Wichita State University

Curriculum and Instruction (CI 780C) (2)

Computers and Young Children

Summer 2002

8:00 a.m. – 12 p.m.
June 24-July 3

 

Sequence of Activities

 

Introductions (Take Pictures with Digital Cameras)

  • Name
  • Educational Background
  • Work Experience
  • Technology Experience

 

Brainstorm list of all technologies that we can think of.

  • Demonstrate Excel—add the totals, make graphs.
  • Record responses in Excel projecting onto, but not “using” the SmartBoard.

Classroom inventory—what is available in your classroom?

 

Introduction to the Computers

  • Demonstrate how to take out of the cart, open, and turn on the Dells and then the iBooks.
  • Demonstrate how to insert, open, close, and eject a CD.
  • Have students get the computers out and ready to use.

 

KidPix

  • Install KidPix
  • Watch Demo of KidPix—1 or 2 tools at a time
  • Explore KidPix

 

ENTERPRISE

·        Explain local and server saves

·        Locate ENTERPRISE server.

·        Download Tech Group onto Desktop

·        Find Early Childhood folder

·        Locate personal folder

·        Locate image folder where all photos of students are housed.

 

KidPix

  • Demonstrate making a slide from the picture of themselves.
  • Create a sound file telling who they are.
  • Create slides of all the other students, adding a “sound” statement about each.
  • Create a slide show.
  • Save to personal folder on ENTERPRISE
  • Show the slide shows.

 

KidPix

  • Read a Story (Very Hungry Caterpillar)
  • Have students tell you their favorite part.
  • Illustrate one to avoid duplication. 
  • Save all the files. 
  • Make the slide show in the wrong order. 
  • Demonstrate how to change the order.

 

Review of EC Software: Living Books

  • Tour a living book—each student a separate one.

·        Each student presents their living book to the class: use and skills of each

  • Students in the class make a Word document of theme titles for each of the books.
  • From the package:
    • What did you like?
    • What didn’t you like?

 

Software Review

  • Review several pieces of software.
  • What did you like and/or not like about the software?
  • Locate software review online for some of the pieces of software you examined.
  • Did they agree or disagree with what you thought?

 

Software Review

  • Locate the software review for one piece of software
  • Print it out.
  • Spend 10 minutes with the software.
  • Rotate every 10 minutes through a total of 6 pieces of software, each time reading the review first.
  • Discuss those you like and don’t prefer and why

 

Integrating technology into thematic instruction.

  • NAEYC statement.
  • ISTE’s profile.

Integrated Unit Samples

  • Very Hungry Caterpillar (Witherspoon, et.al.)
  • One Unit from New ISTE Book—in press (Carroll, Kelly, Witherspoon)

 

Designing a technology-integrated unit.

  • Start with the content—a regular unit
  • Add activities associated with productivity software (KidPix, Kidspiration)
  • Locate content specific software
    • Search the software catalog for PreK-2 software titles that might fit with the unit.
  • Locate appropriate Internet sites for young children.
    • How do you determine appropriateness
      • Content—age and stage appropriate in content, academic skills, and tech skills
      • Navigation
      • Visual appeal (pictures)
      • Ease

 

Searching the Internet

  • Internet Safety
  • Filters
  • Need to Train Kids

 

Challenge:  Hunt for sites suitable for young children on a topic related to your picture topics. Hint: Use kid friendly search engines.

  • http://www.KidsClick.com
  • http://www.Yahooligans.com

 

Extensive review of Reader Rabbit Math—1 hour

  • Find out everything about it that you can.  (Include software review and publisher’s comments).
  • Share findings.

 

Demonstration of the Roamer.

  • Experiment with the Roamer.
  • Plan a wedding.
  • Rehearsal
  • Wedding

 

Talk about a unit.  What does it usually have?  How can tech be added? 

 

Assignment

  • Select a unit topic—write a rationale for selecting that topic.
  • Take a set of 24 photos—have them developed and burned onto a CD.
  • Look up children’s books online using Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com)
  • Locate at least 2 Web sites appropriate for teachers of young children.
  • Locate at least 2 Web sites appropriate for young children.

 

Photos

  • Demonstrate Graphic Converter—automatic, automated slide shop for MACs
    • Graphic Converter Download (http://lemkesoft.com/us_index.html)
  • Demonstrate PowerPoint
  • Demonstrate how to insert photos into PowerPoint.
  • Make a slide show.

 

Photo Search

·       Microsoft Design Gallery Live   (http://Dgl.microsoft.com)

·       Pics4Learning   (http://www.pics4learning.com)

·       Teacher’s Guide Clipart   (http://www.theteachersguide.com/Freebies.html)

·       Yahoo Photo Gallery   (http://gallery.yahoo.com/)

·       Discovery School Clipart   (http://school.discovery.com/clipart)

 

Kidspiration

  • Load trial CDs into computers or download free trial copy.
  • Explore Kidspiration webbing and writing sections.
  • Explore Teacher Activities already created—locate some appropriate for your topic.
  • Demonstrate how to create a teacher activity
  • Create a teacher activity and save it to the student’s folder on the server.

 

Free Software

  • Download free software

·        Edmark Free Downloads

·        Kids Domain Free Downloads

·        KidSpiration Free Trial

 

Slide Shows

  • Work on slide shows
  • Demonstrate saving slide show to HTML and posting online.

 

Photo Gallery

  • Demonstrate how to use their pictures and upload them to photo gallery in FrontPage.