Apps We Use in Kindergarten

Listed below are the apps we use in Kindergarten.

They can also be used in the primary grades as well.

The apps are categorized by subject and cost.

This is a screenshot of my iPad. I created folders for specific subjects and categories.

Appsgone free is a great app that will let you know each day what apps are FREE for the day.
Many of the apps below that cost money will show up free!


STORYTELLING
FREE: 
Educreations, Chatterpix Kids, Skitch, Popplet, Tellagami, Lego Movie Maker, Aurasma, Audioboo,
Pic Stitch, Pic Collage, PicPlayPost, Hello Crayon, 30 Hands, Toontastic Jr., Puppet Pals,
ABCYa Word Cloud, Shadow Puppet Edu, Bookabi
COST:
Felt Board, Pixie, Book Creator, Tell About This, Write About This, Explain Everything, Sock Puppets, Toontastic: School Edition, Doodlecast Pro, Draw and Tell, Strip Designer, Green Screen
 by Do Ink,


STORY ELEMENTS and SEQUENCING:
FREE:
RWT Timeline
COST:
isequence


LETTER TRACING:
FREE:
Alphabet Tracing, Little Writer, ABC Tracing, Alphabet Tracing, Alphamaze, ABC Lite,
Phonics Island
COST:
Wet, Dry, Try

LETTER ID and SOUNDS
FREE:
AR Flashcards, Interactive Alphabet, Letter Sounds, ABC Magic 5,
COST:
Touch and Write, All About Letters, Starfall ABC, Into to Letters, Alphabetimals, Endless Alphabet,
Letter School, Alphatots, Alphabet Maze, Flashcard App by Inkids, Wet Dry Try


WORD WORK, PHONICS, WRITING
FREE:
Phonics Fun, ABCYa Word Bingo,
COST:
Word Wizard, Alpha Writer, Sound Sorting (Lakeshore), Cimo Spelling, Monkey Word,
Word Wonderland, Sentence Builder, Word Bingo


MATH
FREE:
Todo Math, RWT Timeline, Base Ten Blocks, My Script Calculator, Blockify, Counting Board, Number Board, Native Numbers, Number Maze, Geoboard,
COST:
Alien Buddies, Math Tool Box, Math Doodles, Subtract and Add Up to 10, Math Bingo, Math Magic,
Let's Make Shapes, Simple Sort, Haiku Deck, Monkey Math, Tally Tots, Hungry Guppy, Math Bingo


CREATIVITY
FREE:
ColArmix (augmented learning)
COST:
My Play Home, My Play Kitchen, My Pay Home Store, Toca Kitchen, Toca Lab, Toca Hair Salon, Toca House

PROGRAMMING, CODING and BUILDING
FREE:
Daisy the Dinosaur, Tynker, Hopscotch, TinkerBox HD,
COST:
Move the Turtle

BOOKS (great for listening center or guided reading groups)
FREE:
Collins Books, LAZ Leveled Readers, ABC Mouse Books,
COST:
Dr. Seuss Books: Dr. Seuss ABC, Cat in the Hat, Go Away Big Green Monster, Monster at the End of This Book,

SCIENCE:
FREE:
ABC MOUSE ZOO: Set One, Set Two, Set Three, Brain Pop Jr., Google Earth, Pocket Zoo, Animal World, World Book Animals
COST:
Dinopedia

AUGMENTED LEARNING:
FREE:
AR ABC Flashcards
COST:
AR Flashcards Space, AR Flashcards Shapes and Colors

Excellent Tool to Create Rubrics for Your Class

I just learned about an amazing new site called RUBISTAR where teachers can create FREE educational rubrics for  their class!!!

Rubistar is very simple and easy to use. To create a rubric on Rubistar, just choose your topic from the list provided there and select a template from its gallery and fill in your  info. 

In Kinderworld, we have been working on digital storytelling using the Felt Board app. The students need to create a setting, characters, problem and solution on one page on the ipad. I just wasn't sure how to assess this so I created a rubric on Rubistar.

First, I selected WRITING as the rubric focus. Then I clicked on STORYTELLING. After,
I was given several options to create a personalized rubric for my class. This is a screen shot of the rubric I created.

When I was finished, I simply clicked SUBMIT and WAHLAH! My rubric was created!
Easy Peezy Lemon Squeezy!

50th Day Of School!

I don't know about you, but celebrating the 50th day of school is one of my favorite days in KINDERWORLD! We have a BOOGIE WOOGIE TIME! 

You can purchase my 

FABULOUS 50th DAY PACK 

HERE on TPT!    

We all dress up 50s Style!

Ideas for Cuties:

Poodle Skirt, Scarves, Sweaters, Pearls, Bowling Shoes, Pony Tails, 

Cheerleader Outfits, Pink Lady Jacket, Skinny Leans, Big Bows, Ruffle Socks

Ideas for Greasers:   

White Shirts, Rolled Up Jeans, Letter Jacket, Letterman's Jacket,

Football Jersey, Converse Shoes, Slicked Back Hair, Black Glasses, Sweater         

 This adorable FIFTIES FRIENDS 

Craftivity is included in my pack!

This is a Bulletin Board Idea!

You can't celebrate the 50th Day without a 

BUBBLE GUM Contest!!!

                             This is me with some of my cuties!

They love watching me blow bubbles!

As an extension activity, we play Bubble Gum Vowels.

We practice short a and short o vowels. 

This game is also in my TPT pack.

It's time for a SOCK HOP!!!! 

We watch these 50s videos from YOUTUBE: 

The Twist

Hand Jive

The Stroll

Mashed Potato

Rock Around the Clock

Best of the 50s Songs

The Videos are Linked Below or in my 

Brain Break Section HERE

There are a TON of fun and engaging 

Activities you can do with 

your cuties and greasers on the 50th day!

We also COMPARE and CONTRAST the way people lived then and now.

Here are some great YOUTUBE links to see the 50s!

Social Studies:

We compared then and now with a venn diagram.

We looked at real pictures.

Cars (Ford Mustang), Fashion, Barbies, Books (Dick in Jane, Pete the Cat), Restaurants (50s diners, McDonalds), Technology (typewriter/computer, record/cd, jukebox/ipod, phones), Toys (jacks/ball, pogo stick/electric scooters, potato heads, rollerskates/scooters)

We looked at all the Youtube videos I have posted below.

Fabulous 50th Then and Now

Did you know LEGOS were invented in the 1950s?

I give each student a bag of 50 LEGOS and let them build away!

The next day, we create a class book.

 At the end of the day, we celebrate with a Mock Drive-In and have Root Beer and Popcorn!
We made Ford Mustangs from card board for the kids to sit in.
You can also just let them sit in empty boxes.

We watch a movie made in the 1950s. 

Here is a list of G movies made in the 1950s:

Cinderella

Peter Pan

Alice in Wonderland

Sleeping Beauty
My New Favorite: Teen Beach Movie!!! The kids go back to the 1950s (and it's rated G)

 My 50th Day Pack is full of FABULOUS IDEAS!

This is my Schedule Below. 

I am very flexible and welcome change.

If needed, I may finish activities the next day.

Here are some great YOUTUBE videos:

Rock Around The Clock

Yakety Yak

1950 Commercials

Kool Aid

Wheaties

Coke-A-Cola

ABC Cereal Commercial

1950s A Quiet Class (This is great to teach Classroom Management)

1950s Toys

1950s Songs for Kids

Happy Days

1950s Fashion: Dresses and Skirts

Children's 1950s Costume Ideas

1950s Cars (Buick)

1950s Record Player

UPDATED Brain Breaks and Educational YouTube Videos!

I have put together an AMAZING list of BRAIN BREAKS and EDUCATIONAL YOUTUBE VIDEOS BELOW that can be used throughout the day to help your littles move and learn.

CLICK HERE FOR THE 

NEW UPDATED VIDEOS

One of my favorite ways to get the "WIGGLES OUT" and give the kiddos a chance to get up and move is by doing a quick BRAIN BREAK. The kids are obsessed with these fun dance videos and it is an excellent way for regaining focus during instruction.

Research shows that physical movement increases blood flow, bringing more oxygen to the brain and leads to improved concentration. Who doesn't want that????

According to actionforhealthykids.org, being physically active helps kids learn better so they can do better in school. I absolutely agree!

I use the YOUTUBE videos during transitions or while working on a specific skill. I love when I hear the kiddos singing the songs on the playground or with their friends!!

When the brain break or video is over, be sure to have a quiet signal or sign that can refocus students quickly so they will STOP, LOOK and LISTEN. I either wiggle my fingers in the air OR put a quiet finger over my mouth with one hand and show a peace sign with my other (that's the signal for peace and quiet).

You can also manage what songs to play by having a class DJ who chooses for the day or use popsicle sticks with the the Brain Breaks on them.

Another great new site for Brain Breaks is GONOODLE. This awesome new site uses music, dance, and stretching while incorporating classroom management. Check it out!

What other great videos am I missing? Please comment and let me know what I can add to this list!

Cinco De Mayo and Salsa Fiesta!!!

Are you feeling HOT! HOT! HOT!

 I LOVE Cinco De Mayo at school! We do so many fun activities! 

One of my favorite activities is making 

HOMEMADE SALSA with the kiddos!

This unit ties in great with our planting unit. We are learning about 

Plants We Use 

and also 

What Part of the Plant Do We Eat?

As a project based learning activity, we planted a garden with fresh tomatoes, basil, cilantro and peppers (some of the ingredients for our salsa).

By the time the vegetables are ripe and ready, it's 

CINCO DE MAYO!!!

Just in time to make our delicious homemade salsa!

I created this Cinco De Mayo and Salsa Literacy Pack!!!

It is FULL of a ton of Common Core Aligned Activities.

Click HERE to get it on TPT!

There are plenty of activities your kiddos can do before and after Cinco De Mayo. 

You can use the Salsa Recipe I use or one you enjoy.

I created a Salsa Sign-Up List to see if parents will donate items.

We also use some of the vegetables from our garden.

You can call your local grocery store and see if they will donate the vegetables too.

I also bring in store bought salsa because the kiddos have a taste test to see what salsa they like better.

We write all about Salsa in a variety of ways: 

Salsa List, How-To, and Recipes

These templates can all be found in my unit.

We make the salsa together as a class.

I set up our homemade salsa and store bought salsa 

(I prefer Pace Picante).

I put on Mexican music from Pandora and the let my little amigos

TASTE AWAY!

After, we take a CLASS SURVEY and create a class graph.

You can choose which one you prefer.

During the week, we play a lot of Common Core aligned activities.

We have two Write The Rooms:

1. Salsa Words

2. Cinco De Mayo Words

We practice creating CVC words, medial vowel sounds, 

syllables, blending and digraphs.

These activities can be used in small guided reading groups or during the Daily 5.

We create a class book called, "Our Salsa Opinions".

This is a great way to focus on opinion writing.

Hope you have a GREAT Cinco De Mayo!!!

Don't forget to get this MUY BIEN PACK HERE!

MUCHOS GRACIAS AMIGOS!!!

Western Visual and Picture Direction Cards!

I made more fun Western stuff for my classroom!

This adorable Western Visual and Picture Direction Card Pack 

is perfect for all students, especially visual, ELL and early learners!

This is a FANTASTIC classroom management item that really made a positive difference in 

myclassroom!!!

Find it HERE on TPT!

While giving directions, instructions, steps or how to directions, I use these picture and visual direction cards to help kiddos visually see what to do and follow easy to see steps!

The pictures on the posters have a western theme with colorful gingham backgrounds that your kiddos will love! The posters will look adorable in a western themed classroom or be perfect for a western unit!!

Colors include:
red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple,
pink, turquoise, lime green and light orange.

Includes Cards for:
Directions, Instructions, Steps, How To

Includes Number Cards for 1-12

62 Picture Cards Include:
write, cut, glue (bottle and glue stick), paste, paint, color (crayons and markers), draw, copy, trace, name, highlight, underline, letter (your paper), number (your paper), read, listen, clipboard, whiteboard, sharpen, staple, file (in folder), file (in binder), hole punch, paper clip, erase, tape, measure, graph, count (numbers and money), add, subtract, multiply, divide, build, tally, thumbs up, cover up, work alone, partner work, unstack chairs, stack chairs, fold (both styles), wash hands, clean up, centers, unfinished work, pick up trash, tidy desks, put in mailbox, turn in, line up, sit at rug, lunch, snack, stop, recess, pack up, bus

You and your kiddos will LOVE this item!

See some of the examples from my pack below:

Western Color Posters!

I created new Western Color Posters!

Theses adorable Western Color Posters have 2 different options to choose from with different font choices: western or lined.

The color posters ALL come in full size and half sizes.

The pictures on the posters have a western theme 

with colorful gingham backgrounds that your kiddos will love!

The posters will look adorable in a western themed classroom or be perfect for a western unit!!

Colors include:red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple,

brown, black, gray, pink and white.

You can get them HERE ON TPT!

See examples below:

Western Shape Posters

I created new WESTERN SHAPE POSTERS!!!

These adorable WESTERN SHAPE POSTERS come in 4 different options!

Red Bandana and Cow print Background with Smiley Shapes (Western Font)

Red Bandana and Cow print Background without Smiley Shapes (Western Font)

Red Gingham and Cow print background with Smiley Shapes (Skinny Style Font)

Red Gingham and Cow print Background without Smiley Shapes (Skinny Style Font)

All the posters come in two different sizes- full page and half size.

This item has all of the shapes that are included in the Common Core standards:

Circle

Triangle

SquareRhombus/diamond (both included)

Rectangle

Cylinder

Cone

Cube

Sphere

Hexagon

It also includes (not in common core): 

Oval

Octagon

Star

Heart

Trapezoid

Rectangular Prism 

Triangular Prism

Your Kiddos Will Love These Rootin Tootin Posters!!

You can get them HERE ON TPT!
See examples below!