HIT: Computer Activities for K, 1 and 2

[Erica Payne <epayne75@YAHOO.COM>]

I posted a TARGET asking what activities could be used
with student K-2 in a coputer lab.  I received so many
replies.  Thank you very much to all who replied and
shared such great information!



Jan Brett's site and her decorate a gingerbread house
activity. Limited skills - clicking, dragging, etc.
but real cute www.janbrett.com
****
I wish I had internet access in my lab; I wish my
computers were networked. It's a pain to have to go to
each computer to load software. My lab is all older
Macs, but at least there's room for a whole class—up
to 25. With the little ones I use KidKeys, an okay
program that maybe helps a little with letter
recognition and keyboard orientation. The kids like
it. I have ClarisWorks and a book of projects, some of
which I use with 1 and 2, though it's hard because
they can't read well enough yet. They like the paint
part of CW, and of course you can't beat Mac color. I
also have a math program called NumberMaze which
everyone likes. I also start 2 on Type to Learn. Then
of course there's KidPix. Everyone loves KidPix. There
is a web site with plenty of activities. There's never
enough time for everything I would like them to know.
****
The elementary computer teacher let her students use
MSWord to type the numbers from 1 - 20 with spaces in
between. Then they moved on to typing the alphabet.
Then she let them type words (spelling?)  She wrote
the words on the white board and the children could
try to make a story from them.  this was especially
fun for holidays.

She also used www.pb.org.

there are free typing tutor  programs available on the
Internet.  The typing tutors offer games that help
teach typing.

I never saw this done, but it might be fun for the
students to type pictures by figuring out with graph
paper which squares need to be typed to make the
picture.

             x
            xxx
           xxxxx
             x     is a tree.

another idea I had, but have never tried out is to
have the children type one sentence to begin a story.
then the kids switch computers, and everyone writes a
new sentence.  Keep switching until you have several
sentences.  Then read the stories to the group.
*****
Kidpics is a software i have heard used by the young
students, but I am not familiar with it.
*****
Using the word processor, make the font large for the
little ones (at least 24).  Let them just "explore"
for the first class or two, then teach them to space
between letters.  When mine could type their ABCs in
sequence I would print, but when they just "explored"
we didn't print.  With 1st and 2nd grade let them use
the word processor to compose and print short stories
(you might have a table set up with colored pencils so
they could illustrate
their work).

Second graders would enjoy the Arthur website
(pbs.org/kids).

If you can get some funds for ordering things, get
some JumpStart CDs (various levels/subjects) and a
variety of "Living Books".
*****
I'm not sure what exactly our teacher uses--she uses
software, mainly, I think. There are some great
websites, however, the kids might like:
www.seussville.com
I can't remember the URL, but there's another fun one
for the Berenstain bears, run by Stan and Jan
Berenstain.
*****
My first and second graders adore funbrain.com.  right
now they are doing the tic tac toe math.   Great site,
tons of games, little advertising and it's easy to
customize them to the child's ability.
*****
Check this site out. Scroll down to the middle of the
page for Pre-Sch/Kdgn ideas.
http://sln.fi.edu/qa96/meindex.html
Franklin Institute -  Minutes from ME in the Learning
Resources section.
*****
Let's discover computers!  Ready-to-use computer
discovery lessons &activities for grades K-3. -- NY :
Center for Applied Research in Education,1997. viii,
392p, illus.
ISBN 0876285205 1. Computers--Study and teaching.

Websites Suitable K-2  Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2000 13:25:14
–050 From: "Warren W. Behan" <wbehan@FCC.NET>
PBS Kids, especially the Between the Lions part.  It's
http://www.pbskids.org/
Our first and second graders use
http://www.enature.com/for simple research.
The Jan Brett website has excellent activities and
pictures to go with her books.
http://www.janbrett.com/
Kids Click can be adjusted for reading levels.
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/KidsClick!/search.html
One site I use a lot is
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/
CleverIsland.com
Thanksgiving:
http://blackdog4kids.com/holiday/thanks/color/
Students can "color" Thanksgiving pictures using the
computer. Use your own judgment on the pictures, like
"Run Fast," "Incognito," and "Bang." You can choose
which pictures you want your students to use - the
"Hat" is cute!
Native Americans: http://www.u.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/
Tribes, Activities, History, Stereotypes - When you
click on "Tribes," a screen comes up with a U.S. map
and several other icons - "House," "Food," "Clothes."
When you place your mouse over one of these icons (ex.
"Food"), the other two icons that correlate with the
tribe who eats this particular food will also be
highlighted! And, the map will illustrate which part
of the country this particular tribe is from. This web
site simplifies learning about the food, clothing, and
housing of a specific Native American tribe through
pictures. Great for younger students!!
Here is my page-- check Mous-ercise, Science, and all
the holidays :)
http://www.minadeo.pps.pgh.pa.us/library/library_home.htm
Have you tried http://www.mikids.com/K2.html?  Lots of
K-2 web site options!
I'd suggest you try ALFY: http://www.alfy.com/ It was
specifically designed for pre-readers so it talks to
the user (although you have to be patient if you're
using a dial up connection).
Have you tried www.edupuppy.com?
There are lots of sites that do not require reading.
Take a look at the Clifford web sites, either at
http://www.scholastic.com/ or http://www.pbs.org/  The
Arthur website, on http://www.pbs.org/, is wonderful
too with lots of games to play, stories written by
kids about Arthur, and coloring sheets.
For Science topics, you might want to look at
http://www.brainpop.com/. I don't know how much
research you can do with kids on a low reading level
but there are lots of sites out there that I wouldn't
call "research" sites.
You could try going on http://www.yahooligans.com/or
http://www.ajkids.com/and putting in a topic. I have
done this with kids and it works out well. Both of
these search engines are kid safe.
I have used Dr. Seuss at
http://www.randomhouse.com/seussvilleand other
stories at
http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/stories.html.
This site links to the core subject matter sites, each
of which has lots of pre-selected sites and lessons
for K-2 and the other grades:
http://score.k12.ca.us/
Our Area Education Agency does workshops on this topic
and has many links on our web page.  The address is:
http://www.aea2.k12.ia.us/ Click on Teachers....Links
for Teachers.....Net Babies.....Go to Net Babies
links.  There is an article written by one of our
consultants along with the links.  I hope this is
helpful.
Have you discovered the Education World website yet?
It provides reviews of hundreds+ of websites and
provides recommended grade levels.  It is searchable
by topic. http://www.education-world.com/
Try the great sites link at http://www.ala.org/
Try NASA's starchild site - you can choose either a
Level 1 or 2 for
reading
level
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html
****
Reviewed November 22, 2000 by David Ackert, a reader
from Los Angeles, California, USA who is affiliated
with the site: "ThinkBox Inc. presents Kindle Park, a
learning playground that puts rich content and
powerful tools directly in the hands of  preschoolers,
their teachers and parents.  This safe, ever- changing
world is designed to engage children's imaginations
and move them quickly along the learning path."
****
For more sites like this one, visit:
http://www.surfnetkids.com/preschool.htm
http://www.surfnetkids.com/cgi-local/pl/pl.cgi?100
****
Your pre-reading children want to go on the Internet.
But do you know where to take them? Explore the
wonders of the Web beyond Disney and Nickelodeon in my
very first
e-book: 100 Best Sites for Preschool & Kindergarten
****


if you have KidPix Studio Deluxe on your computers,
the book  KidPix ABC from ISTE is fabulous!  It
integrates children's literature and computer skills
using KidPix.  You can order on the ISTE website.  You
could probably adapt the lessons to any draw and paint
program as the tools are similar.
****
I am the librarian in a k-2 building also.  You might
check out the Christmas links and Dinosaur links on my
web page at http://www.osage.k12.mo.us/les/library
****
Try
http://www.ala.org/parentspage/greatsites/amazing.html
I created a PowerPoint for kindergarteners about the
difference between an author and illustrator. And, for
first grade, I show the kids how to access our online
catalog from my web site...and I teach a Dewey Decimal
lesson using a Dewey web site.
****
reading counting dots and then drawing pictures using
paint
****
As the Reference Librarian for ENC (Eisenhower
National Clearinghouse), allow me to introduce you to
the ENC web site, catalog and collection of online
math and science web sites.
The URL for ENC itself is: http://www.enc.org/ To
perform advanced catalog searches of our collection of
more than 20,000 K-12 math and science curriculum
materials:
http://www.enc.org/resources/search/advanced/
To locate a subject categorized list of math and
science lesson plan and activity web sites:
http://www.enc.org/weblinks/lessonplans/
****
Kid's can be taught to use MS Paint to draw pictures
and transfer them to MS Word to make their own picture
books of their stories.  They can also get and work
with clip art.




=====
Erica Payne, Library Media Specialist
Polk Elem School
Dearborn Heights, Michigan
epayne75@yahoo.com

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