How to Teach with Sketchnotes: Deep Understanding and Visual Note-Taking
Visual note-taking is becoming such a valuable tool in our classrooms today. If you aren’t familiar yet, instead of copying word for word from the classroom whiteboard or projector, visual note-taking allows students to draw their notes.
A few months ago, I discovered two innovative educational technologies that take this teaching strategy to the next level. Talk about dynamic and multi-faceted teaching tools.
One app that I find truly amazing for visual note-taking in the classroom is Notability. Students are able to use their tablets with this app to either alone or in collaboration with other students. The main feature of the app, which really is pretty awesome in my opinion, is the ability to create images and then add in a combination of their handwriting, other photos, and text to the page.
For those of you who prefer Microsoft Classroom instead of Google Classroom, we have an app for yo
u! Microsoft Onenote works similar to Notability in that students are able to create visual and textual notes in their own creative way. Students can use a stylus to create handwritten notes which can be converted into text at a later time.
Both apps work great in the classroom. Students really do hate regular note-taking and anything we can do to help them get excited and engaged in a topic is key – which is why visual note-taking is so important! Students will find these apps to be fun and different and will look forward to using them more often. Their retention levels will increase, as well.

Augmented Reality ABC App Ideas – AR Flashcards Animal Alphabet is a FREE app that includes animals for every letter of the alphabet. Use the app to learn your alphabet or take it to a whole new level and app smash with other apps to teach students of all ages. Students get so excited when they scan their card and their animal comes to life.
This app doesn’t have to be about learning your ABC’s especially if you teach older grades. Try using it in other creative ways and app smash with some of the other best education apps. As you scan the animal there is photo option that comes up on your card and you can take a picture of your animal. Use this photo in your app smash.
You can also check out AR Flashcards Space FREE where you could take pictures of the planets and app smash with planet research.
Visit the site AR flashcards.com to print your flash cards and have some fun being creative with Augmented Reality and app smashing. You will notice in the sample projects that we used black and white printed cards.

Augmented Reality ABC App Ideas – AR Flashcards Animal Alphabet is a FREE app that includes animals for every letter of the alphabet. Use the app to learn your alphabet or take it to a whole new level and app smash with other apps to teach students of all ages. Students get so excited when they scan their card and their animal comes to life.

Using interactive ways to assess a student’s learning level so it is meaningful and effective is something I want to dig deeper into this new year.
A FREE app that I think would be a great assessment tool for students is Shadow Puppet EDU. The user is not video recorded, just audio recorded with this app. As powerful as video-taping can be, having a video camera in your face while you are trying to perform can be incredibly intimidating.
Integrate Technology Seamlessly with Fun Challenges
The app, Scratch Jr. is so easy to use even kindergarten students are successful. Scratch is a little more intimidating, and I would use with older students. Below are a few videos to help you get started no matter what your skill level; there is something for everyone!
Examples of using Scratch in the classroom
I have found several examples of using it in the classroom I wanted to share with you. I have a few blog posts that should be helpful along with real-life examples.
Even though I provide you with a lesson idea, it might be it would not pertain to you because of the subject you teach. You do NOT have to complete the lesson to receive your badge. You just need to try out Scratch or Scratch Jr. in your classroom.
When a single Emoji can completely change the tone of a text message, we need to pay attention and think of ways to address this in the classroom too. I think it also lends the opportunity for teachable moments as we want to help students navigate digital communication in the future and control their digital footprint.
These free Emoji apps can be used in math, spelling, as centers, brain breaks, or just for fun too. Consider these best education apps a taste of what you can do with Emojis in the classroom and behold the power of what “Face with Tears of Joy” and his buddies can do!

Apps For Setting Project Based Learning Goals
In setting goals or resolutions for the new year, many of us may need an organized, systematic way to achieve them. There are many apps available that help us attain our goals. Nozbe and GoalsOnTrack are a few of the best education apps that we can use to organize our life and achieve realistic goals.