The Mount Pleasant primary and elementary DLC schools have been rolling out their iPADS over the last several weeks. I have seen amazing lessons with Keynote, like guess the Dr. Seuss book and some Civil War presentations. Some teachers have done blackout bingo using tinyPDF, and weather websites to start a research project.  Students have been learning to research, airdrop, save photos, and much, much more!  It is amazing to walk into a second grade classroom and see them captivated by a virtual visit to the San Diego Zoo to record research on their own iPAD.  Students have been "over the moon" during each iPAD roll out, and we are so lucky to be a part of this cohort to share in the joy and excitement of using the iPAD as an instructional tool.  Each day I am blown away by the caliber and dedication of the teachers in this cohort!  (And the students aren't too bad themselves!)

 Judith Popowhich's class at Jennie Moore exploring with the QR code scavenger hunt! 

 Cynthia Stelow and Erin Gibbs at Belle Hall Elementary prepare the students for a captivating lesson on Keynote!  They prepared slides with clues to help somebody guess the Dr. Seuss book they chose! 

 Students in Shelley Shuler's class are deep in research at the San Diego Zoo at Whitesides Elementary on their virtual field trip!  

Chromebook Cart Magic

Here are some great tips from Ian Banker at Wando on getting your Chromebook Cart organized.

Big Picture:

I wanted the Chromebook cart organized with the plugs in the front so they can easily be connected and charged.

Step 1) Set up zip tie wiring above each of the Chromebook areas.

Step 2) String the chords through the zip tie wiring so that the cable hangs over the front zip tie.

Step 3) Zip tie the wires together into groups of 5 in the front, such that it is nearly impossible to pull them out of place.

Step 4) Color and number code!

Detailed pictures and for each step:

1. Set up zip ties to hang cables on...

There are basically 3 full rings under each platform, made of 5 zip ties each.

2. Weave chords through zip ties

One side of the plugs will weave through the top chrome books, the other side will weave through the bottom.

Weave each plug over and under the zip ties, such that the plug will hang over the zip tie that is closest to the front.

3. Plug in and minimize slack

Adjust the slack of each chord in the back so that there is no extra “dangle.”

Next, zip tied chords in the back so that is is hard to pull the chords forward.

Finally, zip tie the chords together, in groups of 5, around the front zip tie so that they are in groups of 5.

9th Grade Sovereignty!

A group of 9th Graders at Wando High School were hard at work creating their very own country! From government to industry, students were asked to consider components such as agriculture and trade to create an independent nation! Once all components are in place, students are using WeVideo to create a persuasive, informational video to use as their application to the United Nations.

Students download WeVideo and are exploring the app!

Jason Brisini leads the activity along with Ms. Allegretto.

Students used StoryJumper to create their farms.

Getting Excited About Non-Fiction!

Fifth grade students in Mrs. Jennifer Tillman's class at Harbor View Elementary are getting excited about non-fiction!  I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with this wonderful class as Mrs. Tillman helped to set them up and expose them to Newsela.com.  The students were extremely excited to be reading and completing assignments digitally.  Mrs. Tillman is able to use this site to monitor her students' progress through the articles, and because the students can choose which Lexile the article is written in, the teacher no longer has to  provide differentiated reading passages from numerous resources.  I'm looking forward to getting back to Harbor View as these digital citizens continue to grow!!

Collaboration Gets Students Excited and Engaged!

No more coaxing students to complete their research and writing assignments. Students are begging to do more work on their Chromebooks using Google Apps for Education! Below is Mrs. Leland with her 8th grade Social Studies class. They are using the Research Tool within Google Slides to help them find interesting historical facts! Students are collaborating on one project through the Share feature of Google Slides!

Teachers Getting Started with the Digital Learning Cohorts

Teachers from the Digital Learning Cohort #8 for iPads (West Ashley elementary schools) had their first meeting in February. They began creating Standard Operating Procedures with their cohort partners and explored www.commonsensemedia.org for lessons on Digital Citizenship. Teachers also took time to talk about the "Why" - it's not about the device, it's about why teachers and students are using technology with learning. Teachers were enthusiastic about participating in the Digital Learning Cohort. We look forward to exciting learning activities from these classrooms.

                 

Learning with iPads at Chicora School of Communications

Students in Mrs. Dillahey's classroom at Chicora School of Communications began using iPads with learning this week. They are exploring Digital Citizenship through lessons from commonsensemedia.org and activities in class. Students also signed an iPad contract agreeing to use the devices responsibly. This is the beginning of an exciting journey with 1:1 devices for students in Mrs. Dillahey's classes. We look forward to hearing about future learning activities!