Interactive whiteboards are all the rage in classrooms across the world these days, and for good reason. Like most technology, they hold students' attention much better than a traditional lecture-and-blackboard lesson ever could. They also solve the problem of having only one classroom computer for 30 students by projecting the screen at the front…

In this column, the author shares some of the processes involved with the restructuring of the elementary curriculum and the role of technology in the classroom. When Plano ISD committed time, talent, and technology to a new educational vision, the Elementary Integrated Curriculum project was born. The goal: to integrate subject matter and…

In this article, the author describes the importance of technology in distance learning for elementary education. Imagine having museums and expert teachers available at one's request. In their Rural Hall, North Carolina, elementary school, teachers and students just walk down the hall to the distance learning classroom and connect in a few…

The theory of multiple intelligences (MI) allows teachers to tap into the strengths of each student and to develop capabilities in novel ways. By weaving together technology, MI, and curriculum, the Hemenway public elementary school (Framingham, Massachusetts) helps students work in their own "magical learning environment" and accomplish the…

Describes the use of presentation software such as PowerPoint with elementary school students to create electronic books that use a combination of text, audio, and graphics. Discusses introducing the concept, planning the story on paper with the help of a worksheet, creating the story on the computer, and sharing stories. (LRW)

Describes the use of spreadsheets in a third grade class to teach basic mathematical concepts by investigating the existence of vampires. Incorporates addition and multiplication skills, patterning, variables, formulas, exponential growth, and proof by contradiction. (LRW)

Explains procedures for students participating in an author chat using the Internet, based on experiences with children's author Mary Pope Osborne and a third grade class. Discusses equipment needs, how to formulate appropriate questions, and benefits of online chats, including the immediate response time. (LRW)

Discussion of integrating technology into elementary school classrooms focuses on teacher training that is based on a three-year plan developed at an elementary school in Marathon, New York. Describes the role of a technology teacher who facilitates technology integration by running the computer lab, offering workshops, and developing inservice…

Presents a framework for teaching elementary school students to use the Internet in a one-computer classroom. Levels of activities include a class lesson with a functional Web site; class surfing, e-mail, and search engines; group researching; collecting data; and independent research. (LRW)

Describes how a middle school teacher used the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (CBNERRVA) Web site to provide scientific data for a unit on recycling. Includes sample data sheets and tables, charts results of a Web search for marine debris using different search engines, and lists selected marine data Web sites. (PEN)

Discusses teaching grade 1-8 students programming and complex problem-solving skills using MicroWorlds, a variation of LOGO. Discusses game programming and provides a MicroWorlds "Cat and Mouse" game-planning sheet. Argues that programming instruction fosters creativity, innovation, and patience. (PEN)

Describes how grade 3-8 inner-city students created multimedia, multicultural dictionaries. Highlights student reflections on the project using Kid Pix software, and their ideas for future uses for the dictionaries. Argues that technology-driven lexicography can serve as a catalyst for engaging students. (PEN)

Describes a teacher networking project using My Make-Believe Castle, an adventure program developing problem solving skills, that involved 100 elementary teachers around the country and demonstrated the utility of listservs. Discusses teacher observations of problem solving, peer teaching, one-computer classrooms, and deeper learning. (PEN)

Describes the use of "Recorder Teacher," a computer software program that teaches elementary students to play the soprano recorder and compose their own music. Highlights include reinforcing music concepts; using written and auditory examples in the software; and testing on fingering and reading. Sample screens are included. (LRW)

Investigating the effects of computer paint programs, the authors observed two groups of first and fourth graders--one using crayons and word processors, the other using a paint program and word processors. Discusses student collaboration, visual/verbal literacy, creativity, advantages and disadvantages, and paint programs in the classroom. A…