When Tech and Ed meet in a Third Grade Classroom

Guest Blog Post by Beth Sandford, Lemon Crest teacher

New to Lakeside but not new to teaching, a teacher for twenty years, the most noticeable difference  I saw when I arrived in Lakeside was how teachers support teachers, and how Ed and Tech merge in the classroom in the most wonderful way!

~Beth Sandford

Learning About Our Community

Thanks to Sandy Patterson and Kay Little who helped our class connect with Miss Edna, a life long resident of Lakeside. She shared with us memories of the Lakeside Inn, the flood of 1916, the Railroad, and the Lakeside Raceway. Skype allowed us to connect with community members and learn about how our community has changed. To see the Twitter post, click HERE

Breakout EDU

You may have heard about Breakout Rooms, but have you heard about Breakout EDU? In Breakout EDU, players work collaboratively to solve a series of critical thinking puzzles in order to open a locked box. My class read the BFG in the fall as part of the Global Read Aloud Challenge. Then we helped Sophie save all the Fizzwizard dreams in our first Breakout EDU challenge. The class had to work together to solve problems that would help them unlock a series of locks. Inside we found a Thank You from Sophie and BFG bookmarks.

Seesaw

Student creation and learning on the iPads is mindblowing! Students have the ability to show deeper understanding of concepts by using apps like Shadow Puppet, Telagami, Book Creator, iMovie, Pic Collage, Popplet, and Explain Everything. The difficulty is having a way for students to share their projects with classmates and family in a safe and meaningful way. My class uses Seesaw, a digital portfolio, to share work with each other and with family. 
Click HERE to see examples of how you can use Seesaw in your classroom.

Donor's Choose Flexible Seating

My classroom also had a project funded through Donor's Choose for flexible seating. We have designed a learning space in our classroom where students can work at a cafe table, s small writing table the floor or using stability balls. My first year in Lakeside has been filled with gratitude for the amazing teachers I work with at Lemon Crest, the talented Tech department (Laura, Kay and Sandy) and my students who are at the very core of every decision I make in my classroom each day!

For More Ideas and Information:

Links to EdTech and Classroom Resources

Follow Beth on Twitter @sandfordscoop