My students need two mini iPads and two OtterBox cases to explore the world around them and to learn about other places and cultures. They will be used to support literacy and math in class.
Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn. My first graders are eager to learn to read, write, and discover the world around them. The use of iPads can be invaluable in promoting more interactive classrooms. As a teacher, I enjoy looking for new ways to engage students.
I teach at a wonderful, diverse, rural school in Idaho.
Twenty four first graders walk into my classroom each day eager and ready to learn. The learning styles and needs of young children require tactile, visual, and auditory experiences. Young children need practice and repetition with the many concepts that are part of pre-reading and early mathematical learning. My first graders gain from working together, guided by a teacher, and yet they also need the opportunity to work at their own individual speed and developing skill level. We have an iPad station thanks to the wonderful donors at Donorschoose.org. It is my students favorite station. Now I would like to create a mini iPad station for them, so that more students can benefit from technology in the classroom. First graders love to learn, and they are very capable of using this technology. They already know how to use an iPad, so I know the mini iPad will be a great addition, yet we can keep the two stations separate.
My Project
My students need two mini iPads and two OtterBox cases to explore the world around them The intuitive quality of the iPad, with its manageable size and touch screen operation, makes it a tool that students learn to use quickly and easily. This would allow me as the teacher and my students to focus on content and activities, rather than on the technology. An iPad starts up in approximately thirty seconds, has an eight hour battery life, and is light weight enough for a small child to handle it. This makes it an easy tool to work with throughout the school day without frustration or failure. Students will be able to work in multiple modalities (tactile, visual, and auditory) that will motivate them to practice new concepts and enhance their ability to share their thinking and learning. Students will experience a variety of activities from listening to stories, practicing sight words, working with numbers, creating puppet shows, and learning about other cultures.
Our iPad station is their favorite center to go to in the classroom.
I want to provide them with the tools that they learn best from. The iPad's design enables collaborative group experiences because as a slate, it has a more open format that a laptop. It is also light, and with only one navigation button, it is less complicated for younger children to manage. The tactile experience of touching the screen directly with a finger is age appropriate for younger children.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Hunt and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.