ABC Community School

th
October 9 2015
Breehanna Hausman
 This generation is the digital age generation, and using technology is a part of their daily
lives. We all use it every day, I am using it to write you this letter currently. Now days we cannot
survive without some type of technology. Distance education is the popular option for
nontraditional learners now days and it’s becoming more popular than ever. Distance
education—through Internet and video courses—helps those who have to work a job and go to
school at the same time better schedule their learning opportunities. Technology is everywhere
and you cannot force us to get rid of it. There are so many benefits to technology in the
classroom and we cannot get rid of it. As students become increasingly digitally literate. The
shift in worldwide computer usage and the need for computer skills in today's workforce have
pushed the United States government to create guidelines, such as the Core Curriculum Content
Standards, for educators to ensure that students are prepared to meet the demands of the 21st
century. Computer technologies in the classroom setting help students have new authentic and
meaningful learning experience. Now day’s education is not focused on simply learning concepts
or facts as much as the process of building connections while learning. Students get more
engaged and really thrive when they are using mobile devices in the classroom. They grew up on
this technology and not having it in the classroom would be wrong. Our jobs as an educators is to
prepare students for the future. These kids will be working with technology in their future jobs
and careers. Knowing how to appropriately use mobile devices is an important aspect in this
increasingly connected world. In order to properly prepare your students for the future as they
transition into the workforce, we need to use technology in the classroom. The old days of
looking for information in encyclopedias are no longer. Now days we have that access to
information at our fingertips and these children do as well. There is just now ay we can function
with absolutely no technology while these kids are learning. Using this technology we as teaches
can use this learning outside the classroom because these kids can look up the information after
class not just limited. I read this article by Cengage Leaning Web that, “In a study conducted by
Cengage Learning, 74% percent of instructors report that the move towards implementing digital
technologies in the classroom has increased students’ academic performance, and 73% say it has
improved students’ engagement with their courses.” This website did a study on how the
technology is affecting the students and as you can see it’s in a positive way. There are plenty of
findings about how technology is improving the students learning. Using technology in the
classroom can also improve the teaching of the teachers. Technology helps improve instructional
delivery. Teachers can design student-centered lessons by allowing students to take an active part
in the lesson. This can all be done by using the technology provided in the classroom. Not to
mention the teacher can provide different levels of the students learning to each induvial. It is
easy to see you different levels in a game or assignment with the computer so each students can
go at their own pace and we can track the levels they reach and what they still need to work on.
In all, in the 21st century technology in the classroom is becoming more and more predominant.
Tablets are replacing our textbooks, and we can have any information at our fingertips at any
time. Technology has completely transformed the way we live or lives and we cannot take it out
of our school. We would have to completely change how we teach in order to take the
technology out of our classrooms. I do strongly feel we need to keep this technology because it is
the future and we need to embrace it because it’s not going away.
 Source: Boundless. “Advantages of Using Technology in the Classroom.” Boundless
Education. Boundless, 21 Jul. 2015. Retrieved 11 Oct. 2015 from
https://www.boundless.com/education/textbooks/boundless-education-textbook/technology-in-
the-classroom-6/edtech-25/advantages-of-using-technology-in-the-classroom-77-13007/
Findings on technology standards
The ccsd standards start at grade 3, they should be able to do things like work
independently and place information with in contact. Also be able to work in groups and present
information. Those standards exceeds set standards at that grade level. The below standards are
that the kids cannot work in groups and cannot research the information. They should b able to
identify the concepts with technology at this grade level. At the 6.0 they are expected to be able
to tell what advantages or disadvantages technology provides. Next is grade 5, those students
should meet standards by typing correctly and have correct finger placement. They should be
able to do word processing and a spread sheet with little teacher help. It also states they should
be able to explain the difference between program files and data files. They should have distance
learning down and be able to know what it is. Next is grade 8, those students in short should be
able to analyze and model server design and do projects. They need to be able to type without
looking at the key board. These kids can edit and so word processing documents. They can assist
others in technology information. They can create presentations and do research. They need t be
able to tell how technology impacts the world. Last is grade 12, those students will be able to
work independently and analyze data and information. Compare and contrast different types of
information. Their tying skills should include typing spread sheet and data. In all, the standards
for each grade level that I found meet standards. I do feel as the younger grades are concerned
that they can fall short of the standards a little.
The next is Nevada’s standards for students using technology. Nevada Ready 21
transforms K-12 education by engaging all students in a personalized, learner-centered
education. By purposefully infusing technology into students' daily experience, Nevada Ready
21 teachers will provide students with a 21st Century education that builds a vibrant, diverse
economy. This plan provides a blueprint for implementing one-to-one student computing in
Nevada schools and was approved by the Nevada Commission on Educational Technology in
September 2014.
National level is a little different than the other two. They say our students in the U.S.
should be able to describe the skills and knowledge they need to learn effectively and live
productively in an increasingly global and digital society. They have standards not based on
grade levels but an overall report. The students need to have creative thinking and generate new
ideas apply the trends and b able to present in a fun way. All students should be able to locate
data and analyze and present. That is the overall standards for students that I saw on the web
page.
In conclusion, I saw that all the standards were pretty much the same. There was some
differences but for the most part they all have students doing the same things across the board. I
feel we need to help better reach these standards as teachers. I do feel that this new age
technology is helping our kids reach these goals for their future.
LESSON PLAN
Name of lesson: You are the planet!

• Grade Level Appropriateness: 5th grade

• Technology Content Standard Addressed: Students will be able to use the technology to
complete the assignment and be able to present their planet 0f choice to the class.

• Other Content Standard Addressed: Students will be able to meet presentation standards that
will be in the directions and identify the planet and be able to state facts about their planet using
the computer to look up facts and draw their planet on computer software so they can have it go
along with their presentation.

• Objective: Students will be able to know at least 5 facts about a certain planet in our solar
system and know what that planet looks like. They need to be able to use the computer to look up
facts and be able to use the software to draw their planet. Lastly they need to present their planet
as if they themselves where the planet.
Materials needed to facilitate the lesson: Computer, overhead projector, Elmo, internet, Wi-Fi,
Paint program or some sort or drawing tool on the computer.

• Suggested group size: Students work alone and present alone but the class will all be working
on this together and watching each person present their planet that they picked.

• Procedures: Step 1: we will be talking about the solar system and have gone over all the
planets and some facts about each. After that I will say to the students to pick planet of their own
that they want to research about and present to the class, but that catch is they have to act as if
they are the planet and I would then say an example to them so they know what I’m talking
about. (Hi I’m Mars and I’m the forth planet from the sun and I am mostly red in color.) Then
the kids will break up into independent work at that time after I have explained the project. We
will have indivual computers form each student to look up facts about their planet and be able to
present.
Step 2: The kids ill research their planet while I go around to check up on them and i will make
sure when they find their 5 facts that they are accurate and so when they present they are
presenting actual facts to the class. After everyone has their 5 facts we will all move on as a class
to the drawing part.
Step 3: I will show the class on my overhead projector how to navigate thru the program I will
use to draw these planets and then send them to do the assignment. Again I will go around to
check up on everyone. After they all drew their planets we would present the next day because
we might not have time after all the research.
Step4: The presenting day as come and I will take volunteers to go first and if no people
volunteer I will pick kids to show the class their drawing of their planet and tell their five facts
about the planet. The kids will put the drawing on the Elmo to show the class and it will show up
on the big screen as everyone can see.
Step 5: the last step would be assessment and the kids will have a short quiz but as a whole they
will try and answer questions as I put them on the overhead projector.

• Assessment: Students will have a short quiz based on what they have heard about planets and
what their fellow peers presented about the planets. It will consist of 10 true and false and 10
mutable choice.

(Student sample)
Hello humans from earth, my name is Mars. I am very red in color and have some dark spots all
around on my body. I have a big of a hard time breathing because I am made up of carbon
dioxide. I always tend to feel cold because my body temperature never goes beyond 20 c all year
long except when its winter time I pretty much freeze because I can’t ever get warm at the
temperature of -153 c ! I am also pretty sold and have pretty rough skin. I am the forth planet
from the sun and I like it like that those earth people right in front of me must be hot if they are
closer to that big ball of fire. I like I cold that and that’s where I’ll stay.
Picture on next page!