[mare25]

We have computer time in our computer lab, however we do not have a computer teacher. Does anyone have any enriching activities that they have the children do on the computer? We have kidpix so sometimes I have the students stamp a pattern. Is there anything else you do with kidpix or are there any great websites you can suggest?

[imafive]

http://mrsgebauer.com/mathsites.html

[ms.gteacher]

These are favorites of my 1st/2nd graders:

http://www.abc.net.au/countusin/

http://www.starfall.com/

http://www.edheads.org/

http://www.earobics.com/gamegoo/gooey.html

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids...ash/index.html

http://www.gamequarium.com/

http://pbskids.org/

[Rinky Dink]

I have used some basic word processing skills. Have the children type their name.
Teach them how to change the size of their name. Start with size 8 and then progress up to 72. When they are finish it will look like steps. Let them also explore with changing the font. The second week I teach the children how to insert a picture. Let them explore enlarging and making the picture smaller. For Halloween the children would create Halloween rubus sentences using the skills that they have learned. I will be doing the same activity with Thanksgiving.

[gaazed]

I have done the same things Rinky Dinky does. Also, I teach the kids how to use PowerPoint (really simple, though - not too involved). I do holiday projects with them too using Word. For example, the students this week will be making a Thankful Turkey. The students follow my directions to make a turkey. In the feathers the students put what they are thankful for. We also have a computer program where the students practice phonics skills and sight words (Super Phonics is the program - the sight words is a separate program that goes along with it... Cant think of the name of the program). I even have the students do Spelling City sometimes. I try to teach the kids computer skills I think they will need to know. The most important is Word skills - I don't get too involved, but I teach the basics they will need with typing and making pictures. Let me know if you would like me to send some ideas to you.

[Milyn]

I love these two typing programs:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/ typing keyboard game


http://www.freetypinggame.net/play.asp typing game

[mare25]

Thank you! All of your ideas are great. I have taught them some basic typing skills using Microsoft word, which they loved. I will look to extend that. I have tried spelling city, but it doesn't work on our computers. We have archaic software.

Gaazed:
How did you make turkeys using Word? Also, I would love any other ideas you have.

[gaazed]

Our "technology coordinator" (she is technically not a teacher to gr. k-4, but suprisingly does lessons for 5-8, but that is a different issue ) came up with the design template using shapes. All the children needed to do was fill-in the colors and words, type their name using fancy word art and that was it. If you have the template in place (and your class is a group of talkers - like mine are this year), it took my class a couple classes last year. When I get to school tomorrow I will see if I can upload it here.