It's The Technology Lab!

It's official. I decided this week that I no longer want my classroom to be known as the Computer Lab. I want it to be called the Technology Lab. While this may not seem like too big of a deal, it highlights the exciting changes taking place across our school regarding meaningful technology integration and its potential to change how students learn.

In the last two weeks of school, my students have spent more time using digital cameras, iPads, and handheld GPS. Part of the reason for this switch is taking advantage of the gorgeous weather we have been having. But the bigger reason is because I love watching the excitement and engagement of students as they use these other technological tools to construct their learning.

Kindergarten: Before break, kindergarteners used digital cameras to take photos of shapes and symmetry in the world. This week they are using the online tool Wordle, to create word clouds of words they can spell independently.

First Grade: Before break, the first graders used the iPads to explore the Brittanica President's app on to enhance their current USA unit as well as problem solving and drawing applications such as Rush Hour, Tangrams and Doodlecast. They are also working on a VoiceThread about the presidents.

Second Grade: Second graders were introduced to the basic photography concepts of composition, focus, and lighting as they searched for objects around school tied to adjectives (slideshow to come). It was Shorecrest's version of the photographic scavenger hunt, 26 Things.

Third Grade: Third graders used GPS to geocache on campus to kick off their unit on the Iditarod. Each hidden container, called a cache, held one vocabulary card related to the race. Students then returned to the lab to become experts about their topic (i.e. dogs, vets, mushers, supplies, rules, race route), create information webs in Inspiration, and share their findings with their classmates.

Fourth Grade: Fourth graders also used GPS to geocache and kick of their next unit. Through their research on meteorological, hydrological, and geological natural disasters, they are practicing information literacy skills related to evaluating and citing them appropriately.

Acquiring satellites.

Finding the hidden cache.

In addition to watching a BrainPop movie on the topic, we discussed these five essential questions:

• WHO? Who is responsible for the site? Is there an author?
• WHAT? What type of site is it? Look to the URL.
• WHEN? When was the site created and or last updated? Does it have current information?
• WHERE? Does the site indicate where it got its information from?
• WHY? Why was the site created. What is the purpose of the site?

They are using kid-friendly search engines such as Boolify and Quintura for Kids to help them find appropriate resources.