Lesson #2: How can Technology Enhance your Reading Skills?

WEEK 2:
BIG IDEA:  How can technology enhance your reading skills? 

Technology class will be an extension of the reading skills taught in the classroom this week, as I partner with the librarian and all teachers to introduce SMOY’s reading program, Accelerated Reader.   All students will take a pre-test during computer lab to use technology to assess one’s reading level.

TASKS:  Review how to log in and out of the computers, teach the difference between HARDWARE and SOFTWARE, allow the students to explore the software in the computer lab, and assess students’ reading skills with the Accelerated Reader software

INTRODUCTION:  Review Logging-In/Logging Off

LESSON:
What is HARDWARE and SOFTWARE?

BRAIN POP:  The components of a computer

DISCUSSION:
Discuss the differences between hardware and software. 

Objectives: Students will identify the parts of the computer and describe if each component is hardware or software.

TRANSITION:

Explore the use of software in the computer lab and connect technology to students’ reading skills.

Objective:  Students will access the Accelerated Reader software to take a pre-test that will measure one’s reading skills. 

*After pre-test, if student finishes early, he/she may explore the other software on the computer while waiting for all students to finish in order to build knowledge of computer software

RESULTS:
At the end of class, students will receive their IRL (individual reading level) and ZPD (teachable reading level) score.  I will inform them of the difference between each score and also provide their homeroom teacher each students’ score.

Kindergarten and First Grade:
Since these students do not test for Accelerated Reader, we will explore phonics to connect to the reading skills they are learning within their classrooms.

PHONICS GAME: 

The above phonics game (click to continue to website) concentrates on the beginning consonant sounds of words.  This connects

Skills Mastered:

All students will be able to correctly identify the parts of the computer.

All students will be able to recognize and describe the difference between hardware and software.

Word of the Week 1: Technology

This week's word of the week is TECHNOLOGY.

Technology is:

-something that makes your life easier

-helps us solve problems

-extends our abilities to do things

Think of life around you: what are examples of technology?  What technology do you use everyday?

• at HOME: microwave, refrigerator, computer, cell phone, alarm clock, electric toothbrush
• at SCHOOL:  SmartBoards, laptops, printers, scanners
• DON'T FORGET:  Technology doesn't have to be electronic!  Papers, pens, pencils, binders, and notebooks are examples of technology too!!
• on the FOOTBALL FIELD:  shoelaces, helmets, scoreboards

The list of technologies in your life is endless!  

TRY IT AT HOME:  Try to see how much technology you use in your life.  Do you think you could life without it?  Do you depend on technology too much in your life?  What technologies do you use that your grandparents did not use when they were your age?

Lesson #1: What is Technology?

WEEK 1:

BIG IDEA:  What is Technology?   Discover what technology is available in students’ lives and in their classrooms and how technology can help them in their daily world. 

BRAIN POP:  History of Computers

DISCUSS:  Discuss how technology is ever changing / how computers looked completely different / how technology is now much smaller and mass produced compared to what it was in their grandparents’ lifetimes

LESSON:

Discussion:
What is technology?  (definition):  knowledge used to create tools or techniques, develop skills, or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or serve some over-all purpose

 What does technology do for us? 

-helps us solve problems

-makes our lives easier

-extends our abilities to do things

Think about technologies you use every day.  What are some examples?

Think-Pair-Share:  With a partner come up with a list of 5-7 examples of technology:

Some may be school-related, such as binders, backpacks, pens, pencils, paper, and paper clips. Other items may be more personal, such as water bottles, personal stereos, and hair clips. Students may neglect items such as shoelaces, zippers, buttons, fabric, eyeglasses or contact lenses, makeup, and bandages. Discussion should reinforce the notion that humans develop technology with a specific objective in mind.

Compare & Contrast: (Use Graphic Organizer)

Connection to History:  Compare and Contrast the use of technology to life in previous centuries to life now to life in the future

<WATCH VIDE CLIP (4 mins 30 seconds):  Wall-E (You Tube)>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9s7afoYI-M

Question:  Would life be better or worse if you had technology do everything for you?  Explain?

TRANSITION:  The point of having a technology class at school is to provide an extension of learning from what you study in the classroom to connect to student lives in the “real world” – every day you use technology! 

SKILLS MASTERED BY GRADE:

K-2:

-Students will be able to log in and out of their computers

-Students can locate the CTRL, ALT, DELETE, BACKSPACE, AND ENTER keys on their keyboards.

-Students will be assigned an assigned seat in the classroom and be able to locate that seat.

3-4:  (in addition to the above skill set):
-Students will be discover various technologies in a future generation and explain that use of technology.

-Students will work with partners to develop a list of technologies that they use in their daily world at home and at school.

-Students will learn how computers originated and discover how technology is ever-changing.

5-8  (in addition to the above two skill sets):

-Students will be able to compare and contrast technologies to the past, present, and future.

-Students will be able to recognize and define what technology is through discovery.

EXTENSIONS:

*Think of a piece of technology that you use at home.  Now picture that technology 100 years from now.  What would it look like?  Draw a picture and explain how this would work.

*How can people take advantage of technology to, in turn, hurt their lifestyles?  Think back to the Wall-E clip. 

Grade 8:  Think of good classroom rules / presentation of classroom rules in the form of using technology next week!  START BRAINSTORMING and being CREATIVE!  Eighth grades need to strive to be an example.  We will work on a digital story of the classroom technology rules to present to the younger grades.

HELP DESK

HELP DESK:

We are going to try something new here at SMOY.  Things are a little different this year, as I am teaching technology to the kids.  With that said, we will have some IT-help to help accomplish all that we need to in a timely manner.  Patrick Weir has graciously agreed to volunteer with us every Friday for the next few months.  He is a parish member here at SMOY and loves being in a school environment.  He has a wonderful background in the IT-field, and we are thankful to have his help.

If you find there is some part of technology not working for you (ie, computer, smart board, printer, email, network, internet, etc), this is what you will need to do to make sure it is taken care of:

1.  Email helpdesk@smoyschool.com with any problems 

2.  A ticket will automatically be created, and you will receive a confirmation message back.

Please know that unless you have emailed your problem, it will probably not be taken care of.  This new system will make sure that a problem does not get lost in the shuffle, as we now have an extra set of hands helping.  This is a little more convenient for all.  

Thank you!

eChalk App

Teach. Learn. Go.

Ready to go mobile? So is eChalk. eChalk is releasing a FREE Mobile App that provides schools with the kind of on-the-go access their teachers, students, and parents need. 

Connected Classroom

Urgent announcements, upcoming class events, and important resources like study guides, worksheets, and reference sites are all easily accessible so that everyone can remain connected to the classroom from any location.

Dashboard Access

eChalk Mobile presents a consolidated view so that users can see their classes all at once.

• Teachers view each of their classes from one screen and can push email and text alerts instantly.
• Students access their classrooms to view assignments, events, and late-breaking news.
• Parents have a consolidated view of their kids' classes. Even if children are in different schools, they can see all their info in one place.

Ongoing Support

While you are on the go, our support is ongoing. So whenever and wherever you want to go, eChalk is ready to help.  Need to contact them?  CALL 1.800.499.2741

Koetter's 6th grade 911 Video

Some of the sixth graders have been working on a video to showcase what they will be doing as a class to remember September 11th.

Check it out:  SMOY Koetter: 911 Video

BRAIN POP: Remembering 9-11

BRAIN POP has a great video to remember September 11th in a child-friendly way.  It is not too graphic (it is still a cartoon) and recaps what happened that day, as well as attempts to explain why something like that happened to the United States.  

Check it out:  http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/september11th/

BRAIN POP also has a few more related topics that might help students understand some important current-day events related to September 11th: War, Terrorism, and Airport Security.

Enjoy implementing technology into your daily lessons!

Smart Board Resources

Integrating technology into your lesson plans is very important --- and it usually takes a lot of time that we teachers do not have.  I know that each of you are quite busy, so let me show you some great SMART BOARD lesson plans already created, as well as resources that will only enhance what you do in the classroom every day.

HOW TO FIND THIS ONLINE:  

1. Visit SMART TECHNOLOGIES:  www.smarttech.com 
2. At the bottom of the page, click "A great way to start the school year".  This will show you some resources already created by educators to help you begin your school year.

Here are a few resources to peruse that will help with Classroom Management:

• BACK TO SCHOOL KIT.  This is a packet of information specifically designed for certain grade levels.  It is full of activities to welcome your students, help them become comfortable, learn the classroom rules while helping the students get to know one another.  This lesson plan allows you to visually show answers to a group and have the students interact with SmartBoard technology.  This packet includes:  About Your Teacher, a Classroom Seating Chart you can manipulate, Group Activities such as Favorite Colors, How did you get to School, What Foods do you Like, Favorite Ice Cream, Classroom Rules, etc.  
• BACK TO SCHOOL KIT:  GRADES K-2
• BACK TO SCHOOL KIT:  GRADES 3-5

• DAILY PLANNER.  Teachers can display a daily agenda for their classroom.

• WEEKLY PLANNER.  Teachers can display a weekly agenda for their classroom.

• MONTHLY PLANNER.  This is a monthly activity planner that contains activities over a yearly calendar.  Each month features a different theme specific for that month.  

To access lesson plans that are already created, follow these steps:

1. For lesson plans that educators can share with one another, follow this link:  exchange.smarttech.com
2. You can browse by subject area or grade level.  You can also type a theme into the search box.  You may also view the "Top Downloads" at the bottom of the page.

Looking for a specific standard-based lesson plan?  Click "Standards-Correlated Lessons" at the top of the page.  This will guide you to an area in which you can choose the grade level, subject, and the standards by state.  You can then view lesson plans created specifically for that standard.  

Smart Board Technology has designed two valuable resources online at the just the click of a button!  Check these out at www.smarttech.com and exchange.smarttech.com.  ENJOY!

Smart Board Software to Go!

Ever tired of staying late at school to plan those SmartBoard lesson plans on your classroom computer?  Now you can create lesson plans at home on your home computer or laptop in the comfort of your pajamas! 

Here is all the information you will need to begin:

1. Go to:  www.smarttech.com
2. At the top of the webpage, click "Support".
3. Click "Downloads"
4. Under SMART Notebook Collaborative Learning Software (this should be the first option), click "Choose A Version".
5. Choose the operating system you will be working on, MAC or Windows.
6. Click the green button, "Download".

SMART Notebook Collaborative Learning Software is the software that you use to create, teach, and manage interactive lesson plans.  This is also the same software that is on your classroom computer.

After downloading this software, it may say that this is for a 30-day trial, but that is not true.  If you register your software with the SMART Notebook Product Key (see below), you will bypass the 30-day trial.  This SMART Notebook Key goes for all Smart Board products with SMOY, despite how many users.  Also, all previously created SMART Notebook files are compatible with all updated software available online and will transfer safely to the upgraded version.

SERIAL NUMBER:  SB680-R1-164511

SMART NOTEBOOK KEY:  NB-AEBSE-BSDT3-8KYEW-USD61

Let the fun begin!

Technology Schedule

Just in case you forget when your class is scheduled to come to computer, here is a detailed lab schedule:

Click Image to Enlarge and Print

LAB: 21st Century Make-Over

The lab has had a make-over!!  Bright colors now welcome students into a learner-centered environment.  All computer supplies and resources are organized and easy to find.  No need to try to maneuver around boxes or cords!  The lab is now set up to model a teacher-driven classroom.  Welcome to our newly designed computer lab!

Welcome!

Hello from your Technology Coordinator!  As a new teacher here at SMOY, I want to implement technology into the way I communicate with all teachers.  Please check this blog for helpful hints, instructions, and updated technology resources.  This blog will be used as a great online database for specific SMOY-related technology that will enhance your teaching in your classroom.  Please check this a few times a week to stay up-to-date.