Category: Tech & Engineering

Studying Phenology with Time-Lapse

By Mariah Bruehl,

Studying Phenology with Time-Lapse

Last spring I wrote about introducing phenology to children and how to incorporate it into their nature journaling practice.  It is such an effective way to for anyone to connect with and deepen understanding of the activities and cycles of nature.  It engages children’s curiosity and promotes skills of observation and inquiry.  Children are, in essence, conducting their own research: they study changes and consistencies over time, make predictions based on their collected observations, and communicate them in their journals.

A great way to make it a family activity is to become citizen scientists together.  Here are some sites to explore:

Another fun way to incorporate phenology into nature study and journaling is to create a time-lapse project.  It has certainly peaked my children’s interests and is adding an extra element of fun and anticipation to their nature study.  These two short videos are quite inspiring:

 Monarch butterfly emerging

Dandelion flower

To get started, decide as a family on a project that will take place over a relatively short time period such as capturing a seedling growing or a flower blooming.  Take at least one photo per day as soon as there is a hint of plant growth or a flower bud.  You may even want to take two per day as changes can happen quickly.  You could also choose to do a long-term project such as capturing the changes of a particular tree throughout the seasons.  For a project like this I would suggest taking one photo per week, at about the same time of day if possible, throughout the year.  Mark your calendar with a note or camera symbol to help you remember.  Enable your child to do the photographing.  Don’t worry about things being perfect.  It is more important that your child is engaged and feels a sense of ownership.  If you must do the photographing just be sure that your child is with you.  Look closely together and discuss your observations.

Studying Phenology with Time-lapse

No matter how long of a project you and your child embark on there are some basic requirements:

  1. Mark your subject with a ribbon or other removable marker if it is not easily locatable.  You want to be sure to photograph the exact same plant, flower, branch, etc.
  2. Use a tripod.
  3. Frame up the photo as consistently as possible.
  4. Edit your photos for even more consistency.

Now, you could stop here.  Print out the photos, paste in sequence into a nature journal, and label each with the date and observations.  It would be a meaningful addition to any nature study.  You could also use the photos to create your own video.  You will need an application like iMovie, QuickTime Pro, or PhotoLapse.  There are also apps for your smartphone.  Just remember that the video examples above are done by an expert in a controlled studio environment.  The video you and your child create will probably have a choppy effect and a bit of a flicker due to lighting differences.  That’s okay.  Remember that the point of the project is to capture the changes of your subject over time and create a visual to accompany your child’s phenology study.

Dinosaur Books and Apps for Little Ones

By Mariah Bruehl,

Dinosaur Books + AppsRebecca from Thirteen Red Shoes is with us today to share some great app and book recommendations for the little dinosaur lovers in our lives…
Little ones usually go through phases of being mesmerized by a specific genre.  In our household dinosaurs have come and gone numerous times.  Over the last couple of years we have developed a lovely little dinosaur library, as well as a few dinosaur themed iPad apps.

Books:

 
1. How to be a Dinosaur | Lonely Planet This is filled with information worthy of an encyclopaedia.  Lonely Plant do these books so very well.  The comic book style illustrations are perfection.  
 
2. Dinosaur A – Z | Sam Mugford This books is a all time favorite.  Each page represents a different dinosaur and the pictures are bold and contain details, such as size comparisons to a human adult, as well as how to pronounce the tricky names!  Once when we went on an extended holiday I photographed every page so we could still flick through the book on my phone.  The Smart Kids books are all brilliant, as is the entire dinosaur range by Priddy Books

3. Yikes, Stinkysaurus! | Pamela Butchart and Sam Lloyd This is perfect for those littles that enjoy a little but of humor of the bathroom variety.  

4. There’s a Dinosaur in my Bathtub | Catalina Echeverri A large dinosaur called Pierre found in your bathtub is ever so delightful, especially if he comes from France to visit for the summer.
 
5. Dinosaur Farm | Fran Preston Gannon Fran Preston Gannon is the recipient of the Sendak Fellowship and has created a delightful tale of being a very special kind of farmer.  
 
6. Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs | Mo Willems I have a soft spot for Mo Willems in our house as my boys adore his quirky style.  This books is a take on the traditional Goldilocks and the Three Bears. 
 
 
Educational iPad applications also worth having a little look at if you have children who enjoy this format:
Britannica Kids Dinosaurs (These are three individual apps based on different dinosaur periods)
 
Enjoy!

11 Math Apps for the Little Ones (part two)

By Mariah Bruehl,

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It has been a while since I shared some learning apps, so over the coming months I hope to bring you a new collection from all areas of the curriculum to download for the new iPad you may be getting for Christmas!  Some apps are free, but others have a cost incurred. There is something for everyone, even a few for Android users!
You might remember my earlier post about Math applications, here are a few more to add to the list:
  1. Counting to 10 – Based around the concept of one to one correspondence, this app teaches using little penguins, moles, elephants, manta rays.   It involves a lot of repetition with both visual counting aids, as well as a little narrator counting aloud for you as you go (available for Android as well)!
  2. Fiete Match – An adorable app based around a seafarers theme.  A lighthouse provides the base for this app and the different activities are stored within it. You can choose an activity by tapping on the porthole.  I adore that the memory game has the user playing against the lighthouse keeper.  The illustrations are beautiful-I adore this application for the illustrations alone!
  3. Geo Board – This application explores the world of shapes and the possibilities which are presented when given a peg board and a rubber band.  We have had fun creating our names, as well as various shape patterns. This application is aimed for those with some experience in using a tablet device (Little F, age 3, found it hard to use). It does not allow you to save your creations, however a quick screen grab by holding down the power button in the top right hand corner and the home key (on an iPad) will save an image to your camera roll.
  4. KaleioDraw – A beautiful kaleidoscope of colors.  Perfect for learning about symmetry and pattern.
  5. Rush Hour – This is the same as the popular game created by Think Fun. Problem solving at its best! (available on android as well)
  6. Montessori Numbers – Another app based on the foundations of Montessori created by L’Escapadou. This app is a delightful starting spot for introducing numbers, as well as for those moving into the hundreds. It uses tracing numbers, base ten, number stories, and one to one correspondence to help children learn.  There are a number of difficulty levels going up to 999.
  7. My First Tangram (iPad only) –  An absolutely delightful shape application with so many adorable creations using the basic tangram shapes.  A and R Entertainment have created a lot of apps, find them here on their website.
  8. Tally Tots – created by Spin Light  and available across all devises including Nook, Amazon and Google Play. This app focuses on counting patterns, has 20 different numbers with an activity for each, and includes audio and visual cues for each activity.  A sing along number song as well as one to one counting patterns make this app adorable for the littles.  Spin Light has created a huge number of applications, so have a look at their site for additional apps in the area of mathematics.
  9. Tam and Tao in Numberland created by Les Trois Elles Interactive – Adorable in every way.  This company create some delightful applications and Numberland is one of them.
  10. Maths Tree by Bellamon  – This application is the perfect visual introduction to addition, subtraction and number equations.  The graphics are bright and cheerful perfect for a school set of iPads. You can add and subtract owls, doves, or peaches.  The clear visual link between the the graphics and the algorithm makes the learning process very clear.  Bellamon has created some delightful applications and their website is well worth a visit.
  11. Cutie Monsters (iPad only) – This application is aimed at those learning base 10 and one to one correspondence. It is divided into two sections: a counting section and a jigsaw section. The graphics are adorable, and this is a lovely application to introduce to littles who are first time app users. See a you tube preview of the app here.

 

Phonics Apps for Little Ones (Part Two)

By Mariah Bruehl,

More Phonics Apps for Little Ones

Rebecca from Thirteen Red Shoes is with us today to share part II of her recommendations for phonics apps for the little ones…

After my initial post about phonics applications I set about searching for some more.  I believe that applications are all about trial and error.  Some suit some children perfectly and others not so much.  My list here is a guide as to what is available in the area of phonics and sight words. As always, I would love to hear about phonics applications you may have experience with.

 1. Tap the Cat Tap the Cat is by the clever team at Reading Eggs, which I have mentioned previously.  Tap the Cat focuses on key literacy skills through touch, listening and speaking.  It involves matching letters, creating words and learning about nouns. Reading Eggs also makes a spelling app for those who have mastered their sounds and are ready to move on. I cannot believe that my little one will one day be able to do this application, it is just amazing to think how much they develop.

2. Word Grab This app is a phonetic word game that involves matching the sound to the letter and making words beginning with that sound. For example: finding the letter “d” and then making the words duck, dog, and daisy.  There is a focus on long and short vowel sounds as well as hard and soft sounds.  There are two difficulty levels in both sections of this application. One is ABC words, and the other is Rhyme Time, featuring over 250 words to broaden vocabulary.

 3. Eggy 100 Eggy 100 is a free app designed to introduce children to the first 100 sight words.  There is a lot of repetition and a lot of positive reinforcement, which is beneficial at this stage of sight word development.  This app along with the application below, contain words such as “the”, “was”,  and “where.”

 4. Eggy 250 Eggy 250 is also a free application, which focuses on 250 sight words.  There is also a speed option, which allows you to differentiate between children, depending on their ability. Both of these Eggy Apps are free and at times can be a bit difficult to navigate, however, I think they are worth downloading as they are a great starting point.

 5. Wee Alphas This app is just delightful and a favorite in our home, especially with my littlest (aged 2).  It is a picture book styled application in which you read a story while searching for the letters hidden in the text and illustrations of each page. This application goes through each letter of the alphabet.  You can have narration or read aloud to your littles yourself.  On each page there is an extra motion to find as well, for example, touch the hidden letter in the animal it turns orange for all to see.  Find the letter that your name begins with on the final page of the story and you can practice drawing your letter.

 6. Gappy’s First Words This application has so many different levels from the initial sound of the letters of the alphabet, to sight words, and basic consonant vowel consonant words or CVC words. View a little video here of Gappy’s First Words in action.

 

Phonics Apps for Little Ones (Part 1)

By Mariah Bruehl,

Phonics Apps for Little Ones (Part 1)

Rebecca from Thirteen Red Shoes is with us today to share another one of her thoughtful lists of app recommendations.

My eldest son is beginning to learn how to read and therefore needs a lot of positive experiences to build up his confidence in this area.  Below are a few apps which focus not only the sounds of letters, but also on some common sight words.

  1. Mr Thorne Does Phonics | This is a hilarious series of applications and the littles are sure to adore the amazing Mr. Thorne.  This app was created by a teacher named Mr. Thorne who has filmed little videos of himself sounding and blending words.  The littles seem to enjoy this and it would be a great tool to use when reinforcing a new sound and its visual representation.
  2. Pocket Phonics | We have this app on both our phone and  iPad. It is perfect for children who are learning letter formation and sounds.  A very basic, yet effective, teaching tool.
  3. Phonics Play | This is a website that you can join, which offers a series of phases for kids to progress through. There is a teachers and parents section with a lot of resources as well as detailed information about the phonics process.  There is a free trial that you can try before purchasing.
  4. Eggy Alphabet | This app from Reading Eggs is amazing! I really do believe that they have done this concept well, with a lot of repetition and a lot of positive feedback along the way.  Reading Eggs have a lot of different apps, depending on stages of development (I will share a few more in Part 2).  These apps are perfect for learning new sounds, which is where Little R is at presently.  There is a lot of repetition, which is perfect for consolidation of new and unfamiliar words.
  5. Peapod Labs | I adore these applications (I mentioned them in my post about Literacy applications). Although they are not specifically phonics based, they do focus on the letters of the alphabet and share a number of different objects, man made and natural, that begin with the letter and the sound that it makes.  We have a few of these abc versions but the two we recently downloaded were music and farm. There are lots of interaction, fun facts and videos, as well as the option of Spanish or English as your default setting.
  6. Twinkl | A website full of printables in areas including mathematics and literacy.  We have not used this site yet as we are not really into printables, but they have a few apps, which I am interested in downloading, they look fantastic! Have you tried them?

Be sure to visit my previous post about Literacy Applications and look out for Part 2 as I search for more phonics based apps over the coming weeks.

 

12 Creative Apps for Kids

By Mariah Bruehl,

I am thrilled to have Rebecca from ThirteenRedShoes back with us today. She has a great list of creative app recommendations for the budding young artists in our lives.

Although at first glance there seems to be an endless supply of creative applications, both artistic and musical, for children, I have really struggled in this area. I have found many applications that allow for creativity in design and making sounds, but real music lessons or even stories about famous artists or composers are hard to find. I set out to discover creative applications based on educational theory while being delivered in a joyous manner—here is a list of our favorites…

01. Toca Band

02. A Jazzy Day

03. Little Fox Music

The above applications allow a focus on tempo and creating your own individual sound (Toca Band), to joining in and singing well known songs (Little Fox Music), and learning about instruments by counting and exploring different stories ( A Jazzy Day). Toca Band also has an adorable app related learning experience, which can occur away from the screen. Their blog features some creative Toca Band goodies such as character cards, posters and coloring pages, which can all be downloaded here .

 04. MoMA Art Lab is an amazing app. This is one of my favorites so far. Recently my Mum and sister spent some time in NYC and I urged them to visit MoMA, as I love this museum. The application has amazing links to videos of artists at work, as well as wonderful components that foster learning about some of the famous pieces of work on display in the museum. You can create sound compositions, draw with scissors, make line drawings (which was little R’s favorite, he really enjoyed watching Jim Lambie create his vinyl tape ZOBOP lines on the museum floor), create shape poems, and collaborate on a group piece of art. Almost the next best thing to visiting MoMA itself!  Click here, to see some of little R’s creations!

05. Theater by the very clever people at Appracadabra is also very engaging. I love the idea of the little ones taking photos of themselves and creating a new character such as little R the muscle man and little F the mermaid!!

06. Plic Ploc Wiz is a very engaging application in which you can create your own images or work from a set template based on shape and color. The final products are adorable. This was actually one of the first applications that I downloaded last Christmas when we received our iPad and I still enjoy it for me. This application is free in app purchases, so just be aware that little ones may be able to click and purchase if you do not have your itunes account with the security setting of a password, or at least using an itunes account rather than direct to credit card!

 07. The Faces I Make is the funniest app. You can make faces out of everyday objects such as light bulbs and bananas. Very quirky and very cool.

08. Pirate Scribble Kidoodle is adorable. Click on this link to see it is action.

09. We found Van Gogh and the Sunflowers when I wanted to expose the little ones to Van Gogh. We have been reading Camille and the Sunflowers by Laurence Anhot ,which is what the application is based upon. I have also put on hold a few Van Gogh books from the library. The makers of the app, Auryn, have not done any other books from this series, but I wish they had. I think i will introduce the boys to Picasso, Monet, da Vinci and Degas over the coming months and with crossed fingers some applications relating to these masters will emerge.

10. After a little app store searching, I found this free app, KaleidoDraw that little F can use to create adorable and colorful images. It is lovely to find this creative tool as an application. The Kaleidograph toy  also has an online version however, on a desktop rather than as an iPad application. You can save the image to Facebook and Pinterest, however, I like having the option to save to your photo roll or email to family members, which you can do with the KaleidoDraw app only. Both are free, so see which option you prefer the most!

11. Phoster by Bucket Labs is also another great app that allows you to create text overlays to images you create. You can select your own image and then choose a text/poster layout and alter the text to your own liking. The colors and styles can all be tweaked. The final image can be shared and/or saved to your camera roll. This app is not really for little R, aged 5, at the moment, but in the future as he becomes a more confident writer, this would be an excellent provocation to encourage writing for others.

12. I love Arthur and Charles Create and Play almost more than Little R. We love making the little faces and emailing them to all the family! I also adore the graphics, very clever indeed. Don’t you just love our little creations?

More great app recommendations for children…