Tasty Graphing in First Grade

What could be more fun than graphing Skittles candies and then eating them? First graders enjoyed working with the program The Graph Club to do just that. After sorting and counting their Skittles, each student recorded the results from their individual bags on a teacher-created template. Next, they were asked to use the program's note box to write two sentences describing their graph along with a model number representing their bag. This activity was a fun hands-on way to explain how bar graphs and pie charts are useful tools to display numerical information.

Second Graders Use Neighborhood Map Machine

Learning about maps and globes are essential skills of the second grade curriculum, and a great way to give students hands on experiences with maps is using the program Neighborhood Map Machine. Neighborhood Map Machine allows students to explore different kinds of maps as well as create maps of their own. Lessons and activities within the program include learning about concepts such as grid coordinates, location, scale, and compass navigation.

During the first week with the program, students learned how to read grid coordinates to add symbols to a grid map. This week, they will use the program's compass to navigate various maps to solve mysteries. Next week, they will take on the role of cartographer as they begin designing their own map by adding roads, buildings, parks, street symbols, bodies of water, parks, etc. The students will also be challenged to write directions to navigate between two buildings on their map.

Word Processing & Keyboarding in Fourth Grade

A major goal of the fourth grade technology curriculum is to ensure students are comfortable with basic word processing skills such formatting and aligning text. Students practiced underlining, bolding, and highlighting text, changing font types and sizes, centering titles by creating Wacky Web Tales, and cutting and pasting text. They also practiced saving documents by navigating the Finder. They were introduced to the concept of a remote server for saving work and practiced logging in to the server using their own username and passwords. Using a server will help students work on files from multiple locations.

This week, students will continue to use Microsoft Word to publish a Spanish writing assignment. They will also be introduced to the program Type to Learn 4 to develop touch typing skills. Students will keyboard 20 minutes twice a week progressing through 34 lessons and 6 assessments at their own pace. Type to Learn 4 provides demonstration, practice, and assessment, with continuous reinforcement on the home row, ASDF JKL;. It teaches proper fingering for each key (letter, number, symbols) and emphasizes both accuracy and words per minute speed. Speedskins are also used to reinforce memorization of the keys. Many students will surpass the year end goal of 15 words per minute (WPM) with 95% accuracy.

Third Grade Learns About Online Safety

Third Grade - As third graders begin using computers more at home and at school, it is essential they learn how to stay safe online. After a review of Shorecrest's Responsible Use Policy for Educational Technology, students viewed a Brain Pop Jr. video on Internet Safety. Next, they were asked to write five rules to remember when working online. Students were asked to share the C*H*A*R*G*E*R*S policy with their families.

First Week for Kindergarten & First Grade

Kindergarten - A rainy day did not damper the excitement felt by the kindergarten students on their first visit to the computer lab. After listening to the classic story Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, students were introduced to the drawing program Early Learning Toolkit. Using one single color just like Harold, students used their imaginations to create a picture. Important vocabulary reviewed included computer, mouse, keyboard, keyboard tray, and monitor. I also discussed with the students how to properly use the mouse. As the students develop their fine motor skills, it is essential that they use the mouse with proper arm position. Their arm and/or shoulder should be relaxed and not elevated.

First Grade - Kidspiration is the core computer program used by first grade. It allows students to visually organize information and make connections between concepts by linking pictures, symbols, and words. This week students were asked to make an alphabet web using their first or last name. This required students to practice searching through the picture library, dragging pictures to their workspace, and creating their own links.

Another Year

It is hard to believe that another school year has started. Like my colleagues, I spent much of the summer preparing my room for the start of school. In addition to some cosmetic renovations, I was very fortunate to have a new wall-mounted projector added to my space and am learning how to use it along with my mounted interactive white board. I look forward to using the board with the students throughout the school year.

The lab schedule for this year is as follows:

Kindergarten - begins the week of August 23rd with lessons on Monday(bi-weekly)
First Grade - begins the week of August 30th with lessons on Monday (bi-weekly)
Second Grade - begins the week of August 23rd with lessons on Tuesday (weekly)
Third Grade & Fourth Grade - begins their rotation schedule (three weeks art, three weeks technology) the week of August 30th; they will visit the lab on Wednesdays and Thursdays

Teachers will also be bringing their classes individually to the lab for classroom projects.

Stay tuned to Turned On to Tech throughout the school year for project updates!

Animation Summer Camp

Enjoy these great videos created by two of my summer campers this summer. The first is a stop motion animation made from paper. The second, a clay animation. As always, the kids amazed me with their creativity.

Marker Man: A Stop Motion Animation by Cai from Anna Baralt on Vimeo.

The Great Fall: A Clay Animation by Casey from Anna Baralt on Vimeo.