To boldly go…

CF Middle School teachers introduce new software package

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Kadie Fales

8th grade English students Grace Foster and John Tweidt work with Kahoot program

Grant Schlichting, Torch Writer

“Beam me up Scotty!” Captain Kirk says to his trusty engineer. Even though we are a long way from beaming people up to spaceships like in Star Trek,  we do have new technologies that are showing up in Cannon Falls Schools.

One of these is Kahoot, which is an online game where teachers can create questions and answers, either multiple choice or true and false. The students then see these questions on their devices, and get points for getting the question right. Students with the most points win. Mrs. Davisson has used this in her classroom for reviewing vocabulary words before a test. ”Kahoot is a great way for teachers to review the kids on the words,” she explains, “and see who is excelling and those who aren’t. What I really like is that I can tell the kids to go get their device and bring it to class, because usually technology is a battleground between students and teachers, but

when I can find a way to incorporate it into the classroom, everyone wins.

— Anne Davisson

Kahoot isn’t the only new technology that middle school teachers are using. Another new addition to technology is reading tablets. Mrs. Davisson, Mrs. Sauter, and Mrs. Lecy all use these reading tablets for the new reading group that is designed to help those who struggle with reading. Additionally, Mr. Zimmerman’s art room has received Apple laptops for designing works of art via computer, using programs such as Google Sketchup and Adobe Art.

MS students work in Kahoots
MS students work in Kahoots

“We need more power, Scotty!” Kirk yells over the hyperdrive. “I’m giving her all she’s got, sir!” To some it may seem like technology is taking over the universe, but these advancements are just one small step for man, and one giant leap for Cannon Falls Area Schools.