Archive for February, 2008

Feb 03 2008

A MidYear Update on Grades 2-4

Published by Cathy Wolinsky under Portfolio Reflections, Professional

Over the past year there have been many changes in the software we use and the ways we can access the Internet at Y.E.S. Each week I work with each teacher and class to provide a learning experience that connects to classroom learning. While I collaborate with the teacher in the planning, this year I am finding that there are so many new possibilities that I am often introducing tools and lessons that didn’t exist a year or two ago. During their weekly team meetings grade level teams share the new adventures with each other and often there is interest across a grade level for an interaction or project. I participate in nings, listen to edtechtalk shows online, and read educator blogs as I spend hours each week corresponding with other integrators. This collaborative professional development and attending state and national conferences are both important to ways for me to find ideas, support and learning for myself.

There are abundant examples of our students engaging in activities indicated by the NETS•S in grades 2 through 4 at Y.E.S. I find that we don’t need to spend time on the standards technology operations and concepts as they are best learned as part of using technology tools for expression. I introduce 2nd graders to the computer environment via. drawing programs so that they start off as creators of content. We then add writing, often accompanied by illustrating (esp. using Clicker 5 & Clicker Paint). After a few weeks of using the computer to create we begin to use interactive Internet sites in support of language arts and math skills being learned in the classroom (Educational Resources). Some classes have used voicethread.com to record aloud the text of books they have created and illustrated. These books have been posted online for comments by parents. Now at midyear 2nd graders are accessing information about the Arctic online and using various sources to create text and pictures describing the adaptations of an animal. They are beginning to address the areas under the standards research and information fluency and critical thinking, problem-solving and decision making as they use digital tools and resources.

Students in 3rd and 4th grades expand on the skills learned in 2nd grade. This year they have:

In addition to accessing information students are analyzing and making meaning of their own learning. A challenge is to explore taking part in international collaborations for classes learning about culture in other continents and to increase awareness of our global community. In the last year there has been a huge increase in the tools for sharing online and these may support new ways for us to or communicate and collaborate with other classes anywhere in the world.

2 responses so far