A Window into Year 5

Time for a snapshot of what's been happening in Year 5...

Firstly, here's a reflection on Year 5 History lessons from one of our Year 5 students, Angelita:

History lessons in the library

On Wednesday we went to the library to do History. We learnt about the early days of the Moreton Bay settlement. We learnt all about the convicts and how hard their life was. We even got to write a made up story about convicts to hop into their shoes and let our minds investigate how their lives were. We also used iPads and we used our QR scanner app that took us to an amazing site about the Brisbane windmill that the convicts had built in 1828. We completed a task on our iPad about the settlements and highlighted all the important words and sentences that stood out. So now we know bits about the early days of the Moreton Bay settlement.

Photo and reflection by Angelita

With access to their own devices, students no longer have to wait in line for these valued resources. They can use digital learning tools whenever they need to during the school day, and access their work outside school hours as well.

Manga High provides maths drill online in an engaging format with instant feedback on students' performance.

Learning spaces are flexible. Chairs and tray tables can be easily moved to create more floor space, dragged into large circles, small groups or rows.

Carpet mats extend learning spaces to the breezy verandahs.

Movable furniture allows configuration for different group sizes.

iPad Support and Technical Help

Well it's taken a few weeks but we have almost all of our new iPad recruits set with Apple IDs, Mail passwords, Paid apps etc. The children look like 'old hands' already as you move through their learning spaces at school.

We make every attempt to support families with technical issues and troubleshooting at school, but sometimes we strike a problem that we simply can't fix here. After all, we are educators and not mobile device technicians.

So, where can you turn when you need some 'expert' iPad help? Apple do provide excellent support options which some of our parents have already found very useful. You might like to add the web links and phone number below to your Contacts. ...You never know when you'll need them!

Apple iPad Support Website

Apple Education Telephone Support: 

Call 1300 968 979

Hours of operation:
9am - 9pm Monday to Friday
9am - 6pm Saturday

More Online Support

If you're just after a quick answer, or you'd prefer to email your support request, use this website for iPad support.

New App Required for LOTE

Our lovely LOTE teacher, Mrs Amy Flynn, would like to use a free app called Kana Quiz in her Japanese lessons with years 4, 5 and 6. Would you please assist your children to install this app at your earliest convenience. Unfortunately the app called Fotopedia Japan (published on our free apps list last year) is now only available in the United States but Sensai will be able to keep her classes very busy and engaged with Kana Quiz.

Here's the icon and a link to the app on iTunes:

Kana Quiz (FREE)

The iPad as a READING Tool

Parents, despite what your children may tell you, they will never have to be on their iPad for school purposes for extended periods each evening or weekend! Homework which must be done on the iPads will rarely exceed half an hour and don't forget, you can use a 4-finger swipe (upwards) to check which apps are running at any time. If most of the running apps are games, then chances are homework has not been the main priority in the last little while...

However, one activity that can often be enhanced by a digital device, is READING. Nothing will ever replace the look, feel and smell of a real life hard copy BOOK. But a few digital enhancements can make reading on the iPad an especially valuable experience, especially for developing readers.

[Image Source: news.blogs.slv.vic.gov.au]

For children who have difficulty reading subject-orientated texts, or website content, the iPad also has a useful "text-to-speech" function which will literally read any selected text to them. Admittedly the 'voice' is a little robotic and sometimes makes pronunciation errors, but this feature can open up a world of text for children who would normally be dependent on a real life adult to read to them.

To turn on "text-to-speech", go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Speech. Turn Speech Selection ON. You can adjust the speaking rate here as well. With Speech Selection turned on, when you select text in an app (such as iBooks or on a webpage in Safari), you will see a Speak option (see sample below).

Screenshot from iBooks

We published the following post about the iBooks app a couple of years ago for our first iPad classes. We're posting the information again here as it has some useful information about borrowing eBooks from the Brisbane City Council libraries. If you would rather hear about this process in person, staff at any of the Council libraries will be able to take you through it. Our own lovely Teacher Librarian, Mrs Monique Hegarty plans to show the students how to borrow books through Brisbane Catholic Education's Overdrive account. However, they need two (free) apps to access these books: Overdrive and Adobe Digital Editions:

Overdrive

Adobe Digital Editions

The children can also widen their literary experience by listening to audio books. This is not 'cheating'. It is a valuable experience for students approaching the latter half of their primary years to be able to enjoy a book in an area of interest, even though decoding the text may be beyond their current reading skills.

Using iBooks on the iPad

The built-in iPad dictionary allows young readers to check word meanings within the text with a quick tap (no searching for dusty dictionary volumes) and font size can be adjusted to suit personal preference. If less text on the page is less daunting for your young reader, they can increase the font size and enjoy a more positive reading experience (see screenshot below).

Screenshot showing features in iBooks

Buying eBooks and Audio books can be as expensive as purchasing the printed copies but did you know you can borrow eBooks and eAudio book recordings through Brisbane City Council libraries? Using any BCC Library card, you can log in to the Digital Media site and browse Juvenile and Young Adult titles.

Click here to browse the Digital Media Collection

You can borrow titles for up to 21 days at no cost. A borrowed book simply disappears from your shelf once the borrowing period has expired so you will have no concerns about accumulating overdue fees.

[Image Source: www.stylingyou.com.au]

Some cautions:

• Due to the wide variety of digital media file types on offer, you may need to install a couple of extra FREE apps to allow you to read or play borrowed files. Follow instructions in the Digital Collection site and be assured that Overdrive and Adobe apps are perfectly safe to download from this site.
• Parents please supervise students and check what they are borrowing. As in any public library, there are many adult titles available. The above link will take you to the Juvenile and Young Adult section but does not restrict access to these sections.
• Finally, a reminder that unfortunately it is not advisable to read eBooks in the bath!

[Image Source: techli.com]

Leaving St Catherine's? Leaving BCE?

Year 5 students must be getting excited about the upcoming Christmas holidays! We hope you have enjoyed learning with iPads this year.

For those who may be leaving St Catherine's at the end of 2014, unless you are enrolled in another Brisbane Catholic Education school, your BCE student email address will no longer be accessible to you after December 31. If you have used this email address for any online accounts, you are advised to edit your account details before this date and use a different email address.

You’ll find information here about how to change the primary email address for an Apple ID. For any other websites or online services, check your account details or preferences. 

If you are staying at St Catherine's for 2015, or moving to another Catholic Primary school in Brisbane, then don't worry - you may keep using your BCE student email account.

Don't forget to stay CyberSafe over the holidays...

• Take regular breaks from screens, 
• Protect your posture,
• Beware or popups, links, special offers and messages from people you haven't met in real life, and
• Keep your personal information private.

Here's a CyberSafety Quiz you may enjoy. You will probably score very highly after all you've been learning this year.

...Enjoy your final 10 days of Year 5 everyone! 

Safe Surfing Safari-style : Using Restrictions and Safari History to keep iPads "Kid-safe"

Why use iPad Restrictions?

iPad restrictions allow parents to control (to some extent) what young users can access on the iPad, maintaining a safer learning environment. Please ensure that iPad restrictions have been set up as outlined in Section 2 (p. 5) of our 1 to 1 Parent Handbook - iOS7 Setup Guide.

Keep your 4-digit Restrictions code in a safe place. If this passcode is lost or forgotten, the iPad will need to be restored to factory settings. ...Not a pretty prospect!

How do I check Safari history?

Spot Safari history checks are carried out from time to time at school, though this can sometimes be disruptive to precious teaching and learning time. We strongly advise that you regularly check Safari history at home to see how your children are using their internet browser.  Here's how:

1. Open Safari.
   
   
   
2. Tap the Bookmarks icon (to the right of the address bar). Tap History.             
   
   
   
3. Scan all sites in the list. Tap any website address to open and revisit that site. Notice the 'Clear' button at the bottom of the list...
   

Why can't I clear Safari history?

When you have checked the list, you should Clear it. However, when Safari Restrictions are set to block "adult content", Safari history cannot be cleared. While this can be a little inconvenient, preventing access to adult content is absolutely essential for student users and we believe it is far better that parents and teachers can check which websites have been visited in the iPad's browser.

If the Clear button is grey and unavailable this is GOOD because you know that adult content is restricted. To clear the history, you will have to take off this Websites restriction momentarily. Here's how:

1. Go to Settings > General > Restrictions 
   
   
   
2. Enter your Restrictions passcode  
   
   
   
3. Scroll down to Websites  
   
   
   
4. Tap All Websites 
   
   
   
5. Now switch to Safari and clear the History (see image in Step 3. above)
6. Switch back to Restrictions > Websites and tap Limit Adult Content 
   

Yes, it's a few extra steps but you'll quickly get used to it. We all hold our children's safety and well-being as our highest priority and we believe this is the best way to safeguard and monitor children's internet activity on the iPads.

What else can I do?

If you cannot be with your children when they are using the iPad, you may choose to:

• Turn off home wireless access: Go to Settings > Wi-Fi. Tap your home wireless network name.
  
  
  
  Tap Forget this Network.
  
  
  
  
  When you want to allow use of the wireless network again, the password will be required.
• Disable Safari: Go to Settings > General > Restrictions. Enter your Restrictions passcode. Tap the button next to Safari, so that no green is visible. Safari cannot be opened now until this button is turned on again.  
  
  
  
• Only allow access to particular websites: Go to Settings > General > Restrictions. Enter your Restrictions passcode. Select Websites.
  
  
  
  Select Specific Websites Only. For each website you wish to allow, copy/paste the URL (address) in here. 
  
  
  
  You will also notice that you can enter particular websites to be blocked. First select Limit Adult Content. Then paste the URLs of specific websites to be blocked or 'always allowed'. 
  
  
  
• Disable Safari and install a Kid-safe browser app instead: ...such as Net Nanny, Mobicip or Ranger Browser (see images below). These apps provide added functionality such as age-based filtering, remote access and restricting internet browsing to specific times of the day.

Ranger Browser, currently FREE

Net Nanny, currently $5.49

Mobicip, currently FREE

Please remember that no settings or parental controls are a magic safety fix - nothing can replace good old-fashioned adult supervision, so let's all stay vigilant!

Explore Science on the iPad

If you're a budding scientist, or even just mildly interested in the world around you, the following apps may help you get even more out of your iPad. 

One of the best things about these apps is ...they're all (currently) FREE! 

Just click the title or icon to download any of these apps and give it a try...

Rough Science
Three fun and interesting videos from science educator, Sean M Elliot, each with a creative challenge activity that you can complete using your iPad. Topics are: Layers of the Earth | Liquid, Solid & Gas | Adaptation & Evolution. All material is aligned with the new Australian curriculum for Years 5 and 6, which may not bother you so much but will make your parents and teachers very happy indeed! There's even a free teachers' Handbook available for iBooks.

Rough Science

NASA
NASA's official app lets you learn about the latest space missions, view amazing NASA space photos, learn about objects in the sky and more. Discover the latest images, videos, mission information, news, feature stories, tweets, NASA TV and featured content.

NASA

Star Chart
This is my particular favourite - awesome for anyone interested in astronomy or star-gazing. Point your iPad to see what stars you’re looking at, even those on the other side of the planet. You also can view our sky 10,000 years into the past or future.

Star Chart

HudsonAlpha iCell
iCell gives you a 3D view inside three different types of cells: animal, plant, and bacteria cells. Learn about the various parts of the cell with information from the HudsonAlpha Institute. Use your finger to tap on parts of the cell to select and zoom in on that particular organelle. Each organelle comes with a name and a short description of its function in the cell. For a better view of each cell, hold down one finger on the screen, and drag to rotate around the cell. You can zoom in and out by pinching or flaring with two fingers at once.

iCell

Rocket Science 101 (by NASA)

NASA's Launch Services Program (LSP) launches real rockets and exciting spacecraft missions every day - now it's your turn! Select your favorite NASA mission and build a rocket to send the spacecraft into orbit. This simulation app will teach you about thrilling missions and the various components of the launch vehicles, how they are configured and how they work together to successfully launch a NASA spacecraft. 

Rocket Science 101

EarthViewer

A powerful app from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Discover what Earth’s continents and oceans looked like 250 million years ago, or even 1 billion years ago! Find out what we know about the climate back when our planet formed. This app is like a time machine for exploring Earth’s natural history.

EarthViewer

Field Guide to Victorian Fauna
For animal lovers all over Australia, this app features detailed descriptions of over 730 species of animals: birds, fishes, frogs, lizards, snakes, mammals, freshwater, terrestrial and marine invertebrates, spiders, and insects including butterflies. You will also find maps of distribution, and endangered species status with stunning imagery and sounds to provide a valuable reference that can be used in urban, bush and coastal environments. The content has been developed by scientists at Museum Victoria, Australia’s largest public museum organisation. 

Field Guide to Victorian Fauna

Cargo Bot
Not strictly "science" content this one, but a good app for any budding or aspiring computer programmers. A series of puzzle games based around a robot character moving crates, lets you practice the logical thought processes necessary for programming skill.

Cargo Bot

Have YOU got a favourite Science app? Please tell us about it in the comments!