Dear Park Shore Families,

Happy Spring!  I hope this note finds you all well!

As we quickly approach the end of the school year, I am amazed by your children’s enthusiasm and love of learning!  Brilliantly colored springtime pictures created by your children are displayed all over the computer lab walls, and the children enter the classroom happy and excited to see what’s in store for them!

Wrapping up the alphabet is bittersweet for me as we have SO MUCH fun watching and singing along with the learning videos – “Get ready, get set, let’s learn about the alphabet!”  Using stories and pictures to reinforce letter and sound recognition is such a great tool for the young minds.  Over the course of the next few weeks we will be focusing on programs to review alphabetical order, letter and letter sound recognition.  We will also be working on numbers and adding for the older children.

I have introduced a few new programs this past month, inclusive of more advanced jigsaw puzzles and online lego building games.  These programs help to develop critical thinking skills while keeping the children entertained.

Almost all of the Pre-K children (and many of the 3 year-olds) know how to use a mouse and understand basic computer and iPad functionality in preparation for their Kindergarten experience. I will continue to work with them throughout the remainder of the school year.  

In the next week or so we will be starting SMART Board lessons around plant, tadpole and butterfly lifecycles in tandem with the school’s annual Butterfly Release event and Miss Tina’s STEAM curriculum.  I also have some fun “techy” outdoor surprises for the children once the weather gets a bit warmer!  Spring is such a fun time, and Park Shore has so much in store!  

A list of the websites and apps that we use in the classroom is detailed below, and are grouped by the average age for usability and reference.  I gladly welcome any suggestions or recommendations that you may have based on applications your children have used and enjoy at home.  

It has been an amazing school year and I thank you for the honor of teaching your children and watching them learn, laugh and grow every day!  Have a safe and wonderful summer and I hope to see you at camp and/or again in the upcoming school year!

Thanks and much love,

Miss Samantha

Park Shore Computer Science Specialist

New Apps

• Lego Creations
• Toonia Puzzles
• Tic Tac Toe
• Memory
• 4 In a Row
• Easter Puzzles
• Sports Puzzles
• Caillou Puzzles
• Car Puzzles
• Space Puzzles

Learning Websites

• abcya.com
• abcmouse.com
• brainpopjr.com
• code.org
• education.com
• highlightsforkids.com
• nickjr.com
• pbskids.com
• scholastic.com
• starfall.com
• softschools.com
• sheppardsoftware.com
• thecolor.com (coloring)

Tablet / iPad Applications

Interactive Learning / Classroom Reinforcement

• ABC Genius
• 123 Genius
• Phonics Genius
• ABC Tracing
• ABC Order (ABCya)
• ABC Magnet Land
• Kindergarten Bingo (ABCya) (letters, shapes and color recognition)
• Slate Math K-1
• IXL Math Practice
• Superhero Dolch Site Words
• First Grade Learning Games
• Sight Words 1
• Spelling Bug

Creative / Puzzles/ Just for Fun

• The Cat in the Hat Color and Create
• Highlights Monster Day
• Highlights Shapes
• My Play Home (PlayHome Software)
• Puzzingo
• Toca Hair Salon ME
• Toca City
• Bamba Burger
• Bamba Ice Cream
• Strawberry Shortcake Dreams
• Kitten Pet Baby Jigsaw Puzzles
• Puppy Pet Jigsaw Puzzles
• Caillou House of Puzzles
• Lego Juniors Create and Cruise
• Lego Duplo Trains
• Lego Duplo Food
• Lego Duplo Ice Cream
• Toca Boca – Toca Town, Fairy Tales, Toca Monsters, Robot Lab, Toca Hair, Toca Nature
• Sonya Paz – Pop Art Program
• Paint My Wings (Toca Boca)
• Marco Polo Weather
• Strawberry Shortcake Bake Shop (Budge Studios)
• Strawberry Shortcake Sweet Shop (Budge Studios)
• Kids Coloring Doodle
• Symmetry Lab Basic

Toddlers

• 22 Learn – Animated Puzzles
• 22 Learn – Bubble Learning
• Fisher Price Baby Color Paint
• Baby Chef
• Toonia Color Book (Coloring)

Shapes, Colors, Classifications & Concepts (These games are appropriate for ages 2 through 5+)

• Tiny Hands Town Center
• Tiny Hands Sorting 3+
• Tiny Hands Sorting 2+
• Tiny Hands Sorting 1
• Tiny Hands Towers 2
• Tiny Hands What’s My Pair
• Tiny Hands Arctic Birthday