Character Counts

 

I am so excited to share with you about a new Website/App which was introduced to me.  It is called Character Counts.  

I have always used the website Character Counts for their Six Pillars of Character with my students. I recently just used it with my 5th-grade students on their Martin Luther King, Jr. Project where we discussed the six pillars and then I had the students pick two of those pillars and explain how Martin Luther King, Jr represented those characteristics. 

Great Features about Website and App for Teachers:

• Great Dashboard with a daily quote and daily inspiration.
• Leveled for K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.
• Always includes a daily lesson focused on a character.
• You can create classrooms for your students.
• There are a ton of resources.
• Finally, you can choose the order of the Characters and the month they are presented according to your curriculum.

What I am looking forward to in the future:

• Students having the ability to access the app.
• The ability for Added Value Teachers or any teacher to access multiple grade levels easily.

I highly recommend you take some time and check out this app, you definitely will not be sorry you did!

Marbotic...Incredible Product, Incredible Company ISTE2019

So excited to discover Marbotic!

This year I attended ISTE2019 in Philadelphia as an OSMO ambassador instead of a participant and worked the expo.  I had the wonderful opportunity to see many products I already use with my students and find it very beneficial in the classroom.  Then I had the chance to find a new product which I fell in love with and is perfect for many of my students.

As many of you already know, I am a HUGE OSMO fan.  At ISTE, OSMO announced that they had partnered with Marbotic to create a new product, The Little Genius.  The Little Genius is an amazing addition to the OSMO family and perfect for preschool and kindergarten.  However, I must admit, I was curious about this new company Marbotic, who were they?

I didn't know anything about Marbotics or the company so off I went to find their booth and learn more about them.  I must say my first impression brought me right back to my childhood.  There manipulates are wooden manipulatives with the little knob on top but they interact with your iPad.  They reminded me of the wooden puzzles growing up however, these were interactive with the iPad and would be hours of educational enjoyment to curious children. A perfect combination of manipulative and technology.  I have the opportunity to use two of these wonderful sets, Smart Letters and Smart Numbers.  Both sets are absolutely amazing, very educational, and a lot of fun all at the same time.  Perfect for the classroom or for any developing child.  

Smart Letters

Smart Letters are all uppercase letters (don't worry they have another set of lowercase).  They have amazing games to "enable your child to learn to read, recognize shapes and sounds of letters, play with phonics, discover vocabulary, and even write his first words in a funny and motivating environment", as stated on their website and how true it is.  There are 4 amazing games which children can enjoy.  These apps are available in 10 languages and available in the Apple or Google Play Stores!  Click on the app to go to the Apple Store.

                        

           

Smart Numbers

Smart Numbers are another wonderful manipulative which is available.  There are three apps available on both Apple and Google Play stores.  These apps are available in 18 languages which I think is absolutely amazing! "Marbotic’s Smart Numbers apps will enable your child to learn to count, explore numbers, understand concepts in arithmetics, basic additions and subtractions in a funny and motivating environment", as stated on Marbotic's Website.  Please take a moment and check out these wonderful apps.

There are many other sets and apps available also, so please take some time and check out this incredible company!

My excitement is building for ISTE 2918!

I have not blogged in several years for many reasons, family, job, etc.  However, I decided I need to return because I enjoy sharing what I learn with others and what a great time to start over is with ISTE!  

I had the wonderful opportunity to attend NCEA this year in Cincinnati and I have to tell you it was truly amazing and the amount of new knowledge I walked away with was incredible however it was over Easter break and it wasn't the time to start my blog again.

So my goal is going to be to blog at least twice during ISTE!  Would I love to set the goal to blog everyday of ISTE? YES!  But I think I am setting a goal which is unrealistic. 

I hope you follow and find out about my incredible journey at ISTE and back into blogging!

Top 5 Apps that Started my Year off Right!

I am not an expert but these 5 apps will make my life easier and I hope they do the same for you!

1. Bloomz 

www.bloomz.com

Bloomz is a great app to keep students and parents involved in your classroom.  You have the opportunity to send pictures and alerts securely!  Please check them out my parents love this and so do I! 

FREE

My Blog Post Explaining Bloomz

http://happy2teach-myblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/bloomz-teachers-dream-app.html

2. Handouts

http://handouts.in/

Handouts is a fabulous app which allows you to take a picture of any worksheet, send it to your students and then the students send it back completed and you will be able to grade them!  

FREE and PAID

Check out my blog post about Handouts
http://happy2teach-myblog.blogspot.com/2015/01/handouts-apphow-did-i-ever-live-without.html

3. Evernote

www.evernote.com
Evernote is a wonderful app and website which gives me the ability to have a checklist of my students assignments and the ability to keep track of what they have returned to me.  I am able to use my laptap, iPad, or even my iPhone, whatever is handy!

FREE and PAID

4.Kahoot

https://getkahoot.com/
Kahoot is an app on Google Play however there is not one on iPads, however, I made one from there website and it works perfect!  My students love it and it makes reviewing fun!
FREE

Check out my blog post about Kahoot
http://happy2teach-myblog.blogspot.com/2014/11/this-is-kahoot.html

5. Chirp

(Look Under iPhone Only Apps)

Chirp is a wonderful way of sharing a website or picture with your students!
Students love it and it makes it easier on teachers :)
FREE

Please add your favorite app below in the comments!
Thanks for taking the time to read my post!

Bloomz! A Teacher's Dream App!

Do you love to keep parents in the loop?

Do you wish you could share pictures of your students securely with your parents?

Do you want to have a calendar specific to your class to make parent's life easier?

And be able to do this all for FREE!

If so...this app is for you!!

Bloomz - to download the app
or go to www.bloomz.net to learn more!


I found this app on Twitter @BloomzApp and downloaded it immediately!  Now I can not use it until September but thought it is perfect and exactly what I was looking for.  I set up a classroom and even took time to check out all the features.  I know once September comes I will not have that luxury but to have the opportunity to play with the app now was perfect.

Bloomz philosophy is  Connect + Coordinate + Communicate = Success
and they are absolutely correct.
You can connect with your parents through updates and photos!
You can coordinate sign-ups and a calendar (This is fabulous and love that it is all in one place)!
You can communicate with the class or an individual parent, along with getting email alerts!
This all equals success with parent involvement in the classroom!

I thought it was awesome until...

 I went to ISTE and was lucky enough to meet the people from Bloomz, I could not wait to tell them how much I loved their app and couldn't wait to use it in September.  I was there with other colleagues and went crazy when they could meet the people from Bloomz and hear more about this awesome app!  I felt like I was meeting celebrities!  They are the most down to earth people I have met and they were so thankful that people are learning about their app! I also can't wait to share it with all my colleagues.

As I mentioned before you can follow them on Twitter @BloomzApp  and even on Facebook /BloomzApp

Check them out!  Download the app and be as amazed as I am!

* Did you know Bloomz was recently named a finalist in the Collaborative Social Media Solution for Educators category in The 2015 American Business Awards?  We were also recently featured a We Are Teacher's Pick of the Week.

DENapalooza 2015, Handouts, and so much more!

On Sunday, February 8th, 2015, I had the opportunity to attend

                                             DENAPALOOZA 2015!

It was an absolutely incredible day which started with a wonderful new video talking about the DEN (Discovery Educator Network)!  

If your not a DEN Star click here to learn more!

The keynote speaker was Dr. Lodge McCammon who talked to us about how important Music is to learning!  He was an amazing speaker and motivator, I have now started to use even more music in my room to enhance my teaching!

There were many incredible sessions where you were inspired to be even more creative in your classroom then most teachers are already.

I had the opportunity to share my favorite new app called Handouts during the Strategic Sharing Showcase!  I was able to tell them about how I can not live without the app and how it is making such a difference in my life. Everyone was very excited to know that they would have the opportunity to save their school money by not making as many copies and saving themselves time from standing at the copy machine!  You can read my blog post about Handouts here!

I am working right now to set up our school as a pilot school for Handouts and I will blog about our journey and how each teacher is using the app!

The day was absolutely incredible and I look forward to attending next years event before Pete & C 2016! 

Handouts App...How did I ever live without you?

This week my life became much easier and it is all thanks to an app I have discovered while on Facebook!  I saw this app and thought why not give it a try.... I never thought that after one use, I would wonder how I ever live without it!  Thank goodness I don't have too!

This app is 

Handouts App

This app is available for android and apple devices!

I was not sure how I would use this app in Second Grade and how my students would adapt to not having a "hard copy" of a worksheet ...  Well, they loved it and so do I!  

It is as simple as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, WOW!

1. Download the app from the app or android store.

2. Create a teacher account and set up your classes 

( I set one up for math, reading, spelling, and writing)

3. Since my students are in second grade I set up accounts for them.

(Once they have an account, they can join other classes with other teachers)

4. Take a picture of my worksheet

(You can pull from a file as well)

5. Have the students log on and complete handout!

WOW!!!!

The students receive a notification that there is a handout waiting for them.  Once they complete the handout then they click "Turn in".  It is that simple!  

Then I am able to grade it and add notes or stickers!

Take some time to check it out....You will love it too!