Welcome to the Computer lab!

Welcome to the computer lab. Please view my welcome Power Point below:
Welcome To The Computer Lab

view presentation (tags: education technology welcome intstructional)

Keyboarding Curriculumn Overview

This is an outline of the Keyboarding Curriculum. The students in visit the computer lab weekly for 20 minutes of keyboarding practice. Some say that children should not learn keyboarding until third grade, but I disagree. The sooner the children form good habits the better.

Type to Learn, Jr. http://store.sunburst.com/ProductInfo.aspx?itemid=176685

The Learning Center
only complete one time
Cassie’s Empty Nest
repeat each level 1 time
Hopkins Treasure Trove
repeat each level 1 time
Tiny’s Flying Feat
repeat each level 1 time

Type to Learn, Jr. New Keys for Kids http://store.sunburst.com/ProductInfo.aspx?itemid=176697

Tiny’s Multiplex
Repeat practice and enter
Cassie’s Grocery Store
Repeat practice and enter
Sunbuddy Café
Repeat practice and enter

Type to Learn 3 http://store.sunburst.com/ProductInfo.aspx?itemid=176646

Primary
6 WPM
60% accuracy
Lessons 1-21
Challenge/Intermediate
15 WPM
85% accuracy
Lessons 1-25
Advance – use cover over the keyboard
15 WPM
85% accuracy
Lessons 1-25

Typing Tutor 12

Repeat lessons with accuracy goal of 90% and 10 WPM as set by accomplishments with cover

Photo copied from Sunburst, Inc. and amazon.com.

TechKnowledge

Our technology curriculum is titled, TechKnowledge by SRA/McGraw-Hill. This program provides our students with consistent online lessons that teach the skills needed to meet the National Educational Technology Standards. The curriculum consists of 10 technology concepts that are introduced at age appropriate levels.

Computer Basics
Keyboarding
Word Processing
Drawing and Graphics
Gadgets
Presentations
Spreadsheet
Databases
Electronic Reference
Internet

The younger students love the characters. I love the sturcture. First, the character demonstrates the skill, then it guides the students in the now you try section and finally, it askes them to show what you know by doing the skill independently. One feature I love about this program is that it does have an assessment.

Please check out my website to learn more.

Photos copied from SRA TechKnowledge.

Simulated Business Curriculum

The students in the oldest class are asked to work on a project that takes most of the year. For the Simulated (Sim)business the students need to choose to provide goods or a service. Then they outline what they are going to sell or offer. They write a one paragraph description. From there they create simulated contact information. They use Microsoft clipart and Paint to create a logo; use Microsoft word to create a business card, envelope, and friendly letter; they use Microsoft Excel to log simulated expenses, invoices and pay checks on a register, they use Access to enter each others home addresses, which they use to print envelopes and the friendly letter with a merge; then they use multimedia (video, Microsoft Movie Maker, Microsoft Power Point) to make a commercial for their product or service. Here is the Power Point outline of the unit:

Instructional Sim Business

view presentation (tags: instructional technology business project)

AlphaSmart Word Processors

What can I say...these are great tools for our students, especially for those with dysgraphia. I cannot image teaching without them. We would have to have about 3 computer labs if we didn't have the AlphaSmarts.

Visit the AlphaSmart offical website, my website, or my wiki to learn more about the various models and uses!

Don't forget to search e-bay if you are looking to purchase one.

Photos copied from AlphaSmart, a Renaissance Learning Brand.

Kidspiration

Kidspiration is a visual mapping tool. I love it; others don't. I think it is a great way to help students organize their thoughts before writing. We have integrated it in other ways as well. One teacher uses it as a sorter to sort words by their parts of speech.

This summer I taught a 3rd grade reading group. I used Kidspiration for two writing activites. One was a self descripton and the other was a compare and contrast piece. The visuals are very helpful in getting students movtivated to think about writing.

You can download a free trial from the link above!

Photo credit due to Inspiration.com

Kurzweil 3000 and textHELP

Kurzweil 3000 and textHELP! (a.k.a. Read and Write) are two wonderful technologies for students with learning disabilities. I like to think of them as digital readers. One can scan pages from a book or download .txt files into Kurzweil 3000 and then the they can have it read to them. The reading voices have improved tremendously over the years and sound pretty good. Kurzweil 3000 also has study tools that allow the students to highlight (change colors) text, record notes and even make footnotes. It also can be use for writing as it will read as one is typing, ensuring that the student is typing what they think they are typing. It can also be customized for each user.

textHELP! Is one of my favorite programs because it opens on top of other applications and can read whatever can be copied. For example, if I wanted to have this blog read to me, I'd open textHELP! select a paragraph and press the speaker button. It is such a great tool. It can be customized for each person. Customizations include voice, speed, volume, pitch and more. It too is a writing tool that reads words as they are typed. One great feature is the word prediction tool. This tool is so helpful for younger students. As students are typing they can type, "th" and the prediction tool will list words such as, "that, than, the, their, them, they, etc." and the students can then find the word they want and either type it in or press the associated key.

Both of these programs are outstanding tools that I'd recommend to anyone.

These two programs are great and really help with reading and writing!