Socrative is my New Best Friend

Wow! I've been using Socrative these past 2 weeks and it is so powerful! In a 3rd grade lesson I was doing a Kahoot quiz which went really well. When we were done we didn't have enough time to do both a new Brainpop and another Kahoot so I decided to do a dipstick test to see what the students remembered from the video and quiz. Students are in groups of 2-3 and just answered the socrative questions in teams. I didn't require them to put in their names but I might next time. I selected short answer and set it to unlimited answers then asked what they learned about Brass instruments. Great feedback from kids. The second question was what they remembered from our super fast presentation of Orchestra Hall behavior expectations. When done, I sent a report to myself of the answers which showed up in spreadsheet format. So. Cool!

Another successful day with iPads

Again, I used iPads in all three morning classes. I am so inspired about the potential use of these devices. It completely opens up motivation, participation, possible assessment, interaction with partners in new ways... My brain is exploding.

Anyone know anything about nearpod? I'd like to try that next.

What a great day--the iPads are amazing!

Today I used the iPads in three classes and it was AMAZING! Everything was done in groups of 2 or 3 students:

• The third graders watched a Brainpop! video about Strings. We are preparing for our field trip to Orchestra Hall and completing the curricular goal of identifying instrument families and instrument names/sounds. Then they took a kahoot quiz that I made this morning by using the brainpop! quiz and typing the questions and answers into the kahoot quiz maker. The kids had so much fun they asked to do it again (to get a better score). How incredibly motivating!!
• Fourth graders used iPads for recorder karate and I did some testing. This is still the messiest feeling iPad activity for me because I am still working out the kinks, making sure they are on task while also testing kids one on one. But I think its getting better every time.
• Fifth grade was the most fun for me because, after working on 5th grade recognition songs, we got out the iPads and just played and played with Socrative. The kids would say, "let's do a true or false!" then I would make up a true or false question ("true or false, I clapped the rhythm on the board correctly.") and they would answer. We did T/F, multiple choice, short answer, and exit card. What fun!!! 

Getting out the kinks

I learned from yesterday's seemingly disastrous iPad lessons. Today when I taught them again, I modeled with a student what recorder karate should look like. It was only AFTER they got rolling with practicing that I started to offer iPads as a "possible tool." It was much better but I think it will take a few more times to get it down.
Unfortunately, I see each class 5 more times after this rotation and I have so many other things I need to do during that time! Including getting my 3rd graders and 3/4 CP kids ready for our field trip to Orchestra Hall in a couple of weeks. It seems to be accelerating yet each individual day is very long.

a Collection of Things

First off, we finally recorded and uploaded our performances of Mbira Jam in 5th grade and Tropic Rondo in 4th grade. I put them into playlists and posted them on my website page "Things from Class" but thought I'd put it here, too.

Click here for the 5th Grade Mbira Jam playlist

Click here for the 4th grade Tropic rondos

Second, I used the iPads for the first time today for Recorder Karate. In one word? Messy. I had them review their classrooms' guidelines for iPad use rather than reinvent the wheel, created a Symbaloo for Recorder Karate (love this!) and printed a QR code that linked to it. Once kids got into groups I handed out the iPads, opened the scanner link, and even opened Guided Access on each one. They used the QRscanner to get to the Symbaloo and BOOM! they were at the resource page with sheet music, fingering charts, youTube videos, and sound clips to help them learn their music. Smooth. Except not really. I forgot about the Kid factor. When it came to using the iPads as a tool while also helping each other and listening to each other, it felt rather like a small disaster. There were groups of kids clustered around an iPad, headphones on, completely ignoring each other, some even with backs to each other. I had a student come up to test and discovered he had no idea how to even play B-A-G. I asked him if he had shown his group and he said they told him he sounded fine!?!! Granted, we haven't used recorders in a few months but I didn't expect the skill to atrophy quite so quickly! 

What I learned:

1. Students need me to model group work WITH the tool/resources MORE than I actually did.
2. I need to create smaller groups.
3. Students still need paper music so they can write on it.
4. I need to completely redo my video system in a more user-friendly way. 

Whew! I'm exhausted already.