your classroom.

Normally I post all of my app posts at my other blog, iPad Curriculum.  Because iDevices are becoming SO common place as a technology in the classroom, I’m going to start posting them here as well.  If you just want apps, head over to iPad Curriculum and you can search apps only!  Just like iLearn Technology, you can search any app by Bloom’s Taxonomy level.  All of the websites I share on iLearn Technology are completely FREE, the apps I review tend to be a mix of free and paid apps.  At the bottom of each post, I share the cost of the app.

Fluency Finder

What it is: Fluency Finder is a fantastically handy app that I learned about from my friend @dkapuler.  David was kind enough to offer Team Anastasis some download codes so that we could try the app out with our students.  Any teacher who has ever done fluency tests knows that they can be a little bit of a pain.  Folders and folders of passages to store, stop watch, scribbled notes on the page as they read, calculator, and keeping track of it all in an orderly fashion to refer back to later.  I’m a huge fan of anything that can help minimize the paper I have to store and keep track of in my life.  Fluency Finder takes care of all of this!  Not only can you record results, you can also maintain records on a class full of students and share information.  You can easily find and track fluency rates so that you have more time to help students strengthen reading skills and find books that are confidence-building and enjoyable.

How to integrate Fluency Finder app into the classroom:

Fluency Finder makes it simple to assess reading fluency in 1st-8th grade reading levels.  To get started:

• Add students to the app
• Select an appropriate grade level passage for the student to read
• Print the passage from the www.fluencyfinder.com website (students could also read from their own iDevice or computer if you want to save paper)
• Begin assessment, start the app timer as the student begins reading
• Student will read from printed passage as you follow on your iDevice marking any mistakes
• Tap the (+) button when student makes a reading mistake
• Tap the (-) button if the student self-corrects a mistake
• End the timer when the student finishes
• Tap the “finish assessment” button to instantly see results

Now instead of focusing so much on keeping track of the fluency and score, you can focus on what actually matters: listening for fluency, comprehension and expression.

Being a paperless school, we are LOVING this option for helping students choose books that are at a level that is “just right.”  It gives us the opportunity to help students hunt down the perfect amount of challenge and really focus on a story they can love.  We are all about encouraging an absolute love of reading!

Tips: Target Fluency Rates

First Grade: 60-70 wpm

Second Grade: 80-95 wpm

Third Grade: 100-120 wpm

Fourth Grade: 120-135 wpm

Fifth Grade: 130-145 wpm

Sixth Grade: 140-150 wpm

Seventh Grade: 150-160 wpm

Eighth Grade 160-175 wpm

Cost: $6.99 (iTunes link)

Compatible with: iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later

Leave a comment and tell us how you are using  Fluency Finder in your classroom.

One of our classes needed some ideas for teaching place value.  I gathered up some ideas, activities, games and app suggestions for them.  Since sharing is caring, I thought I’d share them with you all as well!  If you have great suggestions for teaching and practicing place value, leave us a comment!

What it is:   3D Toad is a site I learned about from @rmbyrne‘s fantastic blog, Free Tech for Teachers.  This is like hitting the lottery of educational image libraries.  It goes beyond your typical image library and has 3D images that students can spin all around and explore from every angle.  Stinking awesome!  Even better? (Yes, it gets better.)  It works on mobile iDevice browsers! There are great images to explore on a variety of educational topics including: dissections, animal skeletons, human skeletons, music, geology, dental hygiene, coral, yoga, ballet positions, fossils, history, chemistry, emergency preparedness and computer networking.

Our students are learning all about earth systems right now so the fossils, geology and coral are especially exciting!

How to integrate 3D Toad into the Classroom:  They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  If a regular picture is worth a thousand, these 3D images are worth at least 360 times more.  The 3D images on 3D Toad let students examine all 360* of an image.  Students can examine, discover, and analyze images from various angles.  3D Toad helps students really visualize learning in new ways.

Use 3D Toad as a visual glossary on classroom computers.  Students can visit this “visual glossary” center to explore objects and new vocabulary that they are learning.  It would also be great on an interactive whiteboard or classroom computer where students can examine objects together.  3D Toad has a video on their site that shows a teacher using 3D Toad with students.  I don’t love their example because the teacher is at the center of a review time before a test.  The best use of this site would be to let students loose on it so that they can explore the images on their own.

3D Toad would be a great place for students to practice their observation skills.  Each student could choose an object to explore in depth, write a detailed description and observation of the object.  Working with a partner, they can describe their object and see if their partner can identify the image from the description alone.

These 360* images can be used for introducing new concepts, as a visual aid for students who are presenting learning, and as a place for further exploration of a topic or object.

Please leave a comment and share how you are using 3D Toad in your classroom!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using BookSource Classroom Organizer in  your classroom!

This is a random one… so fair warning!

#1  An enormous THANK YOU to those who nominated iLearn Technology for the Edublog awards (also known as the Eddies).  It is enormously encouraging to be recognized for this little “hobby” I started almost 5 years ago.  You all push me forward, challenge me, encourage me and keep me striving for what’s best for kids.  I appreciate you!  The Edublog awards is a great place to learn about new edu resources that are worth keeping track of. Take a look at the nominees for instant inspiration!

• Cooperative Catalyst (this certainly has NOTHING to do with me lately…has been a while since I have contributed…but the other bloggers are AMAZING) was nominated for Best Group Blog
• iLearn Technology was nominated for Best Ed Tech Blog
• Reform Symposium was nominated for Best open PD/unconference/webinar

#2  I am addicted to Pinterest. Addicted. Sometimes I don’t blog because I spend 3 hours lost in Pinning goodness. If you haven’t checked out Pinterest, now is the time. Now, if only I could tear myself away from Pinterest to actually DO those things I pin.   You can find my boards by searching “Kelly Tenkely”.

#3  On Saturday I will be hosting the first annual “Staci” awards (pronounced Sta cee).  Those of you who are fans of the Office will remember the Dunder Mifflin “Dundie” awards.  We have the Anastasis Staci awards. It is going to be epic.  We have some pretty amazing (read hilarious) awards to give out to our teachers and board members.  When you build a dream team staff, get togethers are a WHOLE lot more fun!  The jury is still out for picture sharing from the event…there is no telling what will happen.

#4  Speaking of Board Members, we have an incredible board at Anastasis. They are incredibly supportive and approved our desire to send ALL of our staff to EduCon this year!  Philly, I hope you are ready for our awesome. Bam.

#5  Only the best for our Board Members, since they all have iPhones, this is the Christmas gift I am giving this year.  Koostik makes iPhone speakers (amplifies sound without power) out of gorgeous wood.

Full disclosure: I’m a big fan of the creator of Koostik.  I like to call him dad. He is a genius. And really talented.  And practically perfect in every way (anyone pick up on that Mary Poppins reference?).

How to integrate the Draw a Stickman site into the classroom: Draw a Stickman is a fun interactive site that uses student creations to tell a story.  Students can complete the interactive on individual computers, iDevices (the site works great!), interactive whiteboards, or classroom computers.

Aside from just fun practice at following instructions, Draw a Stickman would be a great fictional story prompt.  Students have the bones of a story and can fill in details, vivid verbs, adjectives, etc. to tell the story.  Students can focus on fleshing out their hero, the plot of the story, the details, the setting, etc.  Students can come up with a moral of a story that they add in the customized ending.  This link can be sent as a tweet, facebook link, or in an email to accompany the story they have created.  These stories would be fun to share as a class…how many different stories did students come up with using the same base?

On an interactive whiteboard, students can go through the story together, labeling the different parts of the story (beginning, problem, climax, resolution, ending).  This interactive can help students identify parts in a story including setting, characters and plot.

Tips: After you have gone through Draw a Stickman, you can personalize the message at the end and share.  Add any two lines of text that you wish.  This could be a fun way to reveal messages to your students!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Draw a Stickman in  your classroom!

What it is: Google rocks my socks.  The good people at Google that are dreaming up ways to change the world never cease to amaze me. Today, new to Google Labs is a little tool called Swiffy.  Swiffy let’s you upload a SWF file (otherwise known as Flash) and convert it to HTML5.  Sweet.  This means that you can use flash content on devices without a Flash player (i.e. iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch).  You know what that means?  The iDevices are officially the PERFECT device thanks to Google.  (No need for the list of reasons you don’t like iDevices, I’m a hardcore fan and you are not likely to change my mind with a rant. Deal? Deal.)  Swiffy works directly from your web browser, I have tried it out in Firefox, Safari and Chrome.  It worked in all three well!  It will also work from Mobile Safari which means it will work from your iDevice.  Very handy.  Using Swiffy is as easy as uploading a file and clicking “upload and convert”.  It couldn’t be easier.

How to integrate Swiffy into the classroom: When I was in college I had a professor that often said “The wheels of academia are SLOW to turn.”  She couldn’t have been more correct.  I have seen this in nearly every arena of education.  Technology is no exception.  Many wonderful resources are available as flash files.  The problem?  iDevices (the iPad, iPod Touch) are becoming more frequently used in the classroom and they are not flash friendly.  Google labs comes to the rescue with Swiffy.  Simply upload the flash file and convert it to HTML 5 using Swiffy. The new HTML5 files can be distributed to student devices so that learning can continue uninterrupted by something silly like file type.  Very cool.

Tips: SWF 5 currently gives the best results.  If possible save the SWF file this way!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Swiffy  in your classroom!

What it is: Zoodles makes it possible to have a “kid safe” mode on every device: Mac, PC, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and Android.  Zoodles includes wonderful features for technology use in the classroom and at home.  With Zoodles every child has their own “playground” space (login) that they access by clicking on their picture.  A parent dashboard lets teachers (or parents) customize Zoodles to meet the needs of students. Parents and teachers can clearly see where a student spends their time, what their interests are, and what subjects they have been practicing.  Every game in Zoodles has been previewed by experts and is rated based on it’s educational merit.  Parent play-along mode makes it possible for parents or teachers to guide the learning experience.  The interface is focused on kids and is extremely intuitive.  There are no distracting “extras” in the navigation or URLs where students can get sidetracked or lost.  The content in Zoodles adapts to each child’s age and ability level so they are constantly being challenged and engaged. There are thousands of educational games built into Zoodles…students always have something new and challenging to interact with.  Zoodles also gives students access to fun educational videos.  Zoodles is geared for toddler to third grade (8 year old) students.  You can peruse the games included in Zoodles by clicking on the “Games” tab on the site.  There are games for: cognitive development, creative development, life skills, math, reading, science, and social studies. The games and videos in Zoodles are pulled from several places on the Internet.  What makes Zoodles a great tool is the ability to guide students in their learning, easily find quality educational content, scale as a student is ready, and keep ads blocked and hidden.

How to integrate Zoodles into the classroom: Zoodles is great for classroom computers and devices in the primary classroom.  It provides students with access to quality learning games and content from the Internet without having to sort through the Internet to get to it.  Zoodles is perfect for classroom computers that are used as learning centers.  For the classroom, create 3-5 different accounts.  Instead of basing the accounts on individual students, the accounts can be based on a learning level.  Through the dashboard, teachers can guide the learning that happens in each account.  This keeps your students on task, learning at their level, and engaged in meaningful activities.  Even if you don’t use the Zoodles interface on your computers for students, it is definitely worth a download as a teacher.  The games and videos are broken up into subject areas and age groups.  This makes it easy to find an activity for any learning that you are doing in the classroom.  Use Zoodles as your guide to find great activities and learning games on the web.

Tips: I found Zoodles when searching for a solution for one of the families I teach.  They were looking for a way that all of their kids (2 years old to 8 years old) could use the family computer for fun, safe learning experiences.  This is a great app to recommend to parents who don’t know what they don’t know, but want to provide their kids with virtual learning experiences.  Be sure to recommend it to your students families!  There are premium features that families will LOVE!

Please leave a comment and share how you are using Zoodles!

Happy Friday!  I have been busy this week and want to share what I have been up to when I am not blogging here.

• Solar Walk 3D- 3D Solar System model on my blog iPad Curriculum is a great app for discovering the Solar System.
• Math BINGO on my blog iPad Curriculum is a fun app for practicing math facts.
• eduPad on my blog iPad Curriculum a platform where teachers can create iPad/iPhone/iPod apps for free without knowing how to code. eduPad takes care of all the hard stuff and you get 20% of all app sales.
• IceBerg kids on my blog iPad Curriculum an eReader for beginner and emergent readers.
• Incomplete Thoughts my reflection on Sir Ken Robinson’s RSA animate video on my blog Dreams of Education
• Twitter Academy- I’m starting a school…check out the details and help out if you can!
• Guest Post on Inspired Classroom: 34 Free Productivity Tools That Will Help You Eliminate Expensive Software
• Article on The Apple: 12 Tools for Blended Learning

Whew! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!