TPACK Lesson Plans

Science Technology Lesson
Math Technology Lesson
Language Arts Lesson Plan

Video Response

This video made me extremely motivated to incorporate technology in my classroom for many different reasons. I loved the technology used in learning about spiders, and I discovered that students really can use technology at such an early age. I loved that the students were using technology as a way to collaborate with students from a class in a different state! This was a useful integration of technology because students were able to learn about spiders in a different place than they lived, and they were also able to use technology that will be extremely useful to them throughout their lives, such as the internet and email. It would also be extremely fun for students to take their own pictures of spiders and share them with their classmates.
I also loved the technology that was incorporated into the kindergarten classroom. I was pleasantly surprised to see that even kindergartners can grasp technology and successfully use it. I liked that each classmate helped to create a slideshow. I think it would be very fulfilling for students to take part in a story and then to see the final product as a class. It was interesting for me to discover that many students can come into a class with no computer skills and develop into being able to draw on a computer the way they draw on paper! Students would definitely be actively involved in this type of activity!
In the final video, I liked that the teacher taught the students to use the technology themselves and wouldn’t do it for them. This is beneficial for students, because we live in a day in age where computer skills are absolutely necessary. To get a grasp on simple technologies is beneficial for students at even the youngest of ages!

Initial Observations of Technology

Since I have been at Southland Elementary, I haven't seen any technology integrated into the classroom. It doesn't seem that the students have access to much technology in the classroom or even in the school. The school is equipped with a computer lab, but I haven't seen much use of that since I have been at the school. The teacher I am observing has a personal laptop that she uses to take attendance and keep track of grades, but there isn't much technology that is being used with the students. The school has a computer lab that the students have access to as a class if it is needed in addition to their regular class time, but I haven't seen my teacher take advantage of that. Overall, I haven't seen any uses of technology in classroom instruction.

I have completed the Classroom Technology Inventory, the Midcourse Evaluation, and the Consent Form.