Your Child and Technology: What Your Fifth Grader Needs to Know Part 1

Your Child and Technology: What Your Fifth Grader Needs to Know

Technology isn't a substitute for teaching; it’s a way to bring the world into the fifth grade classroom.

By GreatSchools Staff

A modern tool to answer age-old questions

Technology in the fifth grade classroom can introduce a rich, entertaining range of learning opportunities that engage young minds and get them excited about all aspects of the curriculum. Your child will use technology tools to enhance her understanding of language arts, science, social studies, math, and art. According to the Common Core Standards Initiative that the majority of states adopted in 2010-2011, fifth graders should master basic tech skills that are needed to succeed in core subjects like reading, writing, science, and math. Although teachers aren't required to follow them, many states base their technology standards on the National Educational Technology Standards for Students, too.

In fifth grade, your child should learn and refine essential skills that will prepare her for the more rigorous demands of middle school and high school – from the mechanics of researching and writing an essay to conducting and presenting a complex science experiment. While using technology is no substitute for mastering mathematical concepts or learning to craft a persuasive thesis statement for a literary report, it's an important tool to supplement classroom instruction. Even more important, technological literacy is essential for your child's future.

Tech skills that your child should have by the end of fifth grade

Should haves:

•Comfort with keyboarding and typing: According to the Common Core Standards for writing, a fifth grader should have the ability to "type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting."

•Advanced ability to use a mouse, including cutting, pasting, and spell-checking work

•Solid Internet research skills, including the ability to assess the credibility of websites, and knowledge of basic copyright laws and the meaning and consequences of plagiarism.

•Solid understanding of cybersecurity do's and don'ts

Nice to haves:

•Photo editing skills

•Familiarity with Powerpoint or other presentation software

•Familiarity with Excel or other programs to organize data and create graphs

Technology your fifth grader may find in the classroom

•One or more computers or tablets with access to the Internet (including Internet safeguards) and a printer

•Still and video digital cameras, photo editing software, animation tools

•Interactive whiteboard and a large monitor or projector the teacher can use to engage students in multimedia lessons

•Educational software, including multimedia encyclopedia and dictionaries, typing programs, interactive books, and educational games

Of course, the amount and quality of technology fifth graders have access to varies widely from school to school. Some schools have the resources to provide state-of-the-art computers and whiteboards in every classroom; others have a single computer lab that all students share. When evaluating your fifth grader's technology experience, the number and brand of computers in the classroom is less important than how well technology is integrated into learning at your child's school. To get the maximum benefit from technology, the best classrooms incorporate technology into regular lessons to develop students' higher-order thinking skills, promote creativity, and facilitate academic learning.

Your Child and Technology: What Your Fourth Grader Needs to Know Part 3

Your Child and Technology: What Your Fourth Grader Needs to Know

Fourth graders use the Internet, educational software, and other tech tools to build on core learning.

By GreatSchools Staff

Math + technology = more learning

Technology helps kids master math concepts with games and apps that illustrate more complex multiplication and division, as well as fractions and geometric concepts. A host of educational apps ask children to touch and manipulate math concepts on the screen. Math-based computer games transform rote drills into games that take advantage of gaming fever to drill facts into memory. Online animations and multimedia lessons can turn a math lesson into entertainment that teaches as it enthralls; they also allow students to review a lesson whenever they wish. And the Internet brings concepts and teachers — fantastic teachers like Salmon Kahn of Khan Academy(which offers hundreds of video classes on math, science, and other subjects) — into the classroom to inspire young minds.

Spicing up science

In an Internet-connected classroom, science is as close as the whiteboard, monitor, tablet, or computer screen. In fourth grade, children can watch close-up footage or animation of the human body, dinosaurs, space, or cells. They can play with animated versions of the elements in the periodic table or simulations of tornados or the night sky. Websites like Khan Academy, Brainpop, DiscoveryEducation, and The Jason Projectallow kids to access multimedia lessons and animations that transform science instruction into entertainment. And to help young students imagine themselves as scientists, the teacher can invite working scientists — virtually — into the classroomand let students ask researchers questions themselves. What’s more, students can even get an online lesson in computer science at Code Academy, where they'll learn the basics of computer coding. (Check out this story about why this is a good idea for your fourth grader’s future.)

Your Child and Technology: What Your Fourth Grader Needs to Know Part 2

Your Child and Technology: What your Fourth Grader Needs to Know

Fourth graders use the Internet, educational software, and other tech tools to build on core learning.
By GreatSchools Staff

Technology your fourth grader may find in the classroom

•One or more computers or tablets with access to the Internet (including Internet safeguards) and a printer
•Still and video digital cameras, photo editing software, animation tools
•Interactive whiteboard and a large monitor or projector the teacher can use to engage students in multimedia lessons
•Educational software, including multimedia encyclopedia and dictionaries, typing programs, interactive books, and educational games

Of course, the amount and quality of technology fourth graders have access to varies widely from school to school. Some schools have the resources to provide state-of-the-art computers and whiteboards in every classroom; others have a single computer lab that all students share. When evaluating your fourth grader's technology experience, the number and brand of computers in the classroom is less important to consider than how well technology is integrated into learning at your child's school. The best classrooms incorporate technology into regular lessons to develop students' higher-order thinking skills, promote creativity, and facilitate academic learning.

Language arts with a tech twist
Once exclusively the realm of paper and ink, language arts gets an enormous boost from technology. Children in the fourth grade will learn how to write short opinion essays and informational reports, so doing research on the Internet, understanding how to evaluate sources, and learning about plagiarism are essential skills. Audio books and audio-enhanced text books allow fourth graders to immerse themselves in a culture of storytelling, fit more books into their busy lives, allow books to compete with other media for entertainment value, and get hooked on reading as a lifelong pleasure. Using a tablet or a computer, students can easily look up unfamiliar words to master new vocabulary and practice pronunciation. And digital book creation, video editing, and animation tools enable students to become authors of their own stories. A word processor — with grammar correction — can improve students' grammar and spelling as they write, by noting mistakes as they happen and offering corrections.

Your Child and Technology: What Your Fourth Grader Needs to Know Part 1

Your Child and Technology: What Your Fourth Grader Needs to Know

Fourth graders use the Internet, educational software, and other tech tools to build on core learning.

By GreatSchools Staff

How technology enhances learning

Technology in the fourth grade classroom can introduce a rich, entertaining range of learning opportunities that engage young minds and get them excited about all aspects of the curriculum. Your child will use technological tools to enhance her understanding of language arts, science, social studies, math, and art. According to the Common Core Standards Initiative that the majority of states adopted in 2010-2011, fourth graders should master basic tech skills that are needed to complement learning in core subjects like reading, writing, science, and math. (Many teachers also follow the National Educational Technology Standards for Students.)

In fourth grade, your child will be building on essential reading skills, learning to the mechanics of essay writing, and exploring new concepts in math and science. While using technology is no substitute for mastering the multiplication tables or conducting research for a science project, it's an important tool to supplement classroom instruction. Even more important, technological literacy is essential for your child's future.

Tech skills your child should have by the end of fourth grade

Should haves:

•Familiarity with keyboarding and typing: according to the Common Core Standards for writing, a fourth grader should have the ability to "type a minimum of one page in a single sitting."

•Ability to use a mouse, including cutting, pasting, and spell-checking work

•Basic Internet research skills, including the ability to assess the credibility of websites, knowledge of basic copyright laws, and understanding the meaning and consequences of plagiarism.

•Understanding of cybersecurity do's and don'ts

Nice to haves:

•Photo editing skills

•Familiarity with Powerpoint or other presentation software

•Familiarity with Excel or other programs to organize data and create graphs

FDA Approves First Influenza Vaccine

FDA Approves First Influenza Vaccine That Protects Against 4 Strains

Accroding to an article by CBS News Staff, the first flu vaccine of its kind that protects against four influenza strains has been approved by the FDA, the agency announced this week.

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The FluMist Quadrivalent vaccine from AstraZeneca's MedImmune unit protects against two strains of influenza A and two strains of influenza B, and is approved for people ages 2 to 49. Similar to the previously approved FluMist, the new vaccine is a nasal spray that delivers weakened strains of the virus.

Previously, all flu vaccines contained two strains of influenza A and one strain of influenza B, chosen annually by medical experts based on their potential to spread the virus. Having an extra strain of influenza B increases the likelihood that the vaccine will protect against illness, the FDA said in a statement.

Skip the flu vaccine? "There's no excuse," says CDC

"Illness caused by Influenza B virus affects children, particularly young and school-aged, more than any other population," said Dr. Karen Midthun, director of the FDA's biologics center.

The severity of illness and death due to influenza varies widely from season to season, which is why vaccination is the best method of protection, according to the FDA. Between 1976 and 2007, flu-related deaths have ranged from an estimated low of about 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people, the agency said.

Are there side effects? The FDA says side effects are the same as the older FluMist and include runny or stuffy nose, headaches, and sore throats.

Besides the flu vaccine, there are everyday actions a person can take to reduce their risk, according to the CDC. Those actions include washing your hands with soap and water, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth (this is how germs spread), and avoid close contact with sick people. If you're sick with a flu-like virus, stay home for 24 hours after your fever is gone.

Fitness For Kids: Getting Children Off the Couch

Fitness For Kids: Getting Children Off the Couch

Direct your child's energy into a lifelong love of physical activity.

According to an article from MayoClinic.com, family health is an important and far-reaching topic, and we all want the best for our families. Included in this section are health articles and tips from respected leaders in the medical field in areas including men's, women's, and kid's health, pregnancy, and aging.

For many kids, biking to the playground and playing kickball in the backyard have given way to watching television, playing video games and spending hours online. But it's never too late to get your child off the couch. Use these simple tips to give your child a lifelong appreciation for activities that strengthen his or her body.


Set a good example
Your active lifestyle can be a powerful stimulus for your child. If you want an active child, be active yourself. You can't just "talk" activity — you need to make activity a priority for yourself as well. Go for a brisk walk, ride your bike or take a yoga class. Better yet, invite your family to play catch or to join you on a walk. Talk about physical activity as an opportunity to take care of your body, rather than a punishment or a chore. Praise, reward and encourage activity. You might even set goals and have everyone track their activities and progress.

Wonder how much physical activity is enough? Consider these guidelines from the Department of Health and
Human Services:

Kids. Children and adolescents age 6 and older need at least an hour a day of physical activity. Most of the hour should be either moderate or vigorous aerobic activity. In addition, children should participate in muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities at least three days a week. Many classic activities — such as playing on playground equipment and jumping rope — cover all the bases at once.

Adults. Most healthy adults need at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking or swimming, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, such as running — preferably spread throughout the week. Adults also need strength training exercises at least twice a week.

Limit screen time
A surefire way to increase your child's activity level is to limit the number of hours he or she spends in front of a screen — including television, video games and online activities. For example, you might consider a limit of one or two hours a day and, for a better night's sleep, no screen time in the hour before bed. To make it easier, don't put a television in your child's bedroom, don't watch television while you're eating dinner, and restrict computers and other electronic gadgets to a family area. Also consider limiting other sedentary activities, such as text messaging or chatting on the phone.

If your child plays video games, opt for those that require movement. Activity-oriented video games — such as dance video games and video games that use a player's physical movements to control what happens on the screen — boost a child's calorie-burning power. In a Mayo Clinic study, kids who traded sedentary screen time for active screen time more than doubled their energy expenditure.

Establish a routine
Set aside time each day for physical activity. Get up early with your child to walk the dog or take a walk together after dinner. Start small, gradually adding new activities to the routine as you — and your child — become more fit.

Let your child set the pace
For many kids, organized sports are a great way to stay fit. But team sports or dance classes aren't the only options. If your child is artistically inclined, take a nature hike to collect leaves and rocks for use in a collage. If your child likes to climb, head for the nearest jungle gym. If your child likes to read, walk or bike to a local library for a book. Or simply turn on your child's favorite music and dance in the living room. Get creative as you search for activities your child enjoys.

Promote activity, not exercise
To keep your child interested in fitness, make it fun:

Get in the game. Play catch, get the whole family involved in a game of tag or have a jump-rope contest. Try classic movement games such as Simon says or red light, green light. If you don't remember the rules, make up your own!

Try an activity party. For your child's next birthday, schedule a bowling party, take the kids to a climbing wall or set up relay races outside.

Put your child in charge. Let your child choose an activity of the day or week. Batting cages, bowling and neighborhood play areas all count. What matters is that you're doing something active.

Give the gift of activity. Offer activity-related equipment, games or outings as gifts and rewards — both for your child and others.

Remember, incorporating physical activity into your child's life does much more than promote a healthy weight. It sets the foundation for a lifetime of fitness and good mental and physical health.

Tip #54: Start a family game night.

With all of the worries about the economy, families can still enjoy fun entertainment together and stay on a budget. That brings us to tip #54.

Tip #54: Start a family game night.

Why not start a family game night? Here are a few tips in getting started on a family fun filled night:

1. Schedule it. Decide in advance which day will be the family game night.

2. Involve everyone in the planning. Let your kids pick the games or choose the snack.

3. Create a tradition. Establish an activity on game night that becomes a family tradition. (ex. family-favorite dinner, how teams are chosen, or who gets the first turn)

4. Remind everyone. Set up reminders to make sure game night happens. Put a note in kids' lunchboxes. This can help build excitement.

5. Keep a family scoreboard. Have a special scoreboard and post the family member who won the last game on the board or create a family crown that can be worn at the family dinner before game night.

6. Mix it up with special guest. Invite other families and have a family game night tournament. Or invite extended family members. Just have fun.

Here are a few all-time favorites and new games to consider:

• Kids 6-8 - Pictureka! Sorry! Sliders, Operation, Monopoly Jr.
• Kids 8-10 - Clue, Monopoly, Cranium Family Edition, The Game of Life
• Kids 10-12 - Monopoly, Yahzee, Clue
• Families with teenagers - Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition, Scrabble, Cranium Wow, Jenga, Catch Phrase, Trivial Pursuit

For more game ideas, visit http://www.familygamenight.com/