Technology Enhanced Lesson Plan

When I first started my student teaching I stressed over writing lesson plans so much that it could have possibly scared me away from teaching all together. Once I got into it and learned the format and how to word the different sections better, it got much easier. Writing lesson plans is now just a minor chore. The lesson plan I wrote, introducing the human skeleton to fourth grade students, easily lent itself to incorporating some technology. I absolutely love using Brain Pop with this age level, so I showed the video about the human skeleton, as well as one about bones, when teaching this lesson. The quizzes at the end of the videos are a great way to reinforce the subject matter, so I went through the questions with the students aloud, afterward. I also used an overhead projector in my lesson plan, but during this lesson was the only time I had ever used one. There are better tools, such as smartboards, that have made the overhead projector obsolete.

The students definitely appreciate it when technology is incorporated into a lesson. Brain Pop is always a big hit in the class I student teach for, as well as movies, and video clips. I've watched the students in Technology class, enjoying every minute of creating Power Point presentations, exploring educational websites, and using Kidspiration. Today's students are so comfortable and familiar with using computers and many other forms of technology. Using technology in the classroom will make the learning environment one that the students can relate to and can really thrive in. In order to keep them engaged, teachers need to keep including new advances in technology into their lesson plans.