Grade Level Information

In the past our fourth grade students were taught how to surf the net and send email messages, using Netscape World Wide Web browser and Eudora email on a Power Mac. In addition, this school year, 1997-98, all grade levels will begin learning to use the Internet to access information and become part of the world community of learners.

For example, one of the classroom learning stations in Mrs. Johnson's Third Grade is a PowerMac connected to the Internet. When students are at this station they received training on how to use the Internet to find answers to questions and to learn about the world.

Students and teachers research other elementary school home pages and gather information about each region of the world we study - I guess you could say we go on Cyberspace Field Trips! Netscape bookmarks save the sites we visit, so we can make return trips with the click of a mouse!

Students also access the web in the Science Room and the library. Several computers in our lab are now connected to the net as well.

The History of Custer Park Internet Activities includes:

November 1995 - sent email questions to Canadian schools
for 2nd grade

fall 1995 - sent letters to U.S. soldiers in Bosnia

January 26, 1996 - participated in an Internet project sponsored by Sheila Perry of Bloomfield, MO, remembering Christa McAuliffe and Challenger Space Shuttle Mission and Crew

each year fourth grade students establish keypals in the United States and around the world; each year we train more classrooms

each year our students use the Internet to research various topics of study

fall '96 - a cross-curriculuar Weather Unit using the Internet to gather various kinds of weather information

winter '96-'97 - fourth grade students used the At Home in the Heartland website from Illinois State Museum to learn history of our state

spring '97 - fourth grade students created Virtual Visitors, which were sent via e-mail to a world destination of their choice - HIGHLIGHT OF THIS ACTIVITY: an international phone call from Crewe Primary School in South Africa! To read more about this project, follow our Third Grade Link on the home page.

fall 1997-98 - students and teachers at every grade level will begin using the web to enhance classroom lessons and student learning

(Additional links will be added to this page as time allows.)

[Return to Homepage.]

---