Mrs.+Matylewicz

Welcome to Mrs. Matylewicz's iPad Journal:

We are all getting excited about the many new updates with the iPads. While I used the iPads often with my language arts classes last year, projects were at times difficult in not having access to portions that had been started the previous day. I am really looking forward to watching the growth and development in having the iPads in the hands of the students.....September 10th and 11th!!! Wow!!
 * September 4**

Students are getting used to note taking apps, calendars, and making sure contacts are accurate. After a few trials and errors, and errors, with emailing notes and documents not always in the correct format.....I have set up a Dropbox account with Public Folder links for each student. I have a period 3 and a period 7 folder. When papers are added, students automatically have those in their Dropbox app now that they are linked....it is pretty cool!! The really neat attribute is that students can then choose what app to then use for the papers they are sent....lots of choices and options!!!
 * September 17**

We were starting our story, "Rikki-tikki-tavi" about a mongoose who comes to live with a family in India. Students and the teacher (mostly me) are getting used to having the text on the iPad. Imagine my shock when I look up to see someone on Google, checking out "what is a mongoose." Wow!!....so we did have to talk about "calling a time out" for things like this, but talk about curious minds and wanting to learn!! I also love that the kids can highlight and take notes right on the text as we discuss and read.
 * September 18**

LA Grade 7 Honors is in the middle of a heated court trial to bring justice to the garden animals of "Rikki-tikki-tavi." Students are portraying the roles of story characters, lawyers, paralegals, and bailiff. While this mock trial has always been a favorite of the 7th grade Honor students, having iPads has added a new twist! Kids have been messaging each other outside of school to fine-tune preparations for opening statements and questions for the witnesses. Today during cross-examination, I watched lawyers and paralegals typing away with messaging, again, to bring new ideas and counter-arguments to the table. After our Writing Block we will delve into a new story and an iPad project.
 * October 2**

LA Grade 7 iPad students have just finished a small iPad project to present information about The Great Depression, the backdrop for our story this week. Students have always needed some background information about this story, and why tell them all about it, when they have the information at their fingertips. They researched how The Great Depression impacted families and were asked to present that information with music from the 1930s, pictures and video clips. After sharing these with the class, we were able to then jump right into "Song of the Trees" by Mildred Taylor.

LA Grade 7 Honors has finished a project using Vocabulary words to review Greek and Latin root words. Without completing traditional exercises, everyone successfully completed a pop-quiz, showing that the project-based learning was effective. **Sample Video project.....an iMovie using all vocabulary words by Russell S. and Bryson T. (click on link below)** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk7uHY3Y9ko
 * November**

LA Grade 7 iPad students used a story from our literature book to create a News Program or Radio Play adapting actual information from the story and creating new elements to design original interpretations of the short story "After Twenty Years" by the famous author, O. Henry.

//**MP2 Adjustments in Language Arts for both groups:**// //PV-eagles, the Calendar, Notability, and Dropbox are regulars in my room for sending and receiving information. Some regular presentation apps include: iMovie, Keynote, Edmodo, and Pages.// //There are LA games students are allowed to use on Fridays in the place of our warm-up.....these are Word Games: PopWords, Missing Link, 7Words, Hooked on Words, Letris, Word Search, Word to Word, Word Tree, Letterpress, and WordsWorth. No games are allowed during instructional time. A transition reminder is always given.// //Students should always have an AR book with them and several AR tests are required during the MP. I also have an amazing collection of books for students to browse through and even check out if interested.// //While we may use other apps.....Screen Chomp, Sock Puppets, Scribble Press, Whiteboard, PhotoCard, Pic Collage, Tools4Students, Messages, YouTube and others for project assignments, THESE ARE NOT APPS that should be open during class unless students are given specific instructions to work on projects.//

//**December**// We just wrapped up reading non-fiction pieces, including an autobiographical essay/memoir. As an extension, all iPad groups and my regular 7th grade classes wrote memoirs about a holiday tradition. These ideas and other required components were turned into Keynote presentations, iMovies and the emergent Doceri productions.

Continuing with our Unit of Non-fiction, we have focused on reading informational text and everyday text. We studied advertisements and the techniques used in commercials and ads. Students were then able to create a new product or use one already in existence to create an ad using these techniques.
 * January**

I have also started to see students fine-tuning vocabulary mini-projects. Many still prefer to create a project over completing drill exercises and are doing very well on the Greek/Latin root quizzes.
 * Looking to the month of February and March.....**

Students will be working on Book Trailers to report on their reading, and we will begin our Poetry Unit. I am looking forward to exploring new learning tools for poetry using the iPad!