This Day in History Assignment

Hello students,

This week, you will be working on a collaborative learning assignment. I will split you up into groups of 2, and you will be exploring what happened on this day in history. First, you will visit this site. One person will read the information, then they will take notes and teach it to the second person, and the second person who receives the information will share it with the class. This is called think, pair and share. We will do this everyday when you enter class, and it will be your first activity of the day. When you get to class, head straight to the computer. I hope that you find this to be a fun activity that helps you learn a lot!

Have a wonderful evening,

Ms. Boulware

My feelings on technology integration

Hello parents and students,

Today, a colleague asked me how I feel about technology and if I felt that it was a real need for it in our classrooms. I wanted to come and tell you all why I am such an advocate for technology.

1. Technology integration can help students learn how to use the tools of the future.

If we make students do all their word processing on typewriters, then they would be completely underprepared as far as using a computer goes. They may learn how to type really well, but when they go look for a job, computer experience is something they will need.

2. Technology can help us teach lessons and concepts that are difficult.

Students learn in different ways. This is something that we all know. And as teachers, we may have to teach some concepts that are very different for students to grasp without some sort of visual aid. Technology allows teachers to find visual aids and resources that make the lesson easier to teach. There may be a cool YouTube video, song, or web 2.0 tool that makes it much simpler.

3. Technology can help us teach in underfunded areas/schools.

For example, many schools may lack the funds needed to do science experiments. If we are able to access on-line simulations or virtual labs, this may give the students the "hands-on" feel. It pays to use technology.

I know that many people are afraid of using too much technology in their classrooms, but I think that if we are open to the possibilities as teachers, we can find a way to make it work for our students.

Have a great night!

Ms. Boulware

Something to ponder...

Top 10 Reasons to Use Technology in Education

Hello parents and students!

Happy Monday. I wanted to share a video with you about some of the great reasons to use technology in education. The video is about 5 and a half minutes long, but it has a lot of great points. Leave your feedback and tell me why you are for or against us integrating technology into our social studies class.

Ms. Boulware

Parents, welcome to the class!

Welcome parents and thank you for visiting the 5th Grade Explorers blog! I want to let you know that I am so glad that you have taken the time to visit and see what is going on in our class.

This group of students is very special because they have a burning desire for knowledge! They ask questions, they always want to know more and they are willing to go the extra mile to learn more. I love that! Because your children are so inquisitive, I have created this blog to help you help them continuously learn more, even while they are away from school. Each week, they will be taught a new lesson based on the Georgia Performance Standards for 5th graders. I will find out what they already know, teach them and then I will use projects and tests to see what they have learned. To keep you in the know about what is being taught, I will be posting an intro to the week's lesson on this blog every weekend. This will allow you to see what they will be learning before they are tested. Prior knowledge is great, and it allows students build onto what they know. I will also be posting great resources as I find them so that you can use with them at home. Of course, if you have any questions or suggestions, you can always contact me via my school e-mail or if it is a general comment about what is posted here that may be of help to other parents, feel free to leave it as a comment and I will reply. I look forward to a wonderful year with your children as we explore history in a fun and exciting new way!

Sincerely,

Ms. Boulware