Week 11

In one of my water lessons, I am creating a Google Earth Tour to show water in its many different forms. I am going to create a virtual tour that starts at Canyon Elementary and moves around to show lakes, rivers, waterfalls, icebergs etc. I think the students will really like seeing different representations about what we have been learning about as well as seeing where they are in relationship to the world around them.

Tech Lesson Idea

My first grade classroom is in the middle of a water unit which I am helping to teach. They are learning all about the different properties of water and how water can change from one state to another. I am hoping to use the digital thermometers to illustrate to the children how the change in temperature causes the water to change states form solid to liquid, liquid to gas etc. The students love doing hands on activities and would love to be able to further explore.

Technology Inventory

After spending 6+ weeks discovering the great variety of technology resources, I was surprised how little technology is available or used in my school and classroom. In my classroom there are only 2 computers, one for the teacher and one for the student. The teacher only used her computer for a few minutes at the beginning of the day to take roll and count lunches. The student computer is set up with a reading program and the student rotates about 10 different students throughout the day to spend time on the program to help with beginning reading skills. Besides this, my teacher hasn't used any other technology. Teachers can check out TV, DVD/VCR, overheads, projectors but they are not found in every classroom.
My teacher however does have a microphone that she uses quite often throughout the day which helps save her voice as well as makes directions from across the room very clear.
The school has 2 computer labs equipped with about 30 computers each. Each computer comes well equipped with many different kinds of software. I found programs for art, science, reading, typing, math, writing, and social studies. Each class is assigned one 30 minute period each week to work in these different programs under the supervision of the lab specialist.

Virtual Tour Link

Here is the link to my Virtual Tour
http://sites.google.com/site/lindseysecosystemtour/my-files