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Technology Integrated Unit 1st Grade Computer Center Overview For a combined Language Arts and Mathematics Winter Project, Ms. Brooks’ 1st grade class is going to ask the community and parents to assist them in setting up a computer center in their classroom. There is a computer lab in the school; however it is often over-crowded and over-booked. The children feel if they can have a computer center in their classroom along with corresponding educational software programs, they will learn and improve their Language Art and Mathematics skills. In addition to improving these skills, they will have the opportunity to learn new skills through the utilization of various forms of technology. These skills combined will be a great asset to their ongoing education and lifetime learning environment. |
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Language Arts The students are going to brainstorm together, and then dictate to me their suggestions in order to create an “idea tree”. This activity will be done in order to obtain and record ideas of how to go about their Winter Computer Center goal. In order to integrate technology within this lesson, I will use my laptop computer, which has Microsoft Office software, in the classroom with the students. The students and I will create the text and art to make an “idea tree” by utilizing MS Word and Paint programs to organize their brainstorming ideas.
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TEKS - Language Arts (1.1) Listening/speaking/purposes. The student listens attentively and engages actively in a variety of oral language experiences. The student is expected to (B) participate in rhymes, songs, conversations, and discussions. (C) participate in rhymes, songs, conversations, and discussions TEKS - Technology (7) Solving problems. The student uses appropriate computer-based productivity tools to create and modify solutions to problems. (B) The student is expected to use appropriate software, including the use of word processing and multimedia, to express ideas and solve problems. (9) Solving problems. The student uses technology applications to facilitate evaluation of work, both process and product. |
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Language Arts The students will organize into five groups and discuss their choices of the project section they would like to work on, for example research, classroom space organization, ways to obtain donations of equipment, software, and training, etc. Once each group is organized and ready they will create a poster indicating their goal objectives and members. I will then model the use of a digital camera and take pictures of each group in the class. The students will be allowed to take pictures of computer equipment in the school computer lab and a “before” picture of the classroom. The students will be creating group portfolios to display all of their hard work for this project and these pictures will become a part of their portfolios. |
TEKS - Language
(1.3)
Listening/speaking/audiences/oral grammar. The student speaks
appropriately to different audiences for different purposes and
occasions. (B) The student is expected to use verbal and nonverbal
communication in effective ways such as in making announcements, giving
directions, or making introductions; (C) ask and answer relevant
questions and make contributions in small or TEKS - Technology (2) Foundations. The student uses data input skills appropriate to the task. (A) The student is expected to use a variety of input devices such as mouse, keyboard, disk drive, modem, voice/sound recorder, scanner, digital video, CD-ROM, or touch screen. |
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Mathematics The students are going to estimate and then measure the classroom centers and furniture in order to determine where a computer center will work in the classroom. These estimates and actual measurements may be recorded in MS Excel in order to create either a percentage scale of available space or a pie chart indicating actual classroom space currently being utilized. The students can also use MS Paint in order to draw a diagram using various geometric shapes to indicate their classroom “blueprints”. They can then save these to a floppy disk and later use the computer lab printer to have a copy for the group’s project portfolio.
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TEKS -Mathematics (1.7) Measurement. The student uses nonstandard units to describe length, weight, and capacity. (A) The student is expected to estimate and measure length, capacity, and weight of objects using nonstandard units; and (B) describe the relationship between the size of the unit and the number of units needed in a measurement. TEKS - Technology (7) Solving problems. The student uses appropriate computer-based productivity tools to create and modify solutions to problems. (A) The student is expected to use software programs with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning experiences; and (B) use appropriate software, including the use of word processing and multimedia, to express ideas and solve problems. |
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Mathematics The students will then estimate the different prices of various technology equipment and software in order to better understand the concept of costs of goods and services. They will then research technology marketing materials to determine if their estimates were correct. The students will then learn the different concepts of budgeting by re-evaluating what they can realistically request. They will then predict who might be able to donate which technology products to be placed in their center, for example-“Would a business or family member be better able to donate computer hardware?” or “Who do you think could donate an educational software product, a business or individual?”
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TEKS - Mathematics (1.4) Patterns, relationships, and algebraic thinking. The student uses patterns to make predictions. (A) The student is expected to identify, describe, and extend concrete and pictorial patterns in order to make predictions and solve problems. TEKS - Technology (4) Information acquisition. The student uses a variety of strategies to acquire information from electronic resources, with appropriate supervision. (A) The student is expected apply keyword searches to acquire information; (B) select appropriate strategies to navigate and access information for research and resource sharing. (6)Information acquisition. The student evaluates the acquired electronic information. (B) The student is expected to determine the usefulness and appropriateness of digital information. |
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Language Arts The students will start discussing ideas about the best way to obtain these donations. One option for the children to choose from is to write letters and later transfer them to a MS Word document. If they would like to learn about creating a webpage in order to graphically display their “ideal” computer center, my assistance with MS FrontPage would be another technology option through the utilization of the school’s computer lab. They might incorporate this web page address in their letters to various businesses and parents. |
TEKS - Language Arts (1.18) Writing/purposes. The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes and in a variety of forms. (F) The student is expected to write in different forms for different purposes such as lists to record, letters to invite or thank, and stories or poems to entertain. (1.19) Writing/writing processes. The student selects and uses writing processes to compose original text. (E) The student is expected to use available technology to compose text (K-3). TEKS - Technology (2) Foundations. The student uses data input skills appropriate to the task. (D) The student is expected to produce documents at the keyboard, proofread, and correct errors. |
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Technology Software The software that will be utilized by both Ms. Brooks and the students during the above activities are MS Word, MS Paint, MS Excel, and possibly MS FrontPage depending upon time and the students’ developing skills. The students have also been working with an educational software program available in the school computer lab entitled Larson’s Elementary Math which allows for exploration, games, and guided practice with such topics as sorting, counting, measuring, classifying and time. This software has provided learning guidelines with which to complete their mathematics activities for this Winter Project. |
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Internet Resources The students will be researching computer hardware and software availability and prices at www.computer-show.com, www.dealsdepot.com, and www.epinions.com. They will choose a site and find the various hardware or software which they have already estimated a price for and see if their estimations come close in accuracy. The students will be able to go to www.epinions.com/Reference_Education-Early_Childhood and look at photos of learning software, click on them and find out what they can teach them, as well as see the number of stars each software package has been given by reviewers, and the software price. This will allow the students to learn about the Internet as a research source as well as give them choices in the materials they might like to learn from. The students will always be monitored while on the Internet at school and all parents are routinely encouraged to monitor their children’s computer use at home where applicable. |
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Technology Peripherals Technology peripherals being used by Ms. Brooks and the students in order to broaden the learning skills during these activities are a Dell Laptop, digital camera, and HP printer. With the parents permission the children will be video-taped during certain project times in order to insert short clips into the pending classroom website. |
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Classroom Technology Applications The learning activities designed by Ms. Brooks and shared by both students and herself incorporate technology as a business resource, as a subject, and as lesson support. Ms. Brooks is utilizing technology as a business resource in order to type and organize the activities and their assessments through various software products. The students have the opportunity to learn technology skills as a subject through their use of educational software as well as learning simple basics of MS Word, Paint, and Excel in a small group format. Ms. Brooks and the students both benefit from being able to incorporate technology as lesson support in the various language and mathematics activities that are part of the Winter Computer Project. The benefits of mastering the use of these various technologies will have an impact on both the children’s future as well as Ms. Brooks’. It allows everyone access to a better and more resourceful education in order to step into the Information Age of this century. |
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21st Century Skills These students while participating in all of these activities will have access to ‘21st Century Learning’ skills in Inventive Thinking, Effective Communication, and High Productivity. The children will use their natural curiosity and creativity in order to come up with ideas for their Computer Center. Their desire for this Center encourages each student to self-direct and manage themselves while also utilizing effective communication skills of teaming, collaboration, and interpersonal skills while working in their groups. The results of the various groups’ interactive communication will lead to the students prioritizing, planning and managing for results in order to obtain their desired goal. The benefit of technology being integrated into this unit at each “teachable opportunity” allows the students access to effectively learn the skills needed for “real-world tools”. The end result of their participation being the children’s capability to produce their desired products in order to obtain their united goal of a Computer Center for their classroom. |
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Lesson Adaptations In order to provide an opportunity for special needs students to input information into the computer, the Kensington Trackball is available in the computer lab along with an alternative keyboard. There are also translated and more simply worded instructions to make it easier for students of all grade levels to use the alternative Accessibility Options in MS Word as well as the AutoCorrect directory for any student who will need to take advantage of these programs. These options will allow the students who need these features the opportunity to assist in creating letters or lists of ideas during the activities where needed. The activities can be modified by either increasing the time given to each subject or technology aspect of the activity or become more challenging by letting students who have already mastered certain skills to be “teacher’s helpers” in certain technology areas. The students are also allowed to ask their 2nd grade computer “buddy” to help them with various technology lessons. This will help both grade levels to master the skills either by teaching a “buddy” or receiving extra instruction from a “buddy” while in the computer lab. These adaptations give each student the assistance needed during the activities or the opportunity to share advanced technology or subject skills already obtained. |
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Technology Availability/Non-Technology Alternatives In the event Ms. Brooks’ laptop would be the primary technology available, the students will be able to create their “idea tree” on the chalkboard as well as be allowed to draw them using their art center materials. The students will still have the opportunity to book limited time in the computer lab, but on those occasions when it is overbooked the students may use a group journal for their ideas and record keeping. Hand-drawn illustrations will also be used in the event there is not the proper time for learning the basics of MS Paint in order to do their “classroom blueprints”. Basic shape patterns will still be used to reflect different centers and class furniture, and hand-drawn charts will be used to reflect room space and availability. Photographs can still be taken using a non-digital camera and placed in group folders. All of these non-technology products can be bound into group books to use as group portfolios. The ideal classroom would have not only computers, but a variety of software to help students on every learning level improve and expand their knowledge, thinking, and creative curiosity. There would be one color printer (password protected) for special projects at a group level. A digital camera would be available for the children to learn the use of and be able to incorporate digital pictures into their computer portfolios. Overall, the ideal school would be maintained by administrators and legislators who would realize that children at every learning level should be learning 21st Century Skills and funding made available accordingly. Otherwise, they are not only depriving students of their life skills but jeopardizing everyone’s future because these students will not be able to carry the current technology into the next century, much less advance it. |
