Class App? Why yes, I have one!

Today I built an app for my class to use using http://www.theappbuilder.com/. It was super easy and FREE! There are so many options for creating an app that you will have a great app built in no time.  I made my app link to my class homework blog on Blogger. Then as I take a picture of my class assignment notebook board and post it to my blog it will show up when students or parents go to the app. I also linked our class webpage and blog. There is also a contact me section, so students and parents can email or call me at school right from the app! It is pretty cool and super easy! I will make a QR Code of the app link to post in my room during Expectation Night (open house) and put it on my newsletters to get the word out to students and parents.

Try it today!

Close Reading

Common Core State Standards are rigorous, to say the least. This past winter I read Closing in on Close Reading by Nancy Boyles and was inspired to learn more. I am currently reading Notice and Note by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst and enjoying the practical strategies for close reading. To complement Notice and Note, I have been exploring Texts and Lessons for Content-Area Reading and Texts and Lessons for Teaching Literature by Harvey "Smokey" Daniels and Nancy Steineke. I also started a Pinterest board for close reading at http://pinterest.com/mrshamorg/close-reading/.


Here are a few apps that could help support close reading. 
Subtext https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/subtext/id457556753?mt=8
GoodReader https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/goodreader-for-ipad/id363448914?mt=8

I am also working on a Close Reading for Fiction and Nonfiction session at the Raising Student Achievement Conference in December 2013 with Jennifer Ruhl. I will post the presentation here in December.