Today we were very busy in tech club! We started our time with a wrap-up from the week 2 at home lesson. At home, club members and an adult were to review a Nearpod lesson about Online Privacy (all our at home lessons are modified from the Common Sense Media digital citizenship scope and sequence). The lesson focused on what kind of information you should keep to yourself while online. We wrapped up the lesson by kids creating safe passwords for each other. The kids paired up and asked their partner three questions: 1. What is your favorite animal? 2. What is your favorite movie/TV show/game? 3. What is your favorite number? Next, they used that information to create a safe online password for their partner. They had fun sharing what they came up with to the rest of the group. Our second task was to set up each members Kidblog account and create an avatar for their profile picture. We used the site My Blue Robot to create the avatars. Of course, students had a good time creating their avatars but they also learned how to save and upload an image to the blog. Students will soon be using the blogs to share what we are doing in tech club in their own words, so stay tuned...
We started out tech club sharing the kids Rings of Responsibility projects. Students and a family member were asked to use a paper plate or a picture collage app as a canvas for their very own Rings of Responsibility. With family members, they collected photographs or magazine images that represent the types of responsibilities they have within each ring, self, family and friends, and community.
Along with continuing with coding this week the kids got to experiment with a Makey Makey to make a banana piano! "MaKey MaKey is an invention kit for the 21st century. Turn everyday objects into touchpads and combine them with the internet. It's a simple Invention Kit for Beginners and Experts doing art, engineering, and everything in between." Tonight we gave the kids the Makey Makey and the directions and turned them loose, all the students were able to set up the Makey Makey together without much adult help!
The first Lincoln Technology Club met today after school in the Lincoln Media Center. The club consists of 10 second and third grade students who are interested in learning more about using technology.
Along with the after school club, each week students and parents will be asked to complete an at home lesson centered around being a good digital citizen (lessons come from Common Sense Media). This is a great opportunity for parents to speak to their children about how to use technology properly and being a good digital citizen. We will be using Nearpod.com to complete the at home lessons. Nearpod not only is a great way to deliver a flipped lesson, but gives the students the opportunities to practice more of those computer skills they need for school and state assessments, skills like typing short answer questions, answering multiple choice/true and false questions, drag and drop, and matching type questions.
Each week we will start the time with a review and reflection on what we learned from the home lesson. Students will then enter into station work. These stations will consist of activities like coding, iMovie, presentation, green screen, Makey Makey, Minecraft, and more.
This week we spent some time learning about Nearpod and our roles and responsibilities. The students were asked what it means to be responsible. I loved their answers!
Here are a few:
"It means to be principled and to not do anything bad when someone isn't looking."
"To respect others and be kind to others and to keep all parts of your body to yourself. That's how you be responsible."
"To be responsible you need to be a leader and to do things right. When my mom asks me to put my close away I have to be responsible and do it."
Students were then introduced to Code.org a site dedicated to introducing computer science to young children. Some of the students also had fun playing with the Green Screen app by Do Ink. The kids had a lot of fun learning about both!
The girls and Mrs. Carson playing with the green screen.
Green screens are simple to use. Buy a green curtain (I got these from Wal-Mart for $10). Then download a kid-friendly app Like Green Screen from Do Ink and let the imagination begin. We are still working out some of the kinks, but I am sure these girls will have it down in no time.
The kids had fun with Mr. Jackson learning about Code.org. This is a site they can access from home on any device. Check out the app store for other great coding apps.
