Implementing Technology In the Early Years

If you are ever given the chance to return to your elementary school, take a moment to reflect on the changes. I recently had the opportunity to revisit my old elementary stomping grounds. While my small town now has two elementary schools, many of the teachers haven't changed. This is something I found comforting and looked forward to being a part of for a day.

I reached out to Mrs. D of Sandown North Elementary School to observe her first grade classroom. I was curious to see how a first grade teacher could incorporate technology into a classroom full of six and seven year old children. Before my visit, I wondered if shadowing a first grade class for a morning was sufficient. My goal was to witness technology being used in the classrooms, how much technology could Sandown have? As an elementary student, we had a computer lab we visited to write short stories. No interactions, just a blinking cursor in a Word type program staring back at us.

Upon arriving at the school on February 7th, the use of technology throughout the school was apparent as soon as I walked through the main entrance. Laptops were used for visitor/volunteer sign-ins, water fountains were digitized and attendance was taken with a classroom laptop. No more student volunteers to bring the daily attendance packet to Mrs. H in the main office. I immediately realized that my small town was doing alright in the technology department but what about in the classrooms?

Take a sip or fill a bottle!

During morning circle Mrs. D used her 

laptop to help her class review compound words before we went to the computer lab for math. It was amazing to watch the students manipulate the digital pen to correct the grammar and spelling of the sentences being projected onto the white board. Even Mrs. D commented on how impressed she was with their “penmanship” and ability to use the tool. After a quick dance party to a verb word rap, we grabbed our counting blocks and headed for the computer lab for math.

MobyMaxing It Up!

Every Friday, Mrs. D takes her class to Mr. M's computer lab to use a program called MobyMax. This program is an online tool that involves math (including fact fluency), vocabulary and grammar. Each student has their computer, login ID and password along with a headset. This program even gives the students a pre-test, which will determine which math skill level they should start with. From there, the program then matches future lessons to their current math level. This allows the students to constantly be working on mastering new problems and not redoing math lessons they've already mastered.

 A green border around the window lets Mrs. D know that it's a practice test and the students can ask for help. A blue border is associated with an assessment and the students must complete the task on their own. I know for a fact that if I had this learning tool as an elementary school student, I would be much better at math! I have difficulties with math because I'm such a visual learner. This tool allows students with multiple learning styles to succeed. MobyMax can even adapt for students with IEP's and send the teacher everyone's progress via email.

Green Border = Practice Test

After math class, I was able to sit down with Mrs. D and a few of her students to talk about the use of technology in their classroom. The students unanimously agreed that having math in the computer lab made it more fun. 

"I like to bring the students to the computer lab on Friday's because it's a nice change for them. They often associate computer with play, which makes learning new math concepts a little easier, especially first graders". -Mrs. D

"I like using Moby Max because it let's me use the computer to do math. I earn badges and minutes so I can play games too! Friday is my favorite day of the week because we have pizza and math". -Cohen, grade 1

Unfortunately, Sandown North Elementary only has one computer lab to share among four grades. Even though the teachers are not required to have the students use Moby Max, I love that Mrs. D does. With the short time that I was able to observe her, I saw the wonderful ideas she implements with the limited resources she has. Mrs. D mentioned that their school district is trying to be more technologically friendly and offer it's students more opportunities. While the school won't be handing our iPads to every student anytime soon, they're learning how they can at least use tools like Workspace in each classroom. It's definitely a start.

While I am fairly tech savvy, I will admit that before taking Learning Through Technology, I was hesitant about using technology in the classroom. I've learned about tools such as digital stories, wikis and Google docs and how they can easily be implemented into any grade level classroom. My fears were based on not wanting technology to take the place of the teacher. However, after learning how to personally use these tools and observe a teacher in the grade level I want to teach, I've seen a change. I'm already thinking of how I can keep parents updated on their students’ progress with Google docs and how I can create that "hook" for my students when I introduce a new topic with a digital story. Technology isn't taking the place of teachers; it's a tool to make them a stronger resource. 

Here are some resources I observed and discussed with Mrs D during our interview:

• Workspace
• MobyMax; read one bloggers review on MobyMax
• Animoto
• Google Docs

First Lesson Plan: The Water Cycle

The Water Cycle

Danielle Dugas: Grade Two

Source: MyLessonPlan.com

Big Idea: To collaborate and use technology to illustrate and publish a digital story on the water cycle.

Standards:

• S:ESS1:2:7.1 Recognize that water can be a liquid or a solid; and explain that it can be made to change from one state to the other.

• S:ESS1:2:1.1 Recognize that weather conditions change frequently, and that weather patterns change over the seasons. 

•  LACC.2.W.1.3 Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

•  LACC.2.W.2.6 With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

• NETS.1 Creativity and Innovation- Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

• NETS 2.Communication and Collaboration- Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

Lesson Objectives:

• Students will be linking their new knowledge to prior and/or previously learned knowledge about water/weather cycles and how it changes.
• Students will identify the water cycle and the different stages water goes thorough within the water cycle.
• Students will apply the vocabulary terms associated with the stages of the water cycle such as precipitation, condensation, and evaporation. 
• Students will review the process of narrative writing by planning, writing, and publishing a creative writing story with a beginning, middle, and end.
• Students will write a narrative story with a beginning middle and end following a drop of water through the water cycle.  
• By the end of the lesson, students will be able to use Little Bird Tales to illustrate and publish their narrative writing.

Materials:

-Story board (Appendix )

-Pencils for each student

-Water Cycle Concept Map

-Laptop/Computer with internet access for each group

-TeacherTube access

-Microphone/headphones for each group

-Little BirdTales website access and teacher login credentials

-Coloring materials (if needed for modifications)
-WorkSpace software on teacher computer

Anticipatory Set: 

"Come on the Magic School Bus!"

In order to hook students they will watch a short clip from The Magic School Bus on the Water Cycle and review Water Cycle Concept Map. Students will also be shown an example of a Digital Story of the Water Cycle using Water Cycle cloze from previous lesson. (See Appendix for handout and story example).

Procedure: 

1. The teacher will display and introduce the lesson objective and grading ruburic: “By the end of the lesson, students will be able to use Little Bird Tales to illustrate and publish their narrative writing”.

2. The teacher will model creating an illustrated story board using the cloze passage from an earlier lesson. Workspace software will be used on the teacher laptop so that the whole class can observe on the whiteboard.

3. The teacher will model how to break the story into at least 5 different events/parts/scenes.

4. Using a story board, the teacher will model how to add illustration to each part of the story.

5. The teacher will then model how to use Little Bird Tales to write, illustrate, and publish the digital story.

6. Students will be broken up into groups of 2-4 students and be provided with a story board in which they will break apart their water drop journey story into scenes.

7. The students will add an illustration to each scene. Once students have completed their story board, the students will be instructed to proof read their story.

8.The students will use Little Bird Tales to transform and publish their story board into a digital story to share with the class.

Closure:

• Students will take turns presenting their digital story using the interactive white board. 

• The teacher will once again display the water cycle concept map. “Describe the water cycle to your group”. 

• "Do you have any new knowledge we need to add to our concept map?”

• “How did writing your water drop journey digital story help you understand the water cycle?”

Assessment:

Each students paper and digital story board will be collected and graded according to the Water Drop Journey Digital Story Rubric. 

Name__________	1pt.	3pts.	5pts.
Inclusion of the three stages of the water cycle.	Story includes 1 stage or no stages of the water cycle.	Story includes 2 stages of the water cycle.	Story includes 3 stages of the water cycle.
Plot	Story includes no clear beginning, middle, or end.	Story somewhat includes a beginning, middle, or end but they are not clearly defined.	Story includes a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Details, Feelings, Dialogue.	Story includes no details, feelings, or dialogue.	Story includes few details, feelings, or dialogue.	Story includes details, feelings, and dialogue.
Spelling and Sentence Structure	Story includes numerous spelling and sentence structure errors.	Story includes some spelling and sentence structure errors.	Story includes very few spelling or sentence structure errors.
			Total Points: ___/20

Modifications:

• Modifications will include extra help in the classroom via student or teacher
• Poster board may be used instead of digital form
• Tell story using voice or pictures only
• Additional time may be given if students are having difficulty
• All other IEP and 504 modifications and accommodations will be followed.

Appendix:

Water Cycle Cloze Passage
Water Drop Journey Story Board

Digital Story Example