Fabulous Field Experiences at Ms. Fletcher's Fourth Grade Class

     This week was lesson week for Katrina Andrus and I. With our power points polished we were prepared and sooo excited!   Our lessons were focused on the life of the Navajo past and present.  Katrina started off with a powerpoint to allow the students the benefit of the visual aid to show the students how Navajo lived, what they wore, and ate.  The technology used in the first lesson got us off to a great start.  We were able to expand on how the Navajo lived in the past and then move on to teaching about their traditions from there.

     On through the week we taught about how the Navajo held on to their traditions from the past to the present.  We were able to show a new DVD on the projector screen, made by KUED, called "We Shall Remain."  We used a computer, projector screen, and speakers to show this amazing portrayal of the Navajo people.  We played authentic Navajo music on the computer with speakers.  I had downloaded a CD onto the desktop for easy access during the lesson.  Our students were able to find the beat and rhythm to the Navajo music that was very different to music that they normally hear.

     To teach the lesson on the influences the Navajo life has impacted Utah, we used a powerpoint to show the students that they have things in common with the way the Navajo people live today.  We had them make a check mark every time they were shown a picture of the Navajo modern lifestyle, when it resembled something similar in their life, on their individual white boards.  From this power-point the students were able to see the modern day life of the Navajo and understand things we have in common.  From the lessons we prepared, we learned how important technology is for students to be able to benefit from the visual and auditory experiences of the subject we are teaching.  This was an amazing experience! 

VIDEO:  "Cool Schools: Western Hills Design Technology High School" and "Napa New Technology High School 1997" are two youtube videos that feature two high schools who have integrated technology as a main focus in the education of their students.  The students learn to be efficient in sharing documents, email, internet, spreadsheets, and more.  Technology is the schools form of internal communication, saving time, and the schools continue to add data bases.  The schools are able to create their yearbooks digitally and post them online for student access.   They e-mail their teachers their assignments and learn the base curriculum of high school from a digital format.  They work in teams and the teachers say that the best thing they learn is confidence and from there the learning and skills will follow.