Cimo Spelling Week 2

This week for Spelling with Cimo, I chose the level students would be working on based on their reading levels. For my higher readers, I had them working on level 4 or 5. For my average students I had them on levels 2 or 3 and for my lowest students I had them working on level 1.

My students had a better time working on this app this week. They liked being challenged and having to really think about how to spell the words. My higher students even enjoyed being able to spell easier words just practice this spelling skills.

I would definitely recommend this app for K-2 grades. Second grade would be the cut off because the words are not as tricky as it could be for most second graders but it is a great practice for struggling students. I really like this app because the students are not given visual ads to help them spell the words they have to spell it based on what they hear and the letters they have in front of them. It is a fun app and there is an additional app that does cost money that has more levels and more games.

Cimo Spelling Week 1

In this app you help a penguin cross the ice to get to its fish by spelling a word the app says. It's very cute and I like the progression of the levels (short vowels, long vowels, bossy r's, other vowel teams, irregular vowels, and challenge). When you select a level the app says a word and has the letters needed on the ice below (on the challenge level it might also have an extra letter that will not be used). You have to drag the letters to make an ice bring for the penguin to cross. When you get it correct the app sounds out the word. 

For this week, I had all of my students try to just complete level 1. Some students moved onto level 2 but for the most part they stayed on level 1. My struggling readers had a hard time with this game but they really enjoyed it. They liked having the words being read to them and how many times they said the word. My high flying readers did not enjoy this game because it was too easy for them. They liked when the words got more challenging but many thought it was a game for babies.

Sight Words 2 Week 2

Last week my students had a great time using the Sight Words 2 app. I had all students do the unscramble game on the easy level. This week I allowed the students to play any of the five other games on the app. Many chose to play the shoot n find and the bingo game. Some students played on more challenging levels.

This week my students seemed to like this game even more. Many said the shoot n find game was fun and challenging because they not only had to aim but they had to find the correct word that was being read to them. Some of my students who struggle with reading said they liked this game the best so far. It helped them to work on their sight words, which is not usually something students need to work on in second grade. My struggling readers had a great time being able to practice these skills in a fun and exciting way.

This app is probably my favorite that I have used. I felt that there was at least one game each of my students would like. The games are all very different and so are my students, so I was glad to find one app that all my students enjoyed so much. This game is definitely one that I will use again in my classroom, especially to help my struggling readers with their sight word practice.

Sight Words 2 Week 1

Sight Words 2 is an app for First and Second Grade students. There are multiple games students can play to practice sight words. There is a word tour, find n shoot, unscramble, memory game, bingo and practice words. The games are all one player and are easy for students to pick up on. Sound is not necessary for this application but it can be helpful. Students can hear the name of the letter when building the words while playing the games.

I have used this app in my classroom to help my students review sight words. This week I had them play the unscramble game. This game is where the student is given a word and its letters, but the letters are not in order. The student has to drag the letter to create the word. There are also different levels of difficulty.

My students have loved playing this game. Many of my students even improved their ability to read sight words because of this game. I had all my students playing on the easy level and my students' only complaint was that the words were too easy. If I use the app again, I would make sure that certain students would have more challenging words and some who use the easy level.

2nd Grade Friendzy Week 2

The first week with 2nd grade Friendzy the students worked with the phonics section of this app. The second week I had the students go on the reading section. The students enjoyed this app but it was not their favorite.

For this app, the students had to read questions and answer them by choosing the correct choice. It was not as fun and interactive as the previous game because it was just a test. They did enjoy it because it was on the iPad but it was not a "game".

I would definitely use this app again but I think I would use it for math. There are two sections of the app that are great for second grade math. There is money and time, which are both challenging concepts for students to grasp. I am planning on using this app again for review of those two topics in math. I do not plan on using it again for reading because it was a bit too boring for my students.

This app also had the ability to be multi-player. I would definitely like to utilize this later in my teaching. I would use this when my students are reviewing time and money because it could be like a competition which my students love. I would like to find out more about how the multiplayer works before I begin it in my classroom.

2nd Grade Friendzy Week 1

This week my students work on phonics on the 2nd Grade Friendzy app. This app can be easily downloaded for free from the app store on an iPad or iPhone. This app has a lot to offer, which makes it an awesome for kids and parents. There is a lot you can choose from for second grade instruction on this app. When you first open it up, you can choose from Learning Center, Single Friendzy, Multi-Friendzy and Friendzy Challenge.

In my classroom, I have only done Learning Center. Under Learning Center, there are different subject areas students can work on. They can choose from Reading, Math, Language, Time, Money, Phonics, Measurement, Geography, Social Studies and Science. For week 1, I have chosen for my students to work on Phonics. In the Phonics section, there are many level students can work their way through. I had all my students begin on Level 1.

The questions are fun to answer and there is no time limit. Students are give a question, such as "Complete the sentence: 'I think I need to go _____ it is too late.'' Then the student is given four answers to choose from. A. off, B. around, C. before, and D. many. Once the student answers the question it will tell them if their answer was correct. If it was the student will gain points, if it is wrong they will not receive any points. If the student gets too many questions wrong, the student has to do the level all over again.

My students really enjoyed playing this game. It was challenging for most of them which was nice. They liked having to figure out what made sense or what the word might begin with. Some of my students had a really hard time and I feel that for next week I might have them try with 1st Grade Friendzy.

Spelling Rocket Week 2

This week I was able to allow each student to play with this app for 20 minutes. They were able to move forward with each level and it went really well. In my prior post, I talked about how most of my students talked about how the words were too easy for them. This week I decided to change it up.

This week I chose to set up each student on a certain level. For my higher students, I had them working on level 3, but for my lower students I kept them on level 1 or 2. This seemed to work a lot better and my students seemed to be more challenged. My students were so engaged and interested in the reading.