Hello Parents/Guardians,
This message is for 2nd - 5th Grade only. The Technology Council has put together an Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement that we would like each 2nd - 5th Grade student to understand and sign along with their parent/guardian. This agreement will be posted on your child's teacher's website under document section and a hard copy will be given to you at your conference time, March 16th or 17th. Please take it home and discuss this with your child and return it back signed to your child's homeroom teacher. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.
Due to the increased usage of technology and the awareness that students have at an early age, we are hoping to avoid inappropriate technology usage on school campus.
Thanks so much,
Rasha
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
What's happening in the Mouse Pad?
Hello All,
I hope you all had a great mid-winter break and the surprise snow day that followed. I'm looking forward to seeing the kids come back. We had a short February month, but nevertheless, we've been keeping busy.
Kindergartners and First Graders have been using the Smart Board tools student edition to get acquainted with using the smart board technology. Both grades currrently do not have a smart board in their homeroom classrooms but next year all grades will be equipped with one and so I wanted to take a few weeks to show them what it's all about. They have learned to create pages, add text, use the magic pens, shapes, and resizing. Please make sure to ask them about the disappearing ink pen! They loved it.
Second Graders completed their unit of programming, using Alice. They showcased their project to their peers using the smart board. They loved sharing their created animations. Before this presentation, we had a lesson on how eye contact and a clear voice was important and how the audience should be respectful to the presenter. Everyone loved sharing their projects. In between, we've had some typing practice as well and I was really impressed with the many Second Graders who have taken advantage of downloading our TTL4 program and have been practicing at home.
Third Graders completed their unit of programming using Scratch. They also shared their animations with their peers. It amazed me of how much detail they paid attention to their individual sprites and the animation involved. All programs included, their voice, sound, background, at least three sprites and whatever else they felt like including. It was great to see their creativity. We are now on a new project where the students will take their folk tales they are created in their homeroom classes and publish them on a Myths and Legends website using Story Creator 2. Please see the link on the side regarding the website we will use. To protect student identity, no names will be associated with their work published on the website.
Fourth Graders are getting an introduction to the carreer of web designing! They will create their own website on their chosen topic. Please note that their site will not go live on the internet. This unit is to introduce them to web page designing and all the steps that go into creating a website. We will be using Web Workshop Pro in which students maintain complex web sites with sophisticated editing tools, easy-start templates and enhanced text options. Students are currently in the process of completeing their blueprint of their website using Inspiration.
Fifth Graders have begun creating a digital photostory of their special moments at OWS. Students went around campus taking pictures of what they felt captured their special time at school. Students are now developing their stories using PhotoStory 3. They are adding voice, sound, text, and enhancing color using the special effect features. Fifth Graders will be recording another Spanish voicethread this month as they all enjoyed hearing their peers speak Spanish and they loved hearing themselves. Please make sure to ask your child how to log in at home so that you too can hear the amazing Spanish from our Fifth Graders!
As always, please contact me if you have any questions. Take care!
Rasha Sachdeva
I hope you all had a great mid-winter break and the surprise snow day that followed. I'm looking forward to seeing the kids come back. We had a short February month, but nevertheless, we've been keeping busy.
Kindergartners and First Graders have been using the Smart Board tools student edition to get acquainted with using the smart board technology. Both grades currrently do not have a smart board in their homeroom classrooms but next year all grades will be equipped with one and so I wanted to take a few weeks to show them what it's all about. They have learned to create pages, add text, use the magic pens, shapes, and resizing. Please make sure to ask them about the disappearing ink pen! They loved it.
Second Graders completed their unit of programming, using Alice. They showcased their project to their peers using the smart board. They loved sharing their created animations. Before this presentation, we had a lesson on how eye contact and a clear voice was important and how the audience should be respectful to the presenter. Everyone loved sharing their projects. In between, we've had some typing practice as well and I was really impressed with the many Second Graders who have taken advantage of downloading our TTL4 program and have been practicing at home.
Third Graders completed their unit of programming using Scratch. They also shared their animations with their peers. It amazed me of how much detail they paid attention to their individual sprites and the animation involved. All programs included, their voice, sound, background, at least three sprites and whatever else they felt like including. It was great to see their creativity. We are now on a new project where the students will take their folk tales they are created in their homeroom classes and publish them on a Myths and Legends website using Story Creator 2. Please see the link on the side regarding the website we will use. To protect student identity, no names will be associated with their work published on the website.
Fourth Graders are getting an introduction to the carreer of web designing! They will create their own website on their chosen topic. Please note that their site will not go live on the internet. This unit is to introduce them to web page designing and all the steps that go into creating a website. We will be using Web Workshop Pro in which students maintain complex web sites with sophisticated editing tools, easy-start templates and enhanced text options. Students are currently in the process of completeing their blueprint of their website using Inspiration.
Fifth Graders have begun creating a digital photostory of their special moments at OWS. Students went around campus taking pictures of what they felt captured their special time at school. Students are now developing their stories using PhotoStory 3. They are adding voice, sound, text, and enhancing color using the special effect features. Fifth Graders will be recording another Spanish voicethread this month as they all enjoyed hearing their peers speak Spanish and they loved hearing themselves. Please make sure to ask your child how to log in at home so that you too can hear the amazing Spanish from our Fifth Graders!
As always, please contact me if you have any questions. Take care!
Rasha Sachdeva
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