Gingerbread Men Loose in the Library

I've had the best week at work! 

http://www.vvsd.org/news/index.php?id=3841

This is what I did- first i created 21 places/stuffed animals  for the kids to "visit" on their search. In addition there was a starting code on their table(me holding the speech bubble with the QR code in it) and an ending code on their gingerbread man. I wrote a script for each code.  Each table scanned 5 codes, so that was 35 script items. I used http://vocaroo.com to record the audio because it has a "save as QR code" option. Super easy to use! I used a google doc to save all the codes in one place. I labeled the codes, which comes in handy when kids get "lost". I tell them to make sure they are only scanning codes with their table number - this was really helpful for 2nd & 3rd grades. Then I cut and mounted the codes on construction paper, and hung them around the room.  I also had my 5th grade shelf elves make foam gingerbread guys.I read "Gingerbread Man Loose in the School". Then I told the kiddos that 7(1 for each table group) gingerbread men were lost/loose in the library. They used the iPads to scan the codes to find the gingerbread guys (that were hiding under the crayon baskets all along). They started with a code on the table, went to 3 locations and back to their table. The hunt lasted about 7-10 minutes. I borrowed 5th & 4th graders to help kindergarten. (Huge help!!!) It was like MAGIC with the little ones..."how did he get there??" Prep time was about 3-5 hours, but that is for 22 classes. It has been so much fun...can't wait to create something for 4-5 with the Bluestem Award Books. 

5th Grade Story by Disney App Success

  I wanted to share the project I did with a group of  5^th graders yesterday afternoon. We used Story by Disney – a FREE app to create a digital storytelling project of library rules. It took 27 minutes start(brainstorming rules) to finish(watching what we created). I did not do it during a regular library time (we are atill on a fixed schedule), the teacher came in with his class during one of my open times. The teacher stayed with the class and handled the management of the class while I did the tech teaching part. It was a great collaboration. The kids had a great time and I can already think of “a million” other things to do with the app. My next mission… to get the app on ALL of the iPads in the library AND to get us new adaptors to use our iPad 4s with the projectors. **watching the finished project is DIFFERENT in the app vs on the computer with the link- the link “show” is MUCH better than watching it in the app!!! 

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

If you haven’t picked up a copy of “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” by William Joyce, you should!!!!!!!!! It is awesome. There are two apps from Moonbot Studios that are awesome that go along with it. Today I’ve been playing around with these two apps with the kids. The IMAG-N-O-TRON app (app 1) needs the physical book to work. I believe it is an app that works with augmented reality. (Wish I would have went to more sessions on this at IETC, but I was too busy listening to Kevin Honeycutt.)  I have the iPad hooked up to the lcd project so the kids are seeing what I’m seeing. You act like you are taking a picture of the book page and then things start to happen like words jump off the page and books fly around. The app also knows which page you are on and reads the page to you.  There are pages that tell you to “look around” and you angle the camera around the room (at the kids) and all of a sudden they are part of the page with books flying around or Mr. Lessmore flying through the room. The quick animoto video shows screen shots of what it looks like with the book expanding off the page and into the library with the kids.

 

The other app, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, is very similar to “Rocket Learns to Read” app that many of us used last year with the Monarch book. The app will read the story to the kids and there are things to do on each page to make it interactive – you can make the tornado swirl, play a song on a piano keyboard, open books, make books fly, etc.

 

William Joyce’s “short” film inspired by the book won an Academy Award, and the film is part of the second app (you can watch the short on youtube, but this one is commercial free).

 

The first app is.99 and the second app is 4.99. Well worth EVERY PENNY I paid for them. I’ve been using it with all grade levels today and every class LOVED it!

 

 

 

App 1 - IMAG-N-O-TRON: "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" Edition by Moonbot Studios LA, LLC

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/imag-n-o-tron-fantastic-flying/id534396897?mt=8

 

 

App 2 -The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by Moonbot Studios LA, LLC

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fantastic-flying-books-mr./id438052647?mt=8

 

One last plug for William Joyce – book 4 of his Guardians of Childhood book came out last week, is called Sandman and the War of Dreams ( I think). Can’t wait until Friday at my B&N bookfair to pick up a copy. I LOVE the series and highly recommend it to ALL!!!!!