BUSY and 2 Tech Tips

I have been BUSY. I'm sure you have been, too. How is it that I always forget how exhausting the first week of school really is? This year, with my split 1st/2nd group, it feels like I'm teaching twice as much with half the time. It's stressful, confusing, tiring.... and actually a lot of fun. I'm really, really enjoying my students this year. I'm teaching some lessons regular, whole group style, but a lot of what I'm teaching is on grade level. That means, I get to teach to a group of 7-8 at a time. I feel like I already know them better than I knew some of my past classes after a couple of months. So, even though at times I think I might cry when trying to figure out schedules and such, I also feel very lucky and blessed.
 Along with my great students, came great parents. I can't say enough great stuff about the group of parents I have this year.  I try my best to let my parents know exactly what is going on in our classroom. A month or so ago on Pinterest I found this cool pin-

Since I teach at a really small school, some of my parents know my personal cell number and I do get texts from them from time to time. However, this is a great way to send mass texts without parents seeing your phone number or the phone numbers of other parents.
I just sent home the note with my kiddos today and I already have 3 parents signed up to receive texts from me.  I love technology!  It's pretty easy to setup and when you register you will get an email with a PDF file to copy and send home to parents.  Of course, I wanted it to be cutesie so I made my own.
Have you ever heard of Remind101?  If not, you should check it out!

I also have a new favorite app.  I downloaded Stick Pick a couple of weeks ago.  Rarely do I pay for apps, especially not $2.99, but I took a chance on this one.  I really like it.  You have the ability to enter multiple classes.  The idea behind this app is really simple, it randomly draws children's sticks out of a can so that you can call on them.  So, what's so great about that?  Well, you can set it up so that is gives you higher level thinking questions when you draw out a name.  You get to pick what level of Bloom's you want for each student.  Cool, huh?  There is also a ESL option for all you that have ESL classrooms or students.  I give it two thumbs up!  Try it out!

How is your year going?  Are you back to school and settled in already?  I can't wait to read about it!  I feel like I've been totally out of the loop this week.  My darling husband works all day Saturday and Sunday which is a total bummer, but I am looking forward to catching up with all my blog friends!  :)

BTW, when I showed the screen shot up I know you were dying to know what the picture was behind my open Safari screen?.
Here it is:

It makes me smile every time I see it.  It's become a joke between the hubs and me.  We like to make short little T-Rex arms and hug... it's fun being dorks!  :)

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Happi Papi & Try Out Apps for Free!

If you are like me, then all of the money for apps in your classroom comes from your own pocket.  This makes me hesitant to spend money on apps that I'm not sure we will use in my classroom.  Enter, Happi Papi and promo codes! :)


Happi Papi is an app company that has several apps available for purchase (and free) right now. 

They have introduced an App Evaluation Program for Schools so educators can download and try out apps before they are introduced.  Once you fill out the educator form (click here), you will be ready to try out the next app released.  When Happi Papi has an app that is ready to be test out, you will receive an email describing the app.  If you decide the app is one you would like to try out you can click on the link provided to be added to the list.  (There are only a certain number of spots available- so check your email regularly!)  If you are added to list you will get an email a few days later with a promo to enter in the app store and be able to download it for free!  Pretty cool, huh?  To read more about, you can go Happi Papi's website.

Here is a picture of one of the apps that I purchased.  Happi Spells is a great spelling app that my students are going to love.  It is a great introduction to concept of crossword puzzles and incorporates some great basic words.  In the top, left corner you can see a place to turn sounds on/off, switch between lower and uppercase letters, and get hints.  There are also different levels available for lots of playtime!  The app also states that additional levels will be available in future updates.  

(Also, the graphics are super adorable and the little cow moo's every now and then!)

Click here to get this app! It's only $.99.

The program has no obligations, but if you do receive a code for an app you are encouraged leave them feedback on how it performs in a school setting. That's only fair, right?


I hope you enjoy this program!  I have downloaded one trial app (a cute storybook and game) and I plan to use it with our Daily 5 Listening Station.  I think the students will love it!  I might have to purchase it for the rest of my devices.  (You should only use the app on one device for free- please don't take advantage of this great program.)

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The other app tip I want to share with you is another way you can possibly preview an app before purchasing.  I have used this for a couple of higher priced apps with success!  Some app developers are open to sending out promo codes that are good only for a certain period of time.  All I did was send an email to the app developer asking if I could have a promo code to try out the app for a limited time.  (I think both I got were 30 day trials.)  If the developer has codes available you will receive an email with the promo code that you can enter in the app store an download the app for free.  

The app will work as expected for a set period of time and when the trial is up you will have to purchase the app if you want to continue using it.  
I probably wouldn't go through all of that for an app under 3 or 4 dollars, but one app I wanted to try was $10.  It's worth a try and the worst that can happen is they say "no".  

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I think almost all teachers can relate to wanting/needing to save some money, so I hope these two tips help you out!  I also blogged about Apps Gone Free, which is another great money saver.  Click here to check it out.   This made me smile when I saw it on Pinterest this week- and so very true! :)

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Almost Spring Break!

I can't believe Spring Break is only a week away!  This year has flown by so fast!
I found this awesome resource on Pinterest this week and I see it taking up most of my spring break.  =)
Classroom Booksource is a way to organize all of your books and let students check them out.  You can scan books in using your smartphone, iPod, or iPad (they also have apps for both Apple and Android products).  I so excited about this because I'm hoping it allows me to keep track of what books students are reading and even allow them to take AR books home on occasion.  Did I mention- it's totally FREE??? That's the best part if you ask me.  Here is a video if you want to learn more.

Right now, I have my books sorted by AR levels and colored coded with sticker so that my kids can easily select and put away books correctly.  Just last week one of my sweeties from last year brought an AR book back to me that he had accidentally taken home last year.  (He found it while cleaning his room- ha!)  I had no idea it was gone.  I think this awesome website and app will help me keep track of books and even save me some money.  I hope some other people are as excited as I am about this!  (I know I can count on some of my teacher friends to be nerdy with me- right?!?!)

Also through Pinterest (have I mentioned how obsessed I am?), I found this lovely blog: Sweet Blessings.
She had found through Pinterest (are you rolling your eyes yet to the number of times I've mentioned Pinterest?  If not, Pinterest. hehe) a cute saying and made this great little sign to go along with it.  She has a link on her blog to download it for FREE!

Link to Download

I love, but it didn't quiet match the rest of my classroom posters, so I decided to make a very similar version, but with my classroom color scheme.  Feel free to download it, but please make sure you visit Sweet Blessings!

Link to download

I hope everyone is having a great weekend- it's almost Monday!  

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1st Grade Favorite Apps

In our classroom, we have 3 iPod touches and 1 iPad.  My students love to use these, and I try my best to let them use them often.  When we use these during center time or AR time, I have specific apps that students must use, but at other times in the day I will let students choose what he or she would like to do.  I arrange the apps they can choose from into folders, so that it is easy for students to know exactly which apps are approved.  *Tip: To make a folder, just touch the app icon until is shakes.  Then, drag the app on top of another that you want in the same folder.*

Here are a list of some of my students' favorites.  

The #1, all-time favorite in my classroom is the Teach Me app.  Using the basic app you can have 4 students registered.  My students loved this app so much that I purchased extra licenses for my students ($1.99 for 10 additional students).  As a teacher, you can choose which skills each child focuses on and track their progress in each area.  Students can also see his/her progress and earn coins.  Using the coins earned, each student can purchase items.  My students favorite store is the fish store, where students can buy their own pet fish.  The cool thing is, the app stores all of their information and purchases, so they can keep building their skills and prizes.  This app is also available for Kindergarten and 2nd grade.  I cannot express how much my students love this app- 95% of free-choice iPod time is used for this app.

Teach Me- $.99

Another favorite of my students is Hungry Fish.  This is a free math app for addition (you may purchase subtraction, multiplication and division).  Students must stack bubbles to make the correct sum to feed their hungry fish.  Cute game that students can easily play independently.  

Hungry Fish- Free Addition

Our school uses Accelerated Reader, so this is another student favorite.  I have a clipboard where students sign up for tests.  I have each student write down his/her name and the title of the book they want to take a test on.  I then call a student's name when there is a free iPod or iPad and he or she logs in to take the test. They do have to bring it to me so that I can put in the monitor password, but my students do everything else on their own.  This takes time to teach them at the beginning of the year, but I really believe every student should be doing this on their own.  It's a great way to teach them where letters are on the keyboard, how to find the title and author of a book, and most importantly- INDEPENDENCE!  I love having self-sufficient, confident kiddos!  (I'll step off my soapbox now...haha)

Accelerated Reader- Free!

The Electric Company from PBS has an app called Wordball.  My students and I watch a lot of their videos on the SmartBoard together (they have several that are great for specific phonics skills), so my students are already familiar with the songs.   In the app, students get to choose a video to watch and then play a game with that skill.  The more they play, the more video and skills they can unlock.  

Wordball- Free

Spelling Test is an app that we've only use a few times, but I have plans to use it much more next year.  My students have spelling homework each night and next year I plan to make this a once a week option.  If students have access to this app at home I'm going to let them replace this with one regular spelling page a week.  

In this app, you (or your students) can record your voice saying each spelling word.  Students can then play back the spelling words and type them out to take a test.  Results can be emailed right to you so that you can keep track of students' scores.  I think this will be a fun option for spelling homework.  

Spelling Test- $.99

My favorite resource for finding free app is Apps Gone Free.  Everyday it lists apps that are temporarily free.  Kind of like Momswithapps.com do on Fridays, but this is a new list EVERYDAY!  They are not all kid-friendly, but I have downloaded more classroom apps from it than I have learned about from Moms With Apps.  I have also downloaded a lot of personal apps that I found here. 

Apps Gone Free- Free

So, do you have a favorite classroom app?  Please share!

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