Module G Integration-Kindergarten Resources

I discovered a website created by California State University, Fresno Henry Madden Library that is geared toward kindergarten teachers http://kindergarten.lib.csufresno.edu/. The website directs you to different WebPages depending on what you are looking for. If you click on worksheets you will be taken to a page with links to , www.teach-nology.com, www.schoolexpress.com, and www.kiddyhouse.com, just to name a few. The links take you directly to the worksheet index where you can pick a category such as handwriting, shapes, counting, matching, or nursery rhymes. I found the school express worksheets to be extremely useful in teaching kindergarteners the basics. If you click on the health link you could be transported to www.dole.com or www.kidshealth.org where they provide information and games for kids that encourage eating right and being healthy. Kids Health provides videos on how the body works, which would be great for a science lesson. If you click on physical education you could go to www.gameskidsplay.net or www.familyfun.go.com. Both sites encourage kids to stay active by playing various games. The websites list instructions for each game listed. You can find videos on Thanksgiving crafts and recipes on the Disney Family Fun website. Under the music section you can go to Mrs. Jones’ Sing Along Songs http://www.mrsjonesroom.com/songs/alphlist.html where you can learn spelling songs to a familiar tune. The Henry Madden Library links you to a wide variety of useful resources that would be of great interest to elementary school teachers and not just kindergarten teachers. I put this website under my favorites because you can find whatever you are looking for conveniently linked to this website.

Module F Integration-Kindergarten Technology

I read an article titled “Using Technology With Kindergarten Students" by Chris Gathers.  The article is a testimonial about how a kindergarten teacher uses technology to enhance teaching in the classroom. The teacher has three computers in her classroom and access to a computer lab. In the computer lab, she uses a program called Mouse Practice (Apple Computer, Inc.) that teaches the children to click and drag. Once that skill is mastered she introduces another program called Kid Pix Studio Deluxe, which has many different learning activities and allows students to use their imagination. For example, she has the children use the pencil tool to draw a self portrait at the beginning and end of the year to see the improvement in their work.
The students are able to use the classroom computers during free play, rest time, and when their work is finished. Each child uses the computer at least 10 minutes every other day. During this time, the students can practice what they learned in the computer lab or play educational games. Chris Gathers also uses technology in the classroom by finding web sites that correspond to the lesson, which helps to get the children excited about learning.
I found this article useful because I want to teach kindergarten and did not know the extent of what a kindergartener is able to learn on a computer or how to use classroom computers when you only have two or three available. I was surprised to find out that a kindergarten teacher has computers available in the classroom to use. I would assume that the computers would be given to the higher grade level classrooms. You should read this article if you need to get ideas on how to integrate technology into the kindergarten classroom.