2017-2018 End of Year

Reflection

As we begin summer vacation, I wanted to take a moment and contemplate the year from a technology standpoint.  In fact, in terms of technology, Spofford Pond School had what I would consider a banner year. Thanks to continued support from the Boxford community, School Committee, BEST, PTO and many more, access to technology in a variety of forms, from iPads to Chromebooks and laptops has become much more equitable across grade levels.  With easier access to tools, teachers and students embraced new technologies with fervor.    Technical experiences and creations ran the gamut throughout the year.  Here are just a few highlights: Google Ambassador Visit & Augmented Reality Flipgrid Fever Google Classroom G-Suite Hyperdocs Google Hangouts Breakout EDU Genius Hour Virtual Reality with Google Expeditions iMovie/Green Screen Mash-up Productions Hour of Code Mystery Skype World Read Aloud & Read Across America Steve Jobs once said, "Technology is nothing.  What's important is that you have faith in people, that they are basically good and smart, and if you give them tools they'll do wonderful things with them."  I think Spofford Pond School just proved it. Hope your summer is safe, happy and filled with lasting memories!

Grade 6 Animation

Ms. Boyle's Class "Googl-ing" To the End of the Year

Students in Ms. Boyle's grade six classroom created one last project to wrap up the end of the school year.  Using Google Slides, they created stop action animation about the life cycle of the butterfly.  They shared their animations with their third grade buddies. Check out these projects by Chase, Mia, Kate & Kenneth!

Technology Essential Questions:

Are there technological solutions or enhancements to supplement what is being taught?

How can we leverage technology to address the different needs, learning styles, interests and abilities of students?

How can we use this software to create original, innovative works and ideas?

Grade 4 Hyperdoc Genius Hour

Students "Bee"-come Honey Bee Experts

Students in Ms. Davis's 4th grade class recently read The Hive Detectives:  Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe by Loree Griffin Burns.  They worked in groups to complete the supplementary hyperdoc, "Truth Bee Told". Hyperdoc: Boxford BeeKeeper, Marty Jessel, visited the classroom and brought in an observation hive (complete with a Queen Bee!), a bee suit, a smoker, lots of books and information to add to their study of honey bees.

Marty Jessel wows the crowd.

Finally, students will work in groups to collect, organize and share all of their information about honey bees.  Small groups will produce a digital project about the importance of the honey bee and its role in the world as a whole.  Some project proposals include Green Screen/iMovie infomercials, Book Creator comic books of information and Newscast simulations.

Technology Essential Questions:

Are there technological solutions or enhancements to supplement what is being taught?

How can we leverage technology to address the different needs, learning styles, interests and abilities of students?

How can we use this software to create original, innovative works and ideas?

Grade 4 Green Screen

Titanic Survivor Interviews

Students in Ms. Sitak's fourth grade class recently completed their study of of the H.M.S Titanic.  One part of the project asked students to step back in time and conduct interviews with real-life survivors.  Student "reporters" researched and asked appropriate questions.  Student "survivors" researched a real-life Titanic survivor and answered the questions as they imagined that person might have answered them. Using the Green Screen app and iMovie we created video versions of these mock interviews.

Grade 4 Behind the Scenes

Technology Essential Questions:

How can technology be used to enhance a project and communicate knowledge?

How can we use this software to create original, innovative works and ideas?

How can we use this software to address the different needs, learning styles, interests and abilities of students?

Grade 4 State Fair

4th Grade presents:

Spofford Pond School State Fair

Students in grade 4 have been studying the U.S. States over the past several weeks.  In a culminating project, they create a presentation including everything they have learned about their State.  Families, teachers and other students are invited to the State Fair to see their discoveries. This year, the State Fair also included this fun Midway Game: Using Flipgrid, each student left a video recording that included two truths and a lie about their State.  Fair participants were encouraged to leave a video reply, trying to guess which statement was the lie. In this scenario, everyone was a winner!
Flipgrids: passcode:  B0xf0rd* State Fair Fun:

Students also created a sing-along to Renald Francoeur's "Tour the States". Check it out: