Hi Amber - thanks for the invite!

Hey Amber, ooh dear I'm very disorganized! But I'll try to answer your questions.
I do try to have each grade level complete the same activities each week. Usually find that by the time the 3rd class starts the activity, it has changed quite a bit from the original. I find that google docs are the easiest way for me to keep records, I can have it open on my computer, change, update and add whenever I need and still have all the previous versions at hand both in school and at home I can also share with other teachers without having to send mail back and forth. Hope that's been of some help and good luck with the job. susan

Hi!

Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you...things have been so busy! I'm sure with holidays coming up I won't see a break for a while...

This is my first year teaching computers/technology so most of what I've been doing in class has been pieced together. The trend I notice from week to week is that I have sort of a general focus for all the kids whether it is a specific computer or Internet skill or a curricular connection. Then, I create different lessons and activities based on the age group.

For example, at Halloween time, I did a two week unit on digital stories. The upper elementary kids searched for public domain sotries or poems, the lower elementary and kindergarten illustrated the stories on the computer, and the junior high kids are working on putting it all together to publish online at our school website.

It's not always that structured or tied together, though. It may be that all grades are working on using a word processsor or Google documents, just at the appropriate level for their age group. I enjoy having some commonality between classes because it gives the kids a sense of purpose and me a clear direction of where to go.

So, I guess I do prepare separate lessons for different grades. I've found that K-2 can generally work on the same material as long as you make modifications for each class. 4-6 and 7-8 work the same way. Three major lesson plans and then tweaking and modifying for each class depending on ability!

I do hope this helps. Please feel free to ask more questions; hopefully I'll respond more quickly next time!

Rebecca Foley

Hi Amber, I received mail that you had added a comment to my post about multicultural holiday greetings - but can't find the comment :-( Susan

Hi Amber, thanks for getting back to me. First of all hope you had a great first day!
As to the project - no pressure , if you can swing it that'll be fantastic, if not - I'm sure there will be other opportunities to collaborate.

BTW the thing I like about Voicethread is that there are so many different ways to contribute, those who don't have a microphone can doodle,type or even phone messages in.
Once again, hoping you enjoy the new job
Susan

Amber, email me and let's set something up for some kind of collaboration!

Hmmm, haven't gotten it. Will have to dig around to see if it got buried somewhere. I'll let you know if I don't find it - may have to change my contact form?

Hi Amber, We get to Mobile once in awhile. Perhaps we can get together sometime and share some ideas. Thanks for your help with the keyboarding and the invite to join K-8 Computer Lab Teachers.

** sigh ** Yes, a Smart board would be nice. You work with what you have. :) My projector is working nicely right now. Thanks for the pics.

Thanks Amber.

I notice you have a word wall in your computer lab. Do you have specific activities you do with this or do you just add the words as you introduce activities or is it just set up like in the picture at the beginning of the year?

And I love the keyboard on the wall! I'm trying to decide what to do on the walls in our lab for next year and I like what you've done. I'm trying to figure out some way to easily be able to add and take down class work. Since I either have whiteboards (which are not easily viewable from all computer work stations) or walls like the one you have your "keyboard" on I haven't figured out anything that I like so far.

Thanks for the information. I added some pictures of our lab that I took today. What's on the walls and on part of the white board isn't what's normally there. We are currently working on art related projects so there are art posters up right now. Normally on the wall are just some computer related items - I think you have some of the same ones on one of your walls.

The globe picture is the current desktop in the lab. I create a new desktop image every month. This month is the earth for Earth Day.

Hi Amber...
A while back, you mentioned changing your toolbars to have larger icons. I thought that was a great idea but I can't figure out how... I have Word 2004. What do you have? Thanks!
Stacy

I did join the ning group. Thanks for the info! It's so helpful to have people to bounce ideas off of...and find new ideas, too!

Hi Amber, I have enjoyed reading some of your posts. I am in Trussville, AL (just outside of Trussville).