Activity: Cannon Math
In this activity, children can learn about addition through the fun, interactive and educational content. For one, the children are not suppose to click on the correct answer. Instead, they have to adjust the angel and force/power of the cannon such that when it fires, the person being shot out will land on the platform with the correct answers. As a teacher, I will use this activity to reinforce children's learning of addition during the Math lessons, as a follow-up activity. Not only will they work on their addition but they will also pick up other Math skills like estimation. By exposing children with opportunities to such interactive activities, they are more likely to be interested in class because lessons are more colourful, there are also animation and sounds.

[Joyce]


Activity: Sports Smash
Sports Smash is a game which requires the children to quickly align 3 or more objects horizontally or vertically by simply clicking on the two objects that you want to switch places. The children have five minutes to collect as many points as they can. Therefore, they are required to think fast. Through this game, the children would learn about the mathematical concept of classifying, where they have to think of ways to put the same items together. It also enriches the children’s learning by having them to differentiate and know the four types of sports. It has both educational and entertainment values as the children are able to learn about the concept and the game would appeal to them as fun and competitive due to the time limit.

[Xin Yi]

Web Tool: Photobucket
This tool can be used effectively by teachers to post pictures that enhance the children’s learning. Photographs of any fieldtrips can be posted using the tool. Then, the children can view them using the computers in class and the teachers can ask them questions concerning the fieldtrip. For example, how did you find this trip? What are the things that you had seen? These questions can help the children to reflect on what they have learnt during the fieldtrip. Other than this, teachers can post pictures that are related to the topic that they are teaching, which makes learning easier and more interesting for the children. For instance, pictures of a Zoo can be shown to children when they are learning about animals and pictures of a Science center can be shown to them when they are leaning about Science. These pictures serve as a visual aid for the children so they would be able to link what they have learnt to the pictures.

Web Tool: Yahoo! Kids
This tool can be used by Early Childhood teachers to conduct computer lessons with the children. There are not only educational games for the children but also links that children can access to learn about science online. Teachers can also provide children with the opportunity to use the tool for research purposes as it provides homework help, allows looking up of words, asking questions online and to explore an encyclopedia. The web tool has a huge resource of science information which teachers can use when preparing for and conducting science lessons. For instance, the teacher is teaching the children about fishes, she can show examples from the list of fishes the tool has on their website. Take for example, the red grouper. She can show the pictures from the web tool and extract information provided to share with the children like it is a saltwater fish.

Both web tools are pretty useful for Early Childhood teachers to prepare for their lessons and to conduct lessons for the children. The tools provide information and pictures to children visually. The Photobucket is a more appropriate tool if teachers want to show pictures electronically and share them with the class for discussion. On the other hand, Yahoo! Kids is applicable for multiple purposes. Children can use it on their own to do research or with their teachers. For example, to learn about the different categories of animals with the information provided on the tool.