Educational Apps #1: Math and Language Arts

Below is a presentation suggesting 10 awesome educational applications that you can use at home or in school. Most of the apps are for mathematics or language arts, and range from elementary to middle grades. Each slide provides an in-depth analysis on the app. All of these applications are available on iTunes or in the Google Play Store.


iPads are an excellent tool to use in education. 21st century learners would greatly benefit by the use of iPads. Not only is it a great tool for note-taking, but there are thousands of apps that can be used for education. iPads provide interactive activity that helps students learn. It is a digital manipulative that can be used for differentiation and help students succeed.

In the comment section, please suggest some of your favorite educational apps!    

Video: 21st Century Learner

The video below defines a 21st century learner as well as a 21st century teacher. It provides essential information on what is needed to help students succeed in a 21st century classroom. It also shows that students want to use technology in the classroom!

 This video was created with Laura F. in November 2013.

Lesson Plan: The Giver Alternative Ending with Technology

Title: The Giver Alternative Ending Technology Lesson 

Subject/Grade Level: 8th Grade, Level 2, Language Arts

Standards:  

1.5.8.A:  Write with a clear focus, identifying topic, task, and audience and establishing a single point of view.

1.5.8.B: Develop content appropriate for the topic.

·       Gather, organize, and determine validity and reliability of information

·       Employ the most effective format for purpose and audience.

·       Write paragraphs that have details and information specific to the topic and relevant to the focus.

Objectives:  

• Students will be able to write an alternative ending to The Giver using technology.  
• Students will be able to share and comment on a partner’s writing, using technology.

Lesson Plan: Written Discussion

This lesson was originally taught to an undergraduate class at a university.  The lesson taught aspiring teachers how to use written discussion as a reading strategy.  The strategy can easily be used in any subject area or grade level. A Power Point and links to resources are attached.

Title: Mini-lesson: Written Discussion

Introduction of Lesson Goal/Objective: 

· Students will be able to respond to a text through written discussion by working independently & in small groups.
· Students will be able to discuss an article based off a written conversation started within a small group.

Start by asking, “Has anybody used an online forum or message board to respond to a reading?” to link the lesson to previous learning. Ask: “What site did you use and what were your experiences?”  Have a few students share their experiences to the class.  Then, explain that an online forum is very similar to a reading strategy called “written discussion.”  Explain that message boards are essentially an online version of the strategy.

State that students will learn about a reading strategy called “written discussion,” which they will use while reading a text. Explain that written discussion is important because it allows every student to read, write, think, and share. It improves comprehension because it lets students react to what they have read.  Mention that it is an alternative to a whole class discussion, as it enables all students to participate rather than a select few.

Model the Objective:  Read “Flappy Bird Will Fly Back to App Stores” aloud.  Using Microsoft Word, write a response to the text, labeled “Student #1.”  Then, “Student #2,” will write a response to “Student #1.” Explain that the class will be doing this activity on a regular piece of paper, which will be passed more than once.  Mention that students will discuss the conversations aloud.

Essay: Teaching 9/11

This essay was originally written in September, 2011.

Planes crashing, people screaming, people jumping, buildings falling, people running, people crying. Was it a horrifying movie or the end of the world? Everything happened so fast, but a few hours changed the world forever. Although it occurred over ten years ago, I remember everything so vividly. I will never forget the tragedy of September 11, 2001.  

“Oh my God! Oh my God!” I heard my mom yell. She was typically a loud person, so waking up to her voice became pretty normal in my household. I didn't think anything was wrong; perhaps there was a bug in her room. With my school building under construction, the beginning of the school year had been delayed, meaning another great summer day supposedly lied ahead. I got out of bed, looked out the window, and noticed a picture-perfect cloudless bright blue sky.  Later in the day, I was scheduled to go over my friend's house. No school, beautiful weather, and hanging out with a friend had the potential to be a perfect day for a nine year old kid like myself. What I thought would be a terrific day turned out to be one of the most devastating days of my life and one of the worst days in American history.

Assessment: Vocabulary Test #1

The following is a summative test on a 7th grade vocabulary unit. The assessment utilized a Table of Specifications (also embedded below) in order to make the test valid and reliable. According to the University of Kansas, “The purpose of a Table of Specifications is to identify the achievement domains being measured and to ensure that a fair and representative sample of questions appear on the test. A Table of Specifications allows the teacher to construct a test which focuses on the key areas and weights those different areas based on their importance. A Table of Specifications provides the teacher with evidence that a test has content validity, that it covers what should be covered.” The vocabulary test had an instructional weight to make the test fair. Each question was linked to one of two standards from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, which ensures that what is being tested was taught. Also, there was a balanced weight of higher order questions and lower order questions. There were a variety of questions, ranging from multiple choice, true or false, writing sentences, and short essay.

Alternative Authentic Assessment for ELLs: Area

The following is an authentic assessment for English Language Learners.  The assessment covers finding the area of figures.

Different activities require different types of authentic assessments.  One particular activity will help students practice finding the area of different figures while being assessed authentically.  Various shapes will be cut out on different colored construction paper.  The shapes will be color coordinated so that different pieces of the same color can evenly fit together.  Each student will receive a cutout.  Next, the student will find a partner who has a shape that is the same color as his or hers.  When the students find partners with the same colored shape, they will put their shapes together like a puzzle.  After the partners match up their shapes, they will find the dimensions of their figure by measuring it with a ruler.  Then, the students find the area of the combined figures.  Students can use any strategy that they have learned to find the area, including formulas, or adding together the areas of each individual figure.

For example, one student is given a green square.  The student finds another student with a green right triangle.  The students put the shapes together to make a trapezoid.  Then, the students must find the area of the new figure that they created, which would be the trapezoid.  Besides finding the area, the students will complete other tasks which will test their language domains.  On a piece of paper, the students will show all their work as to how they found their answer.  Lastly, in complete sentences, the students will write out all of the steps they used to solve the problem.