Microsoft Excel Summer Reading Activity

Microsoft Excel is a great tool to use in the classroom to make charts, tables, graphs, and more. Excel is very useful and has many advantages for teachers and their form of keeping grades. The spreadsheet I created above has a list of ten students, the book they have to read over the summer, and which they have to do a book report and art project concerning the book they read. MS Excel is a much more cleaner, organized way to keep track of students' grades and progress throughout the school year. Using excel in the classroom exceeds far beyond just grading, it can also be used in different activities and subjects such as science, history, and language arts. It will be a great science project for you and your children to create a Periodic Table of Elements with an excel spreadsheet. Make your own side notes of the table and break it down as you see fit, ultimately be creative and have an open mind to incorporate excel in your day to day lessons. The incorporation of technology in the classroom is booming and teachers need to adapt to the change and learn the materials available to them.

Microsoft Word and Curious George

Microsoft Word is a word processor commonly used in schools by both teachers and students. Teachers can use word processor to create many documents for the classroom such as lesson plans, worksheets, and they can develop tests as well. One of the greatest benefits of using MS word is the ability to improve may students' writing across the curriculum. Some students that have learning disabilities may find it hard and spend much energy trying to manipulate a pen or pencil to create words. Word processor can eliminate barrier to writing and allow the student to focus more on the content of the paper. MS word can also be used to create solid, professional images by using clip art and bold, stylish letters. The Curious George document I created below depicts the many tools one can use on MS word and do so with their students while learning. The integration of technology in the classroom, such as MS word, increases student learning and it also motivates them and increases their involvement. 

Visual and audio learning with George

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG6Sf6THq1E


Audio visuals are useful for most students, regardless of their learning styles, students can both see and hear and make a connection. Audio-visual aids provide teachers with different tools and variety and it motivates the pupil to move about, talk, laugh, and comment about. The video I attached is a fun and educational episode of Curious George, and how the man with the yellow hat purchases a bike for him. George rides along and his curiosity gets the best of him and he see's a newspaper delivery boy. He wants to help the boy and does so, but then George spots a river and starts making paper boats with the articles. George always finds a solution from the mischief he gets himself into and this story along with the others proves that time and time again. AV technology can be used in other subjects as well such as Geography, Math, History, and Literature. It will be very interesting and entertaining to have students act out and film a Shakespeare play, whether at home or in the class. For a math project, depending on the age group, a math lesson can involve role play with students taking the role as teachers and with a given assignment, set up a school scenario on how they will present that math lesson to students. They can record themselves lecturing their families and I know they will be eager using technology to share that with the class. There are a variety of ways to use AV technology to reach all students and be sure to use the technology in a form to educate the students and not distract them from learning experiences.   
 

Internet fun with George!

Using the internet in your classroom or at home with your children can help enhance what they are learning at that present time. A rise in computers in schools during the last few decades has allowed students and teachers access to more information. Teachers and parents need to make sure that children responsibly use internet searches, and computer labs through tailored instructions. Teachers can create web instructions that encourage critical thinking and they can implement internet-based lesson plans. PBSkids.org concentrates primarily on educational, fun activities for young children. I think it is a great internet website that you can introduce to your children and help them navigate through the page. There is a great Curious George page that allows you to play educational games, print out art projects, and there is even spanish games and activities for bi-lingual learners. There is a wide range of different subjects you can touch on through this amazing page. From math, science, reading, and social studies, the Curious George page allows your child to explore all those different areas while having fun.

iPad learning fun!

There's a reason iPads have become so popular and fun amongst students and teachers, every lesson is more hands on! You can easily customize what the students learn and do on any app or you can teach with your own materials using ibooks author. An educational app that is fun and beneficial for children is Curious George's Town- a fun, meaningful app that is essential for every little child explorer. Through this app, children can learn many things such as math, learning the alphabet, and sorting. Help the man with the yellow hat sort out the vegetables, feed the animals at the pet store, and help recycle at the town park. There are many activities including, but not limited to, sorting books at the library, clean and recycle the park, navigate through the town square maze, and collecting items for checkout at the grocery store. This app along with other Curious George activities on the iPad help children with math, literacy, writing, color coordination, and many more things.

Creating short stories with George!

Curious George goes Camping is an entertaining story about the great outdoors and all of its wonders that are waiting to be explored. Of course, George tries to be helpful in all aspects, but he ends up disturbing a nearby camper, who chases George into the woods. George meets new creatures and makes new friends in the wilderness and even helped put out a forest fire! This is a good story to share with children and teach them about camping, things you need and take with you to go camping, and so much more. Creating your own camping stories and experiences, you and your children can use a book binding machine and make your own stories into books! Use the book binder and have the children make their own camping stories and what they would like to do while camping. Either have them make their own book, or each child create a page in one, big book that the class can share. Book binding machine is great and fun for kids to explore and be creative with. You can relate the story to many classroom subjects, for example math you can count how many marshmallows are being roasted. Social studies, you can discuss the different geographical sites about camping, and the best locations. Using the book binding machine you can create a great book with your child or students and teach them so much along the way as well.

Scanning fun at the Zoo

Curious George Visits the Zoo is a book that allows children to explore and wonder the world around them. In this story, George and his friend, the man with the yellow hat, visit a zoo to enjoy all the animals from different parts of the world. However, George takes it upon himself to take snatch up some bananas from the zoo keeper to help the zoo keeper out. Though he shouldn't have taken them, George soon changes the zoo keeper's shouts to praises with his clever, curious ways. Children are natural explorers and I believe a zoo field trip along with this story is a great way for them to do so. Explore the different animals, discover and learn about their origins, and take pictures of the field trip that way you can share with families using a scanner. One of the best uses of scanners in the classroom is digitizing students assignments, it can be scanned and used in creative ways. Create a newsletter or website for parents to know what new things their kids are learning and doing, add pictures of the fun, adventurous field trip the class just ventured on. The zoo field trip is a great way to motivate children to not only explore the book and read more, but think of the other classroom connections you can make as well. Count how many Elephants you see, and how many legs do Flamingos have? Explore and wonder with your kids through this amazing book.

Felt fun with George!

We know that there are many advantages and benefits to using felt boards in the classroom or at home with young children. It enhances a child's visual, auditory, motor, and tactile skills. Felt boards provide hands on learning and it encourages playful learning, and play is a child's primary means of exploration. Curious George felt board sets vary in items and objects that children can explore and play with. The stories collaborate perfectly with the pieces since George is always a new, outdoor adventure. The felt board example I have posted has trees, bananas, balloons, and so much more. You can connect this activity with many subjects as well like math, reading & writing, science, and social studies. Count how many red objects are on the board, ask your child questions about George and where do monkeys live. Reading the books to your child on a regular basis builds reading and comprehension skills, and spelling out the words of the images shown like hat, ball, and tree, are very beneficial and fun for your child also.

Sorting it out with George

What can your little one count to with George?

Curious George and Counting!

Curious George learns to count from 1 to 100 is a great book that not only grasps the math concept, but it also heightens literacy and writing skills as well. Children will find many things to count with each turn of the page, each page showing colorful images for kids to count and learn about. George and his friend with the yellow hat count things from home like toys, plates, books, to counting things at the park like leaves, bugs, and clouds. Have children write out the names of the things he/she counts, and have them re-read the story to you, the learning possibilities are endless with this amazing book!