Chromebooks in the K-2 Classroom?

YES!

Students at Underhill School have a new tool for learning - chromebooks!
Our mobile cart holds enough chromebooks to provide every student in a class with their own educational device. Chromebooks are practically made for our youngest students, and in her blog post on Daily Genius, titled "Technology, Learning, and Chromebooks in the Elementary Classroom" Avra Robinson explains why it is so important to include K-2 students when providing technology tools: 

"Providing access to more than just apps, Google Chromebooks are the perfect tool to build the foundation for technology success in young students. Throughout my years as a K-8 technology teacher & coordinator, many people have asked me what Kindergartners, first graders, and second graders might truly do with computers in the classroom. As students reach the intermediate grade levels, it is easier for people to imagine what they will do with technology. They will utilize word processors to write essays; they will construct videos to demonstrate knowledge; they will work within a spreadsheet to collect and analyze data. But our little people in kindergarten, first, and second grade are often overlooked when it comes to 1:1 technology, or tablet devices are often seen as the only option.

Many people fear that computer usage in the early elementary years consists of just “playing games” and want to limit the “screen time.” However, it has been my experience that technology is no different from reading, writing, and math. There are building blocks and foundations that need to be constructed in order for students to become capable, efficient, and effective users of technology.

Young children are sponges. They come to life with the use of technological tools. They easily adopt new technologies as quickly as toddlers develop language skills. Their inhibitions are low, and their interest is high. So when the question of 'What purpose would Chromebooks serve in the Kindergarten, first, or second grade classroom?' is asked, the answer is easy. They’ll use it as another tool for learning."

Take a moment to read the entire post here:

technology-learning-and-chromebooks-in-the-elementary-classroom/

What ideas do you have for how your students can use chromebooks in the classroom?  

Leave a comment and let us know!

Hour of Code

On December 14th and December 16th, Underhill School first and second graders will have the opportunity to explore coding with the support of Mrs. Overmeyer, Mrs. Tremblay, 
Mrs. Landsman and Mrs. Heuer. 

We are excited to be joining the "Hour of Code" Community!

For more information, check out code.org   

The following is excerpted from code.org:

 What is the Hour of Code?

The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics. 

Who is behind the Hour of Code?

The Hour of Code is organized by Code.org, a public 501c3 non-profit dedicated to expanding participation in computer science by making it available in more schools, and increasing participation by women and underrepresented students of color. An unprecedented coalition of partners have come together to support the Hour of Code, too — including Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the College Board.

How much can one learn in an hour?

The goal of the Hour of Code is not to teach anybody to become an expert computer scientist in one hour. One hour is only enough to learn that computer science is fun and creative, that it is accessible at all ages, for all students, regardless of background. The measure of success of this campaign is not in how much CS students learn - the success is reflected in broad participation across gender and ethnic and socioeconomic groups, and the resulting increase in enrollment and participation we see in CS courses at all grade levels. Millions of the participating teachers and students have decided to go beyond one hour - to learn for a whole day or a whole week or longer, and many students have decided to enroll in a whole course (or even a college major) as a result.

Besides the students, another "learner" is the educator who gains the confidence after one hour that they can teach computer science even though they may not have a college degree as a computer scientist. Tens of thousands of teachers decide to pursue computer science further, either attending PD or offering follow-on online courses, or both. And this applies to school administrators too, who realize that computer science is something their students want and their teachers are capable of. 

Above all, what all participants can learn in an hour is that we can do this.

Kahoot!

Okay, so I have come across a great tech tool and I want to share it with EVERYONE! 

I could tell you about it, but Richard Byrne did a great job explaining KAHOOT in his most recent blogpost from Practical Ed Tech:

"Kahoot! is currently my favorite tool for creating and playing quiz games. I’ve yet to show it to a group of teachers who didn’t like it. And, more importantly, kids love playing Kahoot games! Kahoot provides a fun way to gather feedback from a group through their phones, iPads, Chromebooks, or any other device that has a web browser and an Internet connection. You can include pictures and or videos as part of each question that you create and share in a Kahoot activity. Players are awarded points for answering correctly and quickly. Kahoot makes it easy for teachers to create review games."

The best thing about Kahoot! is that it is easy for even our youngest students to use (color and shape coded answer buttons - see image above), and most importantly - it is fun and engaging (even for the grownups)! It is a quick way to assess learning, find out what students already know, or take a survey. Instant visual feedback makes responses immediately available, and students can see how graphs are a meaningful way to measure information.

Interested?  

Take a look at the screenshots below. 

When you are ready to learn more, go to the 

website and check it out - for FREE!

Kahoot! https://getkahoot.com

More information about Kahoot!

Why Kahoot is one of my favorite classroom tools

Basic Tutorial on using Kahoot! (Youtube)

Review of Kahoot! from Graphite (Commonsense Media)

I would welcome the opportunity to Kahoot! with your class! 
Let me know if you would like assistance.

All images are from kahoot.com

Why Kids Read

These kids were asked why they read...and their answers are
magical. 


Click here to watch:              Why Kids Read

"I like to read ENDLESSLY. I don't like to stop."

"I read whenever I can. I read in the car - I'm not supposed to because supposedly it affects your eyes. But I eat a lot of carrots, so that's my justification."

Summer Professional Reading

One of the perks of summertime is the chance to catch up on professional reading. I follow several people on their educational blogs, through twitter, and rss feeds. This reading recommendation came up recently via Edutopia on Facebook.  

Something Digital 

Ross Cooper

Supervisor of Instructional Practice K-12, Salisbury Township School District

I have to admit that I was hesitant to read Digital Leadership by Eric Sheninger, as the word "fluff" is what usually comes to mind when I think of books related to educational technology. To find the most current information, it would seem more practical to search blogs, website articles, Twitter, etc. Nevertheless, this book is anything but fluff, and it certainly is up to date. Sheninger, a former high school principal who has emerged as a thought leader in this age of digital leadership, has written a book that can serve as inspiration and an effective starting point for administrators and/or teachers who have realized that they must either infuse their practice with more progressive techniques, or entirely revamp their work to provide students with more contemporary and relevant learning experiences. Sheninger's work is valuable because he writes with a tone that is confident, passionate, and convincing. After reading this book, it would be difficult for anyone to argue, "He's completely wrong," or "This wouldn't work in our district.

Check out more professional reading recommendations from Edutopia.

Ross Cooper

Supervisor of Instructional Practice K-12, Salisbury Township School District

FOLLOW:

https://www.facebook.com/RossCoops31https://twitter.com/RossCoops31https://plus.google.com/+RossCooperEducation/postshttp://www.youtube.com/c/RossCooperEducationhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/rosscoops31

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Summertime...and the Reading is Easy

What does summertime reading look like for you?
Does it conjure up an image of reclining in a lounge chair with a stack of books just waiting to be enjoyed? Are you swinging gently in a hammock and falling into a doze with a book open to the last sentence read? Are you one of those lucky people who can read in a car for hours and not feel even slightly nauseous? Perhaps you plan to sit in a favorite chair with an ice cold drink, a snack and a book that you have time to read cover to cover.

Reading in the summertime is different than any other time of year. We give ourselves permission to read those "light" books (romance? zombies? the next in a series?) that we feel guilty spending time on during the school year. We have time to think about what we are reading, and some of us can't imagine sitting on the beach or next to a pool without a book ready to open.  Rereading a perennial favorite is always a nice way to slide back to a different time and place with an old friend.

Maybe some of us will choose to finally read a classic that has been on our list for years. If you are in a book club of any kind, summertime reading is when everyone shares their personal favorites and begin to think about next year's list. Some people take the opportunity to look at the "Top Ten" lists and choose something completely different.

Whatever summertime reading looks like for you, I hope you find the right place, enough time and a well-written book to take you away for a moment or two (or five).  We tell children to "read, read, read" all summer long; now is our chance to do the same. Here are some links that might help you along the way:

Gibson's Bookstore in Concord Staff Favorites List

NY Times Cool Books for Hot Days

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading List

Real Simple Summer Reading List

Oprah's (yes, Oprah) Book List

Let us know what YOU are planning to read in the COMMENTS section below!

Libraries in the Internet Age

I love the people at Common Craft. I follow their blog to keep up with what is new and trending in a variety of areas: economics, technology, social media and more. The best part is their "explainer videos" and despite the fact that they look simple, they really help you grasp big concepts. This one, of course, is near and dear to me. Please take a moment to check it out! Common Craft Blog Posted: 31 Mar 2015 10:10 AM PDT Click here to view our  New Video: Libraries in the Internet Age We’ve released a new video and it’s not an explanation of hot new technology. In fact, it’s easy to assume that this subject hasn't changed in 100 years. Our new video is about libraries, and specifically, how they have evolved in the Internet Age.  Many of our wonderful supporters are libraries and librarians. In talking with them, we discovered that one of the biggest challenges they face is one of perception.  To many, libraries are relics. In the age of Google, Amazon and Wikipedia it’s easy to think that libraries haven’t changed; that they are from a by-gone era. But the truth is, they have evolved and this video explains how and why. It teaches: Why information is the real focus of every library How the Internet has impacted libraries Why more information isn’t always better How libraries and librarians help us navigate information What you are likely to find in libraries today Did you watch it?  What do you think?   Post a comment and share your thoughts!