K - 2 AMI Options
Hello! I want to let you know that I miss you lots but that doesn't mean we can't keep learning together. Below are some ideas for how you can keep learning new technology skills and have fun. Check back for new ideas! Previous Activities are listed at the bottom of the page if you would like revisit them.
special class Newsletter (art, CAT, Library, PE, Music, Tech Options)
May 18 - 22
Unplugged Previous AMI Activities |
We have all been zooming and using technology in new ways. However, don't forget to balance your time between technology, outside games, reading, and arts and crafts. While I would like for you to continue practicing your keyboarding skills this summer (see the links below), I also want you to enjoy other activities too! Check out this book - Unplugged by Steve Antony (If you like it you can ask an adult to purchase it here: https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/unplugged-by-steve-antony/) Unplugged by Steve Antony Click the above title to hear the story! Draw Blip the Robot with Steve Antony! https://www.facebook.com/booktrust/videos/steve-antony-teaches-us-how-to-draw-a-robot/3804855162889462/ Scholastic Maze and Coloring Sheet https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/book/unplugged-by-steve-antony/ A week of Unplugged Activities - do as many as you can and enjoy being UNPLUGGED! https://oomscholasticblog.com/sites/default/files/rules/Unplugged_ActivitySheet.pdf Kindergarten Keyboarding Practice
Kindergarten - Just for Fun!
KINDERGARTEN (Keyboarding Introduction) Review: To help with fluency, students must first be able to match upper and lowercase letters with ease. You can try some alphabet review games such as: Alphabet Review - https://www.starfall.com/h/abcs/ Match Upper and Lowercase Letters - https://www.abcya.com/games/uppercase_lowercase_letter_matching Once your student is comfortable with this concept, let's start with touching the keyboard GENTLY and pressing the key quickly. Stress to your student that you press a key quickly and let go. You do not need to hold it down or you will get lots of the same letter. To practice "type and let go" of the key, try this: https://www.abcya.com/games/keyboarding_practice (Keyboard Zoo) (continuation) Let's add a new level. The keys on most keyboards you see are not based on ABC order but QWERTY order (laptop, SMARTphone, tablet, etc.). Knowing where they are will help you type faster and make less mistakes.Practice typing the letters and moving to the correct section of the keyboard - left, middle, and right. https://typetastic.com/keyboard-builder.html (Typetastic Keyboard Builder) You might ask WHY are the keys not in ABC order? Here's the basic answer: You use some letters (such as vowels) far more frequently than others (such as Z or X), and the keyboard is designed to help you reach the most frequently used keys most easily (https://computer.howstuffworks.com/question458.htm) Keyboarding - 1st and 2nd Grade Let's play Keyboard Solitaire! This will help us review some basic keyboard ideas, including:
You can practice online too - https://www.abcya.com/games/keyboard_challenge (Click the orange "Close" button if asked to join). First Grade
Technology Concepts (All Grades, Week of April 13 - 17) We have technology all around us - in our cars, in school, at our homes! Today let's discuss the technology we like and some that you may not think about as technology. For our lesson today, let's define technology this way:
Let's Celebrate EARTH DAY! (All Grades, Week of April 20 - 24) This week is Earth Week! You can help protect our planet and learn how to be more "green." First, I want to share a video inspired by an episode of the Greens, entitled "Energy Vampires." According to the Greens' website, an "energy vampire" is an electronic device that drinks power even when it is not being used. Examples could be a computer in standby mode or chargers that are done charging (http://www.meetthegreens.org/episode5/energy-vampires.html). In my video, I walked through my house and looked at certain electronics to see if they were or were not energy vampires. After you view the video, check out your house and see what you find. Remember: DO NOT unplug anything without permission! Thinking about being "green" can also mean practicing recycling, reusing objects in a new way (water bottle garden art), or even finding out more about what happens to our trash and recycling. Scroll to the top of the web page, click on "Website of the Week" and look for the Recycling green arrow (or click here). You will find games and activities related to protecting our planet by practicing Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Thanks for being green! Virtual Field Trips Kindergarten (All Grades, Week of April 27 - May 1) This week, let's look at some virtual field trips. Grab your mouse and let's go! Here is a collection of animal, museum, and monument virtual field trips. The first link is a simple presentation, listing information and embedded content. The second is video demonstrating those links. Finally, I have listed some you can explore on your own. Enjoy! Miss you lots! Remember - the Internet is a great place to explore but always have a trusted adult handy just in case you need help or you find something that makes you feel uncomfortable. Virtual Field Trips (presentation) Virtual Field Trips (video demonstration) Give it a moment to load - it is a large file! Some of my favorites PBS Nature Cat Road Trip (learn about several US Parks) Georgia Aquarium Live Cam Views (scroll down for more choices) Google Arts and Culture - I SPY with My Little Eye.. Google Earth Explore.org (Animal webcams, beach webcams, lots of choices - also an app) Virtual School Activities (the Zoo Atlanta Panda Cam is here!) Freedom Homeschooling - Virtual Field Trips (more choices) March, April and May - A Virtual Trip a Day! (This was not created by me and appeared in a post without sourcing. However, I think it well organized and nicely done. Thank you to the author! If you find one you really like, please share with me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you! Emojis and More (May 4 - 8) We love emojis! We send over 6,000,000,000 (6 billion) a day in texts, emails, and social media comments. That is amazing! We use them every day, but do you know who created the first emojis and what they mean? Today we will learn more about emojis and you will design your own! First, who created emojis? Watch this video learn about how they came about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I--gLZWsOdg Next, who organizes and approves new emojis? https://scienceworld.scholastic.com/issues/2019-20/092319/all-about-emojis.html (click the to hear the article read to you). Finally, use this link to review the above research and a tutorial on how to make your own. Try this easy website to make your own emoji - https://emoji-maker.flat-icons.com/. Send me your ideas at [email protected] and explain your creation! Let's Continue Coding! (May 10 - 15) Please note: Students are at different levels of coding. These different activities can be used K-2, with Kindergarten needing some support and guidance. This is the time of year I like to bring out several coding options and let you explore which ones you enjoy most - Bee Bots, Code.org, and Scratch Jr. Let's continue with coding! Use the Bee Bot Emulator to choose a mat and code it to spell a word, make a Western story, or a go cart race! Use the link https://www.terrapinlogo.com/emu/beebot.html?beebot_mat_card. Click on the arrow by "Select your mat" and choose one. Then, always clear (blue X) the bee bot first and then start coding. Remember the rules: Always have a plan before you start - get your algorithm ready. Your bee bot only follows your instructions. If the directions (algorithm) doesn't work, you need to find the problem and try again (debug). Your turn - your choice! Have fun! If you would like to go back to Code.org (Angry Birds and Bee puzzles), click on your grade tab, find the blue CODE picture, and click on your class link. Then choose your name and click on your secret picture. If you need help with your picture, let an adult send me an email at [email protected] and I will send it to you. Happy coding! Finally, for my second graders and more comfortable coders, try Scratch Jr. It is a FREE app you can download from the App store or Google Play. It is blockly coding like Code.org but with so many more choices! Check out this video to practice step-by step activities: https://www.scratchjr.org/teach/activities. Be creative and enjoy! |