Initial Technology Ideas

by Lauren Lichtel

Beth El Temple Center, Belmont, MA

Sunday School 2nd grade teacher
Hebrew School 3rd grade teacher
CJP TTF: Cohort 6

My second grade class studies many different subjects over the course of the year. Some of them include Israel, mitzvot, holidays/calendar, Hebrew, God, prayers, and much more. 


For this blog, I will be describing my plan for my plan for the Israel project. After my students finish learning all about Israel from the book, I want them to be able to create something. Create a video or some kind. They will be able to use one or all of the apps that we've used here in this class. 

For example, they can use the Puppet Pals and have a couple of characters take a trip through Israel as they explain what it is they see. They could use the app Garage Band and create a song about Israel. They can use Explain Everything to create a lesson for their classmates about something they've learned. Really, the possibilities are endless. 

After the students are done with these projects, which may take a couple weeks to complete, I will post them on our class website for the parents to check out! I really think this is going to be a wonderful project! I cannot wait to begin!

The Big Ideas

The Big Ideas

by Lauren Lichtel
Beth El Temple Center, Belmont, MA
Sunday School 2nd grade teacher
Hebrew School 3rd grade teacher
CJP TTF: Cohort 6

I thought I knew how to use an iPad in the classroom before I walked into the CJP Technology Fellowship. I have used my iPad in the classroom for two years. I put my agenda on it, I had by lessons on it, and I took tons of pictures. I made a video to show at the end of the year.

After being a fellow for the last couple of months, I am so excited to be able to take these apps and tips/tricks into the classroom next year. Due to the fact that I only have these kids in the classroom for a couple of hours once a week, I need to figure out a way to engage them from home as well. So many of the tools I have learned will allow me to do this in a way that they will love. The parents will be able to watch their kids' progress throughout the year. The students will be able to see the progress they have made year after year. It will be so incredible!

I have always been a creative person and I love to take that approach in the classroom. Before, it has been poems, maybe a video, etc.. With these new apps and websites, I will be able to make the material come alive for these kids!

I want to be able to use the Flipped Classroom method in order to make the most of the time in the classroom that we do have. In addition, an added benefit could possibly be the parents learning along with their children. 

Learning Center/Parent/Teacher Resource

Being the Learning Center Specialist at two temples is challenging. Not to mention that one is conservative and the other is reform. I see students from Second through Sixth Grade so the needs are very diverse. My plan is to make a place where teachers, parents and students could go to and learn, explore, practice...

I have started on this quest for the "ultimate website." It is still at the planning stages because it will take me all summer to complete. However, a great majority of it is done and her is a sampling of what it will offer...

Click on the hyperlinks to get a navigate through a sampling of my blog.
Learning Letters
Learning Words
Learning Prayers
Holidays
Games

Plan for using technology in the classroom

Option 1:
I have created a main wiki page for my 2nd and 3rd grade Bereshit class that will have links to every unit's individual wiki page. For example, the unit Joseph: From Pit to Palace has a wiki page with a webquest of sorts. On this wiki page, students will review the material (with embedded youtube videos as well as written instructions for book reading), answer a couple questions, and choose an option for their own creative final project.

 The options for the project include:

1. Being the rabbi and coming up with your own questions about the story (posted right onto that section by the student) 
2. Film a news report about the story (using my Iphone and/or TBZ filming capabilities with laptops and a handheld camera) 
3. Drawing a scene in the story (to be scanned and submitted onto the page) 
4. Create a wordle with the words that you think are most important in the story (I'm not sure how one would post this other than printing it out and scanning it) 
5. Write and record a song (Iphone and garageband on laptop) Again, all of these projects would be posted on the Joseph: From Pit to Palace wiki page.

Option 2: Using the same wiki page, students will be asked to take the following steps after review the material:

1. Come up with a list of questions about the story 
2. For each question, think of at least two possible answers 
3. Film a news report where you are trying to give the viewers all of the information but you keep running into questions! To make matters more confusing, the reporters don't agree on the answers to the questions. This would be done in two groups of 4, filmed in class with cutaways to side reporters, drawings, and wordle. I would then edit the material in imovie and produce it for the class to enjoy!