The Class Couple
  • HOME
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Read
  • Our Home
  • Shop

QR Codes in First Grade

1/6/2015

13 Comments

 
Hi everyone, it's Becky! Hopefully everyone has had a good start of 2015 with their students and you are starting to get back in the routine again! I'm linking up with the super cute Mrs. Stanford for her new Hump Day Highlight weekly link up! 
Picture
Some of you may have read in previous posts that my classroom is now 1:1, which is AWESOME! When this happened, I knew that I had to find some engaging ways for my kiddos to use their iPads instead of just doing apps. (Don't get me wrong, apps do have their time and place, but I'm more of a 'what can we do with our iPads?' kind of gal!) I began thinking about ALL of the phonics skills my first graders learn throughout the year, and how they can always benefit from additional practice of applying and practicing those skills. So I thought QR codes would be a great way to incorporate phonics skills and technology integration!

My first experience with QR codes and first graders was in December when my students tried out my QR code task cards for the digraph th. 
Picture
After this experience my students were hooked...and so was I! The amount of collaboration and thinking that went on was AHH-MAZING...way more than I had expected! So let me tell you how it all went down!

Since it was our first experience with QR codes, I had my students sit down with me at the easel, which is also where I had taped the first QR card. (I had all 10 cards taped in different spots around the room.) I modeled how they need to scan the QR code. Once the code was scanned, we saw a picture. 
Picture
QR Codes Cards Posted Around the Room (This is what the students scan with their device)
Picture
This is the image that comes up on their screen after the QR code is scanned.
Picture
Some of the codes take students to cloze sentences like this one.
The students came up with words that they thought went with the picture/sentence, and then I reminded them that it had to be a word with a "th" in it. I then showed them the recording sheet. I decided to give them all recording sheet C with the word bank. I thought it would be too easy for them, but it was actually perfect! They needed to have the word choices to figure out what the pictures were. And I realized that it was OK if they didn't understand the picture at first. They were applying their phonics skills when they repeatedly read the words in the word bank to figure out which one went with the picture they were looking at! 
Picture
After explaining the process, their little eyes lit up and they were ready to get started! (FYI-The students all have a QR reader app on their iPads and they all knew where it was. We made sure that they could open the app the day before so when we wanted to get started the day of the lesson, we wouldn't have any of those hiccups!) 

I put my students into pairs. One had the iPad and was the "scanner," and the other was the "recorder," with the recording sheet and pencil. Once they had scanned 5 codes, they switched roles and materials. When they were all finished we went through the codes pictures together. (I have a reflector app on my iPad and computer so my kids can see what I scanned on my iPad via my projector.)
Picture
Picture
I originally expected this to be a quick 5-10 minute activity and was not sure if it would be worthwhile. But after implementing it, my opinions quickly changed! I'd say the whole activity took 20-30 minutes from start to finish. The best part was the amount of collaboration and discussion my kiddos had...and it was worthwhile! They were talking with each other about what the word was for the picture, they read the words together in the word bank, they helped and reminded their partner of the sound "th" made if their partner forgot, and they discussed what made sense in the cloze sentences that are also included! (Swoon...a teachers dream!) 
Picture
Look at the discussions going on in the background of this picture!! LOVE IT!
Don't have a lot of iPads in you classroom? You can still make this work! Place the task cards at your iPad station, and have the students rotate through during your center time! 

Needless to say, I decided that I needed to make more QR codes. We are starting to learn long vowels so I decided that was the best place to start! If you have never made QR codes linked to PDF files, let me tell you that although it's not hard, there are many little steps that can make it very tedious if you are making a lot of them! But nevertheless, I clicked my way through 55 QR codes for my newest product: QR Code Task Cards: Long Vowel Bundle
Picture
We will be using the Long A codes on Thursday, and my kiddos are already excited to use them again! They saw them sitting on my desk and wanted to know when we are scanning codes again! (Tip: Don't laminate the cards right after printing them. Sometimes the heat can make the ink smear, and then the code won't work. Give the ink time to dry before laminating!)
Happy Scanning!
Picture
13 Comments
Heidi Neels link
1/7/2015 04:47:53 am

I love this idea! It's using technology in meaningful ways not just as a game or babysitter. Thanks for sharing!

Reply
Becky
1/7/2015 01:33:07 pm

Thanks Heidi! The kids love it too! That's the best part!

Reply
Fern Smith link
1/7/2015 10:40:28 am

I'm your newest Blog Lovin' follower.
I came over from the Hump Day Linky Party.
This is terrific, I can't wait until next week!
~Fern
<a href="http://www.fernsmithsclassroomideas.com">Fern Smith's Classroom Ideas!</a>
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/fernsmith">Fern Smith's Pinterest Boards!</a>

Reply
Becky
1/7/2015 01:35:10 pm

Thanks for following Fern! I will be hopping over to your blog to check out your post! Love meeting new people!

Reply
Jessica Stanford link
1/7/2015 10:51:08 am

Love me some QR codes! I'm so jealous that you are 1:1!! Thanks for linking up!

Reply
Becky Wimmer
1/7/2015 01:36:53 pm

Thanks for setting up the party! 1:1 is pretty sweet, but it is possible to do a lot of cool tech activities with a smaller amount of iPads too!

Reply
Jessica link
1/7/2015 12:32:29 pm

I need to get on the QR bandwagon! What a cool idea:) I am imagining the ways I could do something like this with my 4th graders! I need a techy tutorial on QR codes!:)

Reply
Becky Wimmer
1/7/2015 01:40:09 pm

Hi Jessica! Your 4th graders would love QR codes! So many possibilities! Greg Smedley (Kindergarten Smorgasbord) has a nice YouTube tutorial!

Reply
Alice Seeger link
1/7/2015 01:32:56 pm

I found you on the Hump Day Highlights link up. I love your QR Codes! I've been wanting to try them, so I just bought your long vowels packet. Can't wait to try them out. :)

Reply
Becky
1/7/2015 01:42:22 pm

Wow, thanks so much Alice! I hope your kids love them as much as mine do! Let me know how it all works out!

Reply
Andrea link
1/7/2015 02:17:36 pm

I love QR codes! And the students do, too! I am glad I found you through this Hump Day Link-up! I look forward to reading more of your posts.

Andrea

Reply
Amy link
1/7/2015 02:43:31 pm

They look like they are having so much fun! My big kids love QR codes too.

Reply
Jenny link
1/7/2015 03:14:56 pm

I love QR codes. I love even more the way you paired your kids up to complete the activity. I'll have to try these out next week!!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture

    Mr. & Mrs.

    We are Becky and Greg from York, PA. Becky just started her 13th year of teaching first grade. Greg is a high school social studies teacher. We love teaching and this blog is a peek into our world. 

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    GoNoodle Inspiration Blog
    Picture

    the library

    June 2019
    March 2019
    August 2018
    February 2018
    September 2017
    August 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

    Picture

    tag, you're it!

    All
    Adding
    Alphabet
    Apush
    Assessments
    Authentic
    Becky
    Becky & Greg
    Cause & Effect
    Children's Literature
    Classroom
    Classroom Community
    Classroom Management
    Classroom Tour
    Columbus
    Craftivity
    Criticalthinking
    Currently
    Doubles Facts
    Fact Families
    Fire Safety
    Five For Friday
    George Washington
    GoNoodle
    Graphing
    Greater Than And Less Than
    Greg
    Halloween
    Highfrequencywords
    How To
    Instagram
    Journeys
    Makingconnections
    Math
    Movie Making
    Numbers
    Perspective
    Phonics
    Primary Sources
    Project Based Learning
    Pumpkins
    Purpose
    QR Codes
    Raise Responsibility
    Reading
    Scholastic Book Orders
    Spelling
    Summer
    Summer Prep
    Teachers Pay Teachers
    Technology
    Time
    Twitter
    Videos
    Writing

    Picture

    subscribe

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner



    Blog Design by Alexis Sanchez ©
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.