Pottsville Grades K-3

 
 

October 2014

Common Core tasks every student to use technology to produce and publish. The standards call for increased comprehension combined with the ability to clearly express learning through active participation in the learning process. Students can construct deep knowledge about a topic as they engage in building a multimedia project. Let's take a look at QR codes, collages, and narrations as a way for students to produce, express, and publish.

QR Codes

QR (Quick Response) codes can make classrooms more efficient and interactive. Instead of typing in a web address, a student can open an app and point his or her device’s camera at the code and walk away with a website, audio, or video open in his or her web browser. QR codes store information in an image made up of tiny squares, and anyone can create them.

Scan QR codes with the i-nigma app. Simple open the app and point your iPad's camera at a QR code. Make sure the entire code is visible and that you are close enough to it.

 
 

Use goqr.me to make QR codes. Choose the type of code you want, which will most likely be a website address or text. You can save the live preview or click Download to change the color before you save it. You'll want to make QR codes on your PC because then you can print, projector, or paste into a document.

Tony uses the Brother QR-570 printer to make QR code stickers. But you can print a QR code on any kind of printer. No special ink is required.

Some clever uses for QR Codes:

Collages

You can use Pic Collage to combine photos and text to convey meaning. Collages can be a way for students to show what they know about a vocabulary word. Other uses for collages include documenting natural resources and acrostic poetry. A collage can transport students to other places, like these youngsters who studied modes of transportation.

A collage can be saved to your iPad's Photo Library. From there they can be emailed, downloaded to a computer (using the white USB cable), or used in other apps.

Padlet

You can create a Padlet wall and then send students there with a QR code. They can post text, photos, and videos to the wall for easy sharing. Padlet is free and you can create as many walls as you'd like.

Here's how to make a new Padlet wall with my recommended settings:

  • Log into Padlet.com.
  • Click the Modify Wall button.
  • Under profile, give your wall a title and description.
  • Under Layout, change from Freeform to Stream.
  • Under Privacy, checkmark Moderate posts.
  • Under Address, give your wall an easy to type web address.
  • See the QR code under the Share menu.

If you're interested in learning lots more about Padlet (and a similar site called Lino), watch my video.

Narrations

You can attach a recording to a series of photos using the Shadow Puppets Edu app. The end product is a video that you can upload to their website or save to your iPad's Photo Library. There are so many great ways teachers and students put this app to use, include as a way for students to tell about collages they have made.

You can get your images to narrate from you Photo Library, camera, or the app's built in image searches.

Scroll to the bottom of this page for printable PDFs that include:

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH TONY