Teaching Elementary sometimes the subjects can get boring for students. If you include fun activities with the use of technology, students will want to learn more and be more creative. There are many websites that can be used to let your students discover their abilites on the computer while learning the curriculum. So catch the wave of new ideas.
One website that I really enjoy is http://www.BrainPop.com. This is great for 5th grade science. I like to set this up on my laptop and then display it on the TV. Here the whole class can participate and feel safe about their answers.
Another idea which is great for 4th grade writing is letting them create a story and then video tape it. This is great group work. The students would follow their writing elements and then transform their writing into segments. They can video their story and then use moviemaker, to create their movie. They can also include music and words. The kids really enjoy this and they can create a CD they can take home to keep.
Also, some Gifted and Talented students at my school have created a newspaper. They have written stories and poems. They take pictures on a digital camera and then place these items in the newspaper they have created. The students get to be creative on paper and on the computer. Group work is necessary and a good leader or mentor is needed for this project.
One last idea if your school has money to purchase some technology items is the use of eInstruction. This is a CPS, Classroom Performance System that is great for quizing kids or playing games. The kids love this because they can interact without being singled out.
I hope these ideas will produce future tech-y's in your classroom!
