First Grade Lesson Choices
Below is a list of iPad lessons that I have developed to help introduce iPads into your classroom practice. Some of these lessons can be led by your Technology Coach, some can be team-taught, and some, if you're comfortable, can be taught independently! Use the lesson descriptions to get a general idea of each lesson, and click on a lesson's title to read the complete lesson plan. Please note: The first two lessons are required, as we want all of our PK-2 students to start on the same page. These two lessons should be taught shortly after iPads are rolled out in your classroom.
Introductory iPad Lessons
Lesson One (required)
Introduction to iPads
Lesson Length: 45-60 min
Objective: To introduce students to the basic functions and skills needed to effectively use an iPad
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: Designate 2-3 "iPad expert" students to help plug-in and unplug iPads from classroom cart
Lesson Length: 45-60 min
Objective: To introduce students to the basic functions and skills needed to effectively use an iPad
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: Designate 2-3 "iPad expert" students to help plug-in and unplug iPads from classroom cart
Lesson Two (required)
Creating and Setting a Lock Screen Picture
Lesson Length: 30-45 min
Objective: To introduce students to the Skitch app and to create a lock screen that displays a student’s class number for easy iPad identification
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: None
Lesson Length: 30-45 min
Objective: To introduce students to the Skitch app and to create a lock screen that displays a student’s class number for easy iPad identification
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: None
Additional iPad Lessons. Choose what works for your class and curriculum!
Safe internet research using the KidRex search engine and Safari
Lesson Length: 45 min
Objective: To introduce students to the KidRex search engine, allow students to create a home screen shortcut for KidRex, and explore Safari's "reader" mode and text-to-speech features
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: You will need to determine a student research topic in advance. This lesson should be taught when students are working on a research project.
Using Educreations App to Explain Mathematical Thinking
Lesson Length: 1 hr
Objective: To introduce students to the Educreations app and allows students to create both written and audio recorded explanations of their mathematical thinking
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 30-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to set up a teacher Educreation account (free), create a teacher demo problem, and identify an open-response question to be answered by students.
Click here to see a sample Educreations video made by a fabulous classroom teacher!
KidBlog for Writing to a Prompt, Collaborative Writing, and Publishing
Lesson Length: 1 hr
Objective: To introduce students to the KidBlog platform and to create a shortcut to a class KidBlog site on a home screen
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 30-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to set up a KidBlog account and identify a preliminary writing prompt for lesson.
Using Skitch to label a photograph and share it with a Teacher
Lesson Length: 30 min
Objective: To introduce how to use the photo labeling feature on Skitch and how to airdrop a finished, labeled picture to a teacher's iPad
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to set up teacher iPad AirDrop settings and to identify a lesson that involves labeling.
Kid's Journal App for Digital Journaling
Lesson Length: 45 min - 1 hr
Objective: To introduce students to the Kid's Journal App and practice sharing a completed journal entry with a teacher via AirDrop
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to set up teacher iPad AirDrop settings, download the Adobe Reader app, and identify a journal prompt.
Exploring Yahoo Weather
Lesson Length: 30 min
Objective: To introduce students to the Yahoo Weather app and find weather information for use in math curriculum
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to determine an appropriate weather problem or exploration for the lesson.
Using the Contacts App to create a digital "word wall"
Lesson Length: 30 min
Objective: To teach students how to use the contacts app to create a personalized, digital "word wall"
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to discuss how you'd like to use a digital word wall and to determine which words will be added to student's digital word wall during the lesson.
Introduction to the Digital Student Reference Book
Lesson Length: 60 min
Objective: To explore Everyday Math's Digital (Interactive) Student Reference Book. Components of lesson 6-7 will be explored in this lesson
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to ensure that all students have an EDM online account and that the teacher planner is up-to-date.
Introduction to the EDM eToolkit
Lesson Length: 30 min
Objective: To explore Everyday Math's Digital Toolkit and digital manipulatives
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to ensure that all students have an EDM online account and that the teacher planner is up-to-date.
Introduction to the Raz-Kids App
Lesson Length: 30 min
Objective: To explore the Raz-Kids App
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to ensure that a Raz-Kid's class account is set up, the teacher has access to their login name, and students have access to their login cards.
Lesson Length: 45 min
Objective: To introduce students to the KidRex search engine, allow students to create a home screen shortcut for KidRex, and explore Safari's "reader" mode and text-to-speech features
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: You will need to determine a student research topic in advance. This lesson should be taught when students are working on a research project.
Using Educreations App to Explain Mathematical Thinking
Lesson Length: 1 hr
Objective: To introduce students to the Educreations app and allows students to create both written and audio recorded explanations of their mathematical thinking
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 30-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to set up a teacher Educreation account (free), create a teacher demo problem, and identify an open-response question to be answered by students.
Click here to see a sample Educreations video made by a fabulous classroom teacher!
KidBlog for Writing to a Prompt, Collaborative Writing, and Publishing
Lesson Length: 1 hr
Objective: To introduce students to the KidBlog platform and to create a shortcut to a class KidBlog site on a home screen
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 30-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to set up a KidBlog account and identify a preliminary writing prompt for lesson.
Using Skitch to label a photograph and share it with a Teacher
Lesson Length: 30 min
Objective: To introduce how to use the photo labeling feature on Skitch and how to airdrop a finished, labeled picture to a teacher's iPad
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to set up teacher iPad AirDrop settings and to identify a lesson that involves labeling.
Kid's Journal App for Digital Journaling
Lesson Length: 45 min - 1 hr
Objective: To introduce students to the Kid's Journal App and practice sharing a completed journal entry with a teacher via AirDrop
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to set up teacher iPad AirDrop settings, download the Adobe Reader app, and identify a journal prompt.
Exploring Yahoo Weather
Lesson Length: 30 min
Objective: To introduce students to the Yahoo Weather app and find weather information for use in math curriculum
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to determine an appropriate weather problem or exploration for the lesson.
Using the Contacts App to create a digital "word wall"
Lesson Length: 30 min
Objective: To teach students how to use the contacts app to create a personalized, digital "word wall"
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to discuss how you'd like to use a digital word wall and to determine which words will be added to student's digital word wall during the lesson.
Introduction to the Digital Student Reference Book
Lesson Length: 60 min
Objective: To explore Everyday Math's Digital (Interactive) Student Reference Book. Components of lesson 6-7 will be explored in this lesson
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to ensure that all students have an EDM online account and that the teacher planner is up-to-date.
Introduction to the EDM eToolkit
Lesson Length: 30 min
Objective: To explore Everyday Math's Digital Toolkit and digital manipulatives
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to ensure that all students have an EDM online account and that the teacher planner is up-to-date.
Introduction to the Raz-Kids App
Lesson Length: 30 min
Objective: To explore the Raz-Kids App
Classroom Teacher Prep Required: 15-minute coaching/planning session before lesson is taught to ensure that a Raz-Kid's class account is set up, the teacher has access to their login name, and students have access to their login cards.