"Can't we use that touchy thing instead?"

First graders are always funny to me.  The way they can't pronounce things is something that always makes me giggle, and even better, when they make up their own name for something.  After working with my "new" student for a few days on the iPad, we had to take a break for a few days.  There were several things that needed to be worked on and assessed that we couldn't use the iPad for this time.  What was so funny to me, was every time I came to pull him out for something, he would look at me with puppy-dog-eyes and say "can't we use that touchy thing instead?" Unfortunately for those days, I had to say no, but I was still eager to try using the Doodle Buddy app with this student, and I knew just what to use it for.


We were working on addition and subtraction word problems, where the students would read the problem, then have to write a corresponding number sentence, then draw a picture to help them solve the number sentence.

Knowing that Doodle Buddy was well equipped with "pen" colors, stamps (pictures of different things), and interesting backgrounds, we took to using the iPad and Doodle Buddy to practice writing number sentences and using pictures to find the answer.

I would write a number sentence on the touchscreen whiteboard of Doodle Buddy, then the student would use a picture chosen from the stamps to find the answer.  He enjoyed this so much more than drawing dots under the numbers to add or subtract.  Instead he used frogs and fish!! It was fun for him to practice his addition and subtraction, and it was fun for me to see him so excited about not only learning, but about getting the correct answers.


We also played a game this week called Under Sea Math.  This is a game where the student is given a grid of squares.  Each square with have a math fact pop up.  Along the right side of the board, there are several tiles containing numbers that could be the answer.  The student has to choose the correct answer and drag it on top of the number sentence.



 After the student completes one, a portion of a picture is revealed.  After they solve all of the math problems, the whole picture is revealed.  It is a fun and exciting way to practice math.






Next week, I am going to use the iPad with a different student to help them practice identifying how many syllables are in a given word because he is struggling with that portion of his DIBELS assessment!  I can't wait to find fun apps for this!