Maths- measurement

The QR code scavengar hunt

I have been playing around with QR codes for a few years and really liked the concept of them but always struggled to get the best use for them.  Finally I found an easy website that enables you to generate QR codes easily and create a scavenger hunt.  

My purpose for doing so was to set up QR codes around the school with riddles for them to solve.  At each they were required to solve a measurement problem.  They recorded all their information on the notepad on their ipad and came back to the class with the answers which we worked through as a class and discussed.

Some Examples were finding the

- perimeter of the basketball court

- radius of the netball centre circle

- Circumference of my car tyre 

- volume of the school pool

It was great following the students around and listening to them talk and discuss with each other.  It was also interesting watching what equipment they used to measure.

They did install a measuring app- but most children preferred to use the meter rulers and tape measure.

When they were back in the class I videoed some of them.  It was very exciting for me to capture their learning.  One task led them to measure the ipad but only half of it- so it was a triangle.  I had taught them this the lesson before so it was great to hear them recall this and use the correct method to find the answer.

The great thing about this lesson was that the students were able to Identify what areas they needed to improve on.  To do this I was able to buddy them up with someone else who had a strength in that area and they were able to show them how they find the answer.

Show me app- this is a great app, it does exactly as the name suggest.  It is done with voice record and drawing and writing so a very powerful tool! 

Incorporating ipads into your planning

So we have all the tools but do we have the knowledge to best implement them?

I recently went on a literacy e-infused course and got very inspired as the teacher was very passionate and it showed through out her presentation.  It inspired me to share heaps of cool ideas with my colleagues and also to try them out in the classroom with my twist on them.  

So where do we start??? We hear about these "cool" apps, download them and then.... Never use them or use them as a one off lesson never to be used again!

I have found a lot of my colleagues have this dilemma and although they are keen and willing to learn they don't have the time to search hours for apps or know how to best use them in the classroom.

What we want to try and prevent is...  Only Using the ipad as an 'early finisher' activity, or reward or a place to play games!!!

So if we first look at what isn't working well already in our programmes or what we would like to see improved then this can be a guide for how we can solve, or help to solve our issues!

I will try and break it down and make it easy to follow.  I will include app names and uses and also include ways in which I have used them in my lessons and why.

Ipad passion

Ipads in the classroom

I am quite a big fan of using ipads in the classroom for educational purposes.  I really don't expect it to replace the teacher but instead act as a great tool to support and motivate childrens learning.  I try and incorporate the use of ipads and apps in most of my lessons.

As I am in the Southern Hemisphere we are currently on school holidays until the beginning of February.  Here are some ideas that I will be doing when I first start back.

Ipad scavengar hunt
- a set of tasks instructing the students to find and perform tasks using the ipad.  It is a great way for them to get to know the ipads, the programs and apps that we will be using.

- a set of tasks making the students get out and around the school, taking photos, gathering evidence, answering questions about certain things.  All answers will be done through notes, photos and videos.  These will then be emailed to teacher.

Pic collage
Is a very cool app as there are a lot of  cool things you can do with this.  I will be getting my students to create a collage 'all about them'.  As well as photos they can add text and stickers.  The photos and background can be modified.

Other ideas of how to use it would be:
- create a book review.  Books that have been made into film will have images online otherwise they can choose images of characters that they think best suits their.  They will need to include title, illustrator, characters, a summary about the book, review/rating, quotes, any other important information they may need to include.