Excel documents don't only have to be used for money and for the organization of people's information, rather, they can be used even in a second grade classroom. I was reading about a second grade teacher in which she implemented an excel spreadsheet to compare and analyze pumpkins in her classroom. She had the students predict the weight of the pumpkins, weigh the pumpkin, predict the number of seeds, then gut the pumpkin and actually count the number of pumpkins seeds all of which were placed in the spreadsheet showing the relationships between the numbers. She had each student do a different part of the activity, whether it was weighing or counting the seeds, and each was in charge of inputting that data within the section of the spreadsheet.
I would definitely use this in my classroom either to do the same project or perhaps to show how many leaves fell during a week of school, how many kids eat hot lunch in a week etc. I think at first to make it easier for the students I would do a few excel spreadsheets on the board, then on the computer with them, and slowly allow the students to do their own excel, using data that they choose. It is really easy to change this lesson plan for different age groups and I would highly recommend this to any teacher to use in their class.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Smartboard in Education
The Smartboard is one of the best teaching tools available and there is so much more you can actually do with it. The Smartboard is and interactive, white board like device that allows you to project movies, articles, websites and provides hands-on learning experience.
As a future elementary school teacher, I will use the Smartboard in daily activities from writing and math problems, to watching movies and displaying a PowerPoint presentation that you can write on directly using the provided digital markers/keyboard. One, thing that I have recently seen the Smartboard being used for, is as a breakfast activity in an elementary classroom. In the Boise school district it is now a priority to have the students eat breakfast in the classroom, which honestly takes time from the learning experience. So, Mrs. Poste, at Horizon Elementary school, implements learning activities that the students can interact with while eating. For one activity she would have a little reading bear up on the screen in which he would interact with the students and talk about weather, colors etc. Also, this bear would read sentences to the students and would highlight the words to provide visual and auditory stimulants, which enhanced the students intake of information.
I will hopefully have the opportunity to use a smartboard in my future classroom, and if it is not available I am definitely going to write a grant to see if I could have one given to my class!
As a future elementary school teacher, I will use the Smartboard in daily activities from writing and math problems, to watching movies and displaying a PowerPoint presentation that you can write on directly using the provided digital markers/keyboard. One, thing that I have recently seen the Smartboard being used for, is as a breakfast activity in an elementary classroom. In the Boise school district it is now a priority to have the students eat breakfast in the classroom, which honestly takes time from the learning experience. So, Mrs. Poste, at Horizon Elementary school, implements learning activities that the students can interact with while eating. For one activity she would have a little reading bear up on the screen in which he would interact with the students and talk about weather, colors etc. Also, this bear would read sentences to the students and would highlight the words to provide visual and auditory stimulants, which enhanced the students intake of information.
I will hopefully have the opportunity to use a smartboard in my future classroom, and if it is not available I am definitely going to write a grant to see if I could have one given to my class!
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