Daisy the Dinosaur
Bee-Bot
Cato's Hike
Move the Turtle
Lightbot
Code Kingdoms
Cargo-Bot
Hopscotch
Tynker
Hakitzu
Kodable Pro
LearnBinary
Have Fun!!
Monday, November 9, 2015
Let's Explore!
This week, 1st-5th graders are exploring Google Earth! We practiced navigating by visiting landmarks like the Hollywood Bowl and the White House, as well as Community Magnet and even out own houses. Students can explore further at home -- Google Earth is free to use on any device with internet access.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
It's Typing Games Week!
1st-5th grades are playing typing games during technology this week. Typing practice can often seem boring, but there are lots of great games that can make it more fun.
Here are some of the games we played:
NitroType -- A typing race game, where students can race their friends, and earn "money" to buy new cars!
Kindergarten started working with an art program called Doozla. It is free to download -- please see the link on the sidebar.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
It is Digital Citizenship Week!
October 19-23 is Digital Citizenship Week in LAUSD.
In 1st-5th grades we will be watching and discussing the Common Sense Media video, "Pause and Think Online".
You can watch it here:
Common Sense Media offers lots of good resources for adults trying help kids safely navigate all sorts of media.
BrainPOP also has quite a few good videos that relate to this topic.
For the past couple of weeks in kindergarten, we have been using the laptops. This is the first time that many of them have been on a computer. We are learning about opening a web browser, using bookmarks to visit websites, and the basics of using mouse.
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Word!
Last week, 2nd-5th grades have been learning how to save their work to the server, so that they can have access to it from any computer on campus.
In addition, we have been learning/reviewing how to format in MS Word.
1st graders are still working on their typing, focusing on using both hands and trying to use "home row" position.
We've also been playing math games on ABCya!
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Time for Type to Learn 4!
This week the 2nd-5th graders signed on to their Type to Learn 4 accounts. Type to Learn 4 -- or TTL4 -- is a self-paced typing program which allows students to have accounts with content set to their age/grade level.
One of the great features of this program is that students can log in from home for free! All you need to do is download the TTL4 software onto your computer. The "home download" link is the first link under Typing Links on the sidebar to the right. (Our school Account Code is: 152721) Each student has a Username and Password.
I encourage all students to practice typing at home at least twice a week -- 15 minutes is all it takes. Once a week in the Technology Lab is really not often enough for typing to become fluid. We are trying to build "muscle memory" so that our fingers know where to go, without our eyes telling them.
Students do not need to use TTL4 to practice typing. There are several websites that allow students to practice typing for free. (Please see list under Typing Links to the right.)
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
We're Talking About Online Safety
This week, the 2nd-5th grades have been talking about Online Safety. We have been watching the BrainPOP video "Online Safety", sharing experiences we've had on computers, tablets and game consoles, and discussing different ways to stay safe when we go online.
The most important part of online safety for elementary age kids is for them to have an adult they trust available when they are online. You wouldn't send you child out into the middle of Los Angeles by themselves, because it's just not safe; the same holds true for kids wandering around the internet.
We have also been discussing the idea of the Digital Footprint. What you post to the internet travels far and wide, and does not go away. It's never too young to be aware of this!
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Let the Typing Begin!
For 2nd-5th graders, we are reviewing the Home Row and trying to get the muscle memory in our fingers working for us again with Dance Mat Typing.
1st graders are getting their first real introduction to "touch typing". We are starting with a game called Keyboard Climber -- have them try it at home!
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Welcome Back, Community!
I can't believe the summer is over, but I'm excited to be back in the Computer Lab working with your kids!
One of my goals for the year is to keep this blog updated so that you can check in to see what we've been up to in Technology for each grade level.
Make sure you check out the links on the sidebar on the right. Typing practice at home is always a good idea, and I have included links to all sorts of free typing sites.
It's been so good to see all of your lovely children back at school this week!
Enrichment classes will commence the 3rd week of school this year. Starting the 25th, all classrooms will visit the computer lab at least once a week.
During that first week, we will be sending home the LAUSD Acceptable Use Policy for you and your child(ren) to go over and sign. This is necessary so that students are able to use the LAUSD network during the school day. (Students will need to go online to do research, and to have access to learning sites like BrainPop, Everyday Math Online, and Dance Mat Typing.)
We will be starting the year in technology with a heavy emphasis on typing skills. During our field test of the Smarter Balanced Assessment last year, we noted that the students who were proficient typists were able to more clearly and easily communicate what they knew. We don't waste brain power thinking about how to hold a pencil, but when students have to stop to locate a letter on the keyboard or to think about how to capitalize, their focus is diverted from whatever question they are actually being asked.
We have lots of other great stuff planned for the year, so be sure to check back in here periodically to see what we're up to!
Imran Khaliq, 12, helped his
brother Farhan, 7, left, and Aidan Brown, 6, at a school computer coding
event in Mill Valley, Calif.Credit
Jason Henry for The New York Times
We've been so busy in the Technology Lab that I've been forgetting to update!
3rd-5th graders have been learning how to create and format bar graphs using Excel, and K-2nd graders have been creating art, using Doozla and Tux Paint, and tackling the Flappy Bird coding activity. (Both art programs are available for FREE online -- the links are to the right under Art.)
Last week, we started the Smarter Balanced Assessment with 3rd-5th graders. We talked about the equipment, the structure of the assessments, and took the practice tests for Math and ELA. You can also access these practice tests online: Smarter Balanced Assessment: Practice Test Portal.
During the three weeks following Spring Break, 3rd-5th grade students will take one assessment per week -- three total. (This year, of course, we are only a part of the "field test" -- individual scores for this test do not count.)
The time blocks during the assessment are twice as long as the usual Technology block. As a result, during the assessment period, K-2nd grade will not have Technology.
There will be no typing practice during school, for any grade level, during the assessment period. Please make sure your kids are practicing at home for the next four weeks!
When we did our brainstorming for Doodle 4 Google, the idea of a device to enable animals to communicate with humans came up a few times. Interestingly, that "device" seems to be in the works:
Last week, in 1st-5th grades, we brainstormed for the Doodle4Google contest. It was a lot of fun! The kids had some fantastic ideas on the given topic: "If I could invent one thing to make the world a better place ___________ ." We discussed inventions to help your family, your classroom, your city, animals, the environment, and the world. I hope that they continue to think about this topic, and maybe a couple of them will feel inspired enough to it a step further and create a "doodle" to submit to Google!
This week in 2nd-5th grades, we explored CMCS's online library site, as well as LAUSD's Digital Library. Both are excellent (and kid safe) resources for research. Most students weren't aware that LAUSD provides many "paid" sources FREE to all on its students. Links to both the CMCS online site (you will have to scroll down to find Community Magnet) and LAUSD's Digital Library are on the right. -->
We're getting serious about our typing. The students have had time to get used to Type to Learn 4, now, and some are really zooming ahead. Unfortunately, some are zooming without using proper "home row" typing position! This week I gave a "pop quiz" and tested kids to see if they could type without looking at the keyboard. Next week, if I find students who are still unable to at least find the "home row" keys, I will reset their accounts and they will have to take the pre-test again. (I have let them know about this.)
In addition to typing practice, in 1st grade we created and labeled shapes using Doozla. The students are getting better and better at using the tools in this art program to make their ideas come to life.
The kindergarteners tried two new math apps on the iPads: Meerkat Math and Math BINGO. They also had a little bit of "free choice" in the MATH folder. While many went back to math apps we have played before, Hydro Math and Math Zombies were also big hits.
We've been having lots of fun in our after school Coding Club. We did a computer-less graph paper coding project, and ON the computer we started an art coding activity which teaches kids to give specific commands to create images on the computer. In addition, we tried the fun Flappy Bird coding puzzle that code.org posted in honor of their 1-year anniversary. This activity is online and free! I posted a link to it on the right. -->
