National Week of Code: Coding at Roosevelt, Alliance Charter, and Tullar Elementary Schools

Coding at Roosevelt, Alliance Charter, and Tullar Elementary Schools

I love to see my students get excited about new things.  Even better, I love to see them "think" they won't be able to do something and then rock it! 

This week and next week, students at my three schools will be celebrating the National Week of Code. Computer programming/coding has come a LOOOOOONG way since I was a student. in the 1970's 1980's 1990s. Many thanks to the parent volunteers to who helped students get started.

Many of my students asked if they could continue to code at home. Below are the websites and apps we used -- although there are a TON more out there!

Free iPad Apps:

Kodable

Lightbot

Hopscotch

Coding Websites for Kids (and Grown Up, Too!)

This is as basic, beginners website -- perfect weather you are 8 or 80. Okay, to be honest, it's perfect whether you are 4 or 94!

Code with the Angry Birds: Studio Code

Although this site is a little more complicated, students loved having Frozen's Anna 

Code with Anna and Elsa from Disney's Frozen

This is the most complicated coding websites students tried -- although most were still able to do it! What students enjoyed the most about this site was that once they programmed a Christmas tree light display, their display would ACTUALLY play on the Wisconsin State Tree at the White House!  Pretty cool!

Made with Code

See Our Students Coding! Look at the Joy!

Online Lesson Plan Book with Planbook.com

I've been using this online plan book for three years now, and I absolutely love it! For a mere $12.00 a year (not much more than the cost of a paper lesson plan book) I have quick and easy access to all my lesson plans!

What do I LOVE about planbook.com?  Let me list the reasons:

1. I travel between buildings. Having an online plan book means I don't ever have to worry about leaving my plan book at the wrong building. It also means I always have it available at home.

2. If a lesson runs long and I need to extend it to another week, it's simple to do -- simply click a button! This is also very helpful when a class gets canceled because of a field trip, assembly, or snow (cold) day.

3. I can easily copy and paste lessons (I don't have to rewrite them by hand) for multiple classes with the same lesson plan for the week.

4. I can attach files, website URLs, etc. to the lesson plans, so I have EVERYTHING in one place.

5. It's EASY to print the lesson plans out for a sub when my kids are sick -- and that ALWAYS happens at the most inopportune times, doesn't it?

6. It keeps my lesson plans from previous years. So, if a lesson went particularly well, I can go to the previous year's lessons, and simply copy and paste the lesson, materials needed, files, etc. in a couple of clicks!

Below is a screen shot from my plan book from LAST school year.

Screen Shot Of My Plan Book from Last School Year

There are so many reasons to love this inexpensive and easy-to-use resource!  I am not getting any kickbacks or commissions from planbook.com for advertising their product. It's simply a product I love. It's made my life so much easier, and I want others to know about the product.  

If you have any questions about this product, how to use it, etc. just let me know! They do have a free trial option. That's how I started. I tried it for a month for free, but to be honest, I knew after one week I would purchase it.

To check out more, go to www.planbook.com!  Happy Planning!

Jenn McMahon, Library Goddess

Snowball Microphone for Skype

If you aren't sure what a Snowball Microphone is, just take a look at it, and you'll see where

Snowball Microphone

its name comes from.  This is an amazing tool when working with a large group of students doing a recording or a Skype/Face Time chat.

I'll be using this cool tool on Wednesday with a group of students as they do a Skype visit with Lauren Tarshis, the author of the very popular I Surivived . . . series of books.

What's so great about this tool?  It's a highly sensitive microphone that allows students to be able to record or talk via Skype without having to be really close to the computer's microphone.  Just plug this mic into your computer's USB port and students can still sit in their desk and be heard by the visitor!  This is HUGE!  No longer will students who have questions have to get out of their seats and come in close to the computer.  They can stay where they are and ask their question!  This saves time -- allowing more time for additional questions!  Yeah!

Do you want to use this cool tool with your class for a recording in iMovie, QuickTime, or for a chat via Skype, FaceTime, Google Talk, etc?  Just stop at your school library!  Both of my libraries have this cool tool available for check out, AND they are iPad compatible thanks to a couple of adapters I was also able to purchase!

Have you had good luck with the Snowball microphone?  Tell me how in the comments section!