Elementary Computer Lab Activities

Hi everyone! I'm a 4th grade teacher and have had several discussions with colleagues about what they have their elementary school students do while in computer lab. We've exhausted PowerPoint and programs like Type to Learn and some other programs that tie into our textbooks. Does anyone have any ideas that are tried and true when they are in the computer lab? Even a new take on KidPix would be appreciated. Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Bradley Dutchcot on February 2, 2012 at 1:23pm

I am an Elementary Technology teacher and one of the things I do with KidPix is to have the students draw a picture on a topic then export this picture from KidPix as a .jpg file. Then we insert the picture into Word and write an essay about our picture. In the fall I had students draw a monster and write a scary story for Halloween and now I'm trying to relate to what the different classes are learning.

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Permalink Reply by Kate Miller on February 5, 2012 at 2:50pm

Thanks Bradley- I know some of our classes have read novels and created scenes from "Charlotte's Web" and other books.

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Permalink Reply by Wesley Emlet on February 7, 2012 at 6:11pm

Hi Kate!

Something I do with my class is use our schools network and place differentiated "reading group folders"on my students' drive that they need to accomplish. There is a plethora of web resources available for every almost every subject taught in elementary school so completing a quick search for an interactive activity and then bookmarking it into their appropriate reading group folder allows for easy differentiation and fun activities for the kids!

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Casal on February 8, 2012 at 6:52am

I use PowerPoint and Keynote to do research projects in 4th & 5th grade (Word with 2nd & 3rd). Single topic, guided research via Google, note taking, turning notes into presentations with pictures, animations, etc

We've turned them in to movies and post them here:

http://mrcasal.wikispaces.com/Student+Work

(those pages are in constant flux, forgive the empty spaces)