Technology Memo #8

1. Paperless Classroom Tips – This is a new feature of the Technology Memo. Each week I will highlight a tip or website that can help you save paper. The goals will be to increase learning by using more technology and less paper and pencil activities, saving paper, saving time, and maximizing resources. These tips can be found on my blog.

Paperless Classroom Tip #1 – H Drives – Student H drives are a great way to save work without printing anything. All students have an H drive that you can access from anywhere on the Irving ISD network. See attachment for help.

2. Technology TEKS – Did you know that there are technology TEKS? Sweet, more TEKS! Take a look here. Did you know that K-2 student must “use proper keyboarding techniques such as correct hand and body positions and smooth and rhythmic keystroke patterns as grade-level appropriate”? And that 3-5 students must “use interactive technology environments, such as simulations, electronic science or mathematics laboratories, virtual museum field trips, or on-line interactive lessons, to manipulate information”?Mr. Westerdale and Ms. Prestwood will assist me in determining whether your students type in a rhythmic manner. Take a look and see what you’ve already done. What does your class need help with?

3. Technology Checklist – Here is a list of things that your should have done by now according to grade level. If your class has not done one of these lessons or it is not scheduled for this week, please contact me immediately to set this up. These are only the most basic lessons that your class should have done. E-mail me for any other idea that you would like to do in your classroom.

Kindergarten – □ Lab Rules & □ Learning.com

1^st Grade – □ Lab Rules & □ Learning.com

2^nd Grade – □ Lab Rules, □ Learning.com, □ Math Games, & □ Tumble Books

3^rd Grade – □ Lab Rules, □ Learning.com, & □ Online Predators

4^th Grade – □ Lab Rules, □ Learning.com, & □ Online Predators

5^th Grade – □ Lab Rules, □ Learning.com, & □ Online Predators

4. TEKS Checks Trouble Shooting – Make sure to follow the attached directions when creating TEKS Checks. There is an important direction in there that says you must first click on “Elementary Diagnostic” before you right-click on it. This ensures that all TEKS Checks end up in the correct category. 2^nd -4^th Grade must enter TEKS Checks in “Homeroom.”

5. Website of the Week – Starfall.com – I used the Learn to Read section of this website to practice beginning of the word sounds with one of Ms. Smith’s kindergarteners during one of their lab sessions. The games isolated the sound of the first letter from the rest of the word. I’m no kindergarten expert, but that seemed really helpful. There are many other games like this for emergent readers and students who are already reading. This page is on the Elliott student links page for reading/language arts and the Irving ISD elementary student page.

6. Technology Tip – Use my blog. Have you missed a Memo? Have you deleted a Memo without reading when you were supposed to? Go to my blog to see what you missed. You can also access the staff development links from there. I am also posting my paperless classroom tips there.