Brief Description

Students will work in multi-age partnerships to create a slide in PowerPoint that focuses on a list of words with the same initial sound.  Students will add clip art, digital photos, sound and backgrounds to their slides.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 4T-F2. Use technology tools for individual and collaborative communication activities to share products with audiences inside and outside the classroom

• R-R4. Use phonetic skills to decode simple words

Academic

• Students will work in multi-age partnerships to develop a list of words that begin with a particular initial consonant.
• Students will use phonetic skills to decode and write words.

• Students will take a digital photograph of one item on their word list.
• Students will create a slide with a background, clip art or a digital photograph and sound that highlights their letter investigation.
• Students will present their slide to the class.

• The older students should have a working knowledge of PowerPoint.
• The younger students should be able to mouse, add clip art, move objects and use the keyboard.
• Ability to save a file to a disk.

• A computer lab with one computer for every partnership.
• A projection system is useful, but not necessary.

• ESL students are paired with other ESL students.  They are also permitted, if necessary, to use words from the primary language.
• Gifted students can work on their own slide show as opposed to a single slide with a partner.
• Providing additional work time by using the classroom computers to complete the work can also modify this assignment.

Day One in the classroom-20 minutes

1. Teachers from each classroom, in this case a kindergarten and a third grade, will discuss with their classes the objectives of this assignment.  Namely, that each student will have a partner from the other class.  Each partnership will be assigned a letter.  The partners will buddy buzz a list of words that start with that letter.  Then, each partnership will create a slide in PowerPoint with their list of words, a background, sounds and if desired a digital photograph.  At the end of the project, the teacher will compile the slides into one slide show.  Each partnership will present their slide to the two classes.
2. The teachers will have discussed previously any issues that could arise within partnerships.  A list will be developed before meeting in the lab.

1. The two classes will meet in the lab and each partnership will share a computer.  The younger student will sit and mouse and the older student will act as guide and teacher.
2. The students will be assigned their letter and will open up MS Word.  The students will buddy buzz a list of words and type them into Word.
3. At the end of day one, each partnership should have a list of words they have created in Word.  Each group will print out their list and save it to their disk.

1. Students in the kindergarten classroom will be given the opportunity to take a digital picture that corresponds with their letter.
2. Students will be asked to look around the classroom to find something that starts with their letter.  They will take a picture of that item and save it to the disk.

1. On day two in the lab, students will begin to create their slides.  The older student will serve as guide and teacher to the younger student.  Each older student will receive a checklist of required elements for the slide.  They will be responsible for making sure each element is included.
2. Students will need to either copy and paste or re-type their word list onto a blank slide.
3. They will add a background, include their names, add one clip art image that corresponds with one of their words and add sound.
4. If students choose they can also include a digital photograph.

1. Each partnership will present their slide to the class.

Kindergarten students will be assessed on their ability to work cooperatively and contribute to the assignment.  The teacher will maintain a checklist when she goes into the lab to monitor progress.  A sample is included.  The list will be checked off for completion of task.
 

Teacher Name: Karen Gutierrez
Site: Keeling
Date Submitted: April 16, 2003