Kaleidoscope App

     This past week in my Pre-Student Teaching Observations, the catholic school where I observe in Malvern, Pennsylvania, every Thursday, was taking Terra Nova Tests throughout the entire week.  In order to keep the second grade students calm and quiet in the classroom until all of the other students in the school had finished with their Terra Nova Tests, my cooperating teacher and I found an art-themed app on the iPad that served as a brain break activity for the students.  The name of the app is Kaleidoscope and it can either be downloaded onto an iPhone, iPod, or an iPad.  Downloading this free app is easy, all you have to do is go into the App Store on your Apple Device and type in Kaleidoscope in the search bar.  It is a free download; however, it may require you to purchase certain things contained on the app.  This app is an amazing drawing activity that allows students to think that they are actually looking inside of a kaleidoscope.  With this app, it is a simple drawing activity that includes eight different kaleidoscope modes, more than ten beautiful brushes, and endless bright colors.  After you are finished with your kaleidoscope design, this app actually allows you to watch the play back of your kaleidoscope design and procedure with the “Movie” mode!  This app is great to use either as an art activity or a quick brain break activity in any grade level.  

Kahoot!

 

     In my Language Arts Methods class, my professor introduced us to a fun and motivational website that can be used as a means of an assessment.  The name of the website is Kahoot and it requires all students in the classroom to have an iPad or some form of electronic device that will allow the students Internet access. Also, the classroom must have a projector so that the teacher can project her computer screen onto either a white board or a Smart Board.  In order for a teacher to create an activity or design a quiz, log on to https://getkahoot.com/.  The classroom teacher can then sign in or create a new account.  After the teacher has finished signing in, they will continue to create their quiz or activity of their choice. The teacher can create the activity in whatever way they wish and their choices range from: how many questions on the particular activity to the time limit to answer each question.  After the teacher creates and finalizes the quiz or activity, a numerical code will pop up on the Board.  Then, the students will log on to https://kahoot.it/#/ and enter the numerical code that is on the board.  Once the students enter the code they should all press the ENTER button.  After the students are entered into the activity or quiz, they will be instructed to create an anonymous game name.  As the teacher, remind your student to not use their real name, just to keep the excitement and anxiousness at a high-level during the activity!  Once the timer starts, the questions and the answers will be up on the board.  So, the students will read the questions and the answers on the board.  Then, on their individual devices, they will answer the question.  Each answer is depicted with a different colored geometric shape (triangle, square, circle, rectangle, etc).  On their device, the students will simply tap the shape that corresponds with the answer on the board.  After the time limit is up after each question, the students will be rated in terms of their score on a chart.  The scoring is rated in terms of how quickly they answered the question and if they selected the correct answer.  I will definitely use this motivational and engaging website in my classroom.  Your students will not remember that they are being assessed during this activity because they are so enticed by the technology and better engaged in learning with some fun!