Standard 1.4

ST1.4 - Students use technology resources to conduct research, demonstrate creative and critical thinking, and communicate and work collaboratively.

At St. Louis School, students have access to multiple technology resources that provide them with a range of opportunities to conduct research, demonstrate creative and critical thinking, communicate and work collaboratively in school, after school, and at home. All St. Louis teachers also have multiple technology devices housed within each classroom. These include items such as desktop computers, iPads, overhead projectors, Apple TV, Chromecast, and MIMEO. Teachers also have access to reserve Chromebook and iPad carts for student’s use in the classroom. To promote student collaboration and communication both inside and outside the classroom, grades 3 through 8 utilize Google Classroom and Google Suites. Additionally, all teachers have access to reserve a wide range of STEM devices and tools, such as drones, robots, and 3D printers.

Each year, St. Louis School welcomes new students throughout the grades. Many of these students do not have the same technical skills as the students who have been attending St. Louis have. As an improvement to the current classes being offered to the new students, St. Louis could offer a technology orientation for new students. This would include training in Google Classroom, coding, keyboarding, mouse skills, and login skills.

Ozobots: Coding Lesson

First-grade students will work with a partner to layout, decorate, and “code” a storyboard based on the sequence of the story “The Little Rabbit’s Tale”. Partners will test the rabbit’s path using an Ozobot and will troubleshoot design problems in the Ozobot code.

Virtual Labs and Virtual Learning Tools

Using PHeT Interactive Simulations 8th-grade Physical Science Students are able to build atoms, ions, and isotopes to better understand the role of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Using Discovery Education Virtual Labs 5th-grade students are able to simulate erosion after a rainstorm and its effects on a local park. They are also able to problem solve how to stop the erosion process.

Video Editing on iPads

In Art class, 7th grade students are able to use animation techniques to tell an original story through stop-motion-animation, modeling clay, and video-editing software.

3D Printing and Tinkercad

7th-grade Life Science students will research different bird beaks, the environments in which the birds live and the food source the birds eat to determine, how do the environment and food supply affect the evolution of the shape and size of bird’s beaks? Students will then be presented with a challenge to design and build a beak that will be successful in eating a variety of foods in a wide variety of environments.

Anne Frank and Designing a Saferoom in Tinkercad

While reading Anne Frank students in the 7th grade Language Arts class were given the opportunity to work collaboratively to design a safe space for a person to hide in the midst of a genocide. The students will understand the term GENOCIDE and how it has been applied historically to the Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide. Based on the readings, discussions, and videos, the students will then use Tinkercad to design a safe space in computer class.

SLS students use technology in various forms to enhance learning.

Students have access to technology resources both at school and at home.

Student created games using Scratch

St. Louis School students are introduced to coding at an early age and in Third Grade begin using Scratch, a drag and drop block program developed at MIT. Click on the images above to view two examples.