handheld technology lesson plan

Students enjoy using technology in class, especially technology that they like to use personally.  I really wanted to explore ways to use iPods or iPads in the classroom.  iPads start at $499, iPod touches at $199.  Both are fairly expensive.  Their compact size and available apps make these technologies very intriguing for the classroom.  Text books could be downloaded, the internet can be accessed, the paperless classroom becomes more of an option.  While I could think of many ways to utilize these applications in my classroom, but I was really interested in finding a way for the students to tap into their creative side in the science classroom.  I think being creative helps the students remember the information as more than just a fact.  It also gets the more right brained students involved in science. While I was looking around for ways to use the iPod or iPad in class I found a free app called Story Kit.  Story Kit lets users create a digital story.  I made a quick little Father's Day one for my dad and it was fun.  Learning about the cell organelles is a tedious topic in biology.  I thought "why not pair up the fun app and boring topic?"  After the students spend some time learning about the cell organelles they are going to create stories where the characters are organelles.  I think that the students will get a lot out of creating something fun.  The students can then take their stories to the elementary school across the street and share them with the students there.