Technology and Important Links

Technology is very important in today’s society. Students are introduced to technology and rules of digital citizenship even at the elementary level. There are various times throughout the school day that students are exposed to and use technology.

Students are exposed to technology during:

• instruction time with the use of Google Classroom, Google Docs and Slides, Google Drive, PowerPoints, ActivInspire flipcharts, videos on LearnZillion/YouTube/SchoolTube, Promethean Boards, Flipgrid, SeeSaw, Epic! Books, music, and much, much more!
• Specials time with the Media Specialist, Art, Music, and Physical Education Teachers. The Specials teachers use most of the above technology, as well as others that are more specified for their subject matter.

Students are using technology during:

• Daily 5 time when they visit "Listening to Reading" Center (books on CDs, iPads, computers, and Chromebooks), complete tasks on Flipgrid, and Google Classroom.
• Math time for the practice and exploration of skills on various websites and apps.
• Writing time to research and publish their writing time. Various programs are used to build student interest and creativity.

Besides time in school using technology, many students use and are exposed to technology at home. Below are some valuable websites that I have found for “Student Use” and for “Parent Use”. Be sure to check them out!

Useful Websites For Student Use:

• Epic! Books   This is a FABULOUS website where students have access to thousands of ebooks, engaging videos, and other instructional resources. The class code for student login is ltz5294.
• Keyboarding Symbaloo     I created this symbaloo for different keyboarding lessons and practice games to increase typing speeds. The turquoise tiles at the bottom are progressive keyboarding lessons (numbered in order), purple tiles are additional keyboarding practice, orange tiles are games for letter, and green tiles are games for typing words.
• Math Fact Symbaloo!     This resource was created for math fact practice utilizing games to practice the different strategies that students may be on.
• PBS Kids      PBS Kids is a more entertaining [FREE!] website than an educational one. (Don't get me wrong, there are games that correlate with what is being taught in the classroom, just not as much as Starfall.) It uses familiar characters and plots to help entice children to watch videos, play games, and read.
• Google Earth     Students have been exposed to and have used Google Earth during Social Studies and Science instruction. This is a free software download that you may choose to put on your home computer. It can "zoom" to pictures and maps of landforms, famous landmarks, addresses, or points of interest by typing into the search window. Google Earth uses satellite photographs of all over the world and pieces them together to create one large "Earth Photograph". The viewer can choose how far to zoom in and what layers to see on the map/picture.

Useful Websites For Parent Use:

• Scholastic Book Clubs     Our classroom participates in Scholastic Book Clubs. Monthly book order catalogs will be sent home for your use if you choose to purchase books for your child. This is a link to set-up online ordering for the monthly catalogs. It is VERY easy to use! Our classroom code is GPDP8 and deadlines are listed for each catalog that has been set home. Even better, for every parent order that is done online, the classroom gets to order $3 worth of books to add to the classroom library! :)
• FindOut First      Have you signed up yet? FindOut First is a valuable tool that Frederick County and Oakdale Elementary use to send out important messages or reminders to parents, teachers, and family members. If school is closed, opening late, or dismissing early due to inclement weather, you will get a notification. Oakdale also uses FindOut First to send out reminders for PTA events, conferences, spirit days, etc. You can tailor it to what schools you are interested in, what clubs, and what grades you would like notifications about. This really is something that is worthwhile to send up for.
• 2019-20 Calendar Handbook      Lost your copy of the Calendar Handbook? Check out the electronic copy! A copy of the school calendar and handbook is always readily available wherever you have Internet: at work, on vacation, etc.
• Frederick County Public Libraries  Do you and your child have a library card? Why not put it to good use today! On the link to FCPL you can look up book titles, reserve a copy, and renew your book if it's too good to put down! FCPL also has great children's story time and activities all year round. This summer, be sure to check out their summer reading program!