Finding Free Apps...

I am a little behind this week on our Free App of the Week, so instead of continuing with the tradition, I thought I would share some of my favorite resources for finding free apps. 

Apps for Finding Free Apps

AppsFire: Everyday there are new free apps listed. You can even customize the types of apps you want to see everyday. Very user friendly and easy to use.

AppsGoneFree: Everyday see 5-10 apps that are free for the day. Not all educational apps, but a quick way to oversee a handful of apps that have gone free for the day. 

Email Alerts

One of my favorite resources for finding free apps is SmartAppsForKids. When you first open up their website, look to the right hand side. You can sign up for email reminders. They will not send you a million emails, typically they send just one a day. From that email, you can access all of their free and discounted apps. This website is also a great resource for finding good educational apps that have been tested by others in the field of education. They also have SmartAppsForAndroid and SmartAppsForSpecialNeeds. A lot of high quality resources. 

If you are a memeber of TCEA you can sign up for their free app alerts, or you can follow them on twitter @TCEA and everyday they tweet out a few free apps. 

Just want to find good apps based on topic or subject?

Common Sense Media has a wonderful list of apps and games that are great for school. Also, Appitic is a great resource for finding apps for education. Amazing website that is also very easy to navigate. 


Your FLI,

App Of The Week: App Flow

AppFlow

Have you ever wanted an easy way to share apps you love with others? Or seamlessly create lists of iOs apps to share with parents? Have you heard of AppFlow? AppFlow is a free app that allows you to easily create lists of apps on your ipad or iphone. Then you can share the link to your list with others. Those who have the link to your list can easily download the apps to their device. It is truly amazing!

Enjoy!

Your FLI,

App/Website of the Week: Symbaloo

Did you know that the word Symbaloo is a Greek verb that means to gather or to assemble? Well the name truly reflects what this program allows you to do. Symbaloo is a visual bookmarking tool that can be accessed from anywhere. When you register at Symbaloo you can begin creating webmixes made up of your favorite webpages and apps. You can then color code and add images to your tiles. Then let the sharing begin...You can share you webmix with parents, students, and teachers. You can even search for other webmixes that others have already made. 

Educational Uses for Symbaloo

• Student eportfolios
• Personal Learning Environments
• Sharing Apps with Parents
• Collecting resources for Project Based Learning
• Many, many, more

Great Introductory Video

How do you Symbaloo? Please comment below! 

Your FLI,

App of the Week: Remind101

This week's F.F.F.A (Favorite Fabulous Free App) is Remind101. A BIG thank you to Mrs. Kellie Raymond for highlighting Remind101 during our speed date your iPad session at Envision Innovation. Remind101 gives teachers a great way to communicate with parents and students through text messaging without exchanging any phone numbers.

Here is a quick video that gives a quick overview on just how Remind101 works.

  

You access Remind101 from the App or from the Website. You simply log in to your account. Select the class you'd like to send a message to, type your message and send.

Download the app from the itunes store here:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/remind101/id522826277?mt=8


If you need any assistance with Remind101 stop by your CL&I and your campus FLI will be excited to help!

Have a great week!

Your FLI,

Week 2

A lot of great things happened this week, and even though it was only a four day week it sure did feel like a whirlwind packed with a lot of learning.

Highlights from this week at Rooster Springs

• Ms. Lloyd finished her incredible Humpty Dumpty lesson with her kinder friends and as a culminating activity they made a group Educreations. View it here: http://www.educreations.com/lesson/view/mrs-lloyd-s-class-rules/10069569/ I love how all of the kids participated with their voices.
• I was lucky enough to get to help the fabulous third grade team with their community unit by showing many classes a Google Earth tour of Dripping Springs and discussing how the community has changed using the historical views. Mrs. Northrup also had me show her students where she grew up.
• Mrs. Barrett's class finished up their scientific process Educreation's presentations and they are wonderful! 
• A 4th grade student in Mrs. Troppy's class brought me an incredibly well written script that she had spent her holiday weekend working on. She wants to produce it in the production studio when the equipment arrives. We have a brainstorming session next week. I was very impressed! 
• A group from Mrs. Haas' class has been using the Collaboration Corner every day during their recess to write a movie. They have worked so well together and put a lot of heart and soul into their project.
• My fabulous assistant Ms. Shana has truly gotten the library portion of The Center under control. I have loved watching her interaction with students. Today I caught her sitting on the floor reading jokes with a friend. 
  
• I got to spend a little time in art with Mrs. A as we collaborated on some great ideas she has for art students using devices and photography. I also caught this wonderful message on the board to her students.... 
  
  
  
  
  
• I also got a glimpse at Mrs. Young's wonderful Prezi presentation that she prepared for the 4th grade Ace parents. It was so very cute! 

All in all it was a successful week here at Rooster Springs. I am sure so many more wonderful things happened, this was just the glimpse I got. Please share the wonderful things that you know of in the comments below.

Your FLI,

Creativity at its finest!

Tons of cool, creative things happening on our campus.... a few from today are:

#1  Mr. Wilder getting in touch with his creative side with his "APPlication Tree" and "App of the Week".  Excellent way to explicitly teach apps to Kinders and show how they can be used.  You're also paving the way for future technology integration.  Woohoo! (See attached picts.)

#2  Mrs. Jamail jumping into uncharted territory with Google Drive!  She did a fantastic job teaching the login procedure and helped work out some glitches for the rest of us.  (Mrs. Parker starts with her Kinders on Monday!)  The best part of Mrs. Jamail's lesson was when she rolled in a giant cart of Non-Fiction books and bewildered her students by showing them that they can research with technology and with awesome books!  Way to be cutting-edge and old-school at the same time Jamail!

Gives me goosebumps to see what incredible teachers we have here! 

Your FLI,

App of the Week: Evernote

This week's F.F.F.A. (Favorite Fabulous Free App) is Evernote. I am actually fairly new to Evernote, it is Lindsey who is responsible for my new Evernote addiction. Evernote is an incredible note taking program that is available anywhere and at anytime. It's very user friendly, and has endless possibilities.

• Access your Evernote account from any device.
• You can store it on your desktop to make for an even easier access to your notes. 
• Make audio notes
• Add pictures to your notes
• Create binders to virtually organize your notes
• With the web clipper feature you can capture webpages so you can find them again. 
• You can create a link for any of your Evernote files to share with others. 
• Blog directly from your Evernote. 

The list could go on and on. There are definite student uses, but it's true glory is in the organization it can provide to you, the teacher. 

This is a great 7 minute video that gives a great overview of Evernote. If you want some more ideas or tutorials just Google Evernote or talk to your campus FLI! 

Your FLI,

Week 1

Being in a new role has been a little strange for me this week, however I have seen so many wonderful things happening on our campus this first week of school...

• Ms. Barrett started a scientific process project using ipads. I showed up to help today, and had totally forgotten that our school iPads don't have cameras. HA! So we started the project, and will finish on Tuesday. We failed big, but totally made it work.
• Jan Rice has started designing a Dripping Springs community project for her third graders. She took wonderful pictures of our community that her students will use to explain the importance of each place. I will help her finish it up this weeks with a Google Earth tour. 
• Ms. Norton has a great idea for a book trailer project. I am so excited to begin helping her bring this to life. What a great idea!!!!!
• Ms. Mocz has been sending her kids down all week to use our new space. It's been so nice to have some company. 
• Mr. D had all of his kids bring their devices on Wednesday and we had a great discussion about TigerNet.
• Ms. McManus made an awesome Prezi about her trip to China to share with her students. Check it out here: http://goo.gl/Xv0h9b 
• Mrs. Northrup borrowed the iTouches to begin a "Survival Kit" project with her kids.
• Mrs. Lloyd designed and implemented a really neat "Humpty Dumpty" themed technology project for Kinder. All week long they were looking for pieces of their Humpty as they learned important aspects of being a Kindergartener. They took a picture at each place they went, then they made a video on ScreenChomp to use for review. Stay tuned for a posting of her classes final product. 
• I have loved seeing all of the kids for their first tour of The Center. I can't believe I met with almost 800 kids this week. I can't wait till I know all of their names. 

So many wonderful things were happening on our campus this first week, and I know I only touched on a few that were visible to me. If you did or saw something awesome happening the first week of school please comment below.

On to week two!

Your FLI,

Fotobabble

This year all of the DSISD elementary campuses participated in a Meet the Teacher Fotobabble project for students and parents. Each teacher created a Fotobabble and then pasted a QR code outside of their door for Meet the Teacher Night. Us FLIs were blown away by the creativity and excitement so many teachers showed. We were so blown away, that we had to post a favorite from each campus! 

Rooster Springs Elementary School

Adam Kenton

Dripping Springs Elementary School

Missy Kollman

Walnut Springs Elementary School

Liz Ridenour

We greatly appreciate each and everyones participation! Feel free to link your Fotobabble in the comments, or if you have a great idea for a classroom use of Fotobabble please share! Have a great first week with your kids!

Your FLI,

App of the Week

This marks the first of many posts where we will feature a favorite fabulous free app (FFFA) that we or a reader loves, and some suggestions for use! 

Chirp

If you were in the 4th or 5th grade science and writing workshop or in any of Hollis' Envision Innovation workshops you have heard of Chirp! However, if not, get excited because Chirp just might change your life, or your classroom management.

Chirp allows you to share a URL, Photo, or text message with any other device that also has Chirp open. The item is shared through a unique sound known as a chirp. When searching for this app in the iTunes Store, be sure to select "iPhone app." Or you can just select this link:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chirp/id529469280?mt=8

Imagine the possibilities. Quickly and easily share links with students with just one click! It's truly a favorite! If you are already a Chirp user, please comment on ways that you've used Chirp! 

If you need any help or ideas for use, make sure you stop by your CL&I and your campus FLI will be thrilled to assist you.

Have a fabulous first week! We are all cheering you on!

        Your FLI,

Envision Innovation

Yesterday was Dripping Spring ISD's first annual Envision Innovation conference for elementary teachers. Although it was a long day, it was a day filled with many "ah-ha" moments and excitement. I talked with many teachers yesterday who seemed to be inspired and filled with great ideas. Some of the highlights of my day were....

• Speaking with Jan Rice who has this wonderful idea for helping her third grade students really understand the layout and location of all of the important places in our Dripping Springs Community. 
• Watching people get silly at the photo booth (awesome pictures to come). I think Jennifer Payne's  picture is one of my favorites. 
• Watching Kristen Northrup win the iPad Mini. I wish I had a picture of that moment. Her excitement and joy when her name was called was a priceless moment. 
• Presenting about Digital Books with Vicki Lynch and the engagement and excitement that group showed. Also, having a student come in and read her digital book to us was a treat. 
• The Envision Innovation round table, where wonderful and dedicated DSISD parents and teachers shared with us their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. 

There were so many wonderful moments that happened yesterday! Including the fact that we were on the News! Check it out here: 

Your  FLI,

Katie Hollis