The Tablet Generation

Yesterday, I taught my fifth graders using ipads for the very first time. The majority of these students have used a tablet device of some type before but many of them did not have a complete understanding of how the ipad worked before we sat down. THESE kids showed me that they are the tablet generation. My own kids (ages 13 and 16) are more of the laptop generation but are slowly becoming tablet-minded. Many of these fifth graders have solely used tablets as their means of technology usage. It is strange to see this happening before my own eyes. When I say technology curriculum is a fluid curriculum, THAT is an understatement.

I spent very little time explaining how an ipad works to these fifth graders yesterday, instead we went straight to business. I am sharing this with you to show how the excitement of technology evens the field of learning when you use technology.
My lesson plan went much like this:
1) go to an app on the iPad about Africa and find 3 facts about 3 African animals.
2) open the app called Popplet and place all three facts into your Popplet.
3) take a screen shot of your Popplet page and upload it into your google drive app into the correct folder.

Every single student, all of various ability, finished this project within 25 minutes. These kids stayed on task and helped each other with very little coaching from me.

I don\'t remember the last time I did any project with these students where everyone in the class finished it in one setting. Honestly, I did not rule out that this might take two 40 minute class settings to finish. They ALL finished within 25 minutes.

I am astounded by this...it excites me and makes me realize I must be on my toes while teaching with tablet technology!