The technology tool that I chose was an App called Animal Math. This is a free app that be downloaded on any apple device. Students can have their parents download this app for them on their iPad, iPods or iPhones. This is a math app for kindergarteners and it consists of several math skilled games in a unique fun farm setting. Animal Math is an app dedicated to help children learn and remember the different math skills such as counting, numbering, completing patterns and adding.
This app has a great value towards my activity plan. For it serves as one of 4 the stations throughout my activity plan. It also gives students a chance to experience time with a technology tool and can allow them to collaborate and understand the material more clearly. It can also be very engaging for the students since its in a child friendly setting which will allow them to want to learn more. Animal Math also goes very well with the rest of the lesson because it portrays most of the math skills and concepts being practiced and discussed in the other stations. However even though its a learning tool and very beneficial for the students, it is still provided through a screen or device that should be limited for young students to use for no more then an hour due to the potential risk of what looking at a screen for a long period of time can do to ones eyesight.
The tool I selected to help with my Activity Plan was Spreeder which is a free online web application. It will increase my plans accessibility by allowing me to copy and paste word problems or notes that go along with the lesson and have the students read off of it. I can also use this as a tool to help both ELL and special needs students. For ELL students I can open the website on each Ipad and have it translated so that they can easily understand the material being discussed. For Students with Special Needs it can be of benefit for someone blind because I can type the class lesson and allow them to listen to it. This tool can also help students with Dyslexia for it will read out the lesson to them making it easier for them to understand and comprehend.
Hi Nadine,
ReplyDeleteNice post, and nice activity plan. I enjoyed seeing that you have select accommodations for your ELL students. It is important that you have that for even students who aren't understanding. I like that you have an assistant app you could say for another way how children can see differences in math problems where you are in charge of them. I like your app you have chosen because it is a nice way that kids can bring it into the class for independent time and work and also bring it home to work on it.
Nice post and activity!! Best of Luck!