Favorite App Linky Party

The Techie Teacher, Julie is hosting a Favorite App Linky Party! Since I am obsessed with downloading apps choosing just one seems IMPOSSIBLE! So here it goes...! I am sharing an old favorite that has been my go to app of the year!

Show Me is definitely my favorite free app. I have used it with students in grades first through eighth in every subject so I love the versatility. Show Me turns your iPad into a mini SMART Board and is a great app for creation. It records your screen and any marks you make as well as your voice which is great for explaining how to do something, sharing a story, solving a problem, assessing student's understanding, etc. Saving and sharing is easy which makes this app outstanding in my eyes! With just one click your Show Me is uploaded to the website and you can view it on your iPad or online! Once your Show Me is saved you can share it with a link or easily embed it into your blog or class page! Check out a few of our Show Mes. I selected a few from over 500 in my account.

1st Grade Science

 3rd Grade Social Studies

5th Grade Math

6th Grade Language Arts

100 Follower Giveaway

Wow! 100 followers is such an exciting event! When I started my blog I knew I would have one loyal friend and fan but I never imagined 100 lovely followers would come so soon! I wasn't really sure about this whole blogging business to be quite honest and I thought it would just be one more thing on my to-do list that never seems to end but I have really loved the journey! I've met some amazing teachers who I feel are the best of the best! I've built a solid PLN and I love stealing ideas learning from all of my blog stalking hopping. I've loved all of the comments and feedback I've gotten and feel like I've been able to really contribute to the blogging community which is such a humbling feeling :)! I would like to thank these seven wonderful bloggers ladies who teamed up and generously offered to donate something for my 100 follower giveaway! Not only are they kind but they also have some rockin' blogs that you should follow! Let's get to the giveaway...

I will be giving away a $10 iTunes card sent via email!

I will also be giving away a $5 Walmart gift card sent via email.

One lucky winner will win a custom created QR Code scavenger hunt or activity of your choice by yours truly! All you have to do is provide the content and I will do the work :)! 

Christy at Teaching Tales:Along the Yellow Brick Road is giving away any item from her TPT store!

Diane at Fifth in the Middle is allowing the winner to pick an item of your choice from her TPT store!

Mrs. Godwin at ilive2learn ilove2grow is donating any item from her TPT store!

Kristen at iTeach 1:1 has graciously offered to donate a prize TBD, perhaps it will be an item from her TPT store but I am not sure yet!

Kelly at An Apple For The Teacher is giving winners choice of one item from her TPT store!

Kate from EduKate and Inspire has kindly donated one item from her TPT store! Kate has some super cute technology stuff! I want to win this prize!

Andrea from Reading Toward the Stars  has generously donated any one item from her TPT store!

This giveaway is going on until Sunday, March 4th so you have plenty of time to enter!!! Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Five for Friday

I just found Doodle Bugs Teaching {first grade rocks!} Five for Friday linky! My blog roll had post after post with this cute Five for Friday icon so I decided to join the fun even though I am a day late (I was tempted to schedule this blog post for yesterday because I like to follow rules)! 

Here are my 5 randoms -

1. We went from "snow storm" on Wednesday/Thursday to sunny skies today and 60 degree weather here in VA! 

2. I leave for Vegas on Wednesday and have been packed since Tuesday! I fit EVERYTHING into a carry on, ok so my husband has two pairs of shoes in his bag and a few other small items since he leaves tomorrow and will be checking his bag.

3. Gremmy had to go to the vet and get a tooth pulled! My amazing husband handled it all and sent me email updates to let me know how she was doing! 

4. Today is the 68th day of the year and I have exactly 68 photos posted in my 365 Project which I am LOVING! 

5. I reached 100 Followers this week and I am so excited to host a 100 Follower Giveaway! I already have three generous friends offering items from their TPT store and an iTunes gift card! If you are interested in contributing please let me know!

I've Been Boo'd

You know how much I love linky parties and since Halloween is one of my FAVORITE holidays  I am super excited about this one :)! Molly at Shining and Sparking in First Grade Boo'd me and I can't wait to link up with the Second Grade Pad for the party.

So I've actually never been Boo'd or Boo'd anyone which makes this even MORE exciting :)! I've seen all kinds of BOO ideas on Pinterest but don't know any of my neighbors to boo so I can't wait to participate in the virtual BOOing! 

You've probably all played the popular game BOO at school where you leave a ghost on someone's desk or mailbox along with a treat. Let's do the same by sharing some love from our stores... 

Here's how to play. Choose a fellow blogger that has MORE followers, another that has about the SAME number of followers, and last, someone that has LESS followers.

Highlight their blogs with links to encourage others to check them out. Don't forget to let your fellow bloggers know that you shared about them. 

Lastly, leave them some love by offering them a goody from your store as their "treat." (I also don't actually have a TPT store so I hope I can still play by offering the BOO and some blog love :)!)

Here are the blogs that I have chosen...

1. My first boo is for Alex over at The School Potato who has disappeared from the blog world! She is a first year 2nd grade teacher at my school. I have the privilege of being a colleague, mentor and friend :)! Go check out her blog!



2.  My second boo is for Second Grade Freebies! I picked the third blog on my "Reading List"! Yes, I am that OCD (everything in 3s)! Anyways, go check out her blog! 

3. Boo #3 goes to Mindy at iintegratetechnology because she was the third email blog feed that I received today :)!  

Happy blogging and booing friends :)!

Currently

Happy Tuesday friends! So, I have seen Farley's linky parties since the beginning of my blog stalking days but this is the first one that I am participating in which is very exciting. Head over to Oh' Boy 4th Grade to get in on the fun!

Actually, my husband is a channel hopper so there is no telling what I will be listening to by the end of this blog but currently it is FOX News! I will be so happy when November comes and goes! 
Loving- So this font is smiley monster by Kevin and Amanda which I am loving. Initially, I had a lot of doubts about this position BUT I am falling more and more in love with it each day. There are still things that I really miss about 1st grade but I am really beginning to l <3 this position which I wasn't really sure I would ever be able to say! Now that I am actually working with classes and not trouble shooting adult computer problems I am having a lot more fun. My schedule is very flexible and I am collaborating with first through eighth grade educators. I am loving the impact that I have on teachers and seeing kids get so motivated, engaged and excited about what they are learning about through the integration of technology! I currently have 4th graders OBSESSED with making QR Codes on cool facts about our solar system. One of the 4th grade teachers is taking their excitement and using it for her next unit to have students create QR Codes to map a region of the United States. 

I am so in love with my life. I have an amazing husband, two adorable puppies, wonderful friends and family, a great career, a home I love, I'm feeling MUCH better being gluten/dairy free, etc. etc. etc. I am one lucky lady and feeling very blessed! 

Thinking- Yes, yes I know. I am obsessed with QR Codes! I am an addict. Period. End of story. This QR Code links to an awesome Live Binder on QR Code ideas! 

Wanting- I absolutely love ice cream and one of our local dairy bars has PUMPKIN ice cream around this time of year, however this is my first year COMPLETELY dairy free. Edy's makes it and a few other name brands which I purchased for my husband (pure torture)! Some of my favorite things about fall are all of the goodies and drinks! I was really sad at the beginning of fall when I knew I couldn't have MOST of the things that I love during fall. BUT I have found some great fall treat recipes that are gluten/dairy free thanks to Pinterest, oh what did I do before Pinterest!!!

Needing- To-do lists keep me sane! I love Color Notes on my Droid which is an easy check list! I am working on feeling more at ease at picking up my to-do list the next morning and not working until all hours of the night trying to accomplish every last task on the list. As a Type A, OCD freak this is difficult :)! Today post blog came up and here I am, last item on my list!

Book- OK, so as I was re-reading the "rules" I realized that I didn't put a fall book, OOPS! Teachers are so bad at reading directions! I love me some Junie B. Jones: Boo and I Mean It! She is such a sassy pants but I pee my pants laughing every time I read this one. Anyways, as a grown up I love to read BUT it is so hard during the school year! I never feel like I have time to sit and enjoy a book. I like to read books cover to cover so it is hard for me to squeeze in a few pages here and there. By the time I actually have time to read I usually am falling asleep. One of my good friends recommended The Happiness Project and I just downloaded it on my iPad. 

Tell Me Something Good

Happy Monday friends! Technically this is the second blog post of the day but because I am linking up with Rowdy in First Grade for tell me something good I cannot do a scheduled blog (Sorry! BTW- Is there really a blog rule that says you can only post ONCE?)!

Something Good At School
Today I finally got to work with children!!! Actually, I have had my Geek Squad guys in class and before/after school BUT today was the first day that I worked with kids (besides GS) on a lesson that I created! I also got to co-teach with my part time ITRT which was awesome. She jumped right in and we were able to work with a larger group of kids with the extra set of hands. Despite being sick and feeling rather lack luster I had a blast working with the 1st and 2nd graders with her.

Something Good At Home
My husband is amazing! I couldn't have married a more loving, supportive and sweet man. September is always a whirlwind full of late nights, early mornings and a never-ending to-do list (actually, that is more like my LIFE) but he has not once complained. He's been a trooper! While he is always helpful, lately he has been taking care of dinner every night (he is a master in the kitchen) and he continues to make gluten/dairy free taste delicious! On the gluten/dairy free note we keep finding new items and recipes that I can actually eat which is another good at home :)! I feel like this list could go on for hours. I am very blessed and feel like one lucky girl to have such a great life!

*Quick tech. tip for bloggers: When inserting a picture you can make that a direct link! Just grab the picture while editing a blog and then press the "link" button as if you were going to add a hyperlink in your text! Paste the link you want to attach it to and *tada* your picture is no linked up! (I felt like I had to include a tech tip!)

Technology Tips

Happy Monday! (Rats, you caught me! It is actually Sunday and I am writing a scheduled post)!

April over at The Idea Backpack is having a technology tip linky party! You might be thinking, you already linked up and you're right. BUT I was looking through my blog feed and saw that she had posted a 2nd time. When I visited her blog I found out that she was so excited about what she had been learning that she wanted to extend the party! This made me super excited for a few reasons. One reason is because she is the type of teacher that I hope to inspire whether it be in my building or across the country! Sometimes as I am blogging I wonder if anyone is really *out there* reading or taking anything away from my blog so this was awesome to read! Another reason is because she highlighted my blog as one of her favorite technology blogs! I think her enthusiasm also "proves" the point of technology and the impact that it can make. She was looking for tips and became so excited about what she was learning that she didn't want to stop, isn't that powerful in the field of education?

I think it is so easy to become overwhelmed with technology... there is just so much out there! You can never know it all or be totally up to date, it is just impossible BUT one thing that helps is organization which she highlighted as a goal in her post! Whether you choose to pin, bookmark, print, write down, put in a Google Doc, etc. I think this is a helpful way to stay on top of technology. It is also easy to "forget" all of the different resources and what they can be used for if you don't have them stored somewhere!

One thing I also want to remind you about technology is that it doesn't always have to be bells and whistles sometimes an awesome interactive website is tech enough and since I am not feeling well that is just what I have for you. ABCYA.com is an awesome site for K-5.

There are three categories of games "Letters", "Numbers" and "More". Letters is language arts related, numbers is math focused and more has either or with a holiday theme. ABCya does a great job of reinforcing concepts through fun and interactive games. The student may be asked to work hard but there is always a built in break/game that they work towards.

Students work to answer 5 math fact problems and then they are able to make 5 foul shots. Look fun? Don't ask how many shots I made! Basketball apparently is NOT my thing but I had fun trying!

 My 1st graders really enjoyed many of the games last year! ABCYA has some iPad apps which were equally awesome!

Math BINGO was one of their favorite games last year and what a great way to practice math fact fluency! Math BINGO is also an app that can be downloaded for your iThing (pad/pod).

Sight Word BINGO was also a big hit during center time! Word BINGO is also an app. 

There are TONS of other fun games too (lots of BINGO ones- money, base ten, number, etc.) ! 

I just linked each grade level up with the computer lab website! I hope you check out abcya.com and find something that you can use with your students.

The Weekend Blogger!

Happy weekend friends!!! I feel like I need to change my blog name to "The Weekend Blogger" now that school is in full swing! I know September is always the hardest so I won't change my name JUST yet and I am going to work on using the scheduled blogs so it will at least seem like I am blogging during the week! On top of the back to school business as usual I managed to catch something (only took 9 school days this year) so I am feeling extra exhausted and miserable this weekend.

Today I am linking up with The Idea Backpack for a technology tips linky party! I know I have shared my obsession with QR Codes before and have mentioned their vast capabilities! QR Stuff is an awesome website for generating simple QR Codes linked to plain text, websites, facebook, twitter, etc. BUT what if you want to link to a picture or document like I've mentioned before? You will need QR Code Maker. This website allows you to link documents, pictures, pdfs, etc. to a QR Code.

Step 1:

Step 2, 3, 4, 5:

Step 6:

Step 7:

You can use QR Codes for really simple activities or much more elaborate and complex projects! They can be used in A-N-Y, I repeat any classroom setting!!! This week I will be introducing the 1st graders to iPods and QR Codes for the first time. Since they are learning about American symbols I created a QR Code linked to a photo for each symbol and then printed labels of the 5 symbol names for them to match! They are also doing graphing in math so I created a Google Form (poll of their favorite symbol) that they will be taking via QR Code which we will be working with later which also hits their voting objective. 

While I am ALL FOR the use of technology in the classroom this brings me to an important point... tech for the sake of tech is NOT the correct implementation. It is so easy to integrate your curriculum with technology. Technology should be used to enhance instruction, engagement, motivation, etc. If you feel like you are going out of your way to bring technology into your classroom or that it is just "something else" then you are approaching it all wrong! Technology should be used as a tool to help improve instruction! Technology can be a powerful tool for differentiation and individualization. 

Linky Parties

 I <3 linky parties and I just found The Teaching Blog Addict's Ultimate Linky Party Post! Now I am overwhelmed with linky parties. I'm sure I've admitted this before but I Google everything (literally EVERYTHING) which is how I came across this awesome post! Since it is also nearly impossible for me to make decisions and I am a little OCD I will link up with 3 today (everything I can control doing in 3s, I do, don't ask).

The second linky party is "What's your teacher-ism?" with Luckeyfrog's Lillypad ! This actually makes me laugh out loud because I can always tell my teacher-isms by what I hear my students saying to one another! This also makes me laugh because during my first year of teaching a parent of a very shy little girl came in with a list of "teacher-isms" that her daughter imitated while playing school with her dolls, little sister and friends. Apparently she had ME down perfectly! So some my teacher-isms are any phrase with the word "friends" attached to it, "Get it together!", "Seriously?!" I am sure there are more but I haven't been with kids yet this year so these are what I can recall from last year!

The third linky party is a Technology Tool LinkUp with Literacy and Laughter! While at a training with Chris Toy in August he introduced the group to socrative which is an awesome Web 2.0 tool that can be used with laptops, iPods, iPads or smart phones! Check out their intro video. It is free but you do need to create an account! I have not created a quiz with it yet but I cannot wait to put it to use in the classroom! I know a few middle school teachers at my school have asked for training on it so I am going to explore it more and will be doing a video blog on it later!