Technology & Innovation At a Glance

Technology & Innovation At a Glance Our Philosophy: Given a constantly evolving technological landscape, our goal is to prepare students to be agile, flexible, and versatile technologists and innovators. To achieve this, we focus on the process and skills that are required to be successful in design, engineering, coding, robotics, computer science, and computational thinking. This work is done in connection to units of study, so that students are empowered to use technology within a learning context and demonstrate their understanding of content.

Our Curriculum & Skill Development: Starting in kindergarten, students are exposed to age-appropriate digital tools. Teachers facilitate a studentcentered, inquiry-based process that inspires creativity, discovery, problem solving, and risk taking. To support this, students have access to materials and consumables to maximize idea creation and prototype building. And, to ensure they are facile across platforms, they are exposed to multiple devices and programs.

To ensure responsible digital citizens, Langley has developed a unique digital leadership program that is directly aligned with the school’s core values and provides a common language and expectations for students, parents, and teachers. Students learn what it means to be a digital citizen starting in junior kindergarten and build upon safe digital behaviors as they expand their digital footprint.

Leveraging the standards from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), we continually evaluate, pilot, and implement innovative technology tools that amplify and accelerate teaching and learning.

Sampling of Platforms & Tools Learning Programs & Devices: • Discovery Education (Social Studies) • G Suite for Education • Lexia Core5 (Language Arts) • Mystery Science (Science) • Reflex (Math) • Seesaw • Multiple Devices: iPads, Google Chromebooks, and Microsoft Surfaces

Coding & Engineering: • Arduino Boards and Electronic Components • Google CS FIRST • iWonder Dashbot • LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Robotics • MakerBot Replicator+ (3-D printers) • OSMO Coding • Scratch & Scratch Jr.

Sample Classes & Projects Design & Engineering Class (Grade 7)

In this course, students use the engineering design process and various technology resources to complete graphic design challenges. For example, they may design for a “client,” forcing the focus on their user and trying to understand the user’s needs to develop a solution. As they work through their engineering design challenges, seventh-graders build problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and creative-thinking skills. They become creators, not just users, of technology as they learn and practice key computer science concepts and use JavaScript language to create drawings and animations.

STEAM Week Project (Grade 4)

Fourth-graders take part in an immersive STEAM project as they create and program their own interactive storybook. Students write a story and then create their interactive book out of cardboard boxes and use electronic components such as LED lights, mini speakers, a circuit board, and jumper wires to program the cover of the book to output light and sound. As they problem-solve and work together, students not only learn about computer programming, but also develop valuable life skills such as persistence, flexible thinking, and collaboration.

Coding a Video Game (Grade 2)

As second-graders study biodiversity, they apply their knowledge to the design of a video game using Scratch Jr. Students research a biome of their choice and code a game to show the habitat and animals that live there. Using blocks of code and frequent feedback from their peers, students make their game interactive and informative. They learn to debug their code and discover that computer programmers rely heavily on feedback from their audience.

Demonstrating Earth’s Orbit with Robots (Grade 1)

After examining the patterns in the day and night skies, first-graders apply their knowledge to Dash robots which they reimagine as model Earths. The students use Blockly code to program the robots to orbit a sun. Through problem solving and collaboration, first-graders discover that there are multiple ways to code the same idea.

The curriculum and programs referenced here may change, as we believe educational programs should continually evolve to meet the needs of our students.