The first app that I absolutely love is Nearpod.
I have used this FREE app with small groups for math, and on the day before school was out I used it with the entire class. This app allows you to monitor, engage and collect data from all of your students at once. You are in control of the lesson the entire time, and you get real-time data. To get the true effect of the app you need to have at least two devices. One device serves as the host and the other as the client. My class used a pre-made lesson on the moon to test it out. They loved it. We explored a slide show, videos, went to an Internet site that talked about what a spacesuit is made up of, drew pictures, took polls and completed a quiz at the end. You can also assign these presentations as "homework" and the kids can go through the presentation on their own. Besides the pre-made lessons, Nearpod let's you create your own. I am thinking of creating some word work and math activities that they can use the homework component for while they are doing independent work. I will certainly be busy this summer!
The second app is Kidblog.
We played around with the app for just one day. It was very easy for the kids to use and didn't require too much teaching. That being said, my students have had practice in the computer lab using Google Docs, email, creating Powerpoints and iMovies, so they are fairly experienced. I am intending to use this app for reader responses. Currently I have students turn in written responses on an assigned day of the week. With Kidblog, students will be able to type up responses and submit them by their designated due date, and I won't have to sort through stacks of notebooks looking for the required response.
Well that is all for now. I am going to try to get back into the habit of blogging. Wish me luck!
