Technology at the Rand Campus

2nd Graders Connect Typing and Math Skills to Create Word Problems!

Before the New Year and during the start of the 2011 school year, Ms. Llaguri’s 2^nd grade class connected and integrated their basic knowledge of the keyboard and typing skills with the curriculum. The students have been exposed to tools on Kidspiration and Microsoft Word; these are software that should be located on your CAPCS computer.

During our first week back Ms. Llaguri and I planned and collaborated to get the students back into the lab on a great start. We also wanted them to leave the computer lab with some sort of printed artifact! During The 2^nd grades Lab time the students focused on math, they had to create and type up their own made up word problems. Amazingly done!!!! They not only were engaged in this activity they were also so anxious for one of us to read and find the answer to their completed word problem. This activity came from Brainpopjr.com and in every subject on Brainpop jr there is a “write about it” section that connects to the lesson being taught. Brainpopjr. Also provides educational movies, homework help, leveled quizzes and activities for kids. “AND GUESS WHAT” Every campus has their own log in account!

As a follow up the second graders will continue to share their work, trade papers and solve each others made up word problems…….

Kudos-Ms. Llaguri and 2^nd grade.

Social Skills Meets Social Networking Through Technology

Six girls in the 3^rd grade were identified to participate in a Social Skills group to discuss and acquire knowledge of topics such as: Bullying, Peer Pressure, making friends, Self-Esteem, body image/hygiene and more.

During the 3^rd grade therapeutic social skills group, the Social Worker used technology while conducting a session on Body Image. The purpose of the workshop is to increase students self-esteem and for them to acquire knowledge of societies views of Body Image as well as read testimonies from celebrities such as: Keri Hilson, Jordan Sparks, and Fergie that overcame their insecurities regarding their physical appearances.

While doing research on the topic Body Image: Social Worker visited www.glamour.com/beauty/2010/08/22. The site also had links for confidence boosters and things young females can do to accept their physical appearances.

Each Student was requested to take a picture and give a statement regarding a physical feature that they feel good about.

Jamia-legs

Mariana-hair

Yessica-arms/strength

Mikayla- Athletic Lean

In conclusion: The group made poster’s to identify pictures of females that displayed positive attitude/behavior. To further the students understanding of good self-esteem and confidence, the students labeled each of their pictures with positive affirmations and/or statements that they learned during the workshop. 

Technology and Physical Education Working Together

During the course of the weeks the P.E Teachers have been working hand in hand with the Technology Coach to help implement the new 3-Point Play Program for 3^rd -5^th Graders. This program is designed to help track student’s BMI’s as well as students’ homework. Kids were able to go online to the program’s website: www.communityvitality.com, and get engaged with lessons that help increase their knowledge of what it means to be a healthy student. The website was designed for their families to be involved in their child’s healthy choices.

There are only three and a half weeks left to gain points for your school campus! Remember to report ANY extra credit activities to your PE teacher so that he or she can add the extra points into the website tracking system!

This week is also the second week of the teacher pedometer challenge. Remember to wear your pedometer EVERY day and record your steps on the 3 Point Play Pedometer Calendar. The prize is a $50 gift card to Target. Good luck and keep moving!!
 

Integrating Technology with Math

The teachers of the Rand Campus are working hard to prepare their students with the use of technology and ways of analyzing data! Mrs. McCargo’s fourth grade class decided to use the technological instruments of the computer lab to display data. The students researched healthy lifestyles and created questions on favorite healthy food choices to interview 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grade classes. After gathering data, these fourth graders generated a bar graph by hand to display the data. Mrs. Mccargo’s class then incorporated technology and fun by having her students visit http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph. The students were then able to transform bar graphs into circle graphs using their data. Look out world because these fourth graders are ready.

     On Monday, September 27, 2010, Mrs. Thompson’s first grade class was given the opportunity to “Skype” with Mr. Kent Amos, the founder of Community Academy Public Charter School. The experience was based on an in class lesson from the Core Knowledge curriculum, lesson 17 which focuses on the use of tricky words when, where, why, what and which and the use question marks. In class students had to think of a question to ask Mr. Amos that would help them find out more about him. Here are a sample of the questions that were asked.

When is your birthday?

What do you do at CAPCS?

What was your favorite subject in school?

What type of vehicle do you drive?

Objective: I will read tricky words when, where, why, what, and which. 

                I will recognize a question.

              I will ask and answer questions using when, where, why, what, and which.

This was certainly a great opportunity for the class to integrate technology into our language arts curriculum. It also gave the class a chance to research about the recent history of skype.

Sidebar conversations among students:

“Can Mr. Amos really see us?”

“Can he see our red shirts?”

“I think he has a pretty wife and she must be a teacher.”

“I need to tuck in my shirt.”

“I think he has goldfish at home.”

“I think he drives a Toyota.”

“His car says CAPCS on it and it is shiny.” “It does?, He really likes CAPCS.”

Thank you to the following:

Mr. Kent Amos

Ms. Sandy Wallace

Mrs. Dana Raphael-Daley

Mr. Kyle Williams

The third, fourth, and fifth graders all met together in one classroom to have a lesson on eating a balanced diet and practice using the Promethean Board.  This year, our school is partnering with The Aetna Foundation and Magic Johnson Enterprises to implement The 3-Point Play health and fitness program.  September is also National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, so giving a lesson on healthy eating was a great way to introduce technology and share pertinent information across all three grade levels.  Students became familiar with the functions of the Promethean Board by grouping foods into three categories - energy foods, growth foods, and healthy foods.  They used the pointer to drag names of food into the appropriate boxes.  They really enjoyed having a chance to “play” with the board, and they learned some great information about healthy food as well!

The third graders at the Rand campus have been working hard on place value, and today we decided to get more into it with some technology.  As a review of what we’ve learned so far, the students watched a Cyberchase video from Discovery Education Streaming on the Promethean Board.  In this engaging and entertaining cartoon, the Cyberchase kids helped the townspeople count large groups of golden eggs in order to save their king.  Every time the students were presented with a new problem, we stopped the video and discussed how the class would solve it, then watched to see if the Cyberchase kids did it the same or a different way.  Students used place value blocks to represent 777 golden eggs, grouped into hundreds, tens, and ones.  Check back to see how else we’re using technology in the classroom!