We Are Going Global in the Classroom

Welcome Back Scholars!

My name is Mrs. Brown and I so excited to be your Technology Teacher for the 2015-2016 school year!

I absolutely love teaching Technology; it's been a passion of my for the past 21 years. This is going to be an awesome year.  You are going to be learning new skills, exploring different strategies, and discovering creative and innovative ways to use technology.

As global citizens of this world, it is our responsibility to not just know about technology, we must be able to utilize it effectively in our daily lives.  So, are you ready?

Below, you will find four essential goals that I have established for the 
2015-2016 school year:

TECHNOLOGY LEARNING GOALS:

Think: Scholars challenge themselves to think outside the box by developing innovative skills and strategies to help them learn key concepts and ideas.
Explore: Through an integrated curriculum and hands-on activities, scholars work both independently and collaborative to explore the world in which they live.
Create: Scholars utilize a variety of grade level technology tools, and devices to create multimedia projects that showcase their knowledge and understanding a a specific concept, topic, or idea.
Help others: Through class discussions, spirited debates, oral presentations, and artistic expression, scholars find interesting ways to share their knowledge with others.

To accomplish these goals, I have created seven units of study to which scholars will receive daily instructions and regular assessments:

Unit 1: Let's Talk Technology 
           Scholars in grades 2-5 identify and define various technology devices and explain how we use them in today's society.
Unit 2: Digital Citizenship in a Global Society
           Scholars understand the importance of using technology appropriately and responsibly.
Unit 3: Around the World in 180 Days
           Scholars set off on a journey of discover as they learn about different    communities, cultures, and geographic locations around the world.
Unit 4: TechKNOWLEDGEme
            Scholars use their technology skills and knowledge to complete a variety of multimedia projects.
Unit 5: Multicultural Celebration
           Scholars engage in a variety of hands-on artistic activities in preparation for our Multicultural Celebration
Unit 6: There's No Place Like Home
           Scholars prepare for Final Presentations


In addition to these units of study, scholars will reinforce key technology skills through:

• Frequent Keyboarding Drills (Typing)
• Student Reflections (Utilizing Edmodo a Social Media Resource)
• Desktop Publishing (Navigating Microsoft Applications)
• Digital Research (Internet Navigation)
• Digital Illustration (Paint Program)
• Digital Photography and Videography/iMovies (Digital camera/ Webcam)

Independent Studies: Computer Programming

This year, scholars will have the opportunity to experience the art of Computer Programming through a fun and innovative website called www.code.org

CODE.org teaches high-impact computer programming on and introductory/elementary level. 

We will us the following online resources:

www.edmodo.com
www.symbaloo.com/mix/ps36q
www.voki.com/
www.qr-code-generator.com/
www.googledocs.com
www.code.org
www.google.com/earth/


Hopefully you have gained a better understanding of what will be expected of you for the coming year. I look forward to working with you and your parents to make this a year a memorable success.

Sincerely,
Mrs. S. Satterfield-Brown,
P.S.36Q Technology Coordinator