What exactly is "Technology Integration?"

In today's digital age, students are accessing all kinds of information through more than just books.  They get information from social platforms, from TV, and from the web.  In an effort to teach digital literacy AND showcase their learning in all content areas, I am working with students to integrate technology into more of their work and eventually showcase their work through an online portfolio/website.  Student websites will allow students to show their work, to see others' work, and to expand their thinking and learning with others.  

What We've Done So Far!

1.  Students have joined Google Classroom, an application from Google for Education that allows students and their teachers to create an online learning environment.  Students joined through a class code.  (mid-September)

2.  Students learned to open up, complete and turn in their first assignment in Google Classroom, "Me in a Nutshell," which allowed me to learn a little bit more about each student.  It was a Google Doc. (late-September)

3.  Students created their first word cloud, using either Wordle or WordItOut.  Since CPS blocks students from receiving or sending emails from non-cps users, we had to do a little problem solving to get their word clouds back to them.  It was the perfect opportunity for students to learn about sending emails to their teacher (and email etiquette), saving and inserting an image from a downloads folder, and turning in a second assignment via Google Classroom.  (late-September/early October)

4.  Students are diligently working on creating their own digital self-portrait using the Google Drawings application.  It's a lot harder than we all thought, but students are persevering.  This tool will allow students to create a myriad number of things as the year goes on (concept maps, scientific models, cartoons, etc) to showcase their thinking! (mid October)

5.  Students began using Google Drawings for means other than their self-portraits.  They started working on Concept Maps to showcase their scientific understanding of various units (mid-November)

Self-Portaits and Websites

6th Grade (Class A)

6th Grade (Class B)

5th Grade (Class A)

5th Grade (Class B)



6.  Students in sixth grade have filled out several Google Forms to gather student data (mid-October).  For one example, students gave me their World of Wonder topic ideas through a form...we've got some interesting projects out there for sure!  They're going to complete a shared Google Slides presentation (one slide per student) that we'll eventually publish online (mid-November), and we'll turn our World of Wonder reports into a book to display for our families later in the year (spring).  Of course this book will be displayed with our slides presentation!

7.  All students in fifth and sixth grade have chosen their own subdomain for their Weebly websites.  Each of their websites has been linked to their names above.  Can you match their self-portraits to themselves?  We'll be working on adding our self-portraits, word clouds, and autobiographies this week (late October).  

*Please remember student websites are a work in progress, so you may see frequent changes as they learn to build and maintain an online presence.  

8.  Students are beginning to add dimension to their websites.  Many students have started blog entries, reflecting on their experiences in different subjects in school.  Their most recent assignment involved using Google Drawing to recreate one of their picture definitions from Literacy.  They've learned how to create an editable screenshot on Chromebooks that they can  upload as an image to their websites.

9.  Students are beginning to blog!  They're adding to their blog entires...to showcase what they do in and outside of school!  Get to know some of our students!

10.  Sixth graders are learning to use a video production tool called PowToon!  I can't wait to see how they use this tool!  UPDATE:  Some sixth graders made videos to show their understanding of how we see a hidden message.  

111.  Fifth graders are transferring a paper concept map into Google Drawings, utilizing how to make text boxes and change them according to their preferences for text style, color, and alignment.  They are working on a shared drawing with a partner, understanding the pivotal role communication plays in working with another.

12.  Sixth graders are creating Google Drawings to represent the progression of their light model.  They will screen  shot these drawings, upload them into a Google Slides Presentation, and then embed this document onto their websites!

13.  Like the fifth graders, sixth graders created their own concept map to show their understanding of states of matter.  

14.  Fifth graders have been introduced to Piktochart to showcase the data they've collected throughout the year in a unique way.  Students can choose from using their moon, sun, temperature, class height, or chemical data.  

15.  Sixth graders are beginning their second round of World of Wonder Projects.  They're working in teams to answer a question they have about the scientific world around them.  Students are utilizing Google Docs to create a various form of alternative assessment and a shared ​Slides Presentation.  

16.  Students in both 5th and 6th grade continue to work on their blogs, recognizing the design features in them and their importance.  Enhancing text features like utilizing the bold, highlight, or color feature will encourage certain words to stand out in their writing.

17.  Students in 5th grade learned how to use Google Sheets to create a graph of running data they collected in their Ships in a Field unit.

18.  Students learned how to use animation in Google Slides to enhance their presentations for both changing population dynamics in a food chain and the relationships between the earth, sun, and moon.