Grade 3

For the Love of February

Stop Action Animation Valentineswith Google Slides

The Cronin Crew is at it again!  This time they are using their tech skills and Google Slides prowess to create stop action animation Valentines for their sixth grade buddies.
Spread the LOVE and check it out!
Click this LINK to see B's Valentine

Click this LINK to see L's Valentine

Technology Essential Questions:

How can digital storytelling foster critical thinking skills?

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?

2016 Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) Curriculum Framework:3-5.CAS.a.1; 3-5.CAS.b; 3-5.DTC.a; 3-5.DTC.b; 3-5.DTC.c.2; 3-5.DTC.c.3

Google Slides

STOP ACTION ANIMATION WITH GOOGLE SLIDES

Google Slides is so much more than just a backdrop for your presentation.  It can be used in many other ways as well.  Recently, students in Mrs. Cronin's third grade practiced using Google Slides to create stop action animation, "Life Cycle of a Plant".Stop action animation with Google Slides is a great way to express creativity, practice simple digital skills like cut, copy and paste, and learn the basics of storyboard planning.  Stop action animation can be used in any subject area as these short films can demonstrate understanding of all types of concepts and curriculum.

Click this LINK to see V's "Life Cycle of a Petunia"

Click this LINK to see X's "Life Cycle of a Tomato Plant"

Students rose to the challenge and produced projects worthy of an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film!

Technology Essential Questions:

How can digital storytelling foster critical thinking skills?

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?

2016 Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) Curriculum Framework:3-5.CAS.a.1; 3-5.CAS.b; 3-5.DTC.a; 3-5.DTC.b; 3-5.DTC.c.2; 3-5.DTC.c.3

Digital Escape Rooms & More

Gobbling Up These Thanksgiving Digital Breakouts & Google Slides Activities

Challenged Accepted!Students at Spofford Pond School were tasked with Digital Breakout Choice Boards to complete prior to the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Choice Boards are a fun and engaging way to test students' reasoning abilities and critical thinking skills.

Additional Choices for Digital Activities:

Figuring out the cost of a Thanksgiving Meal (NEED.org)

Creating Thankful Slides (Eric Curts)

"Disguise a Turkey" Google Slides (Kelley Costa)

"Build A Turkey" Google Slides (Beth Kingsley)


Technology Essential Questions:How does offering students voice and choice create more engagement in learning?How does offering choice help students connect with their strengths and boost motivation?How can this digital tool provide personalized learning and differentiation?
2016 Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) Curriculum Framework:
3-5.CAS.a.3: 3-5.CAS.a.5; 3-5.CAS.c.4; 3-5.CAS.c.5; 3-5.DTC.a.3; 3-5.DTC.b; 3-5.DTC.c.4; 3-5.DTC.c.5; 3-5.CS.a

Grade 4 Digital Biographies

Grade 4 Biography Projects Get a #Reboot

Students in Mrs. Cronin's class have been reading biographies.  In order to show what they know, they have decided to create F-Instagram (fake Instagram) accounts for their chosen person of study.  Students read about and researched information on their subject and then, using Google Slides, Britannica Online and the app, Drawing Pad, built a F-Instagram account complete with images, information, an artist's rendition caricature and even hashtags.
Check out their caricatures and F-Instas to see what's #trending!

(Mobile users click here for the caricature video)


F-Instas:
@blackbeardthepirate by CR


@The_French_Chef by EO


@chimpsareus by MR




@pple by CW

Technology Essential Questions:

How can digital storytelling foster critical thinking skills?

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?

2016 Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) Curriculum Framework:3-5.CAS.a.1; 3-5.CAS.b; 3-5.DTC.a; 3-5.DTC.b; 3-5.DTC.c.2; 3-5.DTC.c.3

Google Slides

Mrs. O'Brien's Students Create Digital Portfolios

These fifth graders have been busy creating digital portfolios. "A digital portfolio is a computer-based collection of student performance over time. Portfolios make classroom learning more accessible to parents, administrators, and other district support staff because they provide a window into student learning. A portfolio showcases both student achievement and student learning over time." - Melinda Kolk, "Building Digital Portfolios"

For Mrs. O'Brien's students, creating a digital portfolio is an opportunity to not only showcase their learning, but to also take a moment and reflect on their learning goals and their strategies for achieving them.

The tool we have been using to create our digital portfolios is Google Slides. 

Creating a showcase of learning goals, achievements, peak moments and habits of mind has been a wonderful process for the students, the classroom teacher and myself.

Technology Essential Questions

How can we use this technology to keep a record of progress?

How does a digital portfolio help extend student thinking?

How can we use this technology to teach the art of reflection, curation and collaboration?

Grade 4

Titanic News!

Student in Mrs. Viviani's social studies classes are using Google Slides to create digital newspapers.  "What's the Scoop?", you want to know? The Titanic Has Sunk! Big headlines screamed the news of this devastating event as students become reporters, editors and newspaper formatters of The Daily News.  Using a variety of digital skills and writing skills, these fourth graders got the word out as the unsinkable ship's fatal outcome went down in history.

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?

2016 Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) Curriculum Framework: 3-5.CAS.a.1; 3-5.CAS.b; 3-5.DTC.a; 3-5.DTC.b; 3-5.DTC.c.2; 3-5.DTC.c.3

Google Slides

Stop Action Animation with Google Slides

Google Slides is so much more than just a backdrop for your presentation.  It can be used in many other ways as well.  Recently, students in third and fourth grade practiced using Google Slides to create stop action animation. Stop action animation with Google Slides is a great way to express creativity, practice simple digital skills like cut, copy and paste, and learn the basics of storyboard planning.  Stop action animation can be used in any subject area as these short films can demonstrate understanding of all types of concepts and curriculum.

Grade 3 students used stop action animation to create "Pun-y" virtual Valentines.

Click this LINK to see N.R.'s animated short, "Valentine":

Grade 4 students used it to create conversations where one character attempted to persuade another.

Click this LINK to see J.R.'s animated short, "Why I Want a Dog"

Click this LINK to see C.W's animated short, "Work is Reward"

In all classes students rose to the challenge and produced projects worthy of an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film!

Technology Essential Questions:

How can digital storytelling foster critical thinking skills?

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?

2016 Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) Curriculum Framework: 3-5.CAS.a.1; 3-5.CAS.b; 3-5.DTC.a; 3-5.DTC.b; 3-5.DTC.c.2; 3-5.DTC.c.3