Week 1 with 1:1

We are so excited about our 1:1 classroom! 

 
Before I gave students the ipad, I did my best to get them student friendly. I created backgrounds to match my classroom decor. This background is the home and the lock screen. Each student is assigned a number and they know how to click on the ipad to assure that it is theirs. (The belkin storage I bought is numbered 1-10...so they know exactly where to place their ipad for storage.) I also placed all apps in a folder (reading, math, stories, coding) and the most frequently used are at the bottom.

We began by practicing how to turn them on and off. We have had 1 ipad in the room all year, so this wasn't completely new to them.

 

Once we had the hang of that, we practiced opening up a document in Showbie. 

 

Our district has some guidelines on using Google for the younger grades, so I wanted a way for students to access assignments on the ipad, complete them, and submit them back to me.  I uploaded a simple beginning of the year paper that we could practice using a stylus with. We had never used one, so this was all new to us. They did great! They were so excited. They were zooming in to help them write better, zooming out, erasing, etc. SO FUN!!!!! When finished they submitted it to me.

I do not have the upgraded version of this program....just the free so I could leave a comment for them (which I did and they freaked out!) but I couldn't "grade" it or I didn't have the option to show parents. While I love showbie, I think I am going to look at my options for other similar apps before we purchase it. I want to make sure it is what I want.

I also have to say that I was a little disappointed in Frontrow. I placed it on their toolbar thinking they would use it often, but it is a little too advanced for kindergarten....so I have to go back through their ipads and change some things around. 

We are still practicing. This week they are completing and submitting one center on their own via Showbie. We have also played Kahoot! and it makes them CRAZY wild!!! 

What apps have you used? What do you love? What do you hate? I'd love your feedback!