Using Voicethreads with Mrs. Groom's Room

Hello sweet friends!  

It's Shana Grooms from Mrs. Grooms' Room!  I hope everyone is having a great summer.  School has already started for some, (Can you believe that?  Wow!), and some of us are getting ready for the big day. Yikes!!  

I wanted to share one of my favorite websites and app called Voicethreads that I like to use throughout the year:

VOICETHREAD!!!

What is a VoiceThread anyway?

I don't know how often many of my friends out there use VoiceThread but it is such an easy website to use and it's an AWESOME way to showcase your student's work, ideas, and projects.  It is a website that you can use to showcase and tell about your work, whether it is a painting or story or project. Friends, family, or teachers can comment on the project as well.  So if Johnny tells about his writing, then Grandma can say, "Johnny, you did a great job!"

Here is one that I did a couple of years ago with my students.  They wrote the script themselves AND read it on the mic!   Their voices are so cute especially when the roots hold the plant in the ground!!  :)

http://voicethread.com/share/3595068/

Here is one that I did for my substitute teachers...ya know...when I am out because of mental exhaustion and anxieties?    It goes along with my sub plans for The Little Red Hen!  If you have them, use my Voicethread!  And you can hear me!!  Aaghh!  :)  (And the funny part is I tried to use character voices! What was I thinking?)

THE LITTLE RED HEN

Here is what you can do to get started on VoiceThread:
1)  Set up an account.  It is free for the first five VoiceThreads!
2)  Take pictures of what you want to comment on or read about.
3)  Upload your pictures to VoiceThread.
4)  Comment on your pictures.  (This means reading the page or saying something about your picture.  It could be you commenting, one of your students commenting, or it could be many of your students commenting!)
5)  You can share your work with family and friends.  They can comment on your work too!  Cool, huh?

6)  You can use it on your iPad, too!!!  

It is very, very easy.  In fact, I would dare say it is easier than most programs. I promise, if you try it...you will love it.  I do one or two every year.  It is great technology practice for the younger students and they just die a little when the hear their voices.  Haha!  


By the way, here is one I did of Pumpkin Jack....not my best by far but my poor copy of Pumpkin Jack was truly decomposing so I had to find a way to save him!

PUMPKIN JACK

Let me know how you use VoiceThread!  Hope you have a great start to your year!! 

It's almost TIME for school!!!

Hey y'all!  

It's Freebie Friday!!!  I am so glad I get to hang out with you today!  I am Shana Grooms from Mrs. Grooms' Room. 

 (Pronounced Shauna...I think I need to start telling my online friends that.)   

And today, I am sharing part of my unit with YOU!  One of my favorite units that I have created is Telling Time with Momma Minute and Baby Hour.  You can check out the entire unit by clicking here.  Everything you need is in this unit. From centers, games, to practice sheets, you are set for the year.  It is the perfect way to start the year off!  

I always incorporate time into my calendar time EVERY DAY. We use Every Day Counts calendar math in my school district.  I LOVE IT!!  It takes a about 5 minutes a day but let me tell you...your children know time by the time you get to it.   

Howeverrrrr, I had to spice it up a little!!!  And since I use Momma Minute and Baby Hour, they are introduced in the very beginning of the year. 

So one of the things that we talk about in the very beginning of the year are the minutes.  We count minutes for 60 days and every day Momma Minute counts the number of minutes on the clock.  If it is the 15th day of school, then we count fifteen minutes on the clock with Momma.  

We always put our minutes into groups of five by coloring the minutes two different colors.  I use our school colors red and blue to color groups of five minutes.  You will end up having an AB pattern.  Also, a perfect way to show those patterns! ; )   

You will want to count the groups of five on the clock with your students every day.  (I promise...it will only take fives minutes to do!! BUT that pattern of fives will stick like glue!)    

We do the same for Baby Hour when we count the hours.  We count ALL the minutes in an hour before Baby Hour can go to the next hour or number.  

Helpful Hint: ONLY have Momma Minute on the clock when you count the first 60 days!  You can add Baby Hour later when you talk about hours. 

Now, it's freebie time!!

Inside your freebie, you will find... a clock to use with your students, visual aids for you to show Momma Minute and Baby hour, and little hands as Momma Minute and Baby Hour.  Of course, there is a practice sheet to use, too! 

We do a lot of prep work in the throughout the year to get us ready for our lessons on time. I know it sounds a little painful BUT the end results will make you cry only tears of joy. And your littles won't be crying at all!!  : )

Let us know how you help your students learn all about time in the comments below!!!  I would love to hear from you!