Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Building Writers: I don't have to retype it all?




"How do I make an exclamation mark?"  Excellent question!  First grade learned how to manipulate MS Word to help in the editing process of their writing. The students explored the keyboard and learned how to make capital letters, question marks, and exclamation marks in an authentic writing situation. They were delighted when they discovered that they could save their work so they could edit it later. We worked on re-reading our stories and going back in and adding words to make sure the sentences made sense.  The students synergized and showed their neighbor each new amazing discovery they made.  Congratulations first grade on becoming better writers.

Monday, September 29, 2014

What would you do if you made the news? Fourth grade thinks about it

Mrs. Scott's fourth grade students used Padlet, an online brainstorming tool to answer that very question.  Read about all about how Mrs. Scott is incorporating technology to do amazing things in her classroom!

I posed a question to my students on the websitewww.padlet.com
Along with the question was an example for the students to know the proper way to type their response to my question. The kids really like choosing where they will type their responses as well as viewing what others have typed. 

One of the jobs in my classroom is the TECH KID. 
The Tech Kid of the Day is in charge of showing their peers as well as any visitors that enter our classroom during the day the padlet, as well as informing the visitors how to type their responses. 

It was exciting to see all of the responses from the assistant principals who chose to come to my classroom as they were visited our campus for the Assistant Principals' Meeting last Tuesday.


Here is the padlet that I created: http://padlet.com/wall/zsu04jkgkkwe



Monday, September 22, 2014

First Grade Scientists



Did you know that scientists use tools to study the world around them? They ask questions and run experiments to find out the answers.  There are many famous scientists too!  Mrs. Patterson's first grade class is learning about scientists and what scientists do.  When they came into the computer lab, they used Kidspiration to write about what they have learned.  They were able to find pictures to represent ideas and then write about those pictures. The students also learned how to print their mind maps.  We had a great time using our laptops to show what they learned.

Difficult Tasks in Kindergarten



Mrs. Woodfin's kindergarten learned one of the hardest computer skills they will learn all year long last week. They learned how to log in.  The students had to learn how to make a large V with their fingers to hit Ctrl and Alt at the same time and then practice hitting Delete at the same time.  They worked very hard to understand what a username and a password was and then where to put each in as they logged in.  They practiced patience and used that patience as Mrs. Woodfin and Mrs. Rollans helped individual students. They then had to practice more patience as the computers logged them in.  Way to go Mrs. Woodfin's kindergarten classroom for learning such an important and difficult task!