Tool # 9

It is extremely important to tie technology in with your objective.  If technology doesn't fit the lesson, it can confuse some children and they just end up 'playing around" with it. The children may not see its real value as part of their learning.

Holding students accountable for the time spent in stations is a very important part of the learning that takes place in the classroom. It helps them to see that what they are doing is important. It enables them to be both creative and productive. It also helps teachers in that their products can be used as forms of evaluation or assessments. It provides students with a variety of ways to show their learning- not just through paper/pencil tests.

I liked Thinkfinity and Learning Games for Kids.  Since there are so many games on these sites (which can be a little overwhelming), students could write a review of the games that are played for accountability.  The review could have the title of the game, the category or how to find the game on the site, and a few sentences about the game for peers.  These student reviews can be sorted by objective, so students can find an appropriate game during stations.  Several of the activities have things that can be printed, so students need to know the expectations of printer use.

Apps I liked and will use:

Number Find Lite- I can use this when learning about number patterns in math. I can be an option in my math workstations. The children will mark the date they complete this station as a way to hold them accountable.
iBird lite- I can use this app as a supplement for when we do our bird unit in the spring.

The children can also use the iTouches and iPads to video tape themselves reading stories they have written and then share them with other students. I also want the children to pair up with students in other classrooms to complete projects together. The children willl enjoy being with other children and learning from each other.