Technology

List of 4 items.

• Lower School Technology

  The main goal of the Lower School technology curriculum is to build student confidence with the use of computers and the Internet, in order to create a comfort level that allows them to freely integrate technology into their studies. As students grow academically, they will become proficient in the use of the digital applications as educational tools that will assist them to achieve success in all areas of study.  
  
  Pre-Kindergarten
  The pre-K technology program includes classroom activities that incorporate a robot learning tool, Bee-Bot, which engages young students in computational thinking and simple coding skills.
  
  Kindergarten–Grade 5
  The Kindergarten through Grade 5 technology program allows students to visit the technology lab regularly to explore hardware and software and to expand upon skills learned previously. Students continue to build computational thinking skills through coding and robotics.

  
  

  Students in pre-K through Grade 5 are exposed to multi-platform devices, including:

  • Pre-K–Grade 1: Touch-screen tablets, robots, and PC lab
  • Grades 2–3: PC laptops, robots
  • Grade 4: 1:1 Chromebooks, robots
  • Grade 5: 1:1 MacBooks and shared iPads, robots

  
  

  Below are specific themes covered by each grade level in the Lower School:

  
  Pre-K: Recognition

  Identify uses of technology at home and at school, proper care and programming Beebots, multi touch mobile devices as educational tools.

  
  

  Kindergarten: Coordination — Finding Our Way on Computers
  Introduction to computational thinking through unplugged activities, basic computer functions, mousing, and keyboard recognition.

  
  

  Grade 1: Integration — Using Academic Programs to Learn
  Introduction to digital creation, online coding, word processing, and academic games with emphasis on language arts reinforcement.
  
  

  Grade 2: Creation — Producing Content with Technology
  Demonstrate respect for the rights of others in shared virtual and physical environments. Emphasis on file management, desktop publishing, and storytelling.
  
  

  Grade 3: Exploration — Learning by Discovery
  Computer Hardware, Troubleshooting,  and an introduction to Microsoft Office applications to create and manage spreadsheets and presentations.  Physical build challenges with Rigamajig kits.
  
  

  Grade 4: Presentation — Research and Analysis with Computers
  Research and use of creative tools to display learning in various ways, using SketchUp, Publisher, Scratch, and Lego Mindstorms coding, Google Apps for Education, and Seesaw.
  
  

  Grade 5: Communication — Connecting through Technology
  Collaboration with Google Apps, email etiquette, in-depth, independent online research, advanced Word processing, and presentation projects culminating in an end-of-year problem solving team competition called The Amazing Race.
  

• Middle School Technology

  Grade 6
  

  Sixth-grade students will take two quarters of computer science (CS Level 1 in the fall semester and CS Level 2 in the spring semester).
   

  CS Level 1 (Fall):  The fall quarter will consist of reinforcing various digital applications that can be utilized as educational tools in their middle school classes. Students will also be introduced to concepts in Digital Citizenship, which teaches positive and appropriate ways to connect and collaborate online. Students will then be challenged with advanced programming activities in Scratch and learn to create their own games using variables, loops, and conditional statements.
  
  

  CS Level 2 (Spring): In the spring, Grade 6 students learn how to wire and program a microcontroller (circuit board) using a Hummingbird Kit. The students will be assigned a final project where they will use the engineering design process to create an “Animal-Bot” that is wired and programmed with LED lights, sensors, and motors. The design must include the use of a light and/or dial sensor to enable the output (LEDs and motors) to turn on and off. 
  
  Grade 7

  CS Level 3:  Seventh-grade students will learn how to convert information into digital form (binary), which is necessary for a computer to quickly process and store information. Students will learn how the binary system works on a computer and apply their understanding to encode text and draw images using pixels. They will explore the complexity of the hexadecimal number system which will help them understand the color variations (written in hexadecimal) when they program in Python.  
  
  

  The class then begins Python programming where they can gain a fundamental understanding of line coding and the importance of syntax.  Programming will help students learn how to think differently, problem solve, and decompose a problem into smaller parts. The programming activities are challenging and designed to teach resilience as most of your time spent on programming involves debugging and collaborating with peers to solve a problem.
  
  Grade 8
  

  CS Level 4: Eighth-grade students will continue programming in Python, building on lessons that they learned in Grade 7. They will dive deeper into programming more complex programs using looping and conditional statements. An example project is writing a program that simulates how an ATM machine works.

  
  

  Students will also have their own Arduino circuit board, on which they will learn how to wire in order to build some basic electronic projects. Eighth graders will then learn how to upload their computer code (simple version of C++) to this physical board in order to control LEDs, push buttons, motors and speakers.

• Technology Lab

  The technology lab provides students with the mechanics critical to effectively use digital tools, which include keyboarding skills and file management. In addition, devices are available in the classrooms to allow the integration of digital tools and citizenship skills in all subject instruction.

• BYOD Program

  The Pegasus School curriculum is enhanced through the integration of technology and supported by a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, which will prepare students for academic success and the challenges of the future. All students are immersed in an age-appropriate, technology-rich environment that motivates, engages, and challenges them and expands their opportunities for learning. We believe in developing the skills, dispositions, and behaviors necessary for responsible citizenship in a global community. Students in pre-K through Grade 8 will be required to bring their own devices to school every day. Doing so provides them with the responsibility to manage their own learning and utilize technology more effectively than if using a shared device. 

  
  

  In order to best support the teachers’ learning goals in the classroom, students utilize iPads in Pre-K–Grade 1, Chromebooks in Grades 2–4, and MacBooks in Grades 5–8. As we help students prepare for higher learning, we understand that different situations will call for different tools. Since technology changes at such a rapid pace, we believe in exposing students to a diverse range of devices, operating systems, and software to promote choice, foster creativity, and increase self-confidence. 

  
  

  Since each student’s device will be used on the school network, it must be registered with the school. The technology team will install software that will allow students to easily access the network and to prevent access to inappropriate websites.
  
  

  Students entering Pre-K–Grade 1 will need an iPad. Click here for more information regarding iPad requirements.
   
  Students entering Grades 2–⁠4 will need a Chromebook. Click here for more information regarding Chromebook requirements.
   
  Students entering Grades 5–⁠8 will need a MacBook. Click here for more information regarding MacBook requirements.
  
  *Note:  If you intend for your child to use the MacBook in ninth grade and you have a sense of where your child will go to high school, you may wish to consider reviewing the high school’s minimum device specifications prior to purchasing the MacBook. Some high school requirements exceed ours.