Technology Articles

JUMPSTART KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE
Jumpstart Kindergarten and Jumpstart First Grade are two computer programs that I will be using frequently in our classroom. I talked a little about these programs in the Technology In Our Classroom section of the website, but I wanted to explain a little more. These programs are the same one I remember using when I was a child. Of course the graphics are updated now, and the programs run a little better, but they are still pretty much the same. I didn’t struggle in school when I was younger, and I believe that these programs were one of the many reason that I didn’t. I loved to do math and I learned how to think logically by using these amazing programs. I found the joy in learning, and that is something that I still possess today. These games will help me as a teacher to instill a love of learning in our students while also allowing them to have fun. The programs appear to just be games to children, but as a teacher I know they are so much more. Learning happens faster when it is fun, and these programs create a fun learning environment. They help our students develop their skills in word identification, rhyming, counting, ordering, sequencing, colors, shapes, and telling time. One of my favorite parts is that the game builds on it’s self. It starts with the most basic skills and then uses those skills in the next level. It tells kids when they make a mistake and helps them figure out how to get the right answer. It does require the students to be on the computer for an extended amount of time, but technology is rapidly evolving and allowing these kids to learn how to use computer programs will only help them in the future. In my curriculum these programs will be integrated in. I will schedule time weekly for each and every student to spend time working playing it in our computer lab. Some students may struggle at first because they aren’t familiar with computers, but these games are simple and have been designed to be user friendly. They are designed specifically with children this age in mind, and that is just one more reason why they are so beneficial in the classroom. We will begin at the first of the year with Jumpstart Kindergarten, to make sure that the basic skills are in place, and by the end of the year they will be using Jumpstart First Grade to allow them to be prepared for their First Grade year.

GOOGLE EARTH
In our class we will be using may technological tools to help the students learn. One tool that we will be using is Google Earth. I explained a little about why we are using this in the Technology in Our Classroom section of the website, but here I will explain a little more. This program came out just a few years ago, but it is amazing! It allows me to show the students the places on Earth that we talk about. We can start at our school and go anywhere! It will allow the students to be able to visualize how large Earth is, and how many amazing things are present on it. One cool feature that we will use often is the snapshots that are placed on of different areas of the world. When I talk about the ocean I will be able to show the class how much area the ocean actually takes up. I will be able to show them exactly how far it is away from our school, and show them snapshots of different areas. When we talk about deserts I can show them Africa and the deserts that are there. I can show them what jungles look like, and where they are located. The pictures aren’t 3D, and that is one major con, but the snapshots assist with this problem. The main use of this program will be to show students where everything is located, and how big they really are. It will help to broaden their perspectives. The tool has its faults. There are a lot of places that it doesn’t have very good images of yet, but updates are continually occurring, and the basic images are already there. It may be difficult for our Kindergarteners to understand at first, but I know many young children throughout the world love the visual aspect of it, and can’t believe what they are seeing. I will assist our students in this process of discovery, and help them understand what they are seeing. I know it will be a valuable tool in our classroom, and will help students build a foundation for the geography they will learn later in their school years.