This afternoon RCET welcomed Mrs. Collier and her first graders from Streetsboro Elementary to the AT&T Classroom. Over the next four weeks the class will be introduced several digital tools to support their learning. The class started the afternoon by learning to log on to their assigned laptops and access the class’s Symbaloo site. Symbaloo is a visual bookmarking tool used by teachers to organize websites frequently used by the students for specific subjects and/or projects. Websites bookmarked in a Symbaloo can be accessed from any device with a web browser.
The first grader’s Symbaloo webmix can be accessed at the following URL:
This afternoon the first graders were also introduced to an iPad app to use for a pre-writing activity. Doodle Buddy iOS is a free creativity app for iPads that offers several tools including text for typing, paint brushes, chalk, glitter, stencils and stamps. This afternoon the first graders explored the tools within the Doodle Buddy app to use for brainstorming the elements of a story they will be writing later in the week. Brainstorming and pre-writing activities support students in the writing process by providing opportunities for the child to focus on their topic and generate ideas so that they are more purposeful as they approach the formal writing process.
The first graders ended their afternoon using the Sushi Monster application for practice with their math facts. Sushi Monster is a free iOS app available from Scholastic that is designed to practice, reinforce, and extend math fact fluency in a game-like format. Students feed their Sushi Monsters by correctly choosing two numbers that when added or multiplied result in the number that the monster wants to eat. When the monster has been fully fed students move on to feeding a new monster. 
