Coming into the EDIT 2000 course, I didn't know what to expect.  I knew it would be useful because my advisor told me it would.  However, I did't realize that I would be doing projects that would get me pretty much set when I first began teaching.  I know how most of the Microsoft Office programs work, but while making these projects, I ran into a few problems.  I got answers to these problems and now consider myself a Microsoft Office wiz...for the most part anyways. 

I used Microsoft PowerPoint on a number of my projects, including making a classroom seating chart.  I didn't realize there were so many neat things I could do using PowerPoint.  I made name tags and hall passes.  I really enjoy making these things using PowerPoint because it allows me to be creative and not worry about cleaning up a mess.  I used Excel to make an attendance chart and grade sheet.  Excel was very useful when I was averaging the grades, I just typed in a formula and then it did all the work for me.  I also made a Pictograph using Excel's chart maker.  The chart I made will be useful if we talk about graphs, it will me more personal than one from a text book because it will be their information.  It will also be a good use of technology.  Microsoft Word was useful when I began working on my worksheet, I was able to add clip art and make it more personalized.  I think clip art is great, you get to make the worksheet more appealing to the eye and maybe even make it seem a little less like work and more like fun to the student.

I made a class newsletter with a template from Microsoft Office.   This template was very useful and I discovered that templates are a wonderful thing!!  I also used a template when I made a calendar.  I personalized both the newsletter and calendar by adding clip art, holidays, and other information.  

There are so many resources out on the web where you can find lesson plans to incorporate technology into your lessons.  I found a great lesson about "What Makes A Hero?" .  This lesson uses PowerPoint and helps the student to really try and understand what they have read and helps them to remember important details.   I also found a great lesson about family history.  This is a project that also uses PowerPoint.  The student will  find out as much as they can about their family and then they use the information they found to  make a totem pole.  This is a great way to improve their communication skills.  Another cool lesson I found was one that will allow the student to create a timeline in Microsoft Word.  The timeline is a good way for students to do research about a paticular event or sequence of events.  From the information they find they are able to make a timeline using Word.