Note: This year I am blogging weekly reflections at my school site (weskids.com) in order to provide more transparency in my teaching for parents, students, and the community (local and global). I will be cross-posting most of the entries here at Bit By Bit as well. You can see the original posts at the “Reflections by Mr. S” blog.

______________________________________________

Grade 2 students have finished their animal research and are working on creating a combined iPad Book with their research facts. This book will be shared with next year’s Kindergarten and 1st grade students. It is an “interactive” book (created with “iBook Author”) where readers can click on the video presentations from the students, and look at pictures gathered from the site, Facts4me.com.

Students were filmed during their presentations. They worked on: speaking clearly, loudly, and slowly. The group of students then chose which pictures worked best with their facts.

The finished “book” will not be published on the Internet, but will be installed on the iPads in the Computer Lab, and any other classroom iPad upon teacher request. Sharing the knowledge with younger students gives the 2nd Grade students an authentic audience and provides an “audio/video” book to listen to facts that might be too difficult for them to read.

Things you can do at home with your student:

• Ask your 2nd Grade student about the animal facts they remember.
• Ask your 2nd Grade student what was the hardest part of the project? What was their favorite part? How do they feel about their finished work?
• When watching their own video, many 2nd Graders reported that they sounded “funny” on the video. This is due to not having much experience hearing their own recorded voice. If you have an iPad at home (or any recording device), provide opportunities for your student to record his/her voice and then listen to it!