About the PS 116 technology curriculum

Software and protocols will inevitably change before your child comes of age, so our
curriculum focuses not so much on learning particular software packages, as on becom-
ing an intuitive computer user. Students do learn how to use a variety of software, but
they pay close attention to the way they learn it and the way that applications are similar
or different so that when the current software standards are replaced, they will be able
to navigate the new standards independently.

Throughout the grades, students learn how to communicate effectively with the com-
puter, how to get unstuck, and how to avoid getting stuck in the first place. They learn
how a network works, how to transfer what they learn at school to computers outside of
school, and how to be a responsible, ethical user. In addition, we view the computer as
a tool for finding, organizing, and sharing information, and consider how the computer
compares to other tools used for the same purposes.

Kindergarten: Students learn keyboard and mouse use, basic operating system use
(logging in and out, opening a file or application, printing, saving, quitting) drawing and
other creative programs, basic typing, and basic internet use.

First grade: The curriculum reinforces what they learned in kindergarten, and includes
more advanced internet use, basic word processing, and other creative software.

Second grade: In addition to cementing what they’ve learned in kindergarten and first
grade, the second grade curriculum includes more word processing features, more ad-
vanced internet use (including very basic research), comics, slide shows, and movies.

Third grade: The curriculum builds on that of the previous years, and includes the use
of Google Earth and GoogleMaps, internet research, more advanced word processing
and operating system use, beginning image editing (Photoshop Elements), and formal
keyboarding.

Fourth grade: Fourth graders create websites using Macromedia Dreamweaver, the
software used by most professional web designers. This year’s fourth grade is creating
choose-your-own adventure websites which are posted on the school’s site upon com-
pletion. In addition, they also work on formal keyboarding, word processing using
GoogleDocs, online discussions, and internet research. Students have individual ac-
counts on our website beginning in fourth grade.

Fifth grade: Students create iMovie movies on a topic of their choice in fifth grade. They
also compose music in Garageband, do more advanced internet research, online dis-
cussions, keyboarding, and, if time permits, basic Flash animation.

In addition to our computer lab, we have computers in nearly every classroom, as well
as laptop carts for use in classrooms. Our school is networked so that students can ac-
cess their saved files from any computer in the building.

K Gerard, PS 116, 11/07