Ideas and Resources Supporting Technology in the Elementary and Middle School Classroom!

About This Site

The purpose of this site is to take an extensive list of websites that are considered high quality, reliable, and valuable and organize them in a way that even "non-techy" teachers can utilize them. It took around 10 years to collect these resources, but new ones are found every day. All of these websites have been recommended by other teachers and educational organizations and qualify as "the best". You'll find support for all core curriculum areas. In addition, you will find lesson plans, multimedia, and primary sources to enhance your students' learning environment.

What You Will Find Here

• Featured websites to enhance teaching and learning in each core content area as well as high quality resources to find lesson plans and support
• Guidelines to planning a project based unit that will use technology in a way that enhances your students' learning experience
• Some ideas that use productivity software and web applications in creative ways for activities that will enrich the content that your students are learning in the classroom
• Rethinking PowerPoint - extensive information about classroom presentations as well tremendous resources to find copyright images and sound files to use for visual representation of content
• A blog that will highlight Web2.0 tools and social media in ways that focus on pedagogy and best practices in the classroom
• Extensive information and advice on digital literacy skills and research skillsas the internet has grown exponentially - making finding, evaluating, and using information a complex process

Using Technology in the Classroom

- Provide opportunities to  explore the world learn skills together
- New and engaging ways to enhance the curriculum with information, inspiration, and creativity
 - As a tool to communicate and manipulate information
- Give students a voice outside the classroom
 - High interest for students who were born into a world rich with technology
- As a tool for communication - Technology shouldn't be used for the sake of technology. It is a tool, just like any other....paper, pencils, books, and computers are all tools for communication
- Provides an opportunity with risk taking and experimentation is worth the trouble and feeling of uncertainty