Recommended iPad App: Keynote

Keynote is PowerPoint for the iPad. It is better than PowerPoint, in my opinion, because of its simplicity, design, and usefulness. Because it is tablet-friendly, you can embed photos and video that you have already taken or recorded into the presentation. One of my favorite parts about Keynote is it shows a clock when you are mirroring the screen to the whiteboard via Reflector. This tells you how many minutes have passed so you know if your audience needs a quick break to turn and talk. I also like how you can share out the finished product as a PowerPoint or PDF.

How could this work in classrooms? Here are two suggestions:

1. Take photos of different but connected items that are related to a concept you are teaching, and then put them in a slideshow. Present the slideshow in the beginning of the lesson and ask kids to think about what the images have in common. Example: If you are studying Communities, find and share several images of kids working together and completing jobs.

2. Near the end of the lesson, ask a few kids who are already completed with their work to take the iPad. They can take pictures of their work, or other items that represent their learning. Then they can create a quick Keynote and share it with their peers as a way to provide closure to the lesson and reflect. Upload the slides to your webpage/blog for parents to see.