Technology at Fireside
Technology Committee This year we focused on: 1. 2. 3. 4. Developing and Agreeing to a Technology Vision and Goals Statement for Fireside Taking stock of what technology we already had in the school and what was working and what wasn t Developing Teacher Websites Allocating District Tech Refresh funds
Samples of Technology Uses at Fireside This Year
Preschool Raz Kids Using technology for letter practice
Kindergarten Kindergarten does not have enough computers in the classroom to make centers practical. They use the lab once a week. In the lab they use: Mini Mouse: helps with mouse movement Starfall: phonemic awareness, phonics, beginning reading ABCya: Keyboard practice Storyline Online: Abbey has to use her personal account for this Google Earth: to learn their address I-Ready: Monthly Growth Monitoring *Technology Committee is in the process of making a structured curriculum with kindergarten (parts, how to use the mouse, etc.)
First Grade First grade has 2 desktop computers in each room. Some teachers have children use their laptop also. We also have 1 ipad that we share, and sometimes are able to use the extra ipad from the library. We use the lab once a week. Children do either I-Ready lessons and/or Raz-kids. In the beginning of the year we use Starfall, ABCya (math and reading) By Sept. 25, we had all children typed into Raz-Kids with appropriate reading levels. Google Earth, I-Ready (lessons, and monthly Growth Monitoring check)
Example of Raz-Kids data
Example of I-Ready data
Second Grade I am using Google Classroom extensively for both my homeroom and my reading group. This year we have focused on 'Slides'. I will share some of their work (Kaufman) It has been such a wonderful experience working with technology and I am happy to bring some new ideas to Fireside. David Millard and I have been working with our classes and collaborating once a week 5th/2nd grade tech buddies. Some of the projects we have done are: (Pischke) Schoology Discussions Virtual Field Trips (using Google Slides) Student Interviews and Penpals Robots and Hour of Code The online Asian Animal projects have been very helpful in Google Slides. Also, the collaboration between second and fifth grade buddies. Hour of Code was a great experience for all of us! (Cousins)
Third Grade: We use Chromebooks on a daily basis where students work collaboratively on Google Docs, Voicethread, and "Genius Hour" where they research using the Kids Safe Search site. We also use Google Classroom for at home reading assignments. We're doing all the standard stuff- doc cameras, chromebooks and have added Google Classroom in all grades as well as playing with Voicethread with different kids. Students are doing presentations in Google Slides also.
Fourth Grade Google Classroom to pin websites Google Docs in SS, Science and Literacy Google Tour Builder in SS Google Slides for collaborative and individual projects Blogger for reading Google forms for tests and parent inventories Classroom Website Brainpop, Youtube, Teacher Tube and other digital short video resources as teaching tools.
5th Grade BYOD 1:1 environment PC s, Chromebooks and tablets used every day Airserver and now an ipad Pro/Pencil for students to share thinking with class The full suite of Google Apps Robots - Sphero, Lego Mindstorms and Dash and Dot Google Earth and Tour Builder Schoology and Google Classroom iready, Reading Plus, IXL Math, TenMarks and many additional math apps imovie, StoryRobe, Garageband Emphasis on Digital Citizenship and Safety Collaboration with second grade and Hour of Code
Website Development is Underway Goal: Every grade level will have an operational website by September 2016 Purposes: Improve access to, and flow of, information for parents (one consistent access point for information; reduce clicks ); improve teacher efficiency and also use websites for student work-flow and assignments (calendars; consistent information for parents and children) Grade level sites with optional additional personal teacher sites; sites will have a consistent look and consistent key information and are designed to dovetail with the school s main site. Sample: Music
Tech Refresh Funds 1 Chromebook Cart for 2nd Grade (30 Chromebooks and charging cart) 32 Apple ipad Minis (4 each for teachers at grades K-1, P.E., Art, and Music) 11 VGA Adapters (Chromebook to projector) ** Fireside had already received advanced tech refresh funds last year for the purchase of Chromebook carts for grades 3 and 4