Michael+C

As part of our school improvement plan, our school is focusing mostly in Reading this year. To assist the second language learners in the primary area, I worked/planned with three ELA-S teachers on a research project where the students would use the Internet to gather information in a teacher-prepared format, and then the students would come to the computer lab where I would teach them how to enter their information in a powerpoint slide show.

Ms. Montero, our 1st/2nd Grade ELA-S teacher, had her students research their favorite animals. Also, Ms.Lopez, 3rd Grade ELA-S teacher, had the students research specific animals; example, sea creatures, safari animals, or forest animals. At this point, Ms. Lopez' 3rd Graders are in the process of creating their own powerpoint presentation. However, Ms. Montero's 1st/2nd Grade split, is not ready yet to learn the skills for creating a powerpoint presentation. I enlisted Ms. Gonzalez 4th Grade ELA-S class to assist the little ones in creating the presentation. Cross-curricular activities is favorable looked upon in our school. The 4th Graders also benefit by learning to use the latest version of Powerpoint which is 2007. Our school had been using Powerpoint 2003 up till this year when we got new computers that could handle the program.

With the help of each other, the 4th grade students are entering the data and the 1st/2nd graders are choosing which images to use in the presentation. As the slides are being completed, the younger students are beginning to record their voices on each slide as they read each slide to an audience.

Ms. Montero, Ms. Lopez, and I have been meeting at least once a week since December to determine the direction, objectives, and completion of the project. One of the best things about this project, according to Ms. Montero, the 1st/2nd grade ELA-S teacher, is that each student gets to hear what their voice sounds like when they read their "digital" book. They will now have the handwritten book plus the digital book to keep. And as the case with a few Speech students, their Speech teacher, Ms. Garrision, will be able to work with the students using their recording to help with English syntax.

I have attached a couple of completed student powerpoints which include transitions and student voices reading their own slides. The last couple of slides shows the handwritten booklet that I scanned and added to their file. Also attached is a sampler of six different students reading just one slide in the 1st Grade ELA-S Sampler powerpoint. All students in the class have completed this project but don't feel it necessary to put them on this Wiki. Use the couple attached here to get an idea of what the project involved. It was great fun for us teachers and the kids loved it!