Plans for Incorporating Technology

My plan for using technology in a lesson is to show a couple of short video clips at the beginning of a guided reading lesson I am doing tomorrow with a group of 4 students. The focus of my lesson is on helping the children to use vocal expression and intonation when they read, as well as reading smoothly instead of breaking up their reading word-by-word. I will be showing them a clip of monkeys making noises to talk about using expression and intonation when we read. Also, I will show them a clip of swans gliding smoothly to talk about making their reading smooth.

I think that this will be a fun way to get them thinking about what their reading should sound like. It will give them a visual and audio example of how to read smoothly and expressively. I think they will enjoy it, and I think it will be a helpful use of technology that will reinforce what I am teaching.

Technology in the Classroom

One idea I have for incorporating technology into a lesson would be to show a video clip at the beginning of or during a lesson to enhance whatever subject or topic is being taught. I think that video clips (digital storybooks, short educational videos, videos incorporating or illustrating whatever is being taught in the lesson, etc.) can often be a powerful tool for teaching children because they get very excited about watching them. Because of this, they will often pay close attention to the video clips and really learn from them. After watching the video clip, you can then guide the children's thinking to relate what they just saw to something that you are studying. Also, you could tell the children before they even watch the video clip what it is that you would like them to watch for in the clip.

Technology Inventory

I am currently doing my first cohort experience at Mapleton Elementary, where I am working in a first grade classroom.  Through doing the technology inventory, I was able to see what all is available to teachers in that school.  I was surprised at just how much the school really does provide to help teachers incorporate technology into their lessons and their classrooms.  Although the classrooms at Mapleton (or at least the one I am in) do not really have computers available to the students, there are two large computer labs in the school that are available for teachers to schedule whenever they are available.  Also, the children have a computer class incorporated into their weekly schedule.  

I was very pleased at how much technology was available at this school.  I know that Mapleton Elementary is one of the more wealthy schools in the area, and I can tell by all the technology in the school that a good amount of this money has been put toward improving technology at the school and making technological equipment readily available.

Link to Virtual Tour

Here is the link to my Virtual Tour in my filing cabinet:

http://sites.google.com/site/dehipt287/Home/virtual-tour

*Or, you can click on "Diane's Filing Cabinet" under My Links.