Two devices that I can compare and contrast are iPads and chromebooks. Although iPads are tablets and chromebooks are a laptop there are a few similar features to them. Similarities that they have are being able to use the Internet. They can be monitored easily, since the iPads can get locked for certain apps. Also, they are easy to operate and easy to carry around in case the students bring them home. Some differences with these devices would be, that the chromebook only has Internet and the iPad has multiple different apps. Although both of these are great devices, older people would operate the chromebook better and younger people would handle the iPads. Chromebooks are virus free which would be good for students because you do not know if they are going to get a virus, whereas for iPads might get viruses.
If I were to get these devices in my classroom I would first talk to the staff in the school and make sure each and everyone of them knows how to use the device. Once the teachers all know how to use the device, I will send a sheet of paper to the parents of the students I have. In this sheet of paper I will be telling the parents that there child will be using a device during school and might be bringing them home sometimes. After sending this paper home, I will be getting the devices and spending time with the students to make sure they understand how to use it. For setup, I would make sure I only have the apps that we will be using on there. Each student will be using a certain device with a corresponding number that is on it to know which one is his or hers. This way I can also monitor what each student is doing on his or her device. When having these devices I will only have apps that the students can use for school.
One app I would use for the classroom would be word bingo. In Word bingo it helps beginning readers recognize and locate more than 300 words. The words are anywhere from preschool to third grade. Using this app the students tap each word and read aloud, once they score BINGO they collect a cute animated bug. There are other features, like spelling practice, interactive word block tower, and engaging opportunities to identify a word spelled correctly or incorrectly. In the app the students can learn how to spell and say site words. This can help them when we have a spelling test coming up in the future.
The second app I would use in my classroom would be ShowMe. In ShowMe it is an interactive whiteboard that students can record a screencast on it. It can import photos or graphics, has drawing tools, and voice recorder. The students will be able to create and narrate a map journey, timeline, sketch diagrams, animate any picture, and explain results of a poll taken in class. In the app the students can help explain things to multiple people and even learn from the teacher.
The last app I would use in my classroom would be iCardSort. In iCardSort it takes ideas and places them on notecards for sorting, teachers can pre-create a deck of note cards from a text file and share them through WIFI, or download them from the iCard website. This is great for students to learn notecards for like spelling tests, math problems, and multiple more. In the app the students can use flashcards to learn different subject areas.
One app I would have in my classroom for fun would be Where’s My Water. In this app the students have to get water to an alligator, going through obstacles like contaminated water, garbage, and multiple more. The students can be challenged in how to maneuver around things and the importance of showering everyday. My brother plays this game and I have helped him before and it is a great game to play for fun.
The second app I would have in my classroom for fun would be Cut the Rope. In Cut the Rope the animal likes candy, but needs help getting it. The students have to use ropes to move the candy to swing across the screen and fall in his mouth. The students have to think about ways to cut the rope a certain way so he can get the candy and make sure to not hit the obstacles standing in the way.
The last game I would use in my classroom for fun would be Angry Birds. In angry birds you have to fling birds to destroy the green pigs and get the stars. This game challenges students to make sure they fling the birds the right way to destroy the pigs. They have to learn how to win with multiple obstacles in the way.
Each of these apps I would use for the students just to have fun when they have all their other work done. The students learn how to overcome obstacles and win while doing that. This makes the students think outside the box.
If I were to get these devices in my classroom I would first talk to the staff in the school and make sure each and everyone of them knows how to use the device. Once the teachers all know how to use the device, I will send a sheet of paper to the parents of the students I have. In this sheet of paper I will be telling the parents that there child will be using a device during school and might be bringing them home sometimes. After sending this paper home, I will be getting the devices and spending time with the students to make sure they understand how to use it. For setup, I would make sure I only have the apps that we will be using on there. Each student will be using a certain device with a corresponding number that is on it to know which one is his or hers. This way I can also monitor what each student is doing on his or her device. When having these devices I will only have apps that the students can use for school.
One app I would use for the classroom would be word bingo. In Word bingo it helps beginning readers recognize and locate more than 300 words. The words are anywhere from preschool to third grade. Using this app the students tap each word and read aloud, once they score BINGO they collect a cute animated bug. There are other features, like spelling practice, interactive word block tower, and engaging opportunities to identify a word spelled correctly or incorrectly. In the app the students can learn how to spell and say site words. This can help them when we have a spelling test coming up in the future.
The second app I would use in my classroom would be ShowMe. In ShowMe it is an interactive whiteboard that students can record a screencast on it. It can import photos or graphics, has drawing tools, and voice recorder. The students will be able to create and narrate a map journey, timeline, sketch diagrams, animate any picture, and explain results of a poll taken in class. In the app the students can help explain things to multiple people and even learn from the teacher.
The last app I would use in my classroom would be iCardSort. In iCardSort it takes ideas and places them on notecards for sorting, teachers can pre-create a deck of note cards from a text file and share them through WIFI, or download them from the iCard website. This is great for students to learn notecards for like spelling tests, math problems, and multiple more. In the app the students can use flashcards to learn different subject areas.
One app I would have in my classroom for fun would be Where’s My Water. In this app the students have to get water to an alligator, going through obstacles like contaminated water, garbage, and multiple more. The students can be challenged in how to maneuver around things and the importance of showering everyday. My brother plays this game and I have helped him before and it is a great game to play for fun.
The second app I would have in my classroom for fun would be Cut the Rope. In Cut the Rope the animal likes candy, but needs help getting it. The students have to use ropes to move the candy to swing across the screen and fall in his mouth. The students have to think about ways to cut the rope a certain way so he can get the candy and make sure to not hit the obstacles standing in the way.
The last game I would use in my classroom for fun would be Angry Birds. In angry birds you have to fling birds to destroy the green pigs and get the stars. This game challenges students to make sure they fling the birds the right way to destroy the pigs. They have to learn how to win with multiple obstacles in the way.
Each of these apps I would use for the students just to have fun when they have all their other work done. The students learn how to overcome obstacles and win while doing that. This makes the students think outside the box.