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Its Back...and Online? Presenting Lite-Brite 2.0
Featured Author:
Kelly Tenkely
Kelly Tenkely graduated from Colorado Christian University with a Liberal Arts degree in Elementary Education. She started teaching in 2003 as a second grade teacher in a public school. In 2004 she made the switch to private school and took the only available opening as the technology teacher. Educational technology has since become her passion. She started a web site for her classroom and soon discovered that other teachers were using the site to aid technology in their classrooms.
Kelly also trains teaching staff on integrating and implementing technology into the classroom. Training teachers on the use of technology in the classroom led to her blog, ilearntechnology.com, where she blogs daily about integrating technology into the classroom simply and effectively. When she is not blogging, searching for and playing with new technology, or on theapple.com Kelly enjoys scrapbooking, cooking, and spending time with her husband and dog (Aya).
More articles from this author:
Kelly Tenkley
What it is:
Some websites just make you smile. Lite-Brite is one of those sites for me, I am a child of the 80’s so the Lite-Brite holds a special place in my heart! The site is exactly what you would expect, an online version of Lite-Brite. No fancy moving flash animations, sound effects, etc. Just 9 different color pegs to choose from and a Lite-Brite. board.
How to integrate Lite-Brite into the classroom:
Lite-Brite. may not appear to have much educational value upon first inspection, but being that I love Lite-Brite, I knew there had to be a way to use it in the classroom. In the primary and secondary classroom, the Lite-Brite would be a great place for students to practice “writing” their spelling words using the colored pegs. Any time you can give students a new medium for practicing spelling words or math facts, it is a good thing. Write out math problems using the Lite-Brite and students can take turns solving the facts.
Create a class picture using an interactive whiteboard. Keep points on the Lite-Brite. when playing a class game. I think even older kids could appreciate the Lite-Brite from an art perspective. It just gives one more medium for students to express themselves. I have yet to find a kid who uses the Lite-Brite. site and doesn’t leave with a smile :) Kindergarten students can practice “writing” the alphabet by forming letters with the colored pegs.
Tips:
The Lite-Brite. site doesn’t have a save option so make sure that for the true creations, you have a printer hooked up to memorialize them.
apple4blea
2 months ago
146 comments
I use Lite Brite in one of my centers! My kinder kids LOVE it! This is a great kinesthetic / visual tool! We use it to write sight words and/or letters. Great article, Kelly!