To begin our unit on the autumn harvest, we did a fall brainstorm.  We conducted this brainstorm in the library using the computer cart and projection screen in order to create a web as ideas were given.  We "caught" the students' ideas in a web created by KidPix.  By observing the creation of the fall web, children were able to create webs independently later in the semester.

    Brainstorming and creating a web of fall ideas.

• Lesson plan
• Fall Brainstorm Web

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Lesson 2- Adopting a Tree

Mid-way through the fall we chose a tree on the playground to "adopt".  We pledged to watch this tree all year as it made it's seasonal changes.  We predicted what it would look like by the end of fall.  Then, the children took pictures of it with the digital camera.  We projected it up in the computer lab and the children drew their own interpretations of it on KidPix.  They wrote sentences describing what the tree looked like.  Finally, we put all of the pictures in a book called "Our Adopted Tree" for our families to enjoy at home.

• Lesson Plan
• Example of drawing

Lesson 3- Creating a Fall Slide Show

We created a fall slide show using KidPix Deluxe and the voice microphone option on our computers.  Each child illustrated and captioned a slide about their favorite thing about fall.  Then, they read their sentence into a microphone, which was added to their slide.  Then, they observed the slides be put together for the slide show.  They had fun watching and listening to the slide show at center time.

Each child used KidPix to illustrate and caption a slide.		The children were able to capture  the colorful fall tree in their drawings.

• Lesson Plan
• Example of Student Slide
• View Slide show with Quick Time Player *Coming Soon*
• Download Quick Time Player


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Lesson 4- Apple Orchard Field Trip Book

On our trip to the apple orchard, the teachers took many still photographs of the class.  A few weeks after we returned, we assigned each child a different picture and scanned them in to the computer.  Using Adobe PhotoDeluxe, they captioned what was going on in that picture.  The photo and it's caption were printed and compiled into a class book titled " Remembering the Apple Orchard Field Trip."

Scanning pictures.		Captioning  what is going on in the picture.

• Lesson Plan
• Example of student page

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Lesson 5- Thank You Letters with Digital Pictures

Prior to Thanksgiving, the class discussed what it means to be thankful.  Each child chose a person in the school to whom they were thankful.  They wrote a thank- you letter to the person.  They then took turns taking digital pictures of each other with their buddies, and added the pictures to the letter.

The children took turns taking digital pictures of each other.

•  Lesson Plan
•  Example of Thank-You Letter