4th Grade Technology Update

Dear Grade Four Parents,

We are pleased to share that all grade 4 students have successfully participated in their first round of Technology Bootcamp, which took place yesterday afternoon. Technology boot camp is comprised of highly-focused mini-lessons aimed at teaching digital citizenship and technology skills in order to meet the needs and expectations of teaching and learning. All lessons have been carefully planned and are aligned with our AISC Technology Standards and Benchmarks. Sessions are hands on, led by teachers and technology specialists, and directly related to learning in the class.

Please take a moment to read through the lessons and ask your child to share what they have learned. It is important to note that these lessons are introductory and will be reinforced throughout the year and embedded into units of study.

Google Research Tool- Searching for information and images can be tricky. Students were introduced to the Google Research Tool. This tool is a built in feature in Google Docs and Slides which allows users to search and filter images by license without opening a new tab or exiting the document.

E-Portfolio Setup- Blogger accounts follow the same privacy guidelines as all the other web content at AISC. This means first names only, and no sharing of personal information such as phone numbers, addresses, or personal plans. Unlike the AISC web pages, the only way anyone can access your child’s portfolio is if they have the exact address which is not published or searchable by Google or any other search engine. Please look for your child to be be emailing home the link along with a template message that can be forwarded to any “cloud audience” people in your child’s life. We will also be including some tips and guidelines that can help those special people give encouraging feedback.

Gmail Profile Picture- Each student has a profile picture associated with their school email address. Email is a great communication tool. This year, your child will explore its many uses while learning to be a safe digital citizen. Please note, the profile picture is only visible to people within AISC domain, meaning only teachers and students at AISC will see the profile picture.

Creating Bookmarks- There are many online resources and tools your child will be accessing this year. This just makes navigation to important sites easier for everyone!

Creating a Youtube Channel- Your child created a Youtube channel of their own and practiced uploading a sample clip. Youtube is a great place to upload projects, video clips, or movies. Online safety is our first priority. Youtube videos are always set to Unlisted which means only people with the link can view the video.

It was a fantastic afternoon and the fourth grade team, in addition to the tech team, was excited to see so many students learning so many tech skills in such a short amount of time. These tech rotations will continue periodically throughout the year.

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

The Fourth Grade Team and the AISC Tech Integration Team