To prepare, teachers working in these grades were given an iPad to use. There was a training at the end of the school year, and the summer was available for our technology development. I spent several hours each week researching and making plans to implement using the iPad in my fourth grade class.
Last week, we started using the iPad to learn about idioms. A daily idiom didn't work out quite as I planned when we ran out of time every day. I am still brainstorming how to make this work better.
Today, we started another iPad idea. We started by using the Dictionary AP.
In the past ten years, the focus on vocabulary and the use of synonyms and antonyms has evolved significantly. Ten years ago, we purchased student dictionaries to use in the classroom. These dictionaries met our learning needs. The vocabulary words we expect students to learn now, many aren't in a student dictionary (often filled with pictures and diagrams). So I purchased "adult" dictionaries and thesauruses. They haven't stood up to the weekly student use. They also are limited in what they offer. An AP is subject to regular updates. New words, definitions, synonyms, and antonyms are added as they become accepted.
We only have one iPad for a classroom of students. We are developing our rules to be "fair" and "available" (Today, literally, by the minute!). Students who used the iPad today, signed their names. The next time we need to use the iPad dictionary, these students will not be able to use it, until everyone has had at least one iPad-use. We also had the rule that only one student could use the iPad at a time, a long line of students waiting their turn was not the best use of their class time when other tools (paper dictionaries and thesauruses, student notes ...) were available.
The amount of ways we can use the iPad is inspiring, and I am excited to begin the journey with this group of students!
Stay tuned!
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