Chromebooks in the classroom

What is a Chromebook?   

A Chromebook is a personal computer that runs Chrome as an operating system. The device is made to connect quickly to the Internet and supports apps that are on the web, not ones that are downloaded to the device.

Ways to use Chromebooks to support Learning:

PUBLISHING

  • Students can use a variety of websites for Digital Storytelling.  Digital storytelling allows the students to “show with they know” in a creative, digital format.  Digital storytelling on the web also allows for publication and sharing of projects with a wider audience.  Students can use digital storytelling to support a variety of subjects.  A few examples of websites that allow for Digital Storytelling are listed below along with curriculum connections:
    • Prezi: Book Reviews/Reports, Research Reports, Story Telling
    • Animoto: Field Trip Pictures, Classroom Events
    • Voicethread: Biography Poems, Small research projects, Author Studies, Poetry Share
    • Blabberize: Reserach projects
    • Glogster: Book Posters, Character Posters, Who Am I Posters
PRODUCTIVITY
  • Students can use productivity tools on the web that allow them to access their work anytime and anywhere.  Students can use the Chromebooks to access Google Apps.  Below are some examples of the ways that the students cam work in the cloud using the Chromebooks.
    • Google Docs: Personal narratives, fiction stories, paragraph writing, Internet Safety Presentations
    • Google Maps: Social Studies Standards, State Studies Projects, Minnesota History mapping of important places
    • Picasa: Classroom pictures, field trips
    • Google Earth: Book Setting Trips, Geography tours, Literature trips
    • TCI: Online Social Studies Text
COMMUNICATION
  • Using Chromebooks, students can communicate using 21st century tools.
    • Gmail (grades 6-8): Communication with students, Book Club Communication, Reader Response Journals,
    • Canvas: All classroom projects and assignments
COLLABORATION
  • Collaboration is one of most important 21st Century skills that we can teach our young students.  The Chromebooks allow students to collaborate face to face or on the computer while working on projects. 
  • The following Apps support collaboration (just to name a few):  
    • Google Docs
    • Google Sheets