iFlock visits Rocksauce Studios 2/22

This Friday our tech club at HC, iFlock (@iflockHC on twitter), has the incredible chance to visit an indy app development company here in ATX.

We are taking 10 students and two teachers on this field trip.   Rocksauce has been so kind to invite us to their studio.   We are really excited!

Unique Opportunity

Today during C lunch, my students have the wonderful chance to talk to a Stanford Professor of App Development.   We are using this day as a chance to test our communication systems and prepare for a longer chat in the near future.  One of our HC student's uncle is the Stanford Prof, so its a cool in house connection.   We look forward to sharing the results!

Visit to Elementary was a HUGE Success!

After an overwhelming response to our first attempt to teach younger students, we are planning another trip!   This time we plan to work with 3rd and 5th graders at Bridge Point Elementary.

My students have voted on the school and grade level they want to visit.

Now we are preparing for our iLessons.

For 3rd grade we plan to collaborate with 3rd graders.   The 8th graders will provide the text of the eBook and the 3rd graders will illustrate and narrative the story of George Washington's Presidency.

For the 5th grade we will split into small groups and teach mini lessons that the 8th graders have prepared.

Classroom Update

With the introduction and use of iPads 1:1 in 8th grade, it became clear early in the year that my classroom was going to change!   It has in so many ways.

One unexpected change, at least to me, was the need for different furniture.   My students brought this up in November.  They said that they are uncomfortable all day long and would learn much better in a more warm and inviting environment.

After a little bit of research, its clear that my students are not alone.    It appears that individual and collaborative learning that the iPad allows, is driving a whole new 21C way of furnishing classrooms.

My students researched what models and brands they liked.   They contacted sales representatives and invited one to come meet with them in our classroom.   They moved all the furniture out of our room, took pictures, made plans and presented them to our PTO.

Here are some of the designs they made.

Here is also a thinglink picture with their ideas and the products they requested.

Collaboration across grade levels

Here is the final video of my classes' trip to Cedar Creek Elementary's 5th grade classes. Special thanks to @joliejennings, Amy Tillman, Amy Puga and Scott Johnson for making this possible.