Thing #2

Thing 2 Response

My mind is spinning when I think of all the ways I could use technology with my students. The only obstacle I see would be lack of computer availability. If I could have only 4 laptops in my room at all times, I could make this work in a station format. Just going to the lab once a week for 45 minutes will not be enough.

Here are my thoughts:

Reading

*Use a blog to record literature circle conversations. I could post higher level questions that cause the students to defend their answers from text evidence as needed.
*Students could choose/I could assign books to read per reading level and students could discuss the story and/or characters in a blog.
*Link websites to provide background / integrated information to both fiction and nonfiction texts.*Use a format to gather, sort, store and share information for research projects (in lieu of huge butcher paper charts)
*Reader’s Theater, audio and video, in a posted podcast that could be viewed by parents
*We could set up a blog centered on a novel study, and I could integrate my varied literature circle activities into the blog.

Writing

*Students could work collaboratively to compose (and peer tutor) literary pieces such as:
-letters to other students outside of Gray (e.g., college students, foreign students, students from various regions of Texas)
-research reports-narratives
*treasure hunts: I like to use “sparkling text” to illustrate similes, metaphors, quotation marks, well-written sentences to copy change, and “million dollar words”; a class list could be made as a reference tool with links to offer help with specific grammar issues that 4th graders face.

*have the students take part in composing the weekly newsletter that goes home to parents; students could work in groups and be in charge of a variety of sections. This would probably boost attention to the weekly newsletter by parents as well.

Social Studies / Science / Math

*Research as noted above
*Provide a place for a variety of leveled links that teach related concepts (we called these “hot links” as Beasley) that students can refer to for background information, extensions, differentiation, tutoring assistance
*Math - provide a place for students to illustrate and caption math concepts to help others

Another concern is that it seems a small percentage of our Gray families have computers at home. But, that is all the more reason in my mind to use technology heavily in the classroom. I have seen how the use of Comic Life and podcasts added excitement and engagement to learning. I believe that technology, when a student knows he/she can create something on the computer to share with others, is a huge learning motivator. I have also learned that students pick up on new technology incredibily fast. I don't have to be an expert before I teach my students. When I let them "play" with, for example, Comic Life, they helped each other, and me, learn it faster.