Apps for Pre-k students

As a pre-k teacher, and mother of a toddler, I am always looking for fun ways to help my students amd child learn their numbers, letters, shapes, etc. The parents of my students are always asking me for app suggestions, so I decided to do some research. Here is a list of some great apps for our little "tech savy" learners. There are many more, but these are my favorites so far. Please pass these along to fellow primary teachers or parents of little ones.

(Pics from itunes)

 

Mokey Preschool Lunchbox: Children fill the monkeys lunchbox while playing matching and sorting activites dealing with numbers, letters, colors.

Preschool Arcade: Games include, ABC Invasion, Pinball 123, Whack a mole, & Claw Crane Matching

 

Starfall: A great website for letter recognition, phonics, reading, and writing. Incorporates games, music, and art. Ages 2 and up. (used everday in my classroom)

 

JumpStart Preschool: Magic of learning

Uses 15 games to teach little ones math, pre-reading, and critical thing skills

 

 

 

I did it!!!!

This week in my technology for educators class we had to create a culminating project based on a digital story for our future or current students. It involved setting us a website via wikispaces, creating a home,curriculum,lesson plan, and rubric page. I felt like I was never going to complete it, but here it is. http://robertspre-k.wikispaces.com/home Please check it out.

Thank you to my readers and commentors for your feedback on the project. I took what you guys said seriously and made some changes. I think one of the biggest challenges was creating a rubric and lesson plan for 2nd graders.  As a pre-k ESE teacher rubrics and Florida sunshine standards do not apply to me. I plan on teaching regular ed in the future, so this assignment was a good stepping stone. I also seemed to have alot of trouble uploading my digital story to both my wiki site and my blog. It must have taken me two hours today to finally get in loaded onto my wikispace. I was so frustrated, but will be able to use what I learned with my future students.  Although I was frustrated at times, creating the digital story itself was a lot of fun. I am still amazed at the technology we have at our fingertips.  I think digital stroytelling is a great tool for all subject areas, especially for reading and writing.  I used microsoft photostory 3 rather than prezi because I felt it was more user friendly for me and younger students. It is a great, free and easy to use program. I highly recommend it. Hope you enjoy the video and learn something new about penguins. :)

Digital Storytelling

The above video is my digital story book on the life of an Emperor Penguin. I am a pre-k ESE teacher, and decided to create a lesson for second graders on the life of penguins. I asked my students to select one type of penguin out of 3 choices. Although the project is mainly for our science class, it also includes the subject areas of reading and technology.  I asked students to research their penguin via websites and links on our curriculum page.  Once they have gathered all their facts, they have been asked to then write their information into a “Dear dairy” format. They will then be asked to read their “dear diary” as a narrative for their digital story.  I am hoping my example provides my students with a good representation of what is expected from them.

Readers, please let me know what else I should include in my example. Is my lesson appropriate for second graders? Is it too easy or is it challenging?

Thank you!

Creating an educational website!?!

retrieved on October 26, from http://bigdrawmarketing.com/web-development/web-design/

As part of our Technology for educator’s class this week, we had to begin a web page. I chose to use wiki spaces, and had to stop after a brief set up. After feeling overwhelmed, I began to search for some additional guidance on line. I found the attached video to help me better understand the importance and use of digital media and the presence of a website. I plan on now inputting graphics, audio, animation, and video with my wiki site to further enhance my students learning. "The ability of users to interact with a digital media application is perhaps the single most critical feature of digital media because it has enormous potential to improve teaching and learning..." (Shelly 207).  Students crave the use of technology. It not only engages the learner, but the use of multimedia allows students to preserve more of their knowledge.  My students are only in pre-k , but they all have computer access in their home and at school. I think having a classroom site would allow their parents to see what they are working on and some fun ways to connect their lessons at home. After my readings and internet search this week, I feel I have a better understanding on how to use and create my “wikispace” to best meet the needs of my students. 

retrieved on October 25th from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-msld_7j7T0

Shelly, G.B., Gunter, G.A., Gunter, R.E. (2012). Teachers discovering computers: Integrating technology in a connected world. Course Technology. Boston, MA.

Digital Storytelling

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

http://prezi.com/ai99thfze0po/digital-storytelling/





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Hardware for Dummies

Retrieved on October 12, 2012 from http://www.fullercomputer.com/home_repair.php

If there was a book called, Hardware for Dummies, I would have needed it until this past week. In my Technology for Educators class this week, our readings dealt primarily with understanding computer hardware related to educators.  Previously at the mention of the words, “computer hardware, motherboard, or CPU,” I would have tuned out. However I now feel confident in my knowledge about the names of the basic components of a computer and what their basic functions are. I now know that the CPU stands for the central processing unit. It is part of the motherboard, also referred to as the processor, and controls storage, input, ouput, and more.  I am sill puzzled by how to fix or deal with a computer problem, but at least I have a better understanding of computer hardware vocabulary and how each part works together.  I hope to be able to pass on my basic set of knowledge on this subject to my students, and help them understand the purpose of each unique piece of a computer’s hardware.

Retrieved on October 12, 2012 from http://linda-oroke-esl-class.com/computers_websites

Sources:

Shelly, G.B., Gunter G.A., & Gunter R.E., (2012). Teachers discovering computers: Intergrating technology

       in a connected world.7th ed. Boston, MA: Course Technology.