I "Mustache" You

I don't know when or why the mustache became so popular and hilarious BUT it did! I also never would've guessed that I would be using a mustache app in an educational setting BUT I did.

                                           

Yup, that's me with a mustache!

As I was stalking  checking the App Store I saw The Mustache App and downloaded it of course! At the time I was looking for an app that would allow students to create a surveys or analyze graphs for a first grade lesson. I didn't find any good apps and got distracted putting mustaches on everyone in my family :)!

 Then I went to Pinterest for a little inspiration and when I searched "1st grade graphing" this awesome mustache freebie came up!

! So the firs thing that I did was created 14 different survey questions using Google Forms. Then I used QRStuff to link the forms making it easier and quicker for the first graders to access all 14. 

I created and labeled 14 colorful QR Codes and put them around the compeer lab. First graders ARE.OBSESSED.WITH.QR.CODES. so they were so excited to get started! They were cracking up at my mustache picture and couldn't wait to scan the BONUS QR Code after they finished 6 survey questions! 

Here are a few of the forms: 

The bonus QR Code had a message to come see me and have their picture taken with the Mustache App. Then they picked their own silly mustache. 

I printed their little mustache pictures! They were HYSTERICAL!!! After they finished responding to the 14 survey questions with their buddy and saws lots of different survey questions they discussed a question that they were interested in asking their classmates. Their question, data collection, graph and graph analysis will be displayed in the hallway! I will share pictures when they are finished!

For our third lesson students were paired up and given the data generated from Google Forms. First they counted up the total responses and decided how many answer choices were given (this was differentiated for each group- some pairs got a survey question with 2 responses while others received a challenge with 4 or more responses). Then we used Create a Graph to come up with these jazzy graphs. These are displayed in the hall with the data. In class students will be working during math centers to write an analysis for one of the graphs which will then be added to the display! 

Solar System QRs, Google Drive, Clickers and Graphs

I know more about our solar system today than I did a week ago thanks to VA SOL 4.7 and 4.8. I've had so much fun working with the fourth graders on these objectives! During our first whole class lesson they used QRStuff and QR Code Maker to create their QR Codes. They used QRStuff to link to a cool fact about the planet they had researched in the library and QR Coder Maker to link to a picture of their planet. During the second lesson I had a small group (10 students) use Google Drive to create quiz questions from the curriculum and the class study guide. On their third lesson they learned how to copy and paste from Google Drive into SMART Response software (SMART Notebook) and set up a Clicker Quiz. On the fourth visit the whole class came again and took the Clicker quiz as a review before their big unit test. They did A-W-E-S-O-M-E and cheered upon walking in and being told they were taking a Clicker quiz haha! Today I worked with the same small group and Google Drive again to create graphs from their quiz scores and find the range, mean, median and mode of their scores (2 math objectives which I don't know of the top of my head). They did such a great job! I was beyond impressed and absolutely L<3VE using Google Drive with students! Check out their Google Drive Graphing Activity over here.  

I printed the Clicker quiz and their Google Drive document to hang in the hallway and I put a little blurb in our STAR Points about what 4th grade had been up to with me! I mentioned that if anyone had a similar SOL objective or if they wanted their kids to have practice scanning QR Codes that the 4th grade hallway was the place to be. I suggested students visit the hallway as a center with their iPod and a clipboard to record facts and didn't think much of it! This afternoon the 6th grade science teacher flagged down the fourth grade teachers and asked if it was ok for her kids to come scan the posters, had them send their clicker quizes for her to give to her 6th graders as review AND asked me to help her create a QR Code scavenger hunt slash space timeline activity for her 6th graders for next week! I showed her how to link text and pictures to QR Codes and got her started on the lesson! She was so excited about the activity and couldn't believe how easy it was to make! Needless to say I was SOOO happy leaving school today :)!

PS I was stalking the 4th grade unit test scores this afternoon since we use an online software and I have access! All three classes did very well on their test and ONE even earned a denim pass for next Friday! (Since we are a traditional school and we wear uniforms jeans are very special at our school. You can get a denim pass by earning a class average on a test of 95 or higher).