and technology in a first grade classroom

The students will depict and describe

how plants and people need, use

and receive water by creating a

picture.

To introduce and explain the water cycle we used an interactive website that explains the entire water cycle through animated pictures, words, and a narration. We used the teacher’s classroom laptop and we set up a projector to display the website up on the front board of the classroom.

The website is designed so that each part of the water cycle can be studied with just the click of a button. The entire class was seated in such a way that all could see the board and played an active role in discussing each part of the water cycle and indicating where to go for more information on the website.

This awesome site about the water cycle

can be found at:http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html

The water cycle comes to life with this interactive website that is easy and fun for the students to use.

After the class discussion the students worked individually on creating their own picture of the water cycle. During that time the

computers were available for individual students to come and use the website to get more information and to solidify their understanding of

the water cycle.

1. Student Use of Technology: Effective technology integration typically involves students (as opposed to just the teacher) in actively using the technology.

There were a limited number of available computers in the classroom so the teacher used the technology during the lesson. After the lesson the students were able to go to the computers individually to use the interactive website.

2. Technology Use is Essential: Effective technology integration is essential not peripheral to the learning activity.

The technology was an important part of the real learning activity because the website provided valuable information in an interactive and engaging way.

3. Focus on Learning Task: Effective technology integration focuses on the learning task and not the technology.

The website is very user friendly and therefore was a time efficient tool to use. The technology helps achieve the learning task by giving students engaging exposure to the lesson content.

4. Added Value: Effective technology integration facilitates learning activitiesthat would be more difficult or impossible without the technology.

Using the technology was not very convenient because of the limited technology available in the classroom but it was a useful tool in the lesson and added a great provided important information in a much more engaging way than the teacher alone could have accomplished.

What went well…and what didn’t…Projecting the website

up on the screen was very engaging for the students and held their attention throughout the lesson.

The website was full of good information and could be used as a great resource for the students to learn more about the water cycle

The students could have been more involved with the technology during the discussion of the water cycle. As the teacher I could have called up individual students to click the areas of the website needed for the discussion.