Technology Tips & Tricks {Haley from The McGrew Crew}

Hi everyone! Haley here, from The McGrew Crew! It's time to talk technology! While I haven't been in a public school classroom in a few years, I am still in the classroom everyday...in my dining room! We're an on-the-go homeschooling family and one of the biggest ways we take advantage of technology is through the many amazing apps that are available. My favorite part is that we can use these in our learning at home, in the car or waiting at the doctor's office. I wanted to highlight 3 of our favorites for you today!

WORD WIZARD

Remember these?

The New York Times describes this app as the "Speak 'N Spell for the iPad generation." While there are many different uses for this app we use it mainly to practice our spelling words.

  There are built-in word lists, but we often use the "My Lists" feature. I can go in and create a word list based on the weeks spelling words. The app will say the word and the student spells it. The word can be repeated as many times as necessary!

 As you click on each letter it is sounded out for you so that it helps students also review each letter with it's phonetic sound. 

 You can create words or sentences. The app will read the what you create.

 This app is great for phonics, spelling, typing, letter & number recognition and more! Click HERE to see the Word Wizard app from the iTunes app store!

READING RAVEN

 I love that this app can be used with all 3 of my children at 3 different levels! My 3 year old practices letter matching, letter tracing and sounds. 

My 5 year old can practice word tracing and word groups! 

 One of my favorite features is that students can record themselves saying a certain word or blend that is being worked on. They can then play it back to hear themselves! My 3 year old LOVES this!

This app is great for reading, phonics, letters, spelling and writing! Click HERE to see the Reading Raven app from the iTunes app store!

STACK THE STATES

My boys LOVE this game! And I love that they are learning geography and having a blast doing it! 

With this app your students will learn capitals, abbreviations, bordering states, locations on maps and be able to recognize state shapes!  It is a very friendly and interactive game!

One of my boys' favorite parts of the game is having to work to pile up the states as you answer the questions without them falling off the platform! 

There is also a similar game called Stack the Countries! Click HERE to see the Stack the States app from the app store!

While these apps are not free, the small price has been well worth the enrichment it's brought to our classroom!