Category: Language arts
#32: How to Use Art to Teach Grammar
Here’s a great lesson that uses every child’s innate love of color to learn grammar. All you need is MS Word, a quick introduction to the toolbars and tools, and about 25 minutes to complete. If you’re the tech lab teacher, this gives you a chance to reinforce the grammar lesson the classroom is teaching:
[caption id="attachment_1026" align="aligncenter" width="450"]
From Structured Learning’s Tech Lab Toolkit Volume I[/caption]
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, an Amazon Vine Voice, CSTA presentation reviewer, 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.
Tech Tip #18: No Excuse for Spelling Errors
As a working technology teacher, I get hundreds of questions from parents about their home computers, how to do stuff, how to solve problems. Each week, I’ll share one with you. They’re always brief and always focused. Enjoy! (more…)
#16: A Holiday Memory in Word or KidPix
Use this not only to create a gift for parents, but to practice writing skills, grammar, MS Word’s spell check. I have student compose the memory one week and we format it the next. For beginning writers, use KidPix and its text tools. (more…)
#15: A Holiday Letter for Grades 2-6
This holiday letter can be as simple (for 2nd graders) or sophisticated (middle school) as your students can handle. There are a gamut of skills–
- text
- borders
- pictures (from the internet, from clip art, from a separate file folder on your school server)
- different fonts, font colors, font sizes
I’ve included a grading rubric to guide students in accomplishing as much as they can. Start with the basics (text, a border, some pictures) and add more skills as students get used to the early ones: (more…)
#112: 10 Ways Twitter Makes You a Better Writer
I wrote a post on how Blogs and Wikis make students better writers–teachers too for that matter–and wanted to follow it up with how tweeting improves writing. Then I found Jennifer’s summary. It pretty well covers what I’d say:
- You learn to be concise
- You learn to be focused
- You have time to check for grammar and spelling
#24: A Holiday Newsletter in Publisher for Elementary School
This is another great holiday project for 5th graders (see the holiday calendar here). Publisher templates lay out the columns, headings, articles. All students must do is fill in with their topics and pictures. Be sure that they delete the extra pages at the end before printing. (more…)
#34: How to Teach Dolch Words with KidPix
Reinforce Dolch words and sentence structure with KidPix text tool and drawing options.
Before you start this project, be sure to go through How to KidPix I and How to KidPix II. (more…)
Free Lesson Plans That Mix Tech and Ed
Over the years, I’ve developed a list of lesson plans that nicely integrate technology into core classroom subjects like, science, language arts, spelling, math, 
history and more. To share them, click here, on Free Lesson Plans.
When you get to the page, you’ll find 112 options. They all don’t have links. The ones with links I’ve posted. The others, I’m planning to. For the entire book of lessons without waiting, and arguably clearer than the reproduction in the blog allows, go to the Store and select either volume of 55 Technology Projects for the Digital Classroom.
As you start this school year, feel free to ask questions of Ask a Tech Teacher. They’re probably the same one many others are curious about.
