Using Tablets as Interactive Whiteboards

Have you seen other teachers use their ipads as whiteboards?  I have and I was jealous because I didn’t have an ipad.  BUT, I do have an android tablet that I just love.  I recently came across an app that will let you control your computer from anywhere in your classroom.  You can annotate over anything on your computer screen and display it through a data projector.  I LOVE IT!  The app is called Splashtop Whiteboard and it works for ipads but it’s also the 1st app I have seen that works for android tablets.

 

Check out this video -

 

 

 

I’ve used this app to control a PowerPoint presentation as I roamed around my classroom.  Another time, we played a PowerPoint game with it.  I took the tablet to students and let them select the correct answer.  Let me tell you, student participation for that lesson was at an all time high! 

 

All you need to get started is the Splashtop Streamer app for your computer, the Splashtop Whiteboard app for your tablet, and a WiFi connection.  Easy peasy!

 

You can get more information about Splashtop Whiteboard from the Splashtop website or from the Google Play store.

 

Have a great week!

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Font.My for Android Users

I don't know about you, but after seeing so many iPad users/bloggers create their own fonts, I've been green with envy.  I wanted so badly to make my own fonts but I don't have an iPad.  However, I DO have an android tablet and this past weekend I discovered an amazing new app in the Play store. Drum roll, please...

The trial version is free and you can make and download 1 font (lower case letters only).  It didn't take me long to decide I needed, okay, wanted the full version. I was able to get the full version for $2.99 which I thought was a good deal.  

This is an example of the first font that I created.  It's pretty basic but I still love it.  I'm sure I'll be creating plenty more.  This app is so simple to use that my children were zipping right through it creating their own fonts too.

Even though this isn't the typical Monday Made It post, I thought I would link up any way cuz I'm just so dang happy about my new find!!  I want to make sure all the Android users out there find out about this one!!

Have a great week!

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Poster Love!

I absolutely LOVE our library’s new color poster maker!!!  It has already made my life so much easier.  To begin with, my hand-drawn anchor charts just stunk.  I just don’t have the patience to make posters look cute. 

See what I mean?  Yuck!

I do enjoy making things on my computer, so the poster maker has made a huge difference.  I’m now laminating my anchor charts so that I can reuse them each year.  It’s important to me that students’ ideas end up on the charts.

Here’s one of my new anchor charts that I designed on my computer and enlarged with the poster maker. 

See?  This is much better even though the glare is a bit distracting in this pic (It looks much better in person!). 
I love that I can wipe off this chart and use it again next year.

I recently taught a unit on map skills and my students had trouble using directions to find items on a map (This has always been a problem for my kids!).  Then it hit me – I could use the poster maker to make an interactive poster for us to practice with!

We practiced with cardinal directions 1st and then moved on to the intermediate directions.  The farm pieces were attached with sticky tak.  Each day I would move the cutouts to a different location and we would practice some more. 

This helped my kids TREMENDOUSLY!  With 5 minutes of practice a day for a few days, they GOT it! 

I love the idea of making anchor charts with the poster maker, but the idea of making interactive posters just makes me giddy!  Now my brain has kicked into overdrive trying to come up with some more ideas for interactive posters.  If you have some ideas, please, please share by leaving a comment.

I appreciate Megan at I teach. What’s Your Superpower? for letting me join her linky party to share my new love.

2 comments Anchor Chart, classroom tools, map skills, social studies

Must-Have Pencil Sharpener

There’s a new pencil sharpener in my classroom and I’m in love!  Seriously. 

I got this little baby in the mail from Classroom Friendly Supplies. I immediately set it up and sharpened dozens of pencils right away. I sharpened and both of my kids sharpened.  We sharpened all kinds of pencils.
New pencils.
Old pencils.
Quality pencils.
Cheap pencils.
Even plastic coated pencils.
This sharpener worked perfectly!  Every. Single. Time.  It completely exceeded my expectations and my kids thought it was cool.

The Classroom Friendly sharpener was easy for all of us to use and worked like a charm.  Check out this video to see how easy it is to use.

Video by tdecoff.

This sharpener only sharpens standard-sized pencils and I didn’t have much luck sharpening map pencils. 

You can’t over-sharpen with this sharpener.  Believe me – I tried!  That makes it kid proof.  No more wasting time at the pencil sharpener sharpening until the lead breaks so that even more sharpening can be done.  Does anyone else have students that do that?!

I love it and my teaching buddies love it.  In fact, I plan to get another so I’ll have even more sharpening power.  This is a great sharpener for everyone’s classroom, but don’t take my word for it.  Hop on over to Classroom Friendly Supplies and snag one up for yourselves.

Leave a Comment classroom tools, favorites