Flipboard is a free app for iDevices that enables you to create a personalized magazine. I have used Flipboard for over a year to organize blogs and online magazines that I like to read. It is only recently that I started to investigate how it could be used in the classroom.
Within the Flipboard app, there are suggested blogs to add. You can also add Twitter and Facebook feeds. But, if you just want to provide an easy way for your students to access some engaging resources, you can find lists of online magazines and blogs for kids, like the one here, provided by KB Connected or here. Another idea is to add your own classroom blog, or student blogs.
It’s easy to add a new resource. When you open Flipboard, you will notice that one of the squares says, “More”. Tap on this square, and a search window will come up.
Type in the blog or online site you would like to find. It will generate a list of possibilities. Tap on the one you want, and it will open inside the Flipboard app. You will then have the choice, on the top left, as to whether or not you would like to add this site to your collection.
Once added, users need merely to tap on the square for the site they would like to visit, and it will open within Flipboard. Readers can view updated posts, and “turn the page” to read more. They will also have options to open the site outside of Flipboard.
This is a great way for the students to read each other’s blogs or to catch up on news on various kid magazines, like Sports Illustrated for Kids. This could be a center in your classroom or at a table, or an option for students who behave well.
If you have any other ideas for Flipboard in the classroom, please feel free to comment!
