3 Quick Lesson Plan Ideas That Utilize Technology

Lesson plans that utilize technology is a great way to incorporate technology into a students day. 

For starters, go to GoAnimate.com and have your students create short movies.  GoAnimate.com is an animation website that is free for anyone to use so this is a good way to have students use the web for a fun interactive project.

Next, have your students for a project go to voki.com. This is another free website that lets students create their own free avatars that talk. As the teacher, you can have students create poetry or stories and have their avatar read them aloud.  Pretty cool!!

Finally, the last website that this article talks about is blogger.com.  This website is a great website for students to use to outline their ideas in a new and creative way.


http://www.emergingedtech.com/2011/01/3-quick-lesson-plan-ideas-that-utilize-technology/

eHow-How to Integrate Technology into the Classroom

eHow shows us all how to step by step integrate technology into the classroom.  For starters, eHow states how the teacher should set up a classroom website so students can visit that when they miss a day or need to get a hold of their teacher.  Also, eHow states that it is a good thing to have students participate in an online discussion board because it encourages students to interact with each other in a different way they are used to.  And finally, most importantly, provide instruction on how to navigate the internet.  No matter how simple or easy this seems students need this instruction so they do not get themselves into trouble in their future.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2187337_integrate-technology-classroom-instruction.html

Many Different Ways to Use Technology in the Classroom

There are many different ways that teachers can incorporate technology into their classroom.  For example, while using the internet, students can be sent on an internet scavenger hunt, start the day by looking at current events, research what happened on the day that they were born, or visit places through streaming videos.  The possibilities are endless when it comes to student involvement.  Also, through email, students could be able to ask an expert or an author an opinion on what they might be studying to gain sources, or become a pen pal to someone on the other side of the world.  As long as the teacher stimulates student learning, with the internet at hand, there is so much that can be obtained.




http://www.classroomtech.org/integration/50ways.htm

Laptops Replacing Textbooks?

Students and faculty around the world are starting to notice that laptops would be a more cost effective way to have students be accessible to textbooks and a more efficient way to complete school work.  Teachers would be able to check daily on the work that was completed more effectively and on a more consistant basis. Also, laptops as the students primary resource would allow more of a range of research options.  They would literally have the world at their fingertips. One counter argument against laptops would be that the students could become easily distracted.  Kids could get distracted even if they didn't have a laptop sitting in front of them.  It is the teacher's job to keep the students engaged. Laptops replacing textbooks are in my opinion, what is going to make the United States a better place for education.

Integrating Technology--More Than Just Having Computers

1.) Have the class look at an online weather forcast. This is a great way to integrate technology into a class's everyday routine without stretching too far.  Looking at the weather online not only shows people the weather but makes the class familiar with using a computer.  Another way to challange students would be to show them the weather in a different language so they can make connections between languages.
2.) Use a URL in place of a quote on the board.  Instead of just writing a quote for the students to look at, write the URL so the students have to go and find the quote themselves. This will help with navigating the computer.
3.) Provide online reading comprehension practice. This will supplement what students are learning in an interactive way so they get more out of the lesson.
4.) Sign up for the science experiment of the week.  This will give the class interesting material that they can use in their classroom.  The internet is a great resource to find exciting experiments!

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech146.shtml