using the iPad to support critical literacy skills in first grade

"Literacy" is more than reading and writing print-based text.  "Literacy" is constructing and conveying meaning through reading, writing, speaking, listening, designing, manipulating, interacting with, producing, evaluating, and... printed (written), visual (still and moving), audio, digital, spoken, multi-modal, and... texts.  The iPad is a beneficial resource for providing learners with access to and opportunities to compose a variety of text-types and genres.

As 21st Century Learners, students need to be more than "literate"... students need to be "critically literate"!

"Critical literacy" is the knowledge, skills, strategies, and behaviors to actively read and interact with texts in a manner that promotes a conscious understanding of socially constructed concepts (for example- power, inequality, injustice,and...) and to critique, analyze, question, and consider the message(s) within any form of text.

Critical literacy encourages the understanding and questioning of attitudes, values, and beliefs of texts.  Critical literacy inspires students as Change Agents.

One example of how the iPads provided resources that supported the First Grade Butterflies' development and application of critical literacy skills and inspired the Butterflies as Agents of Change...
 "We are each a Butterfly, but with only one wing.  To fly, we just need to... embrace each other!"

The First Grade Butterflies worked cooperatively and collaboratively in partnerships to obtain, interpret, and understand information about respect, appreciation, kindness, empathy, and love and to use the information to create a multi-media text with purpose of inspiring others to "share their wing... and fly!"

The Butterfly learning partners accessed a variety of teacher selected multi-media and multi-modal texts on the iPad.  I selected and provided access to texts that...

• conveyed diverse messages and perspectives
• were relevant to popular culture and current issues
• facilitated reflection and discourse
• supported and/or challenged opinions, ideas, and/or solutions
• connected with topics and issues of respect, diversity, empathy, kindness, bullying, cooperation, love, and...
• incorporated a variety of organization, structure, elaboration, word choice, and craft strategies
• encompassed variety of text-types and genres

Referencing a printed copy of a class anchor chart with prompts, questions, and thinking stems for critically "consuming" and "constructing" meaning of texts, the learning partners...

• applied critical literacy skills as "critical consumers" of texts
• engaged in interactive discourse
• used the Field Day iPad app to record reactions, responses, interactions, and understandings of texts
• used the Field Day iPad app to record effective organization, structure, elaboration, word choice, and craft strategies used to convey, persuade, and promote feelings, beliefs, and actions

The Butterfly learning partners collaboratively determined an intended purpose, meaning, and audience for "critically producing" a multi-media text.

The learning partners referenced the information recorded in the Field Day iPad app and utilized the information to "critically produce" a multi-media text with the iMovie iPad app.  The Butterfly learning partners...

• selected an iMovie trailer "theme"
• determined the type, content, and word choice for printed digital text
• directed, (photographs using the iPad camera), created (illustrated images using the iMad Art iPad app and saved as a "photo" in the iPad camera roll), and/or selected (through internet images) visual text
• directed video
• created and/or selected audio

with intentional use of organization, structure, elaboration, word choice, and craft strategies collaboratively determined as effective in conveying, persuading, and promoting feelings, beliefs, and actions.

The multi-media texts were "published" to YouTube as the "Butterfly Wings Project" and a blog was created.

The "Butterfly Wings Project" was conceived from the Butterflies' dedication to creating a World of respect, appreciation, cooperation, empathy, and love and hope for inspiring others to "share their wing... and fly"!

      -visit the Butterfly Wings Project blog-

the BUTTERFLY WINGS PROJECT blog... be inspired and inspire others

first graders develop critical literacy skills
-using the YoouKids iPad app and the Field Day iPad app

first graders record effective strategies
used to inform and persuade in multi-media
-using the Field Day iPad app

content learning and critical literacy skills... with the YoouKids iPad app

The YoouKids iPad app provides students with isolated access to teacher created and/or teacher selected YouTube videos and/or playlists.

I use the YoouKids iPad app as an instructional resource across the curriculum to enhance and extend instruction and student learning.

The First Grade Butterflies use the YoouKids iPad app to access individual videos and/or playlists.

Access to YouTube videos of demonstrations, presentations, commercials, documentaries, news-clips, animations, and... supports learning and development of content knowledge and development and application of media literacy, critical literacy, and communication skills.  Videos promote interest and engagement through providing sensory experiences in which meaning of concepts and ideas are constructed through multi-modal processing.

The YoouKids iPad app provides the ability to incorporate YouTube videos as a beneficial facet of learning and instruction in a safe, monitored, and organized format.

first graders access videos through a shared playlist
-using the YoouKids iPad app

celebrating each other as "Directors"... film premier

The Butterflies celebrated the sleeves and others as "Directors" with an animated film premier event!

"Directing partners" collaboratively viewed, discussed, and provided written complimentary feedback to the Directors of each animated film.

Written complimentary feedback was copied and each "Director" received a booklet of compliments.

first graders celebrate 

first grade reading partners view peer animated films

first graders provide written complimentary feedback to peers

directing with the Toontastic iPad app

The First Grade Butterflies are readers who "think about what the author's word mean... not say"!

The Butterfly readers created, directed, performed, and premiered short animated films of poems or Reader's Theatre scripts!

 With his/her reading partner, the Butterfly readers collaboratively...

• selected a poem or Reader's Theatre script
• applied reading strategies, skills, and behaviors throughout the reading process... sharing and discussing predictions, inferences, questions, mental images, summaries, connections, and...
• used graphic organizers to record mental images of character(s), setting(s), and events
• used graphic organizers to organize the poem or script into 5 "scenes" and plan each scene... determining scene setting, "props", character(s) voice and feelings, character(s) actions, character(s) expression and body language, and...
• referenced graphic organizer(s) throughout the process of planning, creating, directing, performing, and publishing the animated film
• used the custom setting and character capabilities within the Toontastic iPad app to create character(s), setting(s), and "props"
• created each scene in the Toontastic app
• rehearsed (physically and verbally) each scene
• recorded the animation and audio for each scene 
• reviewed and revised and/or edited each scene 
• selected background music for each scene that conveyed meaning and emotion of scene
• "published" animated film

first grade reading partners use graphic organizers during the planning stages of creating a digital performance

first graders use the Toontastic iPad app
to create digital performances of a poem or script

first graders collaboratively create custom story settings and characters

literacy and the Visualize iPad app

Digital posters can be created and shared with the Visualize iPad app!

The First Grade Butterflies created and shared informational digital posters about American Symbols and American Landmarks!

Each Butterfly selected a symbol or landmark of individual interest and partnerships were formed based on common selection.

The first grade partners collaboratively researched and recorded factual information on the selected symbol or landmark through reading, viewing, listening, and discussing a variety of informational printed, digital, and multi-media text-types.

The Butterfly partners compared, analyzed, and evaluated recorded information to determine content and create a digital informational poster for an audience of first graders.

As a class, we collaboratively composed a "poster rubric" evaluation... identifying essential features and content with purpose to inform.

The partners collaboratively referenced the poster rubric and...

• determined and composed printed (typed) texts of factual information
• located and selected visual (photograph) texts (through image searches on Safari) to convey, extend, and/or clarify informational content 
• created and/or selected graphics (icons, symbols,...) to organize, support, and/or extend meaning
• considered and utilized elaboration, word choice, structure, and craft strategies with purpose

Digital posters were saved to individual student Dropbox folders and shared through email.

As a class, we collaboratively composed a "presentation rubric" evaluation... identifying essential components, skills, and content of oral presentations with purpose to inform.

The partners collaboratively referenced the presentation rubric and prepared for oral presentations to teach the viewer-listener-thinker-learner about the American Symbol or American Landmark.

Digital posters were mirrored on SMARTBoard and accessed-referenced on individual (the viewer, listener-thinker-learner) iPads for presentations.

The Butterflies provided written feedback to the presenters through completion of the "poster rubric" and the "presentation rubric" and verbal feedback through questions and/or compliments.
The presenters reflected on the written feedback, verbal feedback, and experience and completed self-evaluations.

first graders use the Visualize iPad app
to collaboratively create digital posters

first graders reference notes to collaboratively create a digital poster
with purpose to teach the reader information through visual and printed texts
-using the Visualize iPad app

a digital poster created by two first graders
-using the Visualize iPad app

non-fiction books- writing to teach with the Book Creator iPad app

The First Grade Butterfly Writers composed multi-media informational texts on the iPad with the Book Creator iPad app!

Using the export capability within the Book a Creator iPad app, the writers "published" their informational book to iBooks.

Accessing the books through the iBooks iPad app, the Butterflies celebrated themselves and each other as writers... reading, discussing, and complimenting the "All About..." books.

first graders use the Book Creator iPad app
to compose a digital non-fiction book

a first grader composes a non-fiction book
to teach readers "All About..."
-using the Book Creator iPad app

Sky Fish Phonics iPad app

The Sky Fish Phonics iPad app promotes early phonetic understanding and application.

The Sky Fish Phonics app supports readers, spellers, and writers in the early and emerging stages of development with adaptive technology that scaffolds success.

Sky Fish includes 20 levels and aligns to the Kindergarten Common Core Literacy Standards.

a first grader develops phonetic understanding and application
-using the Sky Fish Phonics app

digital post-its... IdeaBoost iPad app

The IdeaBoost iPad app allows the first graders to create, manipulate, and use "digital" sticky-notes!

With the IdeaBoost iPad app, the first graders...

• compose "handwritten" sticky-notes
• manipulate sticky-notes
• revise and/or edit sticky-notes
• categorize sticky-notes
• analyze sticky-notes
• compare and summarize sticky-notes
• "share" sticky-notes
• create "canvases" for sticky-notes
• import and use custom canvas "backgrounds"
• create custom canvas "backgrounds"
• type, write, draw sticky-notes and/or on canvas
• and...

IdeaBoost supports learning as readers, writers, mathematicians, scientists, citizens, speakers, listeners, and... 

One example of how the IdeaBoost iPad app supports first graders' learning and development...

Using the IdeaBoost iPad app, the first grade Butterflies worked collaboratively with a partner to record information constructed through viewing, listening, reading, and discussing a variety of multi-media and digital texts about Colonial and Pioneer Past on the iPad.

Accessing the informational texts on one partner's iPad and utilizing the IdeaBoost iPad app on the other partner's iPad, the first graders cooperatively and collaboratively created digital sticky-notes. The first graders recorded facts and information learned directly and/or constructed through making inferences, connections, comparisons, summarizing content, synthesizing content, and...

The Butterflies continuously reviewed, revised, and edited sticky-notes.

Importing a custom canvas "background" (I created), the partners examined, compared, combined, revised, edited, and categorized the sticky-notes.

Using the "share" capability of the IdeaBoost iPad app, the first graders emailed and printed copies of the "canvas" for each partner.

The partners used the printed "notes" to compose informational writing to inform the reader about life in the Colonial and Pioneer Past, explain how life has changed, and share opinions on the positive and/or negative effect of the changes.

first graders create digital "sticky notes"
-using the IdeaBoost iPad app

first graders manipulate digital "sticky notes"
-using the IdeaBoost iPad app

math word problems... with the Visual Math Word Problems Grade 1-2 iPad app

The Visual Math Word Problems Grade 1-2 iPad app engages Mathematicians in actively solving word problems.

Visual Math Word Problems facilitates learning with narrated animations, visual representations, and interactive step-by-step solutions.  
The Visual Math Word Problems iPad app promotes thinking and problem-solving with the capabilities to "write" and "draw" and interaction with a variety of operations and problem "types".

the Visual Math Grade 1-2 iPad app
promotes learning and development
of mathematical thinking, skills, and strategies

a first grader solves addition word problems
-using the Visual Math Grade 1-2 iPad app

Rocket Speller Plus... phonics

The Rocket Speller Plus iPad app promotes phonetic understandings and facilitates skills and application. 

Rocket Speller Plus supports individual stages of development with five levels of difficulty, adaptive assistance technology, word categories, and customizable options.

a first grader applies phonics knowledge and skills
-Rocket Speller Plus iPad app

composing and decomposing quantities... with the Math Tablet iPad app

The First Grade Butterfly Mathematicians use the Math Tablet iPad app to collaboratively explore and identify ways to compose and decompose quantities.

The Math Tablet iPad app supports development of number sense and mathematical operations.

first graders use the Math Tablet iPad app to compose and decompose quantities

plants and seeds... learning as Scientist with the Read-a-roo's Fabulous Edible Garden iPad app

The first grade Butterfly Scientists LOVE the Read-a-roo's Fabulous Edible Garden iPad app!

The Read-a-roo's Fabulous Edible Garden app promotes scientific knowledge and understanding of the Common Core Life Science Standards, encourages healthy eating habits, motivates users to grow and harvest own food, and... more!

The Read-a-roo's Fabulous Edible Garden app supports learning through digital printed and visual texts, video segments, and interactive games as users actively engage in preparing, planning, planting, caring for, and harvesting virtual gardens.

The app connects virtual gardening to "real life" gardening and nutrition.

The Read-a-roo's Fabulous Edible Garden iPad app facilitates students' knowledge of Life Science content and motivates students' interest, self-initiated learning, and application of knowledge in and outside of the classroom.

first graders share and discuss understandings, questions,
connections, predictions, schema, and...
throughout the "reading process" and active engagement
with the Read-a-roo's Fabulous Edible Garden iPad app

first graders record meaning constructed
through multi-media texts and peer discourse 

Marble Math Junior iPad app

The Marble Math Junior iPad app reinforces a variety of math concepts as students move a unique marble through mazes.

Each "maze" focuses on a specific math concept...

• shape recognition/matching
• sequencing number values and ordinals
• addition, subtraction and multiplication to 100
• identifying fractions
• counting money 
• telling time
• completing addition equations

Marble Math Junior includes three levels of difficulty, the capability to customize math concepts and problem types to support individual student learning, and the capability to have the directions read aloud.

a first grader practices math skills
-using the Marble Math iPad app

the Marble Math iPad app

character study and the Chatterpix iPad app

After becoming "B.B.F.s" (Best Book Friends) with a book character, the Butterfly Readers share their Best Book Friends with other readers!

The first graders wrote persuasive self-descriptions from the character's point of view to encourage other readers to become B.B.F.s with the character... and read the character series.

The Butterflies used the iMad Art iPad app to create character illustrations and label the illustration with the character's name.

The Butterflies saved their character illustration to the iPad camera roll and imported the "photo" into the Chatterpix iPad app.

Using the Chatterpix iPad app, the first graders recorded audio of their persuasive and descriptive writing from the character's point of view.

Recording the audio using their best "character's voice" and reading with rate, phrasing, expression, and tone that conveyed meaning... the character came to life!

The first graders shared their character Chatterpix with one another as readers!

The Butterfly Readers used critical literacy skills to listen to and view the Chatterpix and to provide complimentary feedback to the creator.

As readers, the Butterflies reflected on their individual and partner experiences and on the character Chatterpix... identifying and determining individual and group strengths and focuses for learning and development and plans for how to encourage own and one another's learning!

first graders write self-descriptions from a book character's point of view

a first grader's Chatterpix for the book character Rosie

Chatterpix of the book character Fluffy

Max Spaniel book character Chatterpix

becoming B.B.F.s ("Best Book Friends") with characters... using the Storia iPad app

Reading and analyzing multiple texts within a character series... the First Grade Butterfly Readers become "B.B.F.s" (Best Book Friends) with book characters!

The Butterfly Readers read and learn about characters through access to digital books in the Scholastic Storia iPad app and through printed books.

The first graders read and discuss multiple character texts cooperatively with a partner (or in small groups of three).  Selecting characters of interest, the first graders collaboratively identify and determine character traits and personality through comparing, analyzing, summarizing, and inferring information constructed through the reading and discussion of multiple texts.

The Butterfly Readers read to become "B.B.F.s" with characters... knowing, understanding, connecting with, appreciating, and celebrating a character for who she/he is!

first graders read and discuss books within a character series
-reading books through the Storia iPad app

reading partners become "Best Book Friends" with characters
-reading character series on the Storia iPad app

operations and equality... with the Math Games iPad app

The "Math Race" activity in the Math Games iPad app by Tap To Learn promotes fact fluency and understanding of symbols of operations as students "race" to identify equations as true or false.

a first grader identifies equations as true or false
-with the "Math Race" activity in the Math Games iPad app by Tap to Learn

Fruity Fractions iPad app

The Fruity Fractions iPad app supports students' learning of fractions and skills for identifying, creating, naming, writing, and reading fractions.

The First Grade Butterflies were motivated to use the app as they challenged themselves to complete the series of activities and levels that increased in difficulty and focused on a variety of skills.

Fruity Fractions is a "Butterfly Favorite" math iPad app!

learning fractions is FUN
-with the Fruity Fractions iPad app

fact fluency... Everyday Mathematics Tric-Trac iPad app

Tric-Trac is an engaging and fun math game that develops students' skills for composing a NF decomposing quantities and promotes fact fluency.

The First Grade Butterflies cooperatively play Tric-Trac on the iPad with the Everyday Mathematics Tric-Trac iPad app!

first graders develop fact fluency
-with the Tric-Trac iPad app

Words Their Way assessment on the iPad

The SmArTy K12 Spelling Assessment Tool iPad app is one of the GREATEST teacher productivity apps available!

The SmArTy K12 Spelling Assessment Tool app assesses AND scores Spelling Inventory assessments, spelling word assessments, spelling features assessments, and... more!

SmArTy K12 calculates individual student and class feature "reports" to monitor progress and plan instruction.

The SmArTy K12 app supports student learning and increases teacher productivity!

The SmArTy K12 app is a MUST have app!

math and sight word fluency... with Frog Hop HD

The The Frog Hop HD iPad app reinforces sight word recognition and math skills.

Frog Hop HD includes 12 levels of math skills and 12 levels of sight words that align with the Common Core Math Standards for grades K-3.

The varied skills and 12 levels allow for readers and mathematicians to engage in activities that facilitate individualized learning and development.

a first grader develops counting fluency
-level 1 of the 12 levels of math skills in the Frog Hop HD iPad app  

place value fun with the Chocolate Chip Cookie Factory iPad app

The First Grade Butterflies apply their knowledge of place value concepts and develop fluency with using place value to compose and decompose quantities with the Chocolate Chip Cookie Factory: Place Value iPad app.

Mathematicians must collect, "ship, and deliver" orders with single cookies, stacks of ten cookies, boxes of one hundred cookies, and...

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Factory: Place Value app is a "favorite" with the Butterfly Mathematicians as they challenge themselves to improve their sales as cookie entrepreneurs.

a first grader applies his knowledge of place value concepts
-using the Cookie Factory iPad app

number sequences... with the Little Monkey Mystery Number iPad app

First Grade Mathematicians develop counting, number identification, comparison, and sequencing skills with the Little Monkey Mystery Number iPad app.

The levels within the app promote engagement that supports students' level of mathematical development and allows differentiated opportunities for optimal learning.

a first grader focuses on number sequence within 20

Little Monkey Mystery Number iPad app
includes multiple levels of difficulty

a first grader focuses on number sequence within 100
-using the Little Monkey Mystery Number iPad app

Sight Words and Spelling iPad app

The First Grade Butterflies use the Sight Words and Spelling iPad app!

The first grade spellers create custom lists of individualized spelling words within the app for learning focus.  Spellers create lists of 5 focus words.

The Sight Words and Spelling iPad app engages spellers in a variety of activities that promote accurate spelling and recognition of his/her individualized spelling words.

The Sight Words and Spelling app is used in combination with SpellBoard and Spellosaur to develop spelling "mastery".

"rainbow writing" spelling words
-on the Sight Words and Spelling iPad app

the Sight Words and Spelling iPad app
supports fluent identification of spelling words with print directionality

a first grader uses the Sight Words and Spelling iPad app

first graders play "Memory" with spelling words
-on the Sight Words and Spelling iPad app

building sentences- with the Sight Words Sentence Builder iPad app

The Sight Words Sentence Builder iPad app (by Sierra Vista) actively engages readers in manipulating words into complete sentences.

Sight Words Sentence Builder includes multiple levels of difficulty and a variety of options (for example- narration, audio hints, automatic spacing, and...) that promote independence and scaffolding for student learning.

The Sight Words Sentence Builder iPad app encourages recognition of high-frequency words, attention to capitalization and punctuation, and rereading for accuracy of meaning and structure.

a first grader manipulates words
-using the Sight Words Sentence Builder iPad app 

a first grader uses the Sight Words Sentence Builder iPad app

an adding adventure... with the Addimals Adventure iPad app

The First Grade Butterfly Mathematicians go on an adding adventure with the Addimals Adventure iPad app!

Addimals supports students' knowledge and application of a variety of math strategies to solve single digit addition facts through visual models.

first graders learn addition strategies
-with the Addimals Adventure iPad app

the Addimals Adventure iPad app
promotes mathematical thinking to solve operations