The following is my assessment of the lessons presented:

Lesson 1 - Webbing of signs of fall

The lesson was developmentally appropriate for first graders.  They were able to brainstorm changes they saw as the seasons developed.  I was not aware of the program Kidspiration before we did this webbing.  Next time I would use that program as it is easy to format and fits on the screen better than Kid Pix.

Lesson 2 - Adopt a Tree

Although the children did an excellent job of recording the description of the tree using the computer program Kid pix, some of them had difficulty drawing the tree using the program.  Also, we cannot print in color in the computer lab, so I think to another time I would have them do it in the classroom as a center so we would be able to print our pictures in color.

Lesson 3  - Creating a slide show

This lesson was definitely a high interest lesson.  The children enjoyed creating pictures of their favorite fall activity.  They were also excited to record their own voices  and to share the slide show with their families during conferences. One thing I would do differently next time is to have the children draw their pictures in the computer lab as a class.  Then I can save the pictures and take them aside as a small group to record their voices.  We did this whole activity as small groups and it just took too much time.

Lesson 4 - Field trip to the Pumpkin Patch/Apple Orchard

The cold weather did not deter the children from enjoying this field trip. We took both video and still pictures of our trip.  Luckily, we had the still pictures to fall back on as the video did not work.  All during the filming it was registering that it was taping. It wasn't until we tried to watch the video did we find out it was not working. However, we learned how to scan pictures and to use Adobe Photoshop. Therefore, we made use of the still pictures and changed our project to make it even more diverse. I learned to always have a backup of things you cannot reproduce.

Lesson 5 - Letters of Thanks

This was another high interest lesson. The children were very serious selecting one person to thank.  The letters were very heartfelt and sincere.  The children also enjoyed learning to use the digital camera.  Although we did have to retake some pictures in which the camera moved.  They enjoyed being able to see the pictures instantly.

    Through the MiTTEN project I learned that as advanced as some technology is, it is not always dependable.  If things do not go as expected, problem solve the difficulty and try again.  First graders are extremely flexible and many of our digital pictures had to be redone due to the wrong lighting or the wrong setting.  The children complied to our request to do it over without ever complaining.
     It takes longer than anticipated to complete some of the lessons. Conferences , meetings, and everyday problems often took precedence over the technology lesson.  Also, we found several fire walls put up at many of the web sites we wanted the children to use, including the virtual field trip web site.  We could access it at home, but when we tried to go there at school, we were unable to access that site.
     I think the most important thing I learned as I participated in the MiTTEN project was that I have become more assertive in what I think I can and cannot do using technology.  I have become a risk taker and feel very comfortable using new kinds of technology or even learning new strategies.
     My goal in participating in these projects was to become more familiar with the technology in my building, which I feel I have done.  I have even volunteered to teach other staff members how to present slide shows, use the digital camera and scanner, and seek out shortcuts which make teaching and using technology  easier.