Techno Elementary School

July 1, 2017
Rachael McDermott
 The use of technology in the classroom enhances a student’s educational experience by
allowing them the opportunity to explore concepts that a textbook cannot do. Textbooks offer the
most current information on a specific topic up to a certain point in time. This presents a
challenge with the area of the science curriculum. Science is an ever-changing topic. New
discoveries, theories, and research are occurring at such a rapid pace, that by the time a textbook
is published some of the information has become out of date.
Technology such as chrome, books, iPads, tablets, and laptops offer students the opportunity
to interact with the material, and not just merely reading and rote memorization. This is not
stimulating or engaging students. Their world is extremely engulfed in technology. Technology
will not only enter their educational life. Technology will also become a part of their lives when
dealing with social, and employment situations. Yet, when they come to the most impactful place
in their life, they will encounter little or no technology.
In hindsight, B.F. Skinner an American psychologist perhaps inadvertently saw the value of
technology. He could not have foreseen the strides that exist in technology today. But, with what
limited technological resources that existed in the 1950’s, Skinner saw the impact of this
experience. Skinner believed that the emphasis should not be on a teacher’s presentation. But,
rather allowing “Students to proceed through lessons by small steps, at their own pace, following
an orderly sequence of receiving immediate reinforcement for every correct response. Skinner’s
work emphasized the role of audio visuals in facilitating individualized learning.”
One of the greatest challenges that educators face is addressing the individual needs of all
learners. The use of technology allows students to have access to a greater variety of resources to
achieve this oh so important goal. Teachers must be prepared to face the everyday challenges of
teaching students with various needs. Many times, teachers have the very difficult challenge of
trying to teach students who have learning disabilities. Human beings with learning disabilities
will require extra patience, teaching, and understanding to be able to teach them the valuable
benefits of technology.
In our nurturing environment at Techno Elementary School we value, respect, and care about
each student that walks through our doors. Techno Elementary School wants to demonstrate to
the school board that technology is a valuable necessity that will enhance the lives of every
student that walks through our doors. There are many different levels of technological learning
that can be beneficial to every student. The learning diversity of all students will range from the
special needs students, to the intermediate students, and all the way up to the accelerated
students. Technology will open doors for any student that is able to explore the world of
education.
The principals, teachers, and support staff at Techno Elementary School want to explain to
the school board why technology will be an integral part of learning for all students from every
lifestyle. From the use of computers, to laptops, technology can start as easy as ABC, to as hard
as fractions in the millions. Techno Elementary School would like to thank you in advance for
your plans to allow technology to be a part of every students lives.
Encyclopedia: Audiovisual Education, or Educational Technology. (2017, June 29). Issues &
Controversies. Retrieved from
http://icof.infobaselearning.com.ezproxy.library.csn.edu/icofencyarticle.aspx?ID=1580&sr=1&ta
b=1
 After extensive research regarding the technology standards at the local school District, State
of Nevada, and National levels there is substantial evidence that compares and contrasts these
different entities. The four separate technology standards include CCSD Technology Education
Standards, Nevada Performance Indicators, National Educational Technology Standards, and
Common Core Standards. These technology standards have been developed to enhance the
education of students ranging from elementary, middle school, and high school grade levels.
There are some obvious similarities and differences in these CCSD standards.
The CCSD Technology Education Standards states that there is a need to have people who
can effectively use technology. This ability affects our everyday lives. This standard dramatically
helps to develop a student’s ability to think critically. Technology allows for students
individualized learning needs to be met by personalizing a student’s learning using technology.
CCSD accepts the role of technology in our students lives outside of school. This standard
should be used to stimulate, and engage the students.
The Nevada Performance Indicators has separate sections to it. The first section is creativity,
and innovation which includes processing new ideas using digital tools, creating original digital
work, and using digital modes to explore technology. The second section is communication, and
collaboration which includes creating digital projects, communication using digital text, and
using digital resources for research. The third section is research, and information fluency which
uses digital tools to create a timeline, using multiple digital resources, and collecting data
digitally. The fourth section is critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making which
investigates questions using digital resources, and digitally planning a project. The fifth section
is digital citizenship which teaches students how to use technology safely and effectively.
The National Educational Technology Standards was established in 1998. The focus was how
to effectively integrate technology into the classroom, ways to transform education into
technology, and update education to meet today’s technological needs. The Common Core
Standards teach one technological tool at a time. This standard effectively teaches digital literacy
using word processing, basic use, spreadsheets, multimedia presentations, research, and
plagiarism.
To compare the likenesses in the various standards the CCSD Technology Education
Standards compare mostly to the Common Core Standards. Both standards state that students
must be able to use the technology that they are taught. The purpose of these two standards is to
enable the student to build their critical thinking skills. These two standards teach the importance
of developing the basic use of word processing, as well as being able to integrate that into their
daily lives. In contrast, these two standards differ from the Nevada Performance Indicators, and
the National Educational Technology Standards because of digital implementation.
In contrast from the CCSD Technology Education Standards, and the Common Core
Standards, the Nevada Performance Indicators, and the National Educational Technology
Standards compare in several ways. These two standards compare because they consistently
integrate digital tools into the classroom. Both standards transform research, resources,
publication, and creative works all through digital technology. These four standards must be
integrated properly for the student to be able to build upon each standard. By isolating and
identifying the various standards the Nevada Performance Indicators standard is the one that has
been selected to complete section four of this project. The Nevada Performance Indicators
standard uses digital citizenship, and creativity for the lesson plan.
 Lesson Plan
 Name of lesson: 3D – Digital Detective Data
 Grade Level Appropriateness: 5th grade
 Technology Content Standard Addressed: Nevada Performance Indicators: 1.B.5.1,
2.D.5.1, 3.D.5.1, 4.C.5.1
 Other Content Standard Addressed: 5-PS1-4
 Objective: The purpose of this lab is to determine what happens to two substances when
you mix them together. Students will identify what state of matter their mixture has
produced as well as whether it represents a physical or chemical change.
 Materials needed to facilitate the lesson:
 1 muffin pan
 1 plastic teaspoon
 Water
 Cornstarch
 Borax
 Glue
 Dirt
 Milk
 Instant pudding
 Baking soda
 Vinegar
 Laptop
 PowerPoint
 Excel
 Suggested group size: students will be working in groups of three. These groups will
share the ingredients.
 Procedures:
 The teacher will pass out the copy of 3D – Digital Detective Data spreadsheet.
 The student will go to their laptop and go to Excel to create an exact duplicate of
the spreadsheet that they were given.
 The students will record all their data into this spreadsheet on the laptop.
 Students will be working in groups of three.
 Students will share the ingredients.
 Each student will do the experiment independently, then later share their results.
 Each student will be given one muffin pan that has six compartments and one
plastic teaspoon.
 Students will come up to the lab table to get their ingredients.
 Students will determine the amount of each substance to use when mixing.
 Students will need to record how much of each substance they used for their
mixture.
  For each set of substances students record the amount of material used, mix the
substances together.
 Then record if it is a solid, liquid, or gas.
 The student must record if there were physical or chemical changes.
 Once students have completed the experiment on all five sets, students will share
their data with the other two students in their group.
 The three students will now work together to create a PowerPoint.
 In the PowerPoint students will compare and contrast their results, include
amounts used, illustrations showing before and after when the substances were
mixed.
 Include slides in their PowerPoint that have the students brainstorming about:
 Why do you scientists think solids, liquids, and gases are different?
 Why can you pour a liquid but not a solid?
 What are the three states of matter for water?
 Students may add sound, videos, and additional graphics to enhance their
PowerPoint project.
 Assessment: I will be using the Scoring Rubric for grading. The following is an example
of my grading criteria:

Points Description
100 - Students understanding of experiment is clearly evident.
- Student uses effective strategies to answer the scientific results.

75 - Student understanding of the experiment is evident.

- Student uses correct strategies to get a scientific result.

50 - Student has very limited understanding of the experiment.

- Student uses strategies that are ineffective in answering the scientific
results.
25 - Student has a complete lack of understanding of the experiment.
- Student makes no attempt to use any strategy to get a scientific result.