Portage Path Elementary Students Explore USA Regions

The fifth grade students of Mrs. Grindall from Portage Path Elementary School in Akron had a rich experience attending the AT&T classroom at Kent State University. Using the internet for research, they produced both individual and group PowerPoint projects on the continental US regions. Students were required to fill out a planning document outlining the presentation they were formulating. Online research for presentations included a challenge to find products that could honestly proclaim, "made in the USA" from that region. During the course of their studies, they had a field trip to the Map Library on campus and Kent State archivist, Stephen Paschen gave the class an orientation to the University. An open house was scheduled for the last week of their experience. Distinguished guest from the community were invited to witness the students presenting their final group slide show on the US regions.
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First Graders Develop Technology Skills in the AT&T Classroom

The bus rides to Akron Portage Path Elementary Schoool from Kent State University were both educational and fun thanks to mobile technology in the form of Palm handheld computers. Mr. John Bennett, their first grade teacher, digitized children's alphabet programs for use on the Palms. Along with Math Ace, a free software for the handheld, the children entertained and improved their language arts and math skills at the same time. The unit of study was about how "I Will Share Me and My World With You". Mr. Bennett created a Wiki for a collaborative project with a class in Malaysia. This made the sharing of information between his class and the class in Malaysia possible. He incorporated websites, curriculum standards, lesson plans, photos and some of the childrens work to be shared with teachers, parents and children.

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