I have been wanting to use the tablets for science labs ever since seeing them used this way at the tablet workshop last year. So I finally took the plunge and while there were a few bumps in the technological road, it was a huge success.

My use of the tablet has been primarily used as a teaching tool rather than a whole-class tool. Implementing the Cornell-Note Taking System with the tablet in my fourth grade class was a perfect way to model how to properly take notes. Because this was so new, the students were definitely engaged during a lesson that without the teachnology would have been fairly boring.

I have also made power point presentations with pictures of various geographical features that the students would have to identify. They woudl run up to the computer and write the names of all the features in a given picture. They were only given a few seconds to locate as many as they could. They loved it. 

Another use of the tablet I find beneficial is to project pieces of student writing from Writing Workshop in order to model how to edit and revise them. After scanning the hand-written writing, I use it in a mini lesson. Afterward I print out it out for the student to use as a rough draft. All the students benefit from the whole-class mini lesson. 

I hope to use get the kids involved in using the tablets when we begin working on poetry after the new year. 

I have been using my tablet when my history class is working on reading comprehension and Cornell Notetaking skills.  I pull up a blank electronic Cornell Notetaking worksheet that is saved as a word document and project it on the white board.  My students have either completed the Cornell Notetaking form for homework or in pairs in class. To make sure everyone has the information I want them to have, we complete the electronic Cornell notes form together meaning I fill in the form using my tablet while my students give me the information to include on the form.  In the end, we have one electronic completed form which students can use to double check their answers.  After class I print out the complete Cornell notes and put it in my master class binder. 

My next adventure on my tablet will be pulling up a website and writing on it.  I think I can find a few good ones for my next chapter in history -Role of the Medieval Church.  It will be a nice way to show students different  architectural techniques of gothic churches.

I have started to really enjoy my tablet.  I no longer have to deal with "printing" problems the students conveniently have when submitting papers.  They can now email their papars to me and I can read and edit their papers right on the screen.  Gone are the stacks of papers on my desk!

I have also enjoyed posting notes on the board with my projector and adding comments and additional notes as we discuss the topic at hand.  I am starting off slowly, but I am definitely looking forward to becoming tablet savvy by the end of the year.

  

 

I just got a chance to spend some time with Kathy's first grade class.  We set up the computers in Windows Journal for them when they arrived in the classroom.  The students explored wring with different pen thicknesses and color.  Since they have been introduced to the Tablet in Art class, it was easier for them to write on the Tablet.  They enjoyed writing some words and sentences but most of all they enjoyed drawing pictures and coloring them.  We saved their documents so they can be retreived later.  Next time we plan to get together, we will plan to spend about an hour usning the Tablets.

Today I worked with Emily using a Journal blank template for 5th graders to write out their country name for their flag. They learned to change pen colors, thickness, and the toolbars.

I also worked with Suzy in 2nd grade art where they used Ink art and the paintbrush in that program. They learned to open the tablets, twist, and log in.

Then I worked with Rob and Journal Music notation. We are looking at using the Power Toy - Music Composition to create and playback music notation.

We found that the fully charged tablets could remain on and open from 12:30-3:00 without incident. But we also found that some are having trouble grabbing the laptop profile therefore making it a little challenging to save and open programs.

 Suzy has found that while learning to use the tablets and the software students need to be able to work through the process in a locked step fashion especially if their is only one teacher. "Lay the stylus on the table" is a great way to hold their attention.

Tablets need to be wiped down with the blue cloths after use.

 

My second graders have been exploring the Windows Journal program.  Since this is the first time they have used the tablet they needed to learn how to open the program and how to manipulate the pen setting.  They have enjoyed writing with different pen thicknesses and colors.  In addition to writing sentences and short stories, they are drawing pictures to go along with their writing.  In our study of apples we visited an apple orchard.  Their latest Windows Journal project was to invent an apple picking machine and then write about how it is used.  Their writings are continuing to develop as it is more fun for them to write using the Tablet rather than in their writing notebooks.

Last week I had an afternoon class with 5th grade working with their tablets.  It was exciting and frustrating at the same time.  In the first activity, students were asked to color in a country flag from one of the South American countries.  I copied blank flag outlines into MS Word and students colored the flags after looking at the National Geographic website for the actual colors of their country flags. 

The students worked really hard to color in their flags.  When they printed them out, I realized that coloring in MS Word was not the best choice.  It seems that depending on the size pen they used (ball point, highlighter, felt tip) the quality of color varied.  Some students used several different pens on the same flag and ended up with lighter and darker color patches on their flags. They were a little upset about this.

Next time I plan to use Corel Photo House for coloring.  I think this will use produce a more consistent color and less frustration for the students.    

In the free Microsoft Experience Pack for Tablet PC is a program called Ink Art 1.3 which is amazing! Our art teacher, Suzy, has been working with her classes on the tablets and Art Ink. She has the students make a  5 X 7 piece that she puts in acrylic stands and uses them as the name plates for where students sit in her class. This year, she decided to make one side of those name plates in the traditional manner and the other side with Ink Art.

Like most "painting" programs, Ink Art has a palette of tools and a palette of colors. But unlike other programs, when you stroke with the paint brush in Ink Art, what appears on the canvas has depth and "consistency". You can see the brush stokes! And you run out of paint in your brush at a certain point in the stroke. You can use the palette knife to pull the paint from that stroke or lay on a different color and blend the two.

The other tools behave similarly appropriately.

Looking forward to coming to meeting tomorrow. I will be right on meeting because i have to kick off meeting at 9.