Animal Research with Chromebooks, Eric Currie, Librarian, Hitch Elementary School

I have taken Connie Amon’s iPad Lesson and tweaked it. Students in grades 2-4 have been
using the chromebooks to access eBooks on SOAR. We started out looking at an unlimited access book about polar bears to ask and answer questions about the animal. Students were
then given guided questions to answer about an animal of their choice using SOAR eBooks.

Next, I gave the grade 2-3 students a modified Cornell Note handout. This handout has the format of a Cornell Note, but the questions are already created. The added to their knowledge of the animal (or narrowed down their topic) by using the Kids Infobits database.  I was able to up the ante on technology use with 4th grade students. They have their Google Accounts so I was able to send an email to the 4th grade list of the view-only digital version of the Cornell Note. The students then went to “File” and “Make a Copy”so that they could take their notes right on the Chromebook.

We are wrapping up the research component of this project. Unlike Connie’s use of Puppet
Pals, we’re going to use Green Screen by DoInk. Students will create puppets of their
animals and scripts where they will talk about facts with the animal. We’re going to use green
construction paper as the “screen” for the green screen app.