Our school is implementing the enVision math program. Although it has a hard cover book for students, there are also 4 worksheets/games that go with each lesson. This is both hard on the earth because of all the paper it consumes, and hard on the teachers and students who need to manage all that paper.
Bart Fabianowicz just started his second year as one of our iPad Proof of Concept teachers. He developed a method for having the students complete at least two of the worksheets using their iPads. The first step is to download each of the worksheets and a PDF and then upload it to a shared location in Google Drive. I posted step-by-step directions here. Note that we use Teacher Dashboard which among other things sets up a shared document folder in Google Drive for every class.
When the worksheets are ready, it is time to bring in the students. I’ve posted directions below to teach students what to do.
Student Directions for Completing Worksheets on an iPad
Completing worksheets on your iPad can save lots of trees since it does not use any paper. The directions below show you how to complete and turn in worksheets.
1. Search for the worksheet in the Google Drive app.
2. Open the worksheet.
3. Send the worksheet to Notability.
4. Fill out the worksheet using the pen or the typing tool in Notability.
5. Send the worksheet to your drop folder in Google Drive.
These directions should work with any worksheet your teacher has put into Google Drive as a PDF file. Keep reading to see these same directions illustrated with screen shots.
Open the Google Drive app.
Search for the worksheet.
Your teacher will tell you the name of the worksheet.
1. Type the name in the search box at the top of the screen.
2. Click on the worksheet when it appears in the Search Results.
Click the menu button in the top right corner of your screen.
Select Open In…
Click Open in Notability.
Click Create new note.
Using the Tools in Notability
Use two fingers to scroll up and down the page.
Pencil
Click on the pencil to write with your finger or a stylus.
If you click and hold on the pencil the pencil pallette appears. Ask your teacher which color you should use on worksheets. Your teacher may also tell you which color to use for correcting.
Zoom Tool
Tap and hold a spot on your page. The zoom tool will open. The zoom tool helps you write neatly.
1. Write in the big box at the bottom of the screen.
2. Your words will appear much smaller in the small box.
You can also click the magnifying glass in the bottom right corner of your screen to start zoom mode.
Click on the t to start typing. The click where you want to type.
1. A blue cursor will appear where you are going to type.
2. If the keyboard is in your way, drag it using the little lines in the bottom right corner of the keyboard.
Add a new page
Add a new page by clicking the new page button on the bottom right edge of the page.
Click the pages button to view all your pages.
Using the pages button makes it easy to jump to a different page.
Turn in your worksheet.
1. Click the share button in the top left corner.
2. Click Google Drive.
In the Destination field, locate your drop folder.
Check that the format is PDF.
Click Send to Google Drive.
As you noticed, those directions are far more detailed than most students will need. Within five minutes of opening the app most will have discovered all of that and more.
If your students do not have the Notability app, most of the notebook apps in the $7.00 range will work. Look for a notebook app with these features:
- Can import from and export to Google Drive
- Has a zoom tool to allow students to write large and have the app shrink it down to a reasonable size.
- Has a text option so students can type their responses when that is most appropriate
On one hand, this is merely a substitution type of tech integration. It is saving trees and making the papers easier to manage, so it is still worthwhile. If students are able to build models and insert photos of those models, that would raise this to an augmentation type of activity.