Digital, Collaborative Investigations in
4th Grade Science and Social Studies
During the SPARK day, students will have the opportunity to use digital, collaborative tools to create study aids, review activities, and presentations about a 4th grade science or social studies topic they would like to investigate in greater detail and depth. They will be encouraged to share these products and artifacts with a wider audience via student-mastered websites, in their homerooms, and the spring district-wide video festival. We will encourage student development in--
- Making good use of the tools we already have (Google education tools, WeVideo, Scratch)
- Using Richland 2 media center-provided tools as a first stop
- Getting the most from Google searches (exact phrasing, finding target within a webpage)
- Assessing the credibility of sources using url suffix (.gov, .org, .edu), authorship, and publisher or webhost credentials
- Documenting sources to revisit later, provide further information to interested viewers, and give credit for others’ efforts and works in gathering and presenting information.
Media Center Collections and Credible Digital Sources
Media Center specialists at each school have gathered excellent books, magazines, reference works, and powerful digital tools for your use. They are the first step in making use of the sources we already have.
Once you have investigated what the media centers have to offer, museums, national libraries and archives, and government agencies also offer credible information.
Once you have investigated what the media centers have to offer, museums, national libraries and archives, and government agencies also offer credible information.
Getting More Out of Google
Many students are initially confident they can strike off into the internet and find exactly what they're looking for by typing a question in the search bar.
Ten minutes later, they regretfully inform the teacher there is "nothing" about hurricanes, tornadoes, Pacific Northwestern tribes, or George Washington out in cyberspace.
The brief slideshow accessed using the green link above shares some tips and tricks for successful searching.
Ten minutes later, they regretfully inform the teacher there is "nothing" about hurricanes, tornadoes, Pacific Northwestern tribes, or George Washington out in cyberspace.
The brief slideshow accessed using the green link above shares some tips and tricks for successful searching.
Digital Presentation Tools
Students are welcome to the variety of text, presentation, and art tools under the "waffle" in the upper right corner of their Google Chrome browser. There are also others that offer free services to those with a Google account or free, more limited services to students.
Please do not pay for (or ask your family to pay for) any upgrades or premiums for sites, and please let your SPARK teacher know if you get messages offering "deals." We have researched these websites and services to ensure they do not put families, students, or schools to any expense.
Please do not pay for (or ask your family to pay for) any upgrades or premiums for sites, and please let your SPARK teacher know if you get messages offering "deals." We have researched these websites and services to ensure they do not put families, students, or schools to any expense.
Student Website Setup and Design
You have an opportunity this year to create your own website to display your project-based learning and reflections. This is a free service offered through your school Google account.
The initial set up is a new skill and may make you feel as though you are at the edge of your abilities. It will become easier as you add new pages to display what you've learned during the school year.
Take your time and be thoughtful about what you choose to place on your website throughout the year. Consider carefully the impression it may give people who see it for the first time, and ensure it is an expression of your intellect, skills, talents, and character.
The initial set up is a new skill and may make you feel as though you are at the edge of your abilities. It will become easier as you add new pages to display what you've learned during the school year.
Take your time and be thoughtful about what you choose to place on your website throughout the year. Consider carefully the impression it may give people who see it for the first time, and ensure it is an expression of your intellect, skills, talents, and character.
Exemplars of Past Student Work
Over the years students have helped find resources that helped them with 4th grade and 5th grade subjects that we then added to class websites to help future students. Video clips were especially helpful for struggling readers; well-designed websites; clear infographics; articles about recent events; and games and simulations are all packed into the pages linked below.
When we began the one-to-one computing initiative, students began producing a volume of increasingly sophisticated digital projects. Samples of student work over the years is also on the website. The tools students presently have will enable them to equal and likely surpass the efforts of these earlier students.
When we began the one-to-one computing initiative, students began producing a volume of increasingly sophisticated digital projects. Samples of student work over the years is also on the website. The tools students presently have will enable them to equal and likely surpass the efforts of these earlier students.