Second Grade ESL Students Research Frog/Amphibian

Subject: Science
Grade: 2
Technology tools: Computer, Laptops
Tools used: Interactive website, Video,
Activity type: Lesson, Research, Project

In connecting with their classroom study of the rainforest, Second Grade ESL Students are using internet resources to collect data about Frogs/Amphibians. Each student is uses a netbook to log onto educational websites such as National Geographic Kids to correctly label poison dart frogs, complete life cycle diagrams, and collect dash facts about the species.

 
They have also been able to watch short video clips about the habitats and life cycles of tree frogs and poison dart frogs. Students are creating their own frog research book. This project builds ESL students' background knowledge and vocabulary in the areas of life science, nonfiction reading, and information technology.

Christine Smith, Viewmont Elementary

Elementary Project: Collaborating with Media Coordinator

Subject: Science, Social Studies
Grade: 4, 5
Technology tools: Computer
Tools used: PowerPoint, Paint, Websites
Activity type: Project, lesson, research



4th grade lesson – We are beginning our research project on the lighthouses of North Carolina. Students will be using the internet to find facts about NC lighthouses and fill in a data chart with those facts. (Height; design; date built; etc) After 2 weeks of research, they will use Microsoft Paint to draw and label their favorite lighthouse.





5th grade lesson – We are culminating our project on Natural Disasters. This began as a collaborative project with 5th grade teacher Tara Triplett, and was so successful it expanded to other classes. Students have worked in groups to research a natural disaster and create PowerPoint presentations. We will be viewing our PowerPoint presentations as a class.

Caroline Brown, Media Coordinator, Longview Elementary

Integrating Technology in an Elementary Classroom

Subject: Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Math
Grade: 4
Technology tools: Computer, Projector, Interactive Whiteboard
Tools used: PowerPoint, Interactive website
Activity type: Lesson, assessment, project, research

This week in reading I will be using Spelling City in Literacy First stations for Words Their Way word sort practice.

I also use my classroom computers for student research on NC history, geography, etc. The students Google search and compare researched information to other sites as well as what their teammates found.

I use a listening station in Literacy First stations and this week they are listening to Roald Dahl read Fantastic Mr. Fox.

In whole group, I will use the SMART Board for viewing videos of JFK to go along with our Weekly Reader. We will Google search and project Google images of Oswald, Ruby, and Maria Shriver.

Other websites I will visit to connect with the Weekly Reader are http://www.dinosaurfact.net/ and http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/index.jsp.

Also, I will use it in math to project our textbook and homework practice book as well as real world math problems in the beginning of each lesson (these are interactive PowerPoint presentations generally used to introduce the lesson). I will use “Mall Math” from Lakeshore which reviews decimals, fractions and percents on the SMART Board using an interactive game and real world flyers. 

Lastly, and most cool of all, I will be using the Zoomy this week for Science. We are studying systems of the body and I will use the handheld digital microscope to project examples of striated, smooth and cardiac muscle from their text book. We will also take a close look at our skin using the Zoomy!



Danielle Jackson,  Longview Elementary

Rainforest Project with ESL Students

Subjects: Language Arts, Science, Information Literacy
Grade: 2
Technology tools: Computer(s), Laptop(s), LCD Projector, Document Camera
Tools used: Interactive website
Activity type: Lesson, Project, Research

Objectives:
ELA Gr 2 Writing Standard: Text Types and Purposes: 2. Write Informational Texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts ad definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.Research to Build and Present Knowledge: 7. Participate in Shared research and writing projects

WIDA ELP Standard 2: Language of LArts: Reading Informational Text ; Standard 4: Language of Science: Reading and Writing Living Organisms

Grade 2 Science Standards: Life Cycles

In connecting with their classroom study of the rainforest, Second Grade ESL Students are using internet resources to collect data about Frogs/Amphibians. Each student is uses a netbook to log onto educational websites such as National Geographic Kids to correctly label poison dart frogs, complete life cycle diagrams, and collect dash facts about the species. They have also been able to watch short video clips about the habitats and life cycles of tree frogs and poison dart frogs. Student are creating their own frog research book. This project builds ESL students' background knowledge and vocabulary in the areas of life science, nonfiction reading, and information technology.

Christine Smith, Viewmont

Edmodo as a Classroom Website

Subject:  Language Arts

Grades:  10, 11, 12

Technology tools:  Computer(s)

Tools used:  Social media tool

Activity type:  Lesson, Teacher presentation, Assessment, Research

Since my mode of technology includes an online classroom atmosphere, most of my goals are met through the use of Edmodo.

I post PowerPoint notes for my students, weekly think questions, and even major assignments where students turn in their work. Additionally, I make use of polls for formative assessment so that I can gauge the students on their levels of understanding. Additionally, I have used Edmodo in conjunction with ExamBuilder so that students can take their summative assessments (that I once printed) online, and the computer will even grade the work for me.  :)

This particular web site is what makes my classroom easy to manage! The best feature is that I can organize all of my assignments for each class, and students have a calendar of events and due dates to help with their own organization. In my English classes, I don't use Edmodo as regularly, for all of my students do not have use of a computer at home. For this group, I post weekly vocabulary assignments where students have a week to complete the work; moreover, I will post reminders.



What I've enjoyed most about Edmodo for this group is that the research process has become much easier. I post attachments, links, and even embed pages that they might need complete their work, and I do not have to make copies or resend emails. material is available to them from any computer anywhere.

I would not change anything about using this website.  I've tried other sites before, but it is by far the most user friendly for both me and my students.

Rachael Moyer,  Hickory High

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Read more about using Edmodo in the classroom here.

Math at Grandview

Subject:  Math

Grade:  7

Technology tools:  Computer(s), Laptop(s), LCD Projector, digital cameras

Tools used:  Simulation, Digital manipulative, Digital text / ebook, Word processing, Communication tool, Collaboration tool

Activity type:  Lesson, Unit, Project, Teacher presentation, Assessment, Research, Tutorial

Unit Topic: Math at Grandview

Learning Target: Create and present a presentation with peers showing math shapes and concepts  found at Grandview

Curriculum standards and objectives:

·         All 7th grade math standards and objectives were covered:  Goal 1...Number and Operations, Goal 2...Measurement, Goal 3...Geometry, Goal 4...Data Analysis, Goal 5...Algebra

·         Info and tech standards: Assimilate and evaluate information

 

Students were to create a PowerPoint presentation using shapes and measurements found at Grandview.

·        Step 1: Students were divided into groups and given the rubrics necessary for the project.

·        Step 2: The groups were  given a stop watch and digital camera. Following the rubric they were to take up to 15 pictures to use on their slides.

·        Step 3: Following the rubric they created a PowerPoint presentation to present to their class and parents at PTA night.

Students were assessed using a rubric that included  a group grade for content and presentation. The participation grade was for each individual (each group member graded the members of their group according to a rubric and I averaged these together to get the individual's participation grade).

This activity was extremely successful. The discussions that were generated when the projects were presented were amazing. Students asked each other probing questions and pointed out things that were in the slides that the presenters did not notice.  Students were also able to point out mistakes in a nonthreatening manner.

Changes for the future: The one change that I would make would be to I sign up for the computer lab for an extra day. (The students became so involved that they wanted to do the same project again but take different pictures.)

Ellie Wilson,  Grandview

Integrating Technology Tools into Art Instruction

 

Subject:  Arts

Grades:  4, 5

Technology tools:  Computer(s), Digital camera

Tools used:  electronic presentation

Activity type:  Lesson, Unit, Project, Research, individual/collaborative work

My objectives are to encourage the use of technology in my classroom, to have the students learn more about using digital cameras/computers, to demonstrate that electronic presentations can be an art form, and creating electronic presentations can be a real life art career.

My students are working as teams to create electronic presentations on one (of their choice) of the Elements of Art.  They can choose from color, shape, line, texture, value, space, or form. 

They are using the computer and digital camera to explain/teach/illustrate their product with visuals.

This lesson, still in the works, has caused a lot of excitement with the students! 

I have found that we help each other.  I share my skills and they enjoy helping me and the other students by sharing their skills.

I'll be as proud of them as the students because this is a learning process for me too!
I use this as a real life situation.  We have a company that needs an informational product and the students are the producers of the product.  The class response will be the judge if their product would fit the needs of the company.

Since this is a visual product we will have the actual finished work for the assessment.

They are required to have at least ten pages and more is encouraged.  At this point it may be necessary to limit them since they are so excited!  Intro page, definition, examples of the Element, actual examples they found at school and from research on the computer will be included, and the compilation of team's efforts are some of the things I expect them to have in their presentation.

This activity has been highly successful so far.  I have students coming in during the day to tell/show me things they have found in the school to demo their element.  For example - I like seeing them get excited about the texture of the wall!  It may be the first time they really looked at them closely.  It is like a new discovery for them.

These productions will be used with my students next year to introduce the students to the various Elements of Art as we use them and as an example of what they can do also.

I would like to have an LCD projector to use so the creators could see what it looks like on a big screen, see what they might need to adjust for a more eye catching product and also to show the final products to the rest of the students.

Donna Buchanan, Art, Jenkins Elementary

Family Heritage Project

Subjects:  Language Arts, Social Studies, Information Literacy

Grade:  4

Technology tools:  Laptop(s)

Tools used:  Digital text / ebook, Word processing

Activity type:  Lesson, Unit, Project, Assessment, Research, State Writing Assessment

Students interviewed their oldest living relative as part of the Family Heritage Project. The asked the person a series of 18 questions that compared and contrasted their own life to that of the interviewee.   The word processing skills gained have impacted the many, many other projects and technology integration we do on a daily basis in our classroom.

Students then composed specific information into a paragraph outline to create a 6 paragraph paper.  Students were able to edit, use word-processing skills, connect Language Arts skills and edit documents like you would in a real News Reporting room.

This part of the project was also the State Writing prompt for our school. Students used the finished documents to create a lovely family treasure for year's to come.

Students met with teacher to look at text features, content, and go through the writing process.

Cynthia Thompson-Schmidt, Jenkins Elementary

Civil War Presentations using PowerPoint and Prezi

Subjects:  Math, Language Arts, Social Studies

Grades:  3, 4, 5

Technology tools:  Laptop(s), LCD Projector

Tools used:  Video, Word processing, Social media tool, Communication tool

Activity type:  Lesson, Unit, Project, Research

Students researched famous people of the Civil War and created PowerPoint presentations and Prezis to present along with their costumes and tri-folds for the Civil War Wax Museum.  Students viewed videos, researched their people, printed pictures, made PowerPoint presentations, and created Prezis.  Student learned how to save their information to their individual student share folders, and send their info to themselves through email, as well as save their info on flash drive.  On the day of the Wax Museum, students used the netbooks in the mall area of our school as part of their presentations.

Students were given a full rubric for the project that included use of technology.

The activity was very successful and I would like to link the Prezis together in a movie for next year's students to view.

Janet Hambrick,

Learning about Amphibians

Subjects:  Science, Social Studies, Information Literacy

Grade:  1

Technology tools:  Computer(s), LCD Projector

Tools used:  Interactive website, Video, Digital text / ebook

Activity type:  Lesson, Unit, Research

 

We are learning about amphibians this week.  We have integrated both our Weekly Readers (and the online digital edition) and National Geographic for Kids websites to allow the children to explore and find out where these animals live, how they defend themselves, what they sound like, and what they eat.  The Weekly Reader online edition allows children to see and hear what they are learning about through the incorporation of video clips.  National Geographic for Kids online has allowed the children to not only learn of the animal habitats, but how they survive, defend themselves, and even what these animals sound like.

We began this lesson in our classroom while the children had the paper edition of Weekly Reader at their desks.  I used my projector to display the digital edition on my board.  We took turns reading information regarding amphibians.  Video clips were shown of frogs/toads catching their prey, and how camouflage benefits them.  Students were also asked to use higher level thinking skills to answer questions about why frogs benefit from being camouflaged.  After we finished reading, I showed the students where they would be "going" once we got to the computer lab.  I modeled where students would log on, what they would be searching for, and explained that they would need to tell me something new they learned about amphibians from the National Geographic forKids web site.

Assessment:  Children needed to verbally tell me something they learned today about amphibians.

Laura Streamer,  Longview

Career Awareness

Subject:  Guidance

Grades:  K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Technology tools:  Computer(s)

Tools used:  Interactive website, Video

Activity type:  Lesson, Project, Research

I use the computer to teach Career Awareness guidance lessons.  There are great sites that allow me to show the students about the options around them.  There is CFNC.org and even a tour around the capital building.

I used the computer classroom in the media center to first present the different websites and then to go around and let the students explore.

It was easy to assess them because we were able to have a discussion about what they found on the web-sites that they explored.

Cynthia Parrish,  Jenkins Elementary 

Integrating Technology in 5th Grade

Subjects:  Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies

Grade:  5

Technology tools:  Computer(s), Laptop(s), LCD Projector

Tools used:  Interactive website, Video, Word processing, Spreadsheet

Activity type:  Lesson, Project, Teacher presentation, Research, Tutorial

I have used technology to help my children with their spelling words each week.  They listen to the words pronounced correctly and look at a child friendly definition.  Some of my children have made PowerPoint presentations about something we are learning in science or social studies.  We have gone to certain websites to look at another way that a concept was being taught in math.  Some of my children have made a spreadsheet of the books in our classroom library.  My children are constantly using Google to look something up that comes up that we are unsure of.

We use Spelling City each week for our spelling words.  We use google.com a lot also.

Assessment:  Most of the time, teacher observation.  I also assess the children's knowledge of their spelling words with their weekly tests.

I will continue to do everything that I have done and hope to do more each year.