The grade 1 students have surprised me greatly over the last month. Their progress toward becoming independent file managers and document creators was a very smooth process. Due to this, you can probably imagine technology curricula and expectations are in a constant state of flux. Every year, all over the world, specific expectations are finding younger and younger learners. Our children's ability to "adapt and adopt" is evidence these skills are increasingly being practiced outside the school environment as parents recognize the importance digital literacy will play in their lives. Our kids really are digital natives.
After gaining confidence in 3D SketchUp design, students in grades 2 and 3 applied their skills remarkably in creating self-sustainable school designs (grade 2), and art galleries to house virtual collections of master painters (grade 3). Why don’t you ask your nearest grade 2 or 3 student to demonstrate these abilities at home? You can download the free Google SketchUp design software from sketchup.google.com.
Grades 4 and 5 are now taking part in the Scratch experience. If you have a grade 2 student in the family, you will know that Scratch is a kid friendly programming platform used to create interactive stories, games, animations, music, and art. The creative process in Scratch goes something like this; imagine - create - debug - share - reflect - modify. This process, along with the logic and reasoning required, consistently challenges students to exercise and strengthen their higher thinking skills. The Scratch programming software can be downloaded for free from scratch.mit.edu.
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