Elementary School Technology Integration

This year, we have made several exciting technology advancements in Northpoint Christian's elementary school. We have added an additional laptop cart for 1st-6th grade, added 13 iPads in our library, and purchased a new iPad cart. If you're a parent, I'm sure you've heard about some of the activities that the students have been doing in class. 

                                                                                  

If you don't already know, I'm our teachers' biggest fan, and they are doing some fantastic things in class. First grade teachers used QR codes this week to allow students to watch read alouds on the iPads. Mrs. Saunders is doing a cross-curricular unit on Jan Brett using the iPads and QR codes in the library. Some of the other teachers have been using QR codes to help students independently research animals, self-check math, and self-check vowels that they have been learning. In these activities, the students are working independently, but the teacher is available to give instruction and guide the students. That being said, the technology isn't the focus of the activity, the learning is! 

Another way some of our teachers are using the iPads is by setting up iPad centers. First grade has recently been using the iPads as independent centers by giving students a choice of certain apps they can play to reinforce skills they are learning in class. PK, JK, and SK each have 3 ipads per classroom that are used during center time. Some of the apps used reinforce handwriting skills, sight word recognition, phonics skills, and numeracy skills. Mrs. Saunders has also been using iPad centers in the library classes for some of the lower grades. The students have really enjoyed reading e-books, reading on the Reading Rainbow app, and practicing other literacy skills in the library. 5th graders have also been working on a special Keynote project during library time. 3rd grade has used the iPads for group QR code math activities.

As for the laptops, in our fourth grade teachers have not only been using the laptop carts for IXL math practice, but they have also been using them for interactive science lessons! Mrs. Emerson's class recently learned about precipitation by researching different U.S. cities. Also, the third graders made PowerPoint presentations about vertebrate and invertebrates. The students did a fabulous job! Teachers are consistently checking out the laptops for research projects and for other projects such as presentation creation. 

We are working hard at Northpoint Christian to create a technology rich curriculum that focuses on learning and creates independent, life-long learners. If you have any questions about how we are using technology in the elementary school, please feel free to contact me at ehopkins@ncstrojans.com. 

Emily Hopkins

Technology Integrator

Elementary School 

High School Technology

In August, High School teachers began implementing more technology into the classroom through the use of an iPad cart and a laptop cart. This is very exciting news because it allows teachers to foster a twenty-first century learning environment that will continue our efforts of preparing students for a collegiate environment. Implementing the carts into the classroom allows students to be fully engaged, through technology, in their subject area. For example, Mrs. Pitner has used the laptop cart and Google Drive in Bachelorette Living to allow students to collaboratively create a class presentation entitled “Everything for Baby”. Each student researched specific items relating to babies and the class created a presentation. Mrs. Watson allowed her 7^th grade Social Studies class to virtually walk among the pyramids in Egypt through an app called Google Earth on the iPad cart. Math classes are able to use graphing calculators and interactive websites in class. Teachers are using Socrative on the laptop cart and iPad cart across several subjects. Socrative is a website and an app that allows the teacher and the student to connect wirelessly. The teachers can send questions and the students respond. The teacher can then show the anonymous answers onto the board for discussion. This type of activity produces 100% student involvement in the classroom yet allows the teacher to download a detailed report at the end of the activity to monitor the discussion. 

We are very excited about what technology is doing to help foster a new culture of engaged, creative students and we look forward to implementing more technology in the future!

Kaylah Holland
High School Technology Integrator 

Welcome to the start of the 2013-2014 School Year. After preparing for their classes, meeting their students, and beginning to teach, teachers will commence writing the teacher blogs in October.

Elementary Bible Day at SBEC

What a great time we had at Bible Day 2013!  Every year our fourth grade students study a unit on Biblical culture.  During this unit, they learn more about people who lived during the Bible days and how their lives were much different than ours today.   

 

Our fourth grade students worked for many weeks in their Bible classes to prepare for Bible Day.  They selected a character from the Bible and read an encyclopedia article about him or her.  They wrote a report about their Bible character and dressed up as that character for Bible Day.  They also researched various aspects of Biblical culture and wrote paragraphs and made illustrations about them.  They worked with a team to use these paragraphs and illustrations to create a display board for Bible Day.  They also made an object that would have been used during Bible times like a sling, unleavened bread or even a model of a mud brick house.  The fourth graders took a field trip to the Biblical Resource Center and Museum in Collierville, TN.  During that field trip they got to hold a lamp that was excavated from Jerusalem and was during the time that Jesus lived.  They saw pictures of the modern cities that Paul traveled to on his second missionary journey.  They even participated in a scavenger hunt in the museum’s gallery.

During the morning of Bible Day, March 7, each team of students put their display board, their character reports, and their Bible objects on a table in the Trojan Hall gym and presented what they had learned to other students at SBEC.  For most fourth graders, this was the best part of Bible Day.  The students really enjoyed telling the younger students at SBEC all that they had learned.  They were also able to view a model of the Tabernacle and second Temple during Bible Day.  These items were made possible through a grant.  In the afternoon, the fourth graders participated in various activities to increase their knowledge of Biblical life.  They played Bible Baseball, made Stars of David, and studied about Hanukkah which included playing with driedels.  They also participated in a Passover Seder Tasting and learned more about this Jewish feast.  

Cindy Brassel

Elementary Bible Teacher

2nd Grade Penguin Day!

In 2nd grade we have Penguin Day to conclude our study of penguins.  The students are shown a PowerPoint with facts about several different kinds of penguins.  They also have the opportunity to read books about penguins.   The students then have to choose one kind of penguin and write a 3 sentence report about it.  They use this report to make a “Penguin Booklet.”  This booklet is penguin shaped and the students color it to match the penguin their report is on.  They write the facts from their report on the belly of the penguin.  They get to share these with the class.  On Penguin Day the students get to dress like a penguin by wearing black and white.  They also tasted several different flavors of goldfish, since penguins eat fish, and vote for their favorite flavor.  We use the results of the vote to make a graph.  We also have some special snacks:  blue jello (the ocean) with cool whip (icebergs) and Swedish fish (fish) and a penguin looking treat made out of oreos and other candy.  The kids have great fun on this day and enjoy “waddling” down the hall!

Christine Ross

2nd Grade Teacher 

 

SBEC Elementary Music Classes

1st–4th Grade Music class at SBEC engages students in active music making.  Children learn by doing.  They have room to move around and are active participants making music.  In the music room is open space for movement as well as lots of fantastic instruments :  bongos, congas, hand drums, cymbals, bells,  xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels, slide whistles, shakers, guitar, contra bass bars, and much more.  If  you were to walk by my classroom at SBEC during music time, more than likely you would see us playing instruments, musical games and imagination games.  You might also see us singing, dancing or using our own body as a percussive instrument in order to introduce, learn, or reinforce certain musical skills. 

Folk songs, folk rhymes, traditional games and dances form an integral part of the repertoire included within the curriculum.  Christian songs are interspersed throughout the year that show children that God Almighty is the one who gave us the capacity to make and enjoy music.    

The curriculum demands students to simultaneously process multiple layers of musical skills.  For example, while they are singing a song, I might have the class divided into two concentric circles rotating in different directions.  After 8 beats, the concentric circles change direction and they might be given another layer of movement such as clapping every other beat.  All the while they are singing a song.  This method of teaching requires tremendous concentration and focus from the students.

We had the privilege to have two musical guest visit the 3rd graders during our last 9 weeks of music. A professional violinist as well as a Blue grass band came and shared their music, knowledge, and skills. What a delight it was for me to see the excitement and curiosity in the students as these fine musicians shared their joy.

Mr. Ransom

1^st – 4^th Grade Art/Music

SBEC

Elementary Athletics

The SBEC elementary intramural sports program was developed with the hope of allowing all children, regardless of skill level, an opportunity to succeed in athletics.  For a nominal fee, children who attend SBEC and/or Broadway Baptist church may register to play in one (or all) of the sports offered in our program.  The sports included in this program are:  soccer for JrK-4th grade (the fall sport), basketball for 1st-4th grade (the winter sport) and t-ball/coach-pitch for JrK-4th grade (the spring sport).  The fees cover the cost of jerseys, trophies, pictures, referees and equipment. 

These games are a substitute for neighborhood games of old, when children could go to an empty lot and play games with their friends.  It was a chance for kids to enjoy the fresh air and to have fun in a non-competitive environment.  Emphasis is placed on good sportsmanship, both from the parents and the players.  Respect is to be displayed at all times to all players, referees, and coaches.  Positive reinforcement for all players is expected.  Negative criticism of others is not allowed.

Most organized sports tend to exclude children with little or no skills and are usually very competitive.  In the SBEC intramural sports program, rules for each sport are established to help all children succeed, regardless of skill level.  This program gives kids a chance to get together and play for fun in a non-competitive atmosphere, without the stress and pressure of making mistakes.

The SBEC elementary competitive teams are available to SBEC students only in the 5th and 6th grades.  These teams play other school teams from around the Memphis area in the Parochial Athletic Association (PAA).  Volunteer coaches with a heart for children and a working knowledge of each sport are recruited to help the athletes learn fundamentals about the sport.  The sports that are offered to these students are:  Cheerleading, Cross-Country, Football, and Volleyball in the Fall; Basketball in the Winter; Baseball and Softball in the Spring.

These competitive teams are the most visible representation of SBEC to the Memphis area, so it is very important that the players are taught how to not only compete at the highest level, but also how to do so in a way that shines a positive light on themselves, SBEC and ultimately our Lord Jesus Christ.  At this level, the athletes, coaches, fans and parents are held to a high standard of sportsmanship and respect for others, including the officials.  Fans and participants alike are to be positive and encouraging to all of the children playing, not just their own.

SBEC has some of the best children and parents in the Memphis area.  It is the desire of the Elementary athletic program to shine a light on our amazing families when these games are played.

Sherri Howard
Elementary Athletic Director