Using iPads in our Reach for the Stars theme.

Flipped Classrooms.

In the last week it has been full steam ahead with our theme, Reach for the Stars. The children have been looking at the planets and other celestial bodies. I have been looking at ways to implement a 'Flipped Classroom' and I found that using the app Book Creator is a perfect way to do this.  In the classroom we have a range of non-fiction fact books. The children looked at the layout of these books, the images, captions and how text and facts are presented clearly. After looking at this initial information provided by myself, the children took charge of their own learning by creating digital fact books about a planet in the Solar System. They were able to access content online as well as from a range of traditional texts available in the classroom. Have a look below at some of the fantastic pages they created.

Coding and Programming.

In my class we are always trying be as innovative as possible and use iPads and other technologies to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. The range of coding and programming apps is growing, however it was good to get back to basics this week and use one of our favourite apps, Scratch Junior. It has a very simple user interface and allows children a number of options to control their sprites. A great thing about the app is the multiple number of backgrounds and sprites related to Space. The children were able to develop their problem solving skills by making their Astronaut sprites disappear into a spaceship before it blasted off out into the atmosphere. This required them to write a number of scripts for the movement of multiple sprites. Have a look below at some of their simple scripts. It was an excellent way to implement programming through our theme.