Welcome!
All Lower School students come to the Computer Lab once a week where they use appropriate and relevant technologies that support instruction and curriculum, often within the context of language arts, social studies or science.
Our goal for the computer program is to help the students use technology as a tool for
collaboration and research,
problem-solving
and productivity.
In PreK to Second Grade students get familiar with the computer, basic word processing and desktop publishing. They create multimedia presentations, develop graphics skills, and use concept-mapping software to organize and communicate their thoughts and ideas. They conduct research using appropriate pre-screened websites.
A sampling of what we do in PreK to Second Grade Computer--
Pre-K girls play games such as Mouse Calisthetics, Baby Rose’s Eyes, and Bees and Honey to practice their mouse and keyboard skills. We use software such as Preschool Parade and A to Zap to develop computer skills while working on literacy skills. We also learn and practice basic computer drawing while working on letter recognition. For example we draw caterpillars for the letter C. In Kindergarten we make Monster Eyes, our own Mazes, illustrate silly sentences, snow persons (not snow men), 100th day quilts and write and illustrate some spring poems.
In First Grade, we make books about how an apple grows, a class book based on the book, Alligator Arrived with Apples: a Potluck Thanksgiving Feast, put ourselves in the Oval Office and write about what we would do as President. We create concept maps based on Ancestor research, and we make multimedia presentations on African Animals.
In Second Grade, students make timelines, illustrate homonyms, make 8-page Minibooks to share with the younger students, and contribute to a class ABC book about Native Americans.
In Third through Fifth Grade, students learn keyboarding, word processing and desktop publishing, create multimedia presentations, develop graphics skills, use concept-mapping software and spreadsheets to organize information and develop critical thinking skills, and conduct research using appropriate pre-screened websites.
A sampling of what we have done in the past in Third to Fifth Grade Computer classes—We have
- Made 18 inch by 22 inch posters done in Microsoft Publisher
- Used glogster to make interactive posters
- Drawn original animations that can be viewed on the Web
- Created original books including writing, editing, rewriting, at times working at home and sending the manuscript back and forth via email attachments; Students formatted pages according to required specifications.
- Made tri-fold brochures
- Conducted Internet and library research on an assigned state; Used visual concept mapping software to “map” project; and created multimedia presentations incorporating research, digital photograph of student, and imported state maps and other images.
- Created timelines and trading stamps of famous explorers
- Contributed 1-2 pages (by each student) to a class Colonial ABC book. Students created a page using word processing; illustrated using drawing and paint program; exported the images and inserted in document.
- Completed a Webquest on the Historic Mile in Philadelphia in anticipation of class trip to Independence Mall area and made our own multimedia tours of special places in the city.
- Made a cartouche with the student’s name in hieroglyphics using tables, clipart and other word processing features
- Produced a video based on an interview with a classmate
- Created interactive quizzes on Ancient Egypt
To find more about Baldwin's use of new technologies, click here.