Bringing The World To Children's Fingertips!

Funded Jan 5, 2015

My second grade students and I are so thankful to have received the donations, which allowed for us to receive 5 laptops and one IPAD. Learning has been hands on as we explore the world through PDF files, digital math manipulatives, and videos. The excitement levels have raised and learning is more colorful as we step away from books and textbooks and into links from the Internet that extends our learning.

When I first explained to my students about the donation, they were excited and asked everyday if the computers had arrived. When we received the packages of 5 laptops and an I pad, my students asked immediately to go online and explore. After syncing the laptops to the schools internet portal, my students were so excited that they were able to go over to our closet and pull out a laptop and be able to sign onto websites to extend their learning.

It is part of basic routines each day, for students to walk over, grab a computer, and sign onto a math website in which we now use to learn. Our schools math program Go Math has ITOOLS, which includes digital tools such as base ten blocks, coins, ETC We have been currently learning how to add and subtract three digit numbers. Using the digital tools, students are visually using the program to help them add and subtract with regrouping and videos.

Once a week we teach social studies and science, in which we upload PDF files and videos for students to explore. They are paired into stations, in which they observe and jot down content that they are learning. Current websites that we have used is brainpopjr.com, Google search.com, Think central.com. I take pictures of books and upload them as PDF files, in which students read and jot what they are learning or answer questions to further their thinking.

This project has boosted the interest level of my students. At times students finish their work, and need to be challenged, with the current websites my students use, they sign on and face the challenges. The best is they are capable of exploring on they own, I rarely need to walk them through, they know how to find the websites, and follow the directions of the website.

The computers even have been used as a behavioral modification. If students complete their work I allow exploration time. If a student refuses to do his/her work, I recommend that they go on the computer websites to complete their work. This way students are engaged in learning and technology is pushed within the lesson.

Using the IPAD, Students have explored apps such as an attendance app in which they sign in to school attendance, poetry writing apps, drawing apps, story time apps. We can use the IPAD to take and upload photos, stream music, and videos.

We are so grateful to have had this opportunity. THANK YOU all for your generous donations!”

With gratitude,

Mrs. McDonald