FotoFlo to Study NF Texts!

In literacy, we have been working hard to compare and contrast the genres of fiction and non-fiction. Part of our lesson was being able to identify non-fiction based on their text features. Students spent the week reading multiple non-fiction texts and working to recognize different text features like headings, bold print, captions, and so on. In this activity, students worked in small groups surrounded by various non-fiction texts from our classroom. They worked together to go on a "scavenger hunt" for different text features. As students found the text features on their list, they used the app FotoFlo to take pictures of each. At the end of the activity, students had a slideshow in FotoFlo of 7-10 text features. Next, they were able to record their voices over each slide. For example, "This is an example of a caption. A caption is a text feature that gives us more information about a photograph!". Students had so much fun with this activity and the result was a deep understanding of the characteristics of non-fiction text!

Retelling using iTalk

Today students used their iPads to work on retelling! This is a skill on which students are frequently assessed (the DRA comes to mind!) but this activity also encouraged students to utilize what they know about story elements such as plot, setting, and character. Students were asked to read a leveled book throughout the week and then use the app iTalk to record their summary of the story. iTalk is an easy to use app which second graders can use independently with ease. After their recording, they were asked to meet with a peer who read the same story. Students listened to one another's recordings and offered feedback regarding appropriate sequencing, detail, and connections. The videos below show students at different steps of the process!

This year, we are fortunate enough to have 1:1 iPads in our classroom! We are now in our second trimester (5th month of implementation) and we have found so many ways to incorporate them into our daily curriculum. When one thinks of iPads in a classroom, it may be typical for their first thought to be, 'an electronic babysitter' or, 'they work on apps all day'. In reality, these 1:1 iPads are so much more. This blog will focus on how we utilize the iPads in our second-grade classroom every day. Posts will detail "creation apps" or applications that enhance the curriculum by improving student engagement and motivation. They're more than just 'apps'-they're tools that allow students to engage in authentic learning experiences as well as prepare them to become successful learners in the 21st Century. It's time to change our way of thinking, our way of doing. After all, as John Dewey said, "If we teach today's students as we taught yesterday's, we are robbing them of tomorrow."