A lesson with first graders about the water cycle

1. and technology in a first grade classroom

2. The students will depict and describe how plants and people need, use and receive water by creating a picture.

7. After the class discussion the students worked individually on creating their own picture of the water cycle. During that time the computers were available for individual students to come and use the website to get more information and to solidify their understanding of the water cycle.

8. 1. Student Use of Technology: Effective technology integration typically involves students (as opposed to just the teacher) in actively using the technology. There were a limited number of available computers in the classroom so the teacher used the technology during the lesson. After the lesson the students were able to go to the computers individually to use the interactive website. 2. Technology Use is Essential : Effective technology integration is essential not peripheral to the learning activity. The technology was an important part of the real learning activity because the website provided valuable information in an interactive and engaging way. 3. Focus on Learning Task : Effective technology integration focuses on the learning task and not the technology. The website is very user friendly and therefore was a time efficient tool to use. The technology helps achieve the learning task by giving students engaging exposure to the lesson content. 4. Added Value : Effective technology integration facilitates learning activities that would be more difficult or impossible without the technology. Using the technology was not very convenient because of the limited technology available in the classroom but it was a useful tool in the lesson and added a great provided important information in a much more engaging way than the teacher alone could have accomplished.