Handouts from Integrating the Alpha Smarts into the Elementary Curriculum

MICCA 2008Integrating the AlphaSmarts into the Elementary Classroom

Presenter: [email protected]

Integration Ideas:

Lang. Arts:

Typing Name (Letter Recognition) P-K - For those children that cannot yet write their name, it can be put on a sentence strip. The students will then have to look for the letters in their names. Teach students about the enter key and have them press enter and type their names again. They can type their name multiple times to help master the skill.

Write The Room - Walk around the room and type in words they find in the room. To extend this have them type only words with Ch, th, blends or whatever your phonemic focus is for that week.

Letter of the Week – Writing Station Given several numbered pictures, the student shall type the number and spell

the picture name or write a sentence using the picture name. As an extension students can write a descriptive paragraph about their picture.

Smart Spelling with Partners: Before you begin the lesson, have the weekly spelling words listed somewhere around the room.

1. Students will take an AlphaSmart and sit on the floor facing their partner. 2. They will then type in one of the weekly spelling words and press enter. 3. They will then exchange their AlphaSmarts and write a sentence using their partner’s word. 4. After typing the sentence, read it orally to each other and then pass the AlphaSmart back and continue until all of the spelling words have been selected. (Note: They will get real excited when they both type in the same word before exchanging!) 5. Once all spelling words have been typed in and used in a sentence, you can opt to print out their work to share with the class.

Extension: If time allows, have students scramble one word, exchange their AlphaSmart, and have their partner unscramble the mystery spelling word!

Nouns – “Nouns About All Around” - Give your students a break from the classroom and lead them on a noun tour! Divide your class into four groups (1) people; (2) places; (3) things; (4) ideas, thoughts, and emotions. Designate 3 members in each group as the recorder, noise monitor, and reporter. The recorder takes the AlphaSmart on the tour and writes down all the nouns that are spotted by her teammates and fit in her group’s category as they walk around the school. Instruct the noise monitor to keep down his group’s noise level. Upon returning to class, the reporter gets to read aloud his group’s noun list. If you have a computer that will project onto a screen or TV, have the student hook their AlphaSmart to the computer and beam their words into Inspiration using the rapid fire tool. Just make sure to tell them to press enter after each word they type on the AlphaSmart.

Hebron-Harman ES Page 1 of 12 AACPSwww.digitallearninghow.blogspot.com



Snapshot Sentences - Have each student bring a snapshot to class. Have them type an interrogative, imperative, declarative, and exclamatory sentence into one of the files on the AlphaSmart that would give others a clue as to what picture was being talked about. For example, if you have a picture of folks sitting around a lake, their sentences might be: Are the fish biting? Don’t swim without your life jacket on.The water is really calm today. Wow, is it hot out here today! If you have a computer that will project onto a screen or TV, have the student hook their AlphaSmart to the computer and display their four sentences to the class. The other students try to match the photographs on display to the sentences on the screen. Another option is to print the questions and display them randomly on the bulletin board with the photographs and have students match them on the board.

Pen Pal Punctuation Day - Passing notes in class? You bet, when you hold a special Pen Pal Punctuation Day! For morning work, have each student decorate a file folder as a personal “mailbox.” After the mailboxes are completed, have each student draw a classmate’s name out of a container of name slips. Then have him write his pen pal a brief letter on the AlphaSmart with no punctuation. Print it out and deliver to her mailbox. After all the mail is delivered, have each student edit his pen pal’s letter and then return it to be checked. How’s that for a special delivery of letter-perfect punctuation practice? With the Neo 2’s they could beam their sentence to their partner and edit the letters on the Alpha Smart before printing.

“The Personal Touch” – Expository Writing - The teacher approaches each student and, without a word, touches each one’s hand in a different way. One might get a ‘power’ handshake, another a ‘high five’, another a hand jive, another a ‘pinkie link’, another a soft stroke on the back of the hand, another clasp hands and swing playfully, etc. Students then open a file on the AlphaSmart and write about their personal touch as clearly as possible so that a reader of their paragraph(s) could demonstrate the touch the writer has received. Encourage them to write how the touch made them feel as well as a description of the actual physical action. Have students randomly exchange AlphaSmarts, read the paragraph and try to replicate the hand action. If students are unsuccessful, the writer can go back and revise the paragraph to make it clearer to the reader. Ask for volunteers to read their finished products.

Write a Group Story - Provide the class with a story starter. Each student adds 1-4 sentences to the story, then passes it on to another student. Once the story is complete, it can be printed and used to model revision and editing. Instead of passing it, you can also beam it from one student to another.

Character Template - Students use the AlphaSmart to write down things they know about a character, then expand on the details. Prompts might be:File 1= Write down one thing you know about character AFile 2=Write down one thing you know about character B

Story Mapping - Students use the different files to create a story map.File 1=Title File 2=Setting File 3=Characters File 4=TimeFile 5=Problem File 6=Solution




Pros and Cons - Students can debate a subject using different files. File 1= Topic File 2= Pros (list at least 3)File 3= Cons (list at least 3) File 4= Conclusion

Sensory Word Banks - Students are assigned a topic, then use the different files to describe the topic.File 1= Topic File 2= Looks Like File 3= Smells Like File 4= Feels Like File 5= Tastes Like File 6= Sounds Like

Sentence Stretching - Begin with a short sentence or a group of words on an AlphaSmart file. Pass AlphaSmart around to a group of about six people with the rule that each person must add or change one word to make the sentence more interesting.

Writing Roulette - This is a writing activity in which the students write sentences to compose a story and pass the AlphaSmarts at a determined time by the teacher to complete a round robin story. You can give them a prompt to start with such as "If only . . ." When writing, the students are encouraged to focus on their thoughts only. Later, the teacher can share the stories and have them work on editing skills and the sequencing of the stories.

AlphaSmart News - The round robin stories or a class newsletter can be downloaded into a newsletter template in ClarisWorks or Word and then published as your class newsletter.

Penpals - find penpals for your students on the Internet and have the students write their email off-line, connect and then send.

Editing Written Work- Have students type their work in a designated file. Copy and paste their work into another file to edit. The second file will be edited by their peers. Have 3 - 5 students in one group, set your timer and allow the students to edit for complete sentences including a capital letter and a period. Pass the AlphaSmart after the timer goes off. Have the next student check for complete sentences. When this has been shown to the entire group, work on the next editing skill (i.e. spelling, capitalization of proper nouns, etc.)

Math:

Number Recognition -The child types as directed. Type 3 w’s. Type 5 p’s. Type 7 e’s…

Can You Guess My Number? - Susan Vaughan, Townsell

This activity will help students practice spelling the numbers 1-20. The first student thinks of a number and writes it on the AlphaSmart in file one. They then switch to file two and hand the AlphaSmart to the second child. They write in a number and hand it back to the first student. That student must then write back and tell them if their guess is smaller, larger, or the number. AlphaSmart is then handed back for a second guess. Play continues till the number is found.




Can You Solve It? - Teacher will upload a math problem to the AlphaSmart. Students will first solve the problem and then complete a paragraph explaining the process they used in achieving their answer. Students can also trade AlphaSmarts and see if their peer agrees with their problem solving technique and add anything if necessary. This is a great way for the teachers to see the thought process that the child is using in order to solve the problems.

Class Information Graphing - In this activity students will come up with a question to ask their fellow students, use their AlphaSmart to collect data, transfer their data to an excel sheet, and make it into a graph.

Step one: Each student writes a question on their AlphaSmart. It is better to limit choices as in the following idea instead of just wide open response. When you have free time at home would you rather read a book, watch TV, or play outside? Before collecting data you could have students open a second file and write about what they predict their results will be.

Step two: AlphaSmarts are placed on student desks. Students then answer questions on each AlphaSmart as they move around the room. One good way to make sure each child has answered is to have students first type their name and then their answer.

Step three: Students compile the answers on their AlphaSmart and place this data in an excel sheet, and make it into a graph. Graphs could be printed and displayed for graphic information about the class.

Step four: Students write sentences to summarize their results and tell how this compared with their predictions.

Measurement in the Real World - Students are partnered up and take with them a ruler, a tape measure, a yard stick, and one AlphaSmart. The students are instructed to walk around the classroom and the school to find items to measure. Using their measuring instruments, the students will measure the various objects or structures and record the names and measurements by typing the information in the AlphaSmart. Upon returning to class, the students will perform conversions of their measurements to show the relationship with the same system. (eg. 3 inches is ¼ foot.)

Science:

Type science observations in Alpha Smarts

Record data for experiments in Alpha Smarts

In cooperative learning groups, have the recorder use the Alpha Smarts record ideas and then beam them into inspiration.




Social Studies:

In cooperative learning groups, have the recorder use the Alpha Smarts to record ideas and then beam them into inspiration.

Use the AlphaSmarts to take notes for a research project. Beam notes into Word and create a report in Word using the notes.

General:

Research - Label each file as a research area such as "Habitats," "Food," "Birth,

Characteristics," etc. and then as students do the research, they organize their notes

into the various categories.

Organization within a file - Organize information such as phone numbers, e-mail

addresses, contact list, index of what is in the other files or reminders to yourself.

Before each heading in the file, type "**". By pressing the FIND button on the top row

of the AlphaSmart, you can find the next ** in that file. Scroll through that file using

command-G until you find the topic you desire.

Brainstorming- Use the AlphaSmart when brainstorming as a class. Print out list,

copy and distribute to all students.

KWL Chart

File 1=What I already know about this topic

File 2=What I want to learn about this topic

File 3=What I have learned about this topic

Field Trip: Let students take notes on a field trip using the AlphaSmart. Papers will not

be blown away and they will not need to sharpen pencils.

Interview a peer: During the beginning of the year, have students interview a peer

about hobbies, likes and/or opinions about topics.

Teacher Helps:

Collect Names and AddressesPass your AlphaSmart around a room to collect names and addresses instead of having




people fill out a form that will eventually have to be transcribed into a computer. This way you’ve got the information in text form from the start and can eliminate a time-consuming step. Obviously, you can collect ANY kind of information this way.

Journal Writing Ideashttp://www.irvingisd.net/alphasmart/documents/Journal_Ideas2.pdf

August

Vacation has come to an end.

What are you going to pack in your keepsake box labeled “Summer 2008?”

August 22 is Be An Angel Day. Describe one angelic thing you could do for someone

today.

August is Foot Health Month. What does the idiom “He really put his foot in his mouth”

mean? Write about a time you put your foot in your mouth.

National Mustard Day is August 5. Are you more like plain mustard or the bold and spicy

variety? Explain.

September

September is National Courtesy Month. If someone is rude to you, how do you handle it?

World Gratitude Day is Sept. 21. For whom or what are you most grateful?

Sept. 6 is National Do It! Day. What have you been putting off that you are going to finish

(or at least start) today?

California became the 31st state on Sept. 9, 1850. Would the threat of a possible

earthquake affect your feelings about living in California? Explain

October

October is the month of Fire Prevention Week. What’s something that really makes you

“hot under the collar” (angry)?

The Mount Rushmore National Memorial was completed on October 31, 1941. Suppose

one more face were added to this monument. Who do you think deserves such an honor?

Why?

October is National Youth Against Tobacco Month. Write a letter to a friend (young

person or adult) encouraging him or her to stop smoking.

Martin Luther King, Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize on October 14, 1964. If you could

work for peace between two people, two groups of people, or two nations, who would they

be? Explain.


http://www.irvingisd.net/alphasmart/documents/Journal_Ideas2.pdf



November

In November, National Farm-City Week is celebrated. Would you rather live on a farm or

in a large city? Give several reasons for your choice.

American Education Week is this month. Describe on important life lesson that you learned

from a past teacher. Why do you remember this lesson so well?

November is in the season we call autumn or fall. If you could choose one of the four

seasons to last all year long, which would you choose? Why?

On Nov 8, 1895, Wilhelm G. Roentgen discovered X rays. He called them X rays

because he didn’t understand what they were at first! Now, over 100 years later, what

great scientific discovery would you wish for? Why?

December

During the first week of each December, New York City begins the holiday season by

lighting the giant Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. What event marks the beginning of

the holiday season for you?

Eat What You Want Day is observed on December 16. What would be on your menu for

breakfast, lunch, and dinner that day?

The third week of December is Tell Someone They’re Doing a Good Job Week. Who are

you going to encourage each day this week? Why?

The annual meeting of Keep America Beautiful is held in December. In your opinion,

what would be a fair punishment for someone who was caught littering, polluting, or

vandalizing a city park?

January

On January 1, 1924, Frank Buckley Cooney of Minnesota invented the first “ink paste,” or

crayon. Which color best describes you? Explain.

Many people vacation in January after the holidays. What souvenir would you design for

tourists to take home as a reminder of their visit to your town? Why?

It’s Backwards Day on January 26. Looking backwards, describe how you have changed

since school started last fall.

Mark Goodson – creator of popular television game shows like “The Price is Right” and

“Family Feud” – was born on January 24, 1915. Why do you think game shows are so

popular?

February




February is American Heart Month. What do you wish for most, from the bottom of your

heart?

February is the birth month of “Honest Abe” Lincoln and George “I-cannot-tell-a-lie”

Washington. If your best friend asked you an embarrassing question, would you tell the

truth even it if was unpleasant or difficult to do so? Why or why not?

On February 3, 1690, the first American paper money was printed in Massachusetts. If

you had to name ten things that money can’t buy, what would you list? Write your list in the

order of importance to you, with number one being the most important item.

On February 23, 1633, Samuel Pepys – author of a world-famous diary- was born in

Cambridge, England. How would you feel if someone read your diary? What famous

person’s diary would you REALLY like to sneak a peek at?

March

National Pig Day is March 1. If you could go to any restaurant and “pig out” for free, what

restaurant would you visit? What exactly makes this restaurant so “pig-errific?”

TV Turnoff Week is observed annually the second week in March. What things can you

and your family do at night instead of watch TV?

Movie Director Ron Howard (who directed Apollo 13) was born March 1, 1954. He started

his career in show business as a child playing Opie on “The Andy Griffith Show.” Would

you like to be on a national television show? Give reasons for your answer.

March is Youth Art Month. Would you rather be recognized for outstanding artistic, writing,

or athletic ability? Explain your answer.

April

April 16 is observed annually as National Stress Awareness Day. What things are stressful

for you? Describe several different ways you could handle these pressure-causing

incidents.

Gideon Sundback patented the zipper on April 29,1913. Can you keep your lips zipped

when someone confides in you, or do you always manage to spill the beans? Explain.

April 2 is International Children’s Book Day, chosen because it is Hans Christian

Andersen’s birthday. If you could trade places with a famous book character, who would

you select and why?

A former slave named Robert became a very famous American hermit. He died on April 1,

1832 at his hermitage in Seekonk, Massachusetts. What do you think would be the




advantages and disadvantages of a solitary life? Do you ever feel like becoming a hermit?

Explain.

May

Gabriel Fahrenheit, the inventor of the mercury thermometer, was born on May 14, 1686.

Are you usually a cool cucumber or a hothead? Explain.

National Postcard Week is in May. Describe the location in your town that would make the

best picture-postcard photograph.

May 16 is Biographers Day. If you were asked to write someone’s biography, who would

you like to research and write about? Why?

Older Americans Month is celebrated in May. What is the most important thing an older

person has taught you? Explain how it has benefited you.

Resources

Ideas compiled from the following websites.

Compiled by Ashley Evans and Mary Beth Turanchik:

AlphaSmart's official website includes an interactive "Community Center," to read about what other educators are doing with their AlphaSmarts, and to share your own ideas. http://www.alphasmart.com/k12/solutions/integration_early_grades.html

Irving Independent School District Math Lessons http://www.irvingisd.net/alphasmart/MathLessons.htm Madison Metroplitan School District Keyboarding

http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/tnl/langarts/activities.htm Transforming Teaching Through Technology Keyboarding Ideas

http://www.tcet.unt.edu/START/instruct/general/kb-rap.htm More Irving Independent School District Integration Ideas

http://www.irvingisd.net/alphasmart/documents/Integration_Ideas2.pdf e-readers Lesson Plans

http://www.ereaders.scps.k12.fl.us/lessonplans/alphasmartlesson.htm Courtney May, Lubbock Texas AlphaQuizzes and Lessons

http://www.lubbockisd.org/cmay/AlphaQuizzesLessons.htm Artfully Integrating the AlphaSmart

http://www.cps.ci.cambridge.ma.us/element/haggerty/alphasmart.html Jerrie Cheeks AlphaSmart Ideas http://www.littletonps.org/technology/Integrating_Technology/Pages/

Workshops%20in%20PDF/AlphaSmarts/alphasmart_ideas.html Curriculum Ideas when using an AlphaSmart

http://www.vcld.org/pages/newsletters/01_02_spring/alphasmarts.htm More Resources: http://www.fsdb.k12.fl.us/rmc/tutorials/moretutorials.html Six Trait Writing Lesson Plans: http://www.alphasmart.com/k12/solutions/teacher_6_trait.html


http://www.alphasmart.com/k12/solutions/teacher_6_trait.html

http://www.fsdb.k12.fl.us/rmc/tutorials/moretutorials.html

http://www.vcld.org/pages/newsletters/01_02_spring/alphasmarts.htm

http://www.littletonps.org/technology/Integrating_Technology/Pages/Workshops%20in%20PDF/AlphaSmarts/alphasmart_ideas.html

http://www.littletonps.org/technology/Integrating_Technology/Pages/Workshops%20in%20PDF/AlphaSmarts/alphasmart_ideas.html

http://www.cps.ci.cambridge.ma.us/element/haggerty/alphasmart.html

http://www.lubbockisd.org/cmay/AlphaQuizzesLessons.htm

http://www.ereaders.scps.k12.fl.us/lessonplans/alphasmartlesson.htm

http://www.irvingisd.net/alphasmart/documents/Integration_Ideas2.pdf

http://www.tcet.unt.edu/START/instruct/general/kb-rap.htm

http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/tnl/langarts/activities.htm

http://www.irvingisd.net/alphasmart/MathLessons.htm

http://www.alphasmart.com/k12/solutions/integration_early_grades.html



Neo Beaming

1. Move your NEOs to within three feet of each other and aim

their infrared ports at each other as shown.

2. The sender should open the file he or she wants to send

and press Control send .

3. The receiver should open the file space that he or she

wants to receive the text into and press Control b .

4. If the file that the receiver choses was not empty, a

message will ask if you want to overwrite it or append to it

(that is, add the beamed text to the end of the file). Move your

cursor next to an option and press enter.




To Use the AlphaSmarts as Student Response Devices with the 2 Know! Toolbar.

Teacher:

1. Plug in Renaissance Receiver to laptop.

2. Click the type of question you want to pose.

3. Pose question.

Students:

1. Turn on all AlphaSmarts

2. Press the applets button (top right)

3. Use the up or down arrow until your blinking cursor is on

Responder 1.0

4. Press Enter

5. The AlphaSmart will start searching for the Renaissance

Receiver

6. Once it has joined the session, you may need to hit enter

to join the session.

7. When it says “Enter your Response” type in the answer

choice that the teacher asked for, ex. T/F, ABCD, 123

etc.

8. Once you have typed in your answer, press enter.




Teachers: Please use a dry erase marker to note below if there is a file that your class is currently using that you do not want other classes to write over. Once your project is done, please erase your information.

Neo # File # Teacher Date


Documents

Handouts from Integrating the Alpha Smarts into the Elementary Curriculum