Using Technology in the Classroom

Summary

Suzanne Beck, a second-grade teacher at Interlochen Elementary School, discusses her class's goal of exploring U.S. history using a timeline. The students started with a Native American project, conducting research using various resources and presenting their findings through Google Presentations. They also compared folk tales and developed map skills for a new unit on explorers. The curriculum emphasizes essential skills such as research, note-taking, summarizing, and avoiding plagiarism. Suzanne aims to have students independently create research projects and inquiry-based questions by the end of the year, fostering long-term learning opportunities.

Takeaways

• 📚 Suzanne Beck, a second-grade Cambridge teacher, is from Interlochen Elementary School.
• 🕰️ This year's goal is to explore U.S. history through a timeline project.
• 👩‍🏫 The first unit focused on Native Americans, where students researched different tribes from various regions.
• 💻 Students used computers, magazines, and articles for their research on Native Americans.
• 📊 They created Google Presentations to share their findings with classmates, who took notes in their journals.
• 📖 Students also read folk tales and created storyboards to understand narrative structure (beginning, middle, end).
• 🗺️ The class has now started the Explorer unit, mapping explorers' journeys and using resources like enchantedlearning.com.
• ✍️ Suzanne aims to teach students important skills like summarizing information to avoid plagiarism and using technology efficiently.
• 🎯 The year’s objective includes helping students independently research, form inquiry-based questions, and share their findings.
• 🚀 By equipping second graders with these research and technology skills early, Suzanne envisions them being better prepared for future learning opportunities.

Q & A

What is Suzanne Beck's role at Interlochen Elementary School?

Suzanne Beck is a second-grade Cambridge class teacher at Interlochen Elementary School.

What was the main project focus for the second-grade class this year?

The main project focus was to travel through the history of the United States using a timeline.

How did the class begin their journey through American history?

The class began their journey by researching Native American tribes from different regions of the United States.

What research methods did the students use for their Native American project?

Students used computers, magazines, articles, and other resources to gather information about their assigned Native American tribes.

What tools did the students use to present their research?

The students used Google PowerPoint or Google Presentation to create and share their research with their classmates.

What skill did the students develop while sharing their presentations with their peers?

The students developed note-taking skills by taking notes on their peers' presentations in their journals.

What is the next historical topic the students are learning about?

The next topic is the Explorer unit, where each pair of students researches a different explorer who came to the United States.

How do students demonstrate their knowledge in the Explorer unit?

Students use map skills to track the routes of their assigned explorers and complete questions using various websites and articles.

What is Suzanne Beck’s long-term goal for her students?

Her goal is for students to independently research, create their own inquiry questions, conduct research, and present their findings to friends and family without teacher assistance.

What specific skills is the class focusing on to prepare students for future academic success?

The class focuses on research skills, summarizing information without plagiarizing, typing, and using tools like Google Slides for presentations.