Web Page Development Classes and My One Computer Classes will be the focus of staff development for February.  Listed below are descriptions of the My One Computer Courses.
My One Computer I -Classroom Management

My One Computer II - Online Activities
This class will focus on lessons available online that connect curriculum to Internet sites.  Classroom Connect, Scholastic and Teacher Created Materials will be highlighted.
My One Computer III -Creating Quality Lessons Using Word
Utilizing basic formatting skills and drawing tools, creative assignments for students will built and shared.
My One Computer IV -Creating Quality Lessons Using Excel This class will focus on creating Excel templates to build quality integrated lessons.
This class will be in March.

Techno Tip:
Remember to click refresh often when viewing sites on the web to see the latest updates!  

This issue of Techno Bits and Bytes focuses on Language Arts activities that are online and interactive.   Many sites are listed below and are bookmarked in the language arts folder. 

The two activities created by the Gail Land and Janet McDaniel, the Teacher Spotlights for this issue, can easily be saved and incorporated into your curriculum.
Mrs. Mathison is also spotlighted for her integration strategy with her kindergarten students.

The Excel activity is a interactive template that you can create using if-then statements.  Students will love completing these assignments!
Here are just a few interactive sites online:
Wide World of Words-Word building site. WebClass- Idioms, rhyming and anagrams.
Grammar Gorillas - Parts of Speech
Spell Checker Identify misspelled word
Book Adventure Similar to AR
Vocabulary Drill 1 Definitions
Scrambled Word Magnets  Create Sentences
Sentence Sorter -Create more sentences
What's the Word - Word Recognition
Sentence Scrambler - Sentence Order
Homophone Quiz - Hour or Our
-tion, -sion or -shion - Spelling Patterns

Remember many of these sites require Shockwave! Shockwave is already installed on our network computers.
Check out more at Sandy Beck's Site

Sears Portrait Studio provides stories for your student to personalize.  Check out My Valentine's Day at School.   Students plug in their personal information and then the story can be read or printed!

The Mental Edge is a comprehensive set of reviews that cover all subjects from grades 3-12.  These reviews match day to day activities and help students remember and retain material they will be tested on.   Many language arts objectives can be reviewed here.

Create your own interactive puzzles at the following sites or use their library:
Internet Coach Puzzle Center
Check out the senses crossword puzzle.  Students listen to the sound and then fill in the answer.
Quia.com
Funbrain Quiz Lab

Several teachers attended the session entitled, My One Computer, and came away with ideas to implement in their classroom curriculum.

Gail Land's fifth graders at Vickery Creek, cycled through her one workstation to complete a spelling activity with homophones.  Two students were paired for this activity that also integrated the skill of sorting in Microsoft Word 95
Gail Land's Homophone Template

Janet McDaniel's first graders at Midway cycled through her two workstations completing a grammar activity in KidPix.  They utilized the transparent oval tool to circle the correct verb for subject-verb agreement.
Janet McDaniel's Is-Are Template

How to Sort in Microsoft Word

1.  Open Microsoft Word and begin a new document.
2.  Type a list of vocabulary words.
3.  Go to Table on the menu bar.
4.  Scroll and select Sort.
5.  The list will automatically be selected.
6.  Click OK to sort alphabetically.
7.  Select descending to sort ZYX.  Kids love it!

You can also sort numbers and date by selecting type.  The computer will actually do that for you!  Sorting can be used as a self checking activity.

How to Import the Is/Are Template
into KidPix Studio Deluxe

1.  Open the template.
2.  Save the template in your H: drive.
3.  Open Kid Pix Studio Deluxe.
4.  Go to File and select Import Picture.
5.  Select scale to fit.
6.  Click OK.
7.  It will show a message that it is importing.
8.  You can now save as a bmp if you like by changing file type when you save the template.
9.  Save to the student share drive for student use.

Mrs. Mathison's kindergarten students at Vickery Creek are developing their beginning writing skills.  This activity was started in the lab as a whole group activity and completed in the classroom utilizing their one workstation. Check out some of their work using Ultimate Writing and Creativity Center!
Building Snowmen and Technology Skills

Can you believe these are kindergarten students!  Great job Mrs. Mathison and students!

To Excel is Elementary

Create your own interactive worksheet in Excel using If-Then formulas!  This is an example of what students see as they type in the correct plural in column B.  To learn how to do this go to Tammy Peytons site on Self Check Skill Sheets or attend the Excel sessions on the following dates:
Midway - March 8
Vickery - March 9

Two If-Then templates are stored in the Excel folder in the student share drive for examples.  More will be created by teachers next month!