Mary Jo Gallahan is the Media and Technology Integration Specialist at Laurel Elementary. Mrs. Gallahan teaches media and technology classes for third through fifth grades. To support Technology Integration into the classroom, she works with teachers individually and by group instruction to fuse technology into the daily curriculum. Teachers meet to discuss and brainstorm effective technology methods and projects that align with units of study.
Third, fourth and fifth grade students all use laptops throughout the day to further integrate the use of computer technology into their learning. The students work with both Mrs. Gallahan and their teacher in the full computer lab to complete the technology projects. The benefits of this are twofold: the teachers become more familiar with the technology available in the lab and the students receive additional help on their projects. These activities reinforce the use of technology so well that our teachers include them in the units of study every year.
Many student created technology projects have received superior ratings at the PSD Media and Technology festival. Some have received high accolades such as “judges favorite” at the Internal Student Media Festival in California. Take a look at some of our award winning projects:
Bullying - A View From the Inside
Down By the Bay
I Wonder - 2011
Life Cycle of a Chicken
ABC Alliterations
Hickory Dickory Dock
Please take a look at our technology prodects that have been submitted to the PSD Media Festival.
Colorado! - Mrs. Fletcher's 4th Grade
Kindergarten ABC's - Ms. Cromley's Kindergarten
First Grade Math Word Problems Starring the Very Hungry Caterpillar - Ms. Hoban's First Grade
Come to Colorado! - Alex Lipker
Stop Plagiarizing - Max Hubbard
Snow Day-Shane K.
Mrs. Gallahan oversees the production of “What’s the Buzz”, our Wednesday morning news program at Laurel Elementary. This program is created and produced by 5th grade students and is broadcast weekly via closed-circuit television.
Mrs. Gallahan is our “resident photographer/videographer”. She is the one to often videotape students engaged in arts and technology learning activities. “What’s the Buzz” will feature many of these fun technology infused activities.