Do you Osmo?

So to say I've taken a blogging break is a bit of an understatement. That's not to say I haven't been blog stalking or IG stalking. I just needed a break from the posting. I've had a very nice relaxing start to my summer break. This in spite of three days tech professional development and today's 3hr training on our new teacher evaluation system. Le sigh.

Like many of you I've been looking into new and exciting things to incorporate into my classroom for next year. Truthfully I do this as much for me as I do the kiddos. Because let's face it...I could get tired with the same content every year. Luckily each batch of kids is different so they learn differently as a group (and certainly individually) but I find new ways to present the material or tweak what has worked in the past.

Last school year our school was fortunate to get a cart of iPads. The downside is that it's one cart for the school and we must share. That said...we're teachers and we're great at sharing. However, I'm a tech glutton and I want my hands on them!! lol There weren't really many k-2 apps on them when school ended and I had a very busy and stressful end of the school year so I didn't get to utilize them.

Well that's gonna change my friends in the 2015-2016 (wow...really....how old am I?!) school year. The tech professional development, playing around on the one existing classroom iPad I had, and oddly Facebook have given me some ideas.

Just for now I'm going to share the one I found on Facebook. I kept getting ads for this device called Osmo. I had no idea what this thing was but after SEVERAL ads on the sidebar and in my newsfeed I had to check it out. So there ya' go. Advertising worked.

Targeted Facebook advertising....

So when you buy your Osmo you get a stand, a mirrored piece that goes on top of the iPad camera, and it comes with 4 games, and he pieces you'll need for three of those games.

Masterpiece-You can take a picture and it'll help you draw it and it records you while you draw. (Educationally there are many ways you could incorporate this including but not limited to drawing)

Words-You get sets of letters and create words. You can play this against an opponent, too. I watched a YouTube video of this and the kids were racing to spell words and search for the letters so it's great for letter recognition as well as spelling.

Tangram-Well...exactly what it says, lol. It comes with the pieces and the more you're able to complete the more complex the images get.

Newton-You have to draw or use manipulative to make the balls hit a target. This one is actually not easy to explain but it screamed STEM to me.

I wanted to know more so I went to good 'ol YouTube. This is a video of kids doing a review and playing the games. Don't let the timestamp turn you off. It was fun to watch.

Well I was sooooo intrigued by this thing that I took it to DonorsChoose. I submitted it and it got approved and posted in just a few days. I got an email today saying that my project had been fully funded!!! My DonorsChoose project asked for 3 Osmo devices. I'll have to have our Tech people install the apps but I cannot wait until school starts (gasp!) and these come in the mail.

No, I was not paid or bribed to post this. However, if for some reason the nice people at Osmo see this I'd be more than happy to discuss this! (wink wink, lol)

They have a cool thing going on that if you buy one on their site they'll give a free one to your child's school. I thought that was neat.

5 for Ya'

Happy Friday to all and to all a good night.
1. I'm in loooove!
Okay okay not love...but we do have this thing going on. I had some awful allergy post-nasal drip (eww, I know!) This has been the only thing that has helped.

2. I'm famous
Okay okay...you got me again. I'm not famous. I work in a small community and the local paper got wind of my DonorsChoose projects. A few months ago I had a project fulfilled for some MP3 players (to use during listening to stories during D5) I have a current one going on too!
Here's a snippet from the digital issue.

3. Red Wigglers!
A rep from the water and conservation offices at the county I teach in contacted local schools and offered to teach a lesson entitled "Worms Eat My Garbage". We learned all about worms (red wigglers specifically) and compost. The presenter was great, came with a handout to do with the kids, talked scientifically but in an age appropriate manner, and left us a worm habitat. (Updates on what I'll end up doing with that, lol)

4. Standardized Testing
I don't even want to get into all the computer problems my state (and others) have had with computerized testing. I'm knee deep in DIBELs. Blech.

I'm tired of hearing about teaching strategies and ideas 'to pass the test' 'to prepare for the test'...what about preparing for life? (I'm not totally anti-testing...and I think some things that have been presented in order to do well on the test were good ideas...some of them...but I don't think that should be our end goal...a test...given over x amount of days that can assess a child's entire educational experience.

Amen

5. I had a lot of questions about HotDots last week. This is a quickie video of an overview:

Head on over to Doodle Bugs to check out the Five for Friday action!

Yay today!

Yes, today was a long day. I started my day at our district's high school for an entire-staff meeting. It was actually pretty short. From there I went to my school where we had our normal back-to-school meeting. The rest of the day I was making copies, plans, chit-chatting, and all that jazz.

We had our Open House this evening. I have some very interesting kiddos...and some that are going to keep me on my toes! Every kid came tonight! Amazing and exciting.

After Open House I was straightening up and getting ready for tomorrow and I decided to check my email one more time. (I'm an email junkie I think) I got an email from Donors Choose telling me that my first project has been funded. I am stoked.

Pretty soon my class will be the proud owners of two of these bad boys.




I can't wait!!!

I'm working on a Monday Made It but it's not done so I'll play by the rules and wait until it is.

Tomorrow is my first day back, wish me luck.