5 Apps for Motivation and Classroom Management

Are you at a point in the year when it's getting harder to motivate and grab your students' attention? I've come across some fun apps that will help you with your class management. These apps should keep your students motivated, engaged in the lesson, and behavior under control. 

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5 Websites for Teaching Problem-Solving

Problem solving is an essential skill in teaching math and other subject areas. In fact, this is a skill that needs to be taught in early grades. It leads to students learning to ask questions and apply mathematical concepts in solving problems. Creating a classroom culture of problem-solvers is an important element in developing 21st Century learning. In turn, this prepares students for real-life situations and the job market.

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5 Classroom Ideas For the Election Season

With the upcoming presidential election, I'm sure many of you have already been teaching your students about the election process. I have a few ideas for your classroom that you may not have tried.

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4 Resources in Teaching Digital Citizenship and Cyber Safety

Does your district provide a technology plan for teaching Digital Citizenship and Cyber Safety? Or, are your teachers responsible for teaching students responsible behavior when using technology? Many teachers have no idea of what and how to weave ethical technology behavior into their curriculum. And, many parents do not monitor their children when they are online at home.

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Summer Scavenger Hunt - Exploring Your City

Living in a city has its advantages. There are so many interesting cites to see. Ones that you just don't have time visit during the school year. A summer scavenger hunt is a fun activity to do as a family or students to do as a summer assignment. Many students don't have an opportunity to travel, so this is a great "Staycation" activity. My granddaughter had this assignment before the end of the year. We hurriedly traveled around Austin taking pictures for her scavenger hunt. Because we were so rushed to complete the assignment, we didn't have time to really explore each location.

To take the scavenger hunt a step deeper, try using Google Earth with the activity. Students can share photos of themselves at a landmark plus students can travel to the location using Google Earth.

I suggest that you have a list of 10 different places for your students to visit. You can keep the questions open ended so your students aren't taking pictures of the same location. Also, give the opportunity for students to be creative. For example: Where is your favorite place to swim? Most students' answers will be different.

For more information on creating a Google Tour or Scavenger Hunt, visit my Sweet Integrations website. (These are steps in creating a Google Lit Trip, but you would do the same thing for a tour or scavenger hunt.)

These cute Polaroid photo frames are created by our own Anita Goodwin.

And, don't forget to download your free booklet for your scavenger hunt. 

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My Favorite Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

Earth Day is on April 22, and classrooms are busy with activities to express their appreciation of our earth and sharing what people can do to bring awareness and action in saving our earth. The theme for this year's Earth Day is Trees for the Earth.  The goal is to plant 7.8 billion trees.

According to the Earth Day Network:

1. Trees fight climate change by absorbing harmful CO2. 
2. Trees clean the air by absorbing odors and harmful gases.
3. Trees help our communities environmentally and economically by providing food, income, and energy.

Here are some ideas for Earth Day 2016.

- Visit a local Nursery
Take you class on a field trip to a local nursery to learn more about trees and plants. If you're unable to go, ask a representative to visit your class. I'm sure you'll have no problem getting a speaker. Your students can ask great questions about the best trees to be panted in your area, the best time to plant, and where and how to plant a tree.

- Give Your Students a Seedling or Cutting
We have a fig tree in our back yard. This tree is a cutting from my husband's grandfather's fig tree. His tree was a cutting from a fig tree on a family member's farm in Sicily. Our tree is so special to our family because it represents my husband's heritage. Every summer, we pick figs off the tree and make fig preserves.

Instead of having to purchase small pots for the seedlings or cuttings, just buy a box of ice cream cones at the grocery. Students can actually plant these into the ground because they're biodegradable.

- Plant a Tree at School
After your visit at the nursery, find out what would be the best tree to plant at your school. The nursery may even donate a seedling. Believe it or not, your students will remember the class tree. Plant the tree as a special memory for your class. When I drive by my former school, I always look for the tree my students planted. It blooms every spring.

- Go on a Nature Hunt
Take your students on a nature hunt around your campus. I found a great app called LeafSnap that students can use in groups to identify plants and trees. If students don't know the name of a tree or plant, just use the app to take a photo. Then, match the photo with the correct plant or tree.

More Earth Day Activities
For more ideas for your classroom on Earth Day, just visit my TPT store.

           

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Bringing Biography Reports Alive With Apps

“The best biographies are those that peek into the heart and soul of their subject.” 

— Writer CANDACE FLEMING

“It’s inspiring to read about people who overcome obstacles that seem insurmountable.” 

— Writer KATHLEEN KRULL

February is a perfect month to teach biographies. With Presidents' Day and Black History month, students can read about so many different people that have made an impact on our world.

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Country Celebrations With a Holiday Tea

Happy holidays! I'm Sandy with Sweet Integrations. This is a perfect time of the year to study different countries. Countries all over the world have different celebrations according to their culture. Because we have so many students in the United States from other countries, we want to respect and recognize traditions of their heritage.

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5 Reasons to Use ClassKick

Do you and your students get totally frustrated when you're unable to give them individual help? I'm Sandy with Sweet Integrations. I'm going to give you five reasons to use an app called ClassKick. It's fairly new and has received high ratings.

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