Technology (Tech) Tuesday: Wireless Streaming

It is amazing how a week can fly by. I missed posting my lesson plans for the week. Sorry about that. I thought of posting them today BUT I have been wanting to post about my Apple Tv and iPad mini set up for weeks!

This year I have been so lucky. My schools Technology Integrationist came to me and asked if I would be willing to pilot a wireless streaming system in my classroom. At first I was really very excited. Then I realized I would have to give up my trusty Doc Cam and panicked just a little bit. I mean how would I project all the work my kids do and demonstrate for my ELL kids?

This is what my set up used to look like.

I really did rely on my doc cam to demonstrate a lot. However, it was't always my best friend. Sometimes I struggled to get the whole image on the screen. Also adjusting the camera arm was never fun, or quick. BUT, it worked and I loved it.

Then came the day this baby came into my room. The whole set up includes an HD projector,  iPad mini, Apple TV and stand. At first this huge stand was a bit of an eyesore to me. It was big and clunky and I felt would dominate my table. I stayed open to the possibilities because I REALLY wanted the iPad mini in my room. The most expensive piece was the HD projector.

It was my first experience with an Apple tv. To be honest I had no clue what they did before I got one. Now though I LOVE it.

 What is the difference?

So here is the big deal I can basically stream anything, my iPad mini, my computer, even my iPhone wirelessly.

I can use the iPad camera to show images like before. PLUS now I can use all my educational apps too! Also I can capture video of my demonstrations and play them back for the students who are visual learners and need to see something more than once.

Please excuse the mess, the picture doesn't translate well on camera because of the glare, but as you can see we were working on a letter Bb crown. Side note... can you all see how many other blogger products I currently have up in my room!?! 

This is just the simple projection using the camera app.

It is hard to keep those little fingers out from under the camera. It is so tempting.

My favorite part is taking the pad, launching an app and passing it around the room having students work on the device independently. Here they are practicing their names.

 They were so excited that day. they took turns, and were polite to one another. One of the rules is, if you are not kind, or careful with the iPad, you don't get to use it for the day. So they really do take care to not lose that privilege.

I have to admit one of my favorite things to do is take a picture of the assignment and draw or write directly on the ipad. It saves me extra copies and I am able to take pictures of each stage of the assignment. When I have to go back to show an example I have it right there in my cameral roll.

All of this is possible because of the Apple TV. 

I know the iPad mini gets most of the glory BUT, were it not for the Apple TV I could not stream wirelessly. I love plugging my laptop in at my table in the back of the room, but still being able to stream educational You Tube videos across the room. 

This is what the interface looks like.

You could use the apps and what not but I basically just hit Air Play on my device.

We have multiple Apple tv's in my school so I have to choose my classrooms device.

I turn on mirroring and type in a access code. Then I am in!

As for that big arm stand... it turns out that it is pretty cool too. It is not a clunky as I thought it would be. It has several adjustable, fixed positions, but is pretty versatile. It also has a USB and outlet plug on the stand itself so I can charge the devices while using it.

I am pretty happy with it, and so are the other teachers I work with that are also piloting the Apple TV. If you get the chance to try it I highly recommend it. Feel free to ask any question you may have. I also plan to come back and talk about several other things I do with it.

Peek At My Short Week (01/21/14)

A Peek at my Short Week!

This week is all about Penguins, both in Kinder and First.

Kinder

This week my Kinder Kids will learn all about penguins. It is a short week so we won't get a great deal done, but I do hope to get a Can, Have, Are chart, and Penguin Craft in. Friday we will be visiting our local museum and planetarium. No doubt there will be not a moment to spare. Whatever we don't get done, will be sent home as homework. That is the beauty of having the kids do familiar activities, they can do them independently at home! :)

We will read Cool Penguins (non fic text), Penguins and Penguins, Penguins, Everywhere!

We will use these penguin freebie packs throughout the week.
The links are noted in my plans.

Then we will try to wrap up our week with a penguin craftie.

I'll let you know how it goes.
We will also learn about the letter Rr, for . Most of what we will do is routine and can be found in my plans.

Firsties

This week my Firsties will be doing pretty much the same activities as my kinder kids. Doesn't happen often, but it does on occasion. :) We are also continuing out poetry unit, they are doing really well with it
We will read Cool Penguins (non fic text), Penguins and Penguins, Penguins, Everywhere!

Here are some freebies I will use with my students. We will do a page or two from each pack. Again these are noted in my plans.

We will use these penguin freebie packs throughout the week.
The links are noted in my plans.

We will also be learning about the letter Oo and how it can say it's long name when it is next to oa, oe and ow by using several activities from Abby's pack.

That's all folks. :P Click on the image of my lesson plans to get a downloadable version.
Don't forget to check out the Peek At My Week Linky for some other fabulous lesson plans.

Oh before you go...
If your interested in some no nonsense pre-made, checklist, quick fill lesson plans check out,
A Teacher's Plan.

Saturday Snippets

I was going to call this post Snowman Sunday, but I am enjoying the weekend warm up. Here are a few pictures of how this weeks Snow-tivities came out. 

We started with lots of thematic reading. Both fiction and non fiction. After writing my plans I went to the library and found tons of nonfiction texts on snow and I worked some of them in too. 

I love that litte Acorn Snow non fic book. Perfect for my ELL kinder kids. Plus Snow Balls by Louis Ehlert, was a perfect read just before we started creating...

Lots of cutting. 

Keeping track of all those little pieces is hard. 

Here is what we work with.

Here are some finished projects. 

With and without arms... Cause I forgot wth the second group. :P

I found the perfect place to display them. 

I am really proud of how they turned out. 

Here are some other classroom going ons...

B,M,E retelling.

Snowmen at Night fun. This cutie is from the pack posted with my lesson plans. 

Kinda bummed I forgot to take pics of the kids "Snow-names" or our "Label-A-Snowman" sheet, also from the pack. The week was such a whirlwind. 

Also can't find my MLK pics. Here is the only one I could scrounge up. 

I have a few plans for posting next week. I hope that extra day off will let me get some ideas down digitally. :P It will be a whirl wind for me. Lots going on, including everything Penguins, digital poems and even a field trip...yikes. 

Enjoy your weekend.

Peek At My Week (01/13/14)

Back with my Lesson plans. Guess what? I have both kinder AND first grade done! Maybe that is because it is already Monday and I had to teach something today. :P

Kinder

This week my Kinder Kids will learn all about... snow. More specifically snow-people. Yep, no longer are the days of just snowmen, we make all kinds of snow things. 

Snow Names is a fab way to practice the letters in our names. This is a great review for the kids that do know and perfect for my new ELL kids that don't know the letters in their names.

We will read Snowmen At Night and Martin McGregor's Snowman.

We will also use our Snowmen at night companion pack. There are SEVERAL pages from this pack that we will complete throughout the week. They are noted in my plans.

Then we will try to wrap up our week with a snowman craftie.

I am going to edit this wonderful craftie because we do not do alliterations yet. We have been learning about telling stories with a Beg, Mid and End, in Writing. I will try to do some kind of min strip book that attaches at the bottom. I'll let you know how it goes.
We will also learn about the letter Ff, for fffffffffreeezing. Most of what we will do is routine and can be found in my plans.

Firsties

My Firsties will be studying MLKJr this week. We will read two MLKJr. books.

Here are some freebies I will use with my students. We will do a page or two from each pack. Again these are noted in my plans.

We will also be learning about the letter Ee and how it can say it's long name when it is next to ea, ee and ey by using several activities from Abby's pack.

That's all folks. :P Click on the image of my lesson plans to get a downloadable version.
Don't forget to check out the Peek At My Week Linky for some other fabulous lesson plans.

Oh before you go...
If your interested in some no nonsense pre-made, checklist, quick fill lesson plans check out,
A Teacher's Plan.