Exemplary Ideas

Catch a glimpse of some of the best ideas for using technology to enhance reading, math and more.

Look at each of the topics at left to explore...

Support Reading

Starfall.com is one of the bests literacy sites on the internet, and a great example of universally designed text.

• Audio support
  ◦ Text highlighting
  ◦ Image support
  ◦ Well-crafted text
  ◦ Student control

Visit My Reading Pages for More

Support Mathmatical Thinking

Digital environments for math can provide high levels of structure and support, as needed. Look for a clean, simple interactive interface that gives students and teachers control over the direction and focus of the activity.

What Works:

• Interactive Environment
  ◦ Flexible Options
  ◦ Simple Interface
  ◦ Clear Objectives
  ◦ Student Control

Visit My Math Pages for More

Do Research

Digital environments are great for research because they allow quick access to information as well as the ability to focus and organize materials in flexible and meaningful ways.

• Outline with prompts & color
  ◦ Add ‘kids,’ ‘learn,’ etc. to Google search
  ◦ Use kid-friendly start pages
  ◦ Cite sources!

Make a Book

Publishing projects enhance student engagement and effort because students understand they are working for an authentic audience. Digital photos provide a quick, high quality way to add visual meaning to a text.

Learn Geography

The amount of information at our finger tips is beyond belief - We’re able to recognize the mud-brick compounds where our friends live in a remote village in West Africa. We can find our own backyard. There’s no longer an excuse for not integrating geography into every lesson we teach!

What Works:

• Google Earth (free)
  ◦ Smart Board
  ◦ Google Maps
  ◦ Screen Shots
  ◦ Good Questions

Example: Start a Blog

Blogs are another way to publish for an authentic audience - whether it’s for the class, the families, the community or our colleagues.

What Works:

• Set up a free blog
  ◦ Assign a daily writer
  ◦ Share ideas, images & more
  ◦ Document a special project
  ◦ Share info with families

Visit my blogging and podcasting pages to learn more about how these web 2.0 tools can enhance learning experiences.