More Free Apps

FREE APPS TODAY

After scanning my twitter feed, listserves, 

and various blogs, 

I am highlighting the following apps or ebooks.

One of my students' all-time favorite characters is Scaredy Squirrel.   I must admit, he is one of my favorites as well! If you are not aware of Melanie Watts, take a look at her work.  This week, iTunes offered Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach for FREE. It's not too late. Download it today on your iPhone, iPad, iTouch, and computer!  Normally $5.99.  Thanks to @marianslibrary & @classicsixbooks for their tweet.

KID IN STORY BOOK MAKER

Kid in Story Book Maker makes it easy and fun to create visual stories to support learning, social modeling, and early literacy with your child as the star character. FREE today (usually $6.99). Download today.  Thanks to @mattBgomez for his twitter announcement.

Grammar Wonderland-Primary

 Click here to download.

Bug's Math Quest

 Click here to download.

Maybe it could be used for a class calendar!

Click to download for free.

FREE KINDLE BOOKS (Remember you can download  the free kindle app on your devices. You can download Kindle books to iPhones, select Blackberrys, Droids, iPads, Macs, and PCs.  Thanks to TCEA for their research on free books.

 Download free today.

 Download free today.

 What gaps do you need filling in your ebook or app inventory? Leave a comment and I will do my best to fill your gaps.

Give Students the Freedom To Be Creative

Do you wonder how to revitalize your class?  

Do your students seem disengaged and lack creativity?

We need to change.

After reading DRIVE by Daniel Pink, I am more convinced than ever, that we need to break down the time restraints we have in our public schools. Students (all ages) need time to wonder, explore, play, create, and share.

Creativity is like a muscle--it needs exercise to build and strengthen.  If you have not read DRIVE, read it this summer.

Take a look at this video about Creativity.

Get inspired by Kelvin who learns by making!

What other books do you recommend?  

Are you exploring Maker Spaces or Genius Hour?

Any twitter chats you are participating in on these topics?

Share in the comment section any resources or thoughts you have regarding fostering creative classrooms.

"BE THE UNEXPECTED" TEACHER FOR YOUR STUDENTS THIS YEAR!

Inspiration...

I am a recent twitter convert.  I signed up for an account probably a year or more ago and really did not use it.  A couple of weeks ago, I attended my first ever edcamp #edcamprsd6 and requested a session on the effective use of twitter for educators.  I am a believer in its power for growing your PLN.

Today, I received a tweet that had a link to this video.  Well worth watching and learning from this Ignite speech by Jeremy McDonald.

What  is your"do the unexpected" story? 
Share it in the comment section.

Free Apps Today

This is the list I sent to our preschool -2 grade teachers today.

Alternative to imovie
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/magisto-magical-video-editor/id486781045?mt=8


Phonics Studio -- Speech therapists rated this one high
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id547795266?mt=8

Jessica and Dr. Math-  limited reviews so you can judge it for yourself.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id614470175?mt=8

Bugsy's Math Quest
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id642542939?mt=8

Octopus Planet, 1,2,3 :  looks interesting
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id509013344?mt=8

Instant Photo Collage Maker
https://itunes.apple.com/app/instant-photo-collage-maker/id670992291?mt=8

PRESENTATION TOOL
Publish Me:  Worth trying out
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id559657204?mt=8&src=af

TIMER
https://itunes.apple.com/app/timer+-touch-hd/id520487966?mt=8

FOR PRESCHOOLERS
Puzzle ABC- very good reviews
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id648018750?mt=8

Color Carnival
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id454931935?mt=8

Montessori Blocks
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id649416269?mt=8

Shiny Party- Excellent reviews
https://itunes.apple.com/app/shiny-party/id618658350?mt=8

Gem from ISTE

I attended my first ISTE conference a few weeks ago.  It is a bit overwhelming the first time. So many attendees, and I was traveling alone so I had to navigate on my own.  The gem I discovered was TCEA.  The Texas Computer Educators Association.  Incredible resource.

The following ebook is written by one of their members.  He is addressing what I spoke about in a previous post--about choosing apps that can be mashed into other apps.



Message from Miguel Guhlin
http://mguhlin.org

" For fun, I decided to create a short free ebook (e.g. ePub, iBook) that summarizes some of the main points of app smashing workshop and blends in an example of digital poetry as I once taught it.
Get a copy of The Definitive App Smasher's Guide...

• ePub version (best viewed on an iPad in iBooks since it includes audio/video)
• PDF version (ok, this one has the pictures but not the audio/video, so...)

Have fun and drop a note in the comments!!"


NOTE:  If you do download Miguel's book, do drop him a note.  We are so blessed to be in a profession in which people share their knowledge so generously.
Jane

Discovery Education's Summer Institute

Last summer I attended the Discovery Education Summer Institute.  This year, I am following it online.

Here are some the best resources shared at DENSI 2013.

Visit the DENSI 2013 site, to view archives of the live streaming for the keynote workshops.

Digital Authentic Assessments compiled by Katie Searcy

Mashups with Traci (one of DEN's best)

Quick and Easy QR Code Generator

Paper Slide Videos- all ages can create them

Examples of Student Paper Slide Videos

Open Source Clip Art

Your Students Can Create Infographics

Math/Tech Educator shares her tips

DE CCSS Tool page

Twitter for beginners

Oustanding Free Images

Free Animoto Teacher Acct

 Successful CCSS Implementation

 Appoholic  App List

Face Talker app--better than blabberize

CCSS Math Tools

CCSS ELA SHIFTS

CCSS Leadership resources

CCSS Resources

Karen Beerer's DENSI lecture

Not just for consuming information.

The greatest power of the iPad, I believe, is the ability to create.  So, I am always on the lookout for apps that allow students to create.  I want to make sure the app has multiple ways to share your creation.  I esp. like apps that allow you to create something and import it into your camera roll or provides you with a link.

For instance, one of the best book creation apps is called: BookCreator.    It costs $4.99 but is worth every cent. While creating an ebook using this app, you can embed video and images from your camera roll, you can hyperlink text and images to url's. You can narrate your pages.  When sharing these ebooks, you can email them and open them in ibooks on any iPad or iPhone.  If you need to share them with non-ipad or non-iPhone users, then you can send them a pdf- of course, you lose the audio.

Use any of these apps to create images or movie clips to add to your ebook when using bookcreator.

 Skitch-free  

PicCollage- free 

Voice Photo - free    

What is one of your favorite creation apps and how do you mash apps together to create awesome products?