Blog Journal 4

    From the ELA Technology Standards, I chose to review the 3rd grade standards for technology. As stated in previous blog posts, my goal is to teach 3rd grade so hopefully I feel confident in my abilities teaching the expected third grade curriculum and standards for technology. I felt that the most important standard that stuck out to me was the standard for search tools. The standard states that 3rd graders should be taught and able to demonstrate this skill through the use of search engines, hyperlinks, sidebars, key word searching, etc. I feel very confident in my skill in assisting my students with this standard. Searching for information is one of the biggest portions of my own personal use of the internet, with internet searching so much information is available to us that would not be as accessible. By teaching students how to properly, effectively and safely search on the internet, they can become experienced digital natives!

    On the CPALMS website, there is a variety of tools and resources available for teachers to aid student development and learning. I chose to explore the tools offered for third grade students. On the third grade English Language Arts section there is a resource called Verb Mania! Verb Mania is an interactive walk-through that guides students through English grammar and language skills! The program is a good resource for students because it takes a creative and fun approach to implementing learning. Students need real world connections and interactions to make learning valuable. Another great aspect of the program is that it is technology based, therefore it covers multiple targets of learning both technology and English skills. I also appreciate that the program is not geared for teachers but for the students themselves, Verb Mania would be a great tool to have students practice either individually or in small groups to strengthen their skills and give them more experience using technology in a school environment. In my classroom, I would love to set up stations where students can rotate through different activities, one of the them being Verb Mania. 

    We as digital natives do more internet searching each day than we realize. "Oh what's the name of that celebrity? Oh what does this mean? Oh where is that restaurant located?" We rely on search engines for much of our information. Because of this, we must be sure that we are being safe and effective searchers. The internet is full of lies and deceptions, therefore we must be able to know how and where to find information. It's crucial for teachers to present accurate and honest information to students. Teachers are often students first source of knowledge and information. Therefore, it is crucial that teachers are diligent searchers and that they frequently check their sources and information for accuracy. One of the tools that was presented this week was the minus tool for searching. You can eliminate searches by add - "whatever you don't want to see". This tool can help lower the amount of results that come up as well as eliminate results that are counterproductive to your search.