Students in 1st Grade are definitely getting the hang of their new iPads.
Teacher Josie Smock’s students are using iPads for Math Time.
“They are telling time, playing Everyday Math Top It, and counting coins,” she said. “[They are also] using their iPads for word work, journaling, and listening to stories.”
Below are photos of these technology whizzes.
This week, students at Webster City Middle School rolled out their new iPads.
Below are photos of 5th Grade students with their iPads.
Below are photos of 6th Grade students with their iPads.
And below is a photo of an art student.
And below are even more photos of students with their iPads.
Students at Sunset Heights Elementary also received iPads last month.
Below are photos of 2nd Grade students enjoying their iPads.
Webster City Middle School art students are getting a lot of exposure, thanks to a great art website.
New art instructor Erica Munkel is making waves at the Middle School, thanks to her experience with the art website Artsonia.
“My students are extremely creative,” she said. “Artsonia is a great way for parents and students to talk about artwork outside of the classroom.”
According to Munkel, Artsonia is an interactive tool that she uses to create digital portfolios for each of her students.
“Each student will have images and artist statements for each piece of artwork they create throughout their entire middle school career,” she said. “Currently, WCMS is ranked #3 on the Artsonia site for middle schools in Iowa! Our rank continues to climb as we write more artist statements and submit more artwork.”
Parents, guardians, family members and friends are able to create accounts on Artsonia to access their student’s art.
“Once an account has been created, [these people] receive e-mail notifications each time a piece of artwork is posted and can make comments on the artwork,” Munkel said. “Our fanclub member numbers are growing each day!”
The students enjoy receiving comments, she added.
“It makes me feel good that my mom can see and comment on my artwork,” student Gavin W. said.
Student Emma B. agreed.
“I think it is a great tool for other people to see my artwork and the artwork of others,” she said.
Below are photos of Munkel’s art students.
“Since the students have received their iPads, we have been writing artist statements about their artwork on the Artsonia website,” Munkel said. “First, they downloaded a QR Scanner/Reader to scan specific codes for their artwork exhibits. Students scan the QR Code which directs them to the exhibit gallery where they are able to write artist statements discussing their artwork.”
Statements are then submitted to Munkel for her approval and uploaded to each student’s piece of artwork.
Below are photos of Munkel’s students scanning the QR Codes.
“Technology has been a wonderful tool to use in our reflection process as developing artists,” she said.
Students in teacher Michael Ross’s 1st Grade class are becoming experts with their new iPads.
Recently Ross had his students use QR Codes to find words to complete sentences.
“The QR Code has a word that has ‘al’ in [it],” he said. “[The students] scan the QR Code and then fill the word into the correct sentence.”
For example, Ross said, when students scan the QR Code that says “tall,” they fill in the sentence that says, “Mr. Ross is ______.”
Below are photos of his students working with the QR Codes.
The Middle School’s iPad roll-out is going full-steam ahead!
Teacher Amy Steen’s special needs students got their hands on their new iPads on Monday, October 29, 2013.
“My students were very excited to get their iPads,” she said. “They worked on ways we need to keep our iPads safe so that nothing will happen to them. We practiced the procedures we learned in our iPad handbooks.”
Below are photos of Steen’s students with their new iPads.
iPads have already been rolled out for students at Pleasant View Elementary and Sunset Heights Elementary, and one Kindergarten class has shared how they’ve already been using them.
Kindergarten students at Pleasant View Elementary leave their iPads at school, but every student has his own to use.
Teacher Deb Dunham’s class had an extra special day last Wednesday.
“My class earned a reward for good behavior,” she said. “Students earn a candle for certain tasks, and then a cake. And for having five cakes, they get to pick out something bigger–extra recess time or lunch in the classroom. This time they voted to wear pajamas.”
So on Wednesday, October 23, 2013, Dunham’s class got to wear pajamas to school. But that wasn’t even the most exciting thing about that day.
“We started using the iPads last Wednesday,” she said. “The students were so excited to use them for a math center and again for a reading center.”
Dunham said she downloaded several apps and organized them into “math” and “reading” folders. Students know to go to apps in the appropriate folder.
“I have experimented with having [the students] team up to discuss and explore certain apps,” she said. “They have a great time showing their friends how [the apps] work and how they got to a certain place. It is so fun listening to them communicate and watching them learn.”
Dunham’s students have also been using their iPads during their reading rounds/centers for “word work” and “listen to reading.”
“They have really been enjoying their own iPads,” she said.
Below are photos of Dunham’s students using their new iPads.
High School students taking science courses are incorporating technology into their learning and showcasing their talent.
Freshmen students in teacher Ayn Eklund’s science class are learning about potential and kinetic energy.
“What’s the best way to learn about conservation of energy?” Eklund said. “[By making] roller coasters!”
Using the classroom set of iPads, students designed virtual roller coasters.
“They’ve had to learn about acceleration, potential and kinetic energy, and G-forces,” she said.
Below are photos of students working on their latest project.
Webster City Middle School is preparing to roll-out iPads for every student.
Aside from the enormous amount of work done by staff in preparation for this event, students even got in on some of the excitement.
“Students [helped] to bring in the iPads to the Middle School,” teacher Donna Bristow said. “They were very excited!”
Below are photos of these students working with the iPads.
School was out, but learning was still happening.
On Monday, September 16, 2013, there was no school for Webster City Community School District students. Instead, teachers took part in a Teacher Professional Development day.
This district-wide technology-based development included instruction by national speakers as well as other speakers from the AEA, our school district and other school districts.
The main focus concerned how teachers can use iPads in the classroom, and how they can then apply these concepts into their lessons for this school year to help students develop understanding and apply knowledge.
This Professional Development was opened for our teachers as well as teachers from St. Edmond’s, Eagle Grove, Northeast Hamilton and Clarion-Goldfield. As many as 450 people attended.
Elizabeth Hubbell, a nationally-known speaker and principal consultant with McREL, was the keynote speaker. She currently conducts workshops and training for K-12 teachers on research-based instructional strategies and technology integration. She also provides consulting for technology initiatives.
Teachers attended Hubbell’s keynote speech, as well as six breakout sessions of their choice.
Below are some photos from Hubbell’s speech in Prem Sahai Auditorium, provided by Sunset Heights Elementary Principal Chuck Bonjour:
Webster City Community Schools 