Productivity Tools and Internet Curriculum

When I think of internet Curriculum and Productivity Tools, my mind automatically goes somewhere else. Maybe it's the words, they are rather large for my simple first grade teacher mind, but I think it's more that it's just a large topic that covers a lot of information and it's hard to take it all in! However, I think I figured it out, so here goes!

Productivity tools are tools that you can use in your classroom to help with lesson planning, grading, and classroom projects. There are the basic productivity tools, like Microsoft Word (word processing), Excel (spreadsheet), and Access (database). However there are other productivity tools that are software support tools. There are a lot of these! Some of my favorite software support tools are Desktop publishing software, like Publisher, worksheet generators like www.worksheetworks.com, and concept mapping software like Kidspiration (Inspiration for the older kids). There are many, many other productivity tools out there, but these were my favorites because I use them most in my classroom.

Publisher is a great tool to help students publish. Because I am a first grade teacher, I am the one who uses this most, since it would be a great undertaking to teach 6 and 7 year olds how to use Publisher. However for older students, this allows them to be creative in designing their own newsletter, pamphlet, or brochure. The students can create their own newsletter explaining what they have learned about a specific topic. For example, if they were learning about the Civil War, the students can design and create a newsletter or even newspaper to inform their readers about the events in the war. This activity will allow the students to research information about the Civil War, then based on the information they find, the students must decide what information is important to include in their newspaper. Finally the students will use Microsoft Publisher, or some other publishing software to create their newspaper. This activity is standards-based and engaging. The students are in charge of what they want to learn, and they get to decide what type of information is important. This activity also has a high LoTi level because of it's technology use and higher level thinking skills. I would characterize this activity as LoTi 6, due to the amount of higher level thinking involved and that the students are using technology to design and create this newspaper.

Worksheet Works is an online productivity tool that allows teachers to create worksheets and homework sheets for their students. The teachers can manipulate the worksheets for what their students need. I used this tool for extra practice with areas that my students have been struggling with. For example, when a student struggles with money, I send home practice sheets from Worksheet Works. Since engaged learning is more performance-based there is little need for worksheets, however you can use worksheets that you can create as review or practice.

Kispiration is a neat concept mapping tool that can be used for many things. Kidspiration is great for the little ones to get the thoughts across. An activity that can be used with Kidspiration is with verbs. They students can create a concept map where they can find pictures of verbs. This is great especially for kindergarten and first graders who may not be able to spell words, they can use pictures to show what they know.

There are lots of other Productivity Tools out there. At the Next Steps website, there are a lot of "cool tools" that can be used in the classroom to produce standards-based engaged-learning activities and projects. One of my favorite "cool tools" from the Next Steps site, is Glogster. The great thing about Glogster is that it takes the old, boring, and tedious Poster Board project and add technology, design and fun to it! Glogster allows the students to decide what to add to their Glog and what pictures, backgrounds and text to add to their Glog that will give their audience the best understanding of what they are trying to say.