Understanding how to use the internet has become a cornerstone issue for students. No longer do they complete their research on projects solely in the library. Now, there is a vast landscape of resources available on the internet.

But with wealth of options comes responsibility for their use. As soon as children begin to visit the online world, they need the knowledge to do that safely, securely, responsibly. There are several great programs available to guide students through this process (Common Sense’s Digital Passport, Carnegie CyberAcademy, Netsmart Kids). I’ve collected them as resources and developed a path to follow that includes the best of everything.

Here’s Kindergarten–feel free to print this lesson. Use the lines in front of the steps to check off completed work:

Overview/Big Ideas

Students learn how to live in the digital world of internet websites, copy-righted images, and virtual friends who may be something different.

Essential Questions

• What is a ‘digital citizen’?
• How is being a citizen of the internet the same/different than my home town?
• What are the implications of digital citizenship in today’s world?

Objectives and Steps

The objectives of this lesson are:

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In these 169 tech-centric situations, you get an overview of pedagogy—the tech topics most important to your teaching—as well as practical strategies to address most classroom tech situations, how to scaffold these to learning, and where they provide the subtext to daily tech-infused education.

Today’s tip: Compare-contrast Digital Tools

Category: Problem-solving

Have students use these tables to compare-contrast digital tools available for their education:

Set them up in your spreadsheet program and add only the labels. Show it on the class screen and have students suggest what data fills in the cells. If you have the Structured Learning Tech Curriculum, you’ll find copies of these in the ebook. Just have students fill them in digitally. If you have the print book, simply, print copies (you have permissions to reprint single pages when you purchase the book).

Sign up for a new tip each week or buy the entire 169 Real-world Ways to Put Tech into Your Classroom.

What’s your favorite tech tip in your classroom? Share it in the comments below.

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Every month, subscribers to our newsletter get a free/discounted resource to help their tech teaching.

K-5 New Teacher Survival Kit

9 ebooks, 65 digital posters 

$222.95  Marked down to $178.95

ends October 7, 2024

• K-5 tech curriculum textbooks (Common Core aligned)–a year’s worth of skills-based, project-based learning that ties into class units. 
• Ultimate Guide to Keyboarding: K-5–K-5 keyboard curriculum–essentials of keyboarding in 45-minutes a week
• K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum–click for more information
• 169 Real-World Ways to Put Tech into Your Class you’ll be expected to know how to solve common computer problems. Click for more information
• 65 ePosters to share most-important tech details with students

Click here to purchase (more…)

Here are the most-read posts for the past month:

1. 18 Digital Tool Musts in the Classroom — a Video
2. Introducing the Makeblock mBot2: A Fun and Educational AI Robot for Coding
3. 9 Reasons to Use Digital Books
4. The Role of Phosphorus Properties in Sustainable Technology for Classrooms
5. Tips for Teachers to Balance the Demands of School Events and Their Personal Lives

Here’s a preview of what’s coming up:

1. Warm Ups–watch the video
2. 6 Online Resources About Letters
3. Subscriber Special
4. Tech Tips
5. Online Resources About Gamified Education
6. Digital Citizenship
7. Google Street View
8. Speaking and Listening Skills
9. Canva in Your Classroom
10. Tips on Internet Research

–image credit to Deposit Photo (more…)

1. Autumn Facts for Kids
2. Don’t “Leaf” Out Fall’s Most Valuable Lesson
3. EEK! A Tree’s True Color
4. Fall Bucket List For Families Printable
5. Fall Crafts, Decorations, and Printouts
6. Fall Books & Short Stories For Kids about Autumn
7. Primary Games’ Fall Fun
8. Science Made Simple: Why Do Leaves Change Color in Fall?
9. Why Leaves Change Color

Click for an updated list (more…)

9-11 Day has become Patriot Day here in America, but it doesn’t change its purpose: to show how much we love our country.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvsN0Id4LEg?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparent]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwcWVs4Eejg?si=nfBd6Unur6CmgiUH&start=35]

If you aren’t familiar with this terrorist attack, here’s a 2-minute overview:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uOn7xLYPbc?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparent]

–Comments are closed to enjoy the day more completely.

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“The content presented in this blog are the result of creative imagination and not intended for use, reproduction, or incorporation into any artificial intelligence training or machine learning systems without prior written consent from the author.”

Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, contributor to NEA Today, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.

In these 169 tech-centric situations, you get an overview of pedagogy—the tech topics most important to your teaching—as well as practical strategies to address most classroom tech situations, how to scaffold these to learning, and where they provide the subtext to daily tech-infused education.

Today’s tip: Using digital books

Category: Problem-solving

As you discuss reading and the technology tools that inspire students in this activity, here’s a poster with nine reasons why students will love digital books:

They’re light-weight, easy to transport, provide links for deeper learning, differentiate for student needs (like zoom to see better or a change of font), allow for the addition of notes that can be erased, and pages never rip. What more could you ask?

Sign up for a new tip each week below or buy the entire 169 Real-world Ways to Put Tech into Your Classroom.

What’s your favorite tech tip in your classroom? Share it in the comments below.

(more…)

Here are the most-read posts for the past month:

1. 40+ Word Study Websites
2. 15 Webtools in 15 Weeks–the video
3. Creating and Using Curriculum Maps Video
4. Tech Ed Resources for your Class–K-8 Keyboard Curriculum
5. Tech Ed Resources for your Class–Digital Citizenship
6. Tech Ed Resources–K-12 Tech Curriculum
7. Tech Ed Resources–Lesson Plans
8. 35+ Online Audio Resources
9. 20 Online Resources About Digital Storytelling
10. Here’s How to Get Started with Ask a Tech Teacher

Here’s a preview of what’s coming up:

1. mBot2: An Educational AI Robot for Coding
2. 18 Digital Tool Musts–a video
3. I’m traveling most of September–see you in October!

–image credit to Deposit Photo (more…)

Monday, September 2nd, is America’s Labor Day. It was originally organized to celebrate labor association strengths and contributions to the United States economy. Now, it has become a day of rest, the traditional end of the summer, and a last chance to make trips or hold outdoor events.

Here are some wonderful websites that will generate organic conversations about The Day:

1. Child Labor
2. Cybraryman’s Labor Day page--comprehensive as is his way
3. History of Labor Day–Movie
4. Labor Day activities, games, drawings for kids
5. Labor Day infographic
6. Labor Day for Kids: Read-aloud book
7. Labor Day’s Violent Beginnings
8. PBS Kids: Labor Day
9. Ten Labor Day Facts (from Forbes)
10. Today in History (Labor Day)–from Library of Congress
11. Why Americans and Canadians Celebrate Labor Day–YT video
12. Why do we celebrate Labor Day (from How Stuff Works)

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I get a lot of questions from readers about what tech ed resources I use in my classroom so I’ll take a few days this summer to review them with you. Some are edited and/or written by members of the Ask a Tech Teacher crew. Others, by tech teachers who work with the same publisher I do. All of them, I’ve found well-suited to the task of scaling and differentiating tech skills for age groups, scaffolding learning year-to-year, taking into account the perspectives and norms of all stakeholders, with appropriate metrics to know learning is organic and granular.

Today: Mentoring and Coaching

Tech coaching/mentoring is available from experts who work with you via email or virtual meetings to prepare lesson plans, teach to standards, integrate tech into core classroom time. If you’re new to tech education and wonder how to teach kindergartners to use the mouse, first graders to keyboard, third graders to sagely search the internet, pick the brains of our seasoned team of technology teachers.

Note: If your District has purchased a license, you get some coaching for free. Check on that before signing up.

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