Hello Parents,
What a busy September month we had in the lab! All K-4 had a lesson on what's expected in the lab and what projects they will be working on. Here's what we've done so far:
Kindergartners have been busy completing the Type to Learn Jr program. It teachers them all about the keys such as upper and lower case and when to use the shift key. It also teaches them where punctuation keys are as well as numbers. Most are at the final stages of the program and soon should be bringing home their very own certificate of completion.
First Graders are getting acquainted again with our web-based typing program TTL4. They practice the first 10 minutes of lab time. For those who want more practice, please do download the program. The instructions can be found on your child's teacher's website under the Document section. In addition to typing, the kids are starting to work on their self-portraits using Kid Pix. They first navigated through the software to get familiar with the tools such as dynamite( their favorite), fonts, paints, backgrounds, and stamps. We have some great artists in First Grade! Kids who say they weren't great with a paintbrush are now having a blast with the paintbrush tool.
Second Graders have been busy practicing their typing skills for the first 10 minutes of class. They have also started working on a slide show project using Kid Pix. They are working on an 'All About Me' slideshow which they will also present to their peers using the smartboard. We are also working on presentation skills such as using a strong voice and making that eye contact with the audience. They are excited about that!
Third Graders have also been busy practicing their typing skills. Please see the post before this that mentions their required typing homework. They are also working on our publishing software called Easybook Deluxe. They are writing a short story and are illustrating it as well. They are having a ball using the various tools the software allows.
Fourth Graders again are busy practicing their typing skills. Homework will begin in October. We started the year with the students posting what they wanted to learn on our very own wall wisher site. This can be accessed at home for your viewing. Please ask your child about it. They have also started to use SketchUp which is a 3-D software. Students are exploring the many tools as they will begin creating their very own dream homes. Can't wait to see that. One student already has a pool in their bedroom! We have some budding architects!
If ever you have any questions, please call or send me an email. Take care.
Rasha Sachdeva
rashas@ows.org
(425) 747-2911 x213
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