QR Addition- Technology Integration

As a teacher we are being pushed (and pulled) to use technology in the classroom, not just by the teacher, but by the students as well.  So, I've been reflecting on my classroom technology usage.  I have to admit that while I feel very confident about teaching with it, sometimes I just can't let go.  You see, our school got iPads this year.  Each classroom has 2 and then we have 2 carts that have 30 each.  We haven't been able to use those yet, so I am just using my two.  Two for 23 students has been quite challenging and I've been doing some research and training on ways for multiple students to use 1 iPad at the same time.

Strategy 1:  QR Codes
An amazing 4th grade teacher at our school shared these with me on Friday.  I have seen them, but never became completely interested until I learned how it can help my kids and help me at the same time.  She has her students work on various math problems that contain QR Codes.  Then, she lets the kids use the iPads to check their work (evaluate and problem solve). 

I've decided that I am going to try this out this week.  I created my own printable with a 2nd grade concept that the kids have been working on since January, Two-Digit Addition with Regrouping (that's a mouthful).  I will let you know later in the week how this turns out.  Grab this freebie by clicking on the pic below.

  Head on over to Classroom Freebies for more free printables and ideas!

Strategy 2:  Math Slide App
I learned about this app at a recent DoDEA Grant Training for my district.  You can have up to 4 players and they have avrious games in adding, subtracting, place value, etc.  I grabbed the teacher to my left and there we were having a blast trying to win the math game.  Let.me.tell.you...it is so much harder than it looks.  My brain was on turtle mode for most of it.  A problem appears and you have to slide one of the answer choices from a group of numbers to the middle of the screen.  So COOL!  This is what it looks like.

Strategy 3:  Group Research Projects
I attempted this last week.  I had my students work in groups of 4 to research blue whales.  I only had 2 iPads so 2 groups were on the iPads, 2 groups were on the classroom computers, 1 group explored on the one iPad I have, and the last group I tossed my iPhone.  Yep, I sure did!  The group work went very well with the exception that my iPhone's screen was so small that only 1-2 kids could see the screen at a time.  Hmmm...I wonder of I can hook it to my projector for next time?  Anyone out there know the answer?  Let me know, please!

Anyway, the kids had to find 5 facts about blue whales and write them down (reading, writing, science) plus they made a small blue whale and took measurements of various body parts (math).  Integration Central in this 2nd grade classroom...WOAH!  But guess what....I have no pictures to show for it.  I do have student work that I will take pics of tomorrow and repost them here.

Fingers crossed I can pull off all of these strategies this week.  I'll let you know how it goes.  I'm off to make some beef stew from none other than The Pioneer Woman.  Her recipes are a-maz-ing!!!  Have a terrific week!