Apple picker In the November issue iPad in 1st grade we will see how graphomotor exercises can be practiced on the iPad in the Czech language, how dictations can be written using an apple tablet, and how iPads can be used in mathematics
Czech language
Writing is one of the basic and important skills that a child must learn at school. In our school, writing is done classically - i.e. in cursive. However, the child starts to learn to write in cursive only around December. At first, he adopts a large print font. Various graphomotor exercises are used to relax the hand. It goes without saying that the letter is derived in different ways. Children can create a letter from their bodies, write it on their friends' backs, in the air, etc. Of course, letters and later also words are written on printable paper or in a notebook.
Pro diversification During the lessons, I used tablets for writing letters and relaxation exercises. Children (as I have already shown in past works) wrote the letters in the application Hello Color Pencil. It is truly a versatile application.
At the same time, I also tested the perfect application with the children School Writing, which costs about 4,5 euros. This application allows you to overlay letters, words, numbers and shapes. Some activities are already prepared by the authors. You can create another directly in the application, or use a picture that the children cover. The teacher can record an audio assignment or write it. A description (task) can be entered separately for each task. School Writing supports Dropbox, through which I share all activities to iPads.
Graphomotor exercises
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Stretching of syllables
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It depends on the teacher how he uses this application. Children most often added letters to words.
I also created (preparation takes about 10 minutes) activities for adding diacritical marks to syllables and words.
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Later they also wrote dictation of words.
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There are help lines in the application that children can use. Each child can choose his own work pace, because he plays the words spoken by me directly in the application. The child can play each word as many times as needed. The application allows you to send the result of the work to e-mail (in .zip format - you need to download an application on the iPad that can work with this type of file). As I have all the children's emails set up on my teacher's iPad, I can see their work and give them specific feedback.
I also created a manual in which I show how to work with the application. How to create activities and then how to export and import them. I shot the video a few years ago on an iPhone 3gs, so please excuse the low quality.
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Mathematics
1st grade math focuses on understanding the concept of number. I can add, subtract and also divide a number into two smaller numbers. Decomposition of numbers is very important for easier understanding of addition and subtraction, and not only when going through ten. We use an application to break down numbers (but also for addition and subtraction). Number Pyramid, which costs less than one euro. Before using this application, children already knew that a number can be decomposed and in what way.
We started with 2 rows, where the skill of number decomposition can be practiced very clearly.
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The advantage of this application is the possibility to choose a range of values for each person individually. Later, the children raised their level themselves.
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Na this video you can see what are the setting options of this application.
Finally, I want to show how children can check their own work. The app I used is called Myscript calculator. You write examples on the display and the application converts your handwriting into digital form and calculates it.
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For math, I like things from http://www.getshinythings.com/apps-quickmath I saw elsewhere that children just choose numbers, here they really have to write them. So it's a lot like the Myscript calculator.