5 Favorite Apps

I wanted to share my 5 Favorite Apps that I use in my classroom.  Keep in mind that I don't use all 5 of these apps every single day.  I use Google Classroom and Classcraft everyday.  Follow the links to past posts to get more information.

1.) Google Classroom - Allow the teacher post announcements, assignments, and questions all in one place.

2.) Classcraft/Class Dojo - Behavior Management Apps.  In my opinion, Classcraft is for grades 5 and up, where as Class Dojo is for grades K-6.

2.) Plickers - Assessments using technology when you don't have 1-to-1 devices.

3.) Nearpod - Presentation App that lets you keep the students on the same "slide" as you. When you go to the next "slide", the students' device will also go to the next "slide".

4.) Remind - Text messaging app so you can communicate with parents.

Flocabulary

Flocabulary is a video warehouse, where all the videos have a Hip Hop flare. All the educational videos are put to music and the lyrics are educational via rap. There is generally is a catchy hook so the students can sing along.

• There is free version and a paid version. There are only a certain number of videos per subject in the free version. The paid version, for teachers, is $96 per year.
• You can save videos as favorites for easier access.
• You can pause the videos to have student discussion opportunities. 
• The biggest plus, in my opinion, is the videos are aligned to the Common Core State Standards.

First Week of School

Well, the first week of school is coming and I wanted to share some housekeeping things that I do. Hopefully, it'll give you some ideas you can use.

There are 4 categories: 
1. Papers to give to send home 
2. For the students to do
3. Papers for the students
4. For the room


Three papers to go home...
1. I send home a press release provided by our district in the event I want to post on my twitter (@anfmathgr6) or on-line some of the things we do in class.
2. I send home a Donors Choose press release in the event I want to put up a project. See the filter for more information on Donors Choose.
3. I send home a Parent Contact Form. I need parent names, phone numbers, and email addresses in case I need to get in contact with them. I also created a google form, which is the electronic copy of the Parent Contact Form. The paper copy has English on one side and Spanish on the other. The google form has both English and Spanish as well.

Three things for the students to do...
1. Student Profile with Learning Styles Survey - I want to get to know as much as possible about my students at the onset of the year so I can know the best way to play according to their learning styles. So I created a Student Profile Google Form and the last question is a link to an online learning style quiz. They have to enter their results (Auditory, Kinesthetic, or Visual) on their form before submitting.
2. Since I teach 6th grade in a middle school, I don't have the privilege of knowing the students prior to their arrival. So I ask (in the student profile) where they went to elementary school and what is the name of their 5th grade math teacher in the event I need more information on the types of learners they are.
3. I want to know how their parents communicate. Since I'm in a predominately Hispanic building, I need to know which of my parents speak English or Spanish, which of them read English or Spanish, which of the can understand English or Spanish, and which of the can do all of the above. I need to know how to communicate with my parents.

Three handouts for students
1. Standards of Mathematical Practices on a half sheet - The students have this in the front of their interactive notebooks (composition books) as a reference.
2. Walking Word Wall - Most classrooms have Word Walls. As students travel from one class to another and even when they go home, I wanted them to have access to their math vocabulary at any time.
3. School Supply List

Three things to post in the class
1. A list of websites that students will use during the school year.
2. Class Signs/Labels - Objectives, Homework, Today's Topic, Agenda, etc.
3. My alma mater paraphernalia - Banner, Pennant, Admission Requirements, etc. - Let's get the students thinking about college. It's never too early.

Morning Writing Activty

Every morning, I have the students to write in a Morning Journal.  I provide the students with a writing prompt and they are to respond. This allows the class to be calm in the morning, while you get ready for the Morning Announcements.

Journal Entries are numbered. At the end of the week is "Free Writing Day" where the students can write about whatever they like as long as its appropriate. Occasionally, I would read and respond to their responses.

On the front of the book, the students have to write their name and "Morning Journal".

Traditional Classroom or Hybrid Classroom
When I taught in a traditional classroom. I wanted to add more technology to eventually go paperless; therefore, becoming a Hybrid Classroom. A Hybrid class is where you provide instruction and assign work the traditional way and using technology.

I had the students to use a Composition Book to record their morning journal response. I would write the Morning Journal Prompt on the board. The students would respond to the prompt in at least 10 lines. 

If the students come to school late, they are still responsible to complete the entry. If they are absent, they just write "Absent" or have a "Free Writing Day".

1-to-1 Classroom
Instead of a Composition Book, the prompt is provided via Google Classroom (Ask a Question). The students are to respond in at least 5 sentences. If the students come to school late, they are still responsible to complete the entry. If they are absent, they are still responsible to complete the entry because the Prompt doesn't go away. It remains in Google Classroom.

I hope you find this useful.

Todoist

I know it's not Tuesday, but I forgot.  Sorry.  At any rate...

This is a website that allows you to keep an online To Do List. You may ask, "Why would I want to keep a To Do List online when I have my phone and it has a To Do List there?" Well, Todoist is web-based and they have Apps in the App Store and Google Play. There is a free and a Premium option.

Todoist will help you:
- "Keep track of everything you need to get done."
- "Organize and make progress on your bigger projects."
- "Play your day for maximum focus and productivity."

I love Todoist because I can:

• Organize my list by projects
• Use due dates, if I want
• Use recurring due dates (i.e. every first of the month, every Monday, etc,)
• Create sub-tasks so I can complete tasks into bite-sized pieces
• See my To Do List in my App or on my computer
• See "Today" and the "Next 7 Days" so I can plan out my days
• Prioritize tasks

Here's a Getting Started Guide if you need help.