K-5 Software
EDTECH Editor-Jones
I am an ICT teacher and I am about to purchase some new software.. But I
am not sure what to buy since this is my first year- Suggestions I have
K-5..
I already have:
-KidPix
-Comic Life
-Scratch
-Mavis Beacon
HELP!!?
Thanks.
Lindsey Pierce
Elementary IT Teacher
International School of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
“Once children learn how to learn, nothing is going to narrow their minds.
The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious, to have one idea
spark another.”
– Marva Collins
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SIGNOFF EDTECH
EDTECH Editor-Jones
Don't purchase any software. Use online software available for free -- or
purchase licenses for online software.
When I taught K-5 I developed a pretty lengthy list of bookmarks that I
let students use in the computer lab (I haven't kept it up to date in a
few years so some links could be broken).
http://mrhoganrocks.com/Student/
*******
Jeff Hogan, M.S.
Instructional Technology Specialist
Health Sciences
Valencia Community College
1800 S. Kirkman, 4-14
Orlando, Florida 32811
407-582-5564
> From: "Lindsey Pierce" <lindsey...@yahoo.com>
>
> I am an ICT teacher and I am about to purchase some new software.. But I
> am not sure what to buy since this is my first year- Suggestions I have
> K-5..
> I already have:
> -KidPix
> -Comic Life
> -Scratch
> -Mavis Beacon
>
> HELP!!?
> Thanks.
>
> Lindsey Pierce
> Elementary IT Teacher
> International School of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
---
EDTECH Editor-Jones
Hi, Lindsey,
SCRATCH is available for free on the MIT Scratch website. I don't know about
the others you've listed but you shouldn't have to pay anything for
SCRATCH.
If you and your kids are going to be working with SCRATCH, would you be
interested in linking up with some students in the US for a digital
exchange? Perhaps we could set up a blog and put the kids in touch as they
work creating programs in SCRATCH.
Regards,
Kelly
> From: "Lindsey Pierce" <lindsey...@yahoo.com>
>
> I am an ICT teacher and I am about to purchase some new software.. But I
> am not sure what to buy since this is my first year- Suggestions I have
> K-5..
> I already have:
> -KidPix
> -Comic Life
> -Scratch
> -Mavis Beacon
>
> HELP!!?
> Thanks.
>
> Lindsey Pierce
> Elementary IT Teacher
> International School of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
--
Twitter: @globalthinks
http://blownoutofmyelement.tumblr.com/
http://littleparticulars.wordpress.com/
http://littlepractices.wordpress.com/
(\___/)
(='.' =)
EDTECH Editor-Jones
Hi Lindsey,
At my school, because we have been fortunate to have very little vandalism,
I have a class subscription to www.BitstripsForSchools.com that I use with
my 15 classes. I purchased another account for the other tech teacher.
We also have a group subscription for www.voicethread.com. Like the
Bitstrips account, I created 25 logins based on computer number and whatever
student sits at that computer uses that account.
We have found both to be really useful subscriptions. Students use them
across the curriculum to demonstrate their learning.
Depending upon where your staff is with tech integration and where your
school is with allowing students to be online, you may also want to get an
Edublogs subscription. Their support is phenomenal. We are starting to use
private blogs as student digital portfolios and as places to celebrate
student writing. This is our first year so we are just getting started.
If your staff is likely to use it a bunch then Inspiration and Kidspiration
might be worth the price. Otherwise, look at Free Mind which is open source
and plays well with others:
http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
Do you have a decent video program such as iMovie or even Windows Movie
Maker? Photostory on Windows is also good and free.
Do you have a decent photo editor? I actually like Microsoft Photo and Fax
Manager - just the right balance between tools and ease of use.
If you can purchase hardware, we get a ton of use out of a set of Flip
pocket video cameras. We have enough for one per every two kids when they
are in my class. We also have an almost class set of digital cameras that
we use for everything from kids photographing field trips, science
experiments and other activities.
Susan Sedro
Intermediate School Technology Coordinator
Singapore American School
EDTECH Editor-Jones
Kidspiration, Type to Learn, Lexia, Fluent Reading Trainer (FLRT) .
Christine Moore
Network Administrator
Friends Academy
1088 Tucker Road
N. Dartmouth, MA 02747
508-999-1356
www.friendsacademy1810.org
>From: "Lindsey Pierce" <lindsey...@yahoo.com>
>
>I am an ICT teacher and I am about to purchase some new software.. But I
>am not sure what to buy since this is my first year- Suggestions I have
>K-5..
>I already have:
>-KidPix
>-Comic Life
>-Scratch
>-Mavis Beacon
>
>HELP!!?
>Thanks.
>
>Lindsey Pierce
>Elementary IT Teacher
>International School of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
---
EDTECH Editor-Jones
My students really like Math Blaster. It has several levels that adjust
to the child's abilities. I use it with 4K through 4th graders although
4K and 5K are not taught all the activities on the program. I also have
Reading Blaster, and the kids love it as well, but I would only use it
through 2nd grade. They are both worth a look.
Pam Hicks
All Saints Episcopal School, Tyler
Lower School Computer Teacher
> From: "Lindsey Pierce" <lindsey...@yahoo.com>
>
> I am an ICT teacher and I am about to purchase some new software.. But I
> am not sure what to buy since this is my first year- Suggestions I have
> K-5..
> I already have:
> -KidPix
> -Comic Life
> -Scratch
> -Mavis Beacon
>
> HELP!!?
> Thanks.
>
> Lindsey Pierce
> Elementary IT Teacher
> International School of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
>
> "Once children learn how to learn, nothing is going to narrow their
> minds.
> The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious, to have one idea
> spark another."
> - Marva Collins
EDTECH Editor-Jones
I recommend adding Kidspiration to the list. And a subscription to Discovery
Education Network is worth looking into.
Susie Bussmann
RETA Director
New Mexico State University,
Las Cruces, NM
> From: "Lindsey Pierce" <lindsey...@yahoo.com>
>
> I am an ICT teacher and I am about to purchase some new software.. But I
> am not sure what to buy since this is my first year- Suggestions I have
> K-5..
> I already have:
> -KidPix
> -Comic Life
> -Scratch
> -Mavis Beacon
>
> HELP!!?
> Thanks.
>
> Lindsey Pierce
> Elementary IT Teacher
> International School of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
---
EDTECH Editor-Jones
Hi Lindsey,
> From: "Lindsey Pierce" <lindsey...@yahoo.com>
>
> I am an ICT teacher and I am about to purchase some new software.. But I
> am not sure what to buy since this is my first year- Suggestions I have
> K-5..
> I already have:
> -KidPix
> -Comic Life
> -Scratch
> -Mavis Beacon
- Tux Paint is a great option for a fun drawing program:
http://www.tuxpaint.org/
- TuxTyping provides educational typing games:
http://tux4kids.alioth.debian.org/tuxtype/
- TuxMath is similar to the above, for math:
http://tux4kids.alioth.debian.org/tuxmath/index.php
These are all free and open source, so you won't have to spend your budget
to acquire or update them. They are available for Mac, Windows and Linux.
-Ben
Benjamin Horst
bho...@mac.com
646-464-2314 (Eastern)
www.solidoffice.com
EDTECH Editor-Jones
Thanks!
Lindsey Pierce
Elementary IT Teacher
International School of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
“Once children learn how to learn, nothing is going to narrow their minds.
The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious, to have one idea
spark another.”
– Marva Collins
> From: EDTECH Editor-Jones <edad...@MAIL.H-NET.MSU.EDU>
> Subject: Re: K-5 Software
> To: EDT...@H-NET.MSU.EDU
> Date: Wednesday, November 3, 2010, 4:14 AM
>
>
> From: "Pam Hicks" <PHi...@all-saints.org>
>
> My students really like Math Blaster. It has several levels that adjust
> to the child's abilities. I use it with 4K through 4th graders although
> 4K and 5K are not taught all the activities on the program. I also have
> Reading Blaster, and the kids love it as well, but I would only use it
> through 2nd grade. They are both worth a look.
>
> Pam Hicks
> All Saints Episcopal School, Tyler
> Lower School Computer Teacher
>
>> From: "Lindsey Pierce" <lindsey...@yahoo.com>
>>
>> I am an ICT teacher and I am about to purchase some new software.. But I
>> am not sure what to buy since this is my first year- Suggestions I have
>> K-5..
>> I already have:
>> -KidPix
>> -Comic Life
>> -Scratch
>> -Mavis Beacon
>>
>> HELP!!?
>> Thanks.
EDTECH Editor-Jones
Both of my boys are using Voice Thread at their school and I can echo
Susan's comments.
I think it is being underutilizes; but, the one teacher that is using it
is having them do some creative collaborative projects.
*******
Jeff Hogan, M.S.
Instructional Technology Specialist
Health Sciences
Valencia Community College
1800 S. Kirkman, 4-14
Orlando, Florida 32811
407-582-5564
> From: "Susan Sedro" <sse...@gmail.com>
EDTECH Editor-Jones
http://www.auntlee.com/teachers/software_cd.html
I have some CD "guts" that you can download and burn onto CD's -- all free,
open-source, or demos, including a bunch of Tux stuff, Game Maker game
programming, and typing games.
Here's more free ones that I've enjoyed:
Racing Academy - Racing Academy is a racing videogame built on an advanced
physics simulation engine. It is intended to support an online community of
learners' increased familiarity with engineering concepts, through racing
and engineering realistic virtual models of cars. Online facilities allow
teams and communities to collaborate and compete on the web. A prototype has
been trialled with older teenagers, and there is scope for it to become a
multi-generational learning environment.
http://www.lateralvisions.co.uk/racingacademy/index.htm
Eduprofix -- it's a quiz that's also a racing game -- you can create your
own quizzes in Excel and import them, and kids take their quizzes with
racecars -- we had so much fun with this one. If the kids are old enough,
you can also teach them how to use Excel to create quizzes, and then they
can take each other's quizzes. The free version only has learning the flags
of countries; the paid version isn't that expensive.
http://www.eduprofix.com/
SuperTux - you can use the level editor in this cool game as a pre-game
programming class -- here's the link to the lesson plan:
http://www.auntlee.com/games/tux_games_exclusives_supertux_lessonplans.html
<http://www.auntlee.com/games/tux_games_exclusives_supertux_lessonplans.html>
Here's the link to download the software:
http://supertux.lethargik.org/
Tux Math Scrabble – It’s Scrabble, with math equations, and it’s fun! This
has to be installed on the computer’s hard drive to run.
http://www.asymptopia.org/index.php?topic=tuxmathscrabble
Tux WordSmith -
http://new.asymptopia.org/staticpages/index.php?page=TuxWordSmith
Timez Attack – Multiplication Tables Practice – there’s a free version and a
paid (about $25) version…. It’s the coolest game ever, and it teaches very
effectively.
http://www.bigbrainz.com/
Ben's Game -- it's a straight game-game, but you could use it to help teach
science, or social studies (about sick children).
http://www.sfwish.org/site/pp.asp?c=bdJLITMAE&b=81924
Work with Audacity and music - kids love these:
http://www.auntlee.com/teens/music_and_ipod.html
Use it to make podcasts, hip-hop beats, original audiobooks, lots of stuff.
AuntLee
www.auntlee.com
> From: "Lindsey Pierce" <lindsey...@yahoo.com>
>
> I am an ICT teacher and I am about to purchase some new software.. But I
> am not sure what to buy since this is my first year- Suggestions I have
> K-5..
> I already have:
> -KidPix
> -Comic Life
> -Scratch
> -Mavis Beacon
>
> HELP!!?
> Thanks.
>
> Lindsey Pierce
> Elementary IT Teacher
> International School of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
>
> “Once children learn how to learn, nothing is going to narrow their minds.
> The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious, to have one idea
> spark another.”
> – Marva Collins
---