How May I
Help You?
Are
your
classroom computers REALLY kid friendly? Can students
easily click on icons to get to frequently used web sites? Does
your Microsoft Word program use a kid friendly font or make the
students capitalize letters? There are lots of little tricks to
make classroom computers developmentally appropriate for elementary
students, There are also lots of little changes that can be made
so a student can work independently at a computer. We would be
delighted to meet with you to help you create more kid friendly
computers in your classroom.
If you have any
suggestions, questions, comments or concerns, please
email us and let me know. Our email addresses are mlewis@amherst.k12.va.us
& gmoore@amherst.k12.va.us.
Melanie
& Gail
Scaring Up Some Staff Developments
October is packed with professional
development opportunities. Since we all have to earn 30
professional development points, why not take some technology
workshops? To see what is available, go to this link:
Help Wanted!!
We are looking to co-write a lesson on
Internet Safety that combines a child's natural curiousity for
Halloween and/or monsters. Please let us know if you are
interested in doing this. This lesson could be done with K-2 in mind or
with the older 3-5 students. We would also like to tie it into
writing. Please email us if you would be interested in
collaborating. This would make an awesome PD14 project. In
the meantime, check out these links.
Iggy
and Rasper's Internet Safety Game:
If you are running out of time and have not yet completed your Internet
Safety lesson for this nine weeks, check out this site. It goes
over basic personal safety tips and then has an interactive game to
reinforce the concepts.
Ask
Professor Pixel: The Police Notebook
This site has a lot of reading and would be a good site for 4th and 5th
grades. The students are made aware of safety tips they already
know in other areas such as what to do if they are in an accident or
get bit by a dog. Then the site moves on to explain how to keep
safe online.
Notes,
Advice, and Warnings-
This site has Online Safety Tips presented in a Kid Friendly manner.
Disney's
Cyber Netiquette
A fun site on Internet Safety from Disney. Even younger kids may
handle this site if done as a whole group on the Smart Board.
|
Wonderful
Websites
We live in one of the most
beautiful parts of the country and this season proves it.
Celebrate the season this year. Do I hear you saying that
celebrating the season is not one of your SOLs? Research shows
that children learn best when the teacher uses prior knowledge to teach
new content. Maybe some of these sites could be integrted with
math or science. If not, celebrate fall just because. . .
Leaf Invaders
This interactive game has you identify leaves before they hit the
ground. Read more about leaves to play better by clicking on "Common
Fall Leaves." Requires Shockwave.
Autumn Equinox
Read about the autumnal equinox and other fall festivals. NOTE: The
site has a link to a forum.
Washington - The Perfect Place to Grow Apples
This site tells about the different apples grown in the state of
Washington. Click on an apple type on the right to learn more about it.
Test Your Apple I.Q.
Take this short interactive quiz and check your answers. Use the links
at the left to find recipes for kids and coloring pages.
The Journey of an Apple
Learn about the entire process of apple growing and selling step by
step. Focuses on the Yakima Valley.
Apples and More
Contains many apple topics including history, varieties, growing,
nutrition, etc. Click on "Apple Facts" for lots of apple trivia.
Pumpkins and More
Lots of subjects to click to read about pumpkins. Includes facts, uses,
varieties, growing hints, and fun.
Festivals in the Autumn
Learn about different festivals around the world in autumn.
Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival
A brief description of this fall Chinese celebration.
Diwali Festival in India
Read about this fall festival celebrated in India. Click "Next" at the
top to read about Halloween.
Celebrating the Fall Harvest
Numerous games and activities for kids centered on the theme of fall
harvest. NOTE: The site includes ads and multiple links to commercial
sites.
Fall Festivals
A lesson activity on Fall Festivals for grades 3-6, students will study
some of the things that go on during the fall season and then design a
flyer and/or Power Point presentation for a Fall Festival.
ABC Teach: Fall Poem
This template can help students brainstorm to write an original poem
about autumn.
|
"Children Are Not Our Business,
They Are Our Purpose."
~ Janet C. Johnson
|
|
|
|
