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Lincoln Meadows

Elementary (K-5) Tech News

Welcome to Mr. Martin's Technology Specials ClassThe 2026-27 school year is Mr. Martin's seventh year teaching at K-5 Technology at American Academy. 
 
Before coming to American Academy, he spent 20 years as the Library Media Specialist for a small K-12 school in Wyoming. In addition to library sciences, he also taught computer applications and typing. 
Course Overview
 
In elementary technology students will constantly be working on keyboarding skills. We encourage students to practice typing daily, not just when they have technology rotation.
 
In addition to typing students will learn computer basics and how to use Google Workspace apps, including Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawing and Classroom. We will discuss digital citizenship with an emphasis on how to stay safe while online as well as thinking like a technology producer with beginning coding.
Grading
 
2-5 Grades: 50% of a student's grade is based on Engagement & Participation: Participation is more than attendance—it reflects a student’s presence, effort, focus, and willingness to grow.
 
Students are assessed on:
    • Active involvement and engagement in activities
    • Effort, perseverance, and responsiveness to feedback
    • Collaboration and positive participation with peers
    • Respect for materials, spaces, and expectations
 
Grades reflect demonstrated participation and growth:
    • Students who consistently meet expectations demonstrate proficiency (94/100).
    • Students who exceed expectations have opportunities to demonstrate deeper engagement, AA Character, leadership, initiative, and growth.
    • Participation is not based on talent or performance level. Every student can demonstrate growth through effort, creativity, collaboration, discipline, and confidence.
 
50% of a student's grade is based on Skills, Projects, & Assessment, including how they do on individual assignments.
 
K-1 Grades: Students will receive: + (excellent), v (proficient), or - (not proficient) grading marks instead of points. Grading categories include Engagement which is based on behavior and participation in class; as well as Skills, Projects & Assessment.
Access Current Assignments from Home
 
All current classroom activities are listed under Learning.com which will take students to the necessary platform for the assignment. Follow these step-by-step directions to access from home:
  1. Using a web browser, navigate to the American Academy website at www.aak8.org.
  2. In the blue line at the very top of the browser, click Clever-AA.
  3. When prompted, enter student's regular AA username and password.
    • NOTE: The QR code you may have received is the login for Douglas County Clever, NOT the American Academy Clever site.
  4. Once logged into Clever, locate the pink icon with the girl with the big hair and click it to go to Learning.com.Learning.com icon of girl with big hair and a pink background
  5. If a student is missing assignments they can click on them to complete.
    • Learning.com: Students will earn up to 3 stars depending on how well they complete the assignment tasks. If a student does not receive any stars after completion, I recommend they redo the assignment.
    • BrainPop / BrainPop Jr.: Students should always LOGIN (found in the upper right corner), using Clever.
      • Learning.com will display these with 3 stars no matter how well the student did on the work (even if not completed).
    • Google Classroom: Students may have to login again using their email address and password.
      • Locate the student's Technology class and finally check for Coursework (at the top) to find all assignments.
      • Once completed students should click Turn In.
      • Learning.com will display these with 3 stars no matter how well the student did on the work (even if not submitted).
    • Code.org: Login via Clever.
      • Complete instructions to turn each lesson a green color.
      • Ones appearing in light green mean too many blocks of code were used and should be redone.
      • Learning.com will display this with 3 stars no matter how well the student did on the work (even if not submitted).
  6. Once a student has completed missing assignments, email Mr. Martin and let him know they are complete.
For additional assistance, please see the Student Google Chrome Browser Login (At Home) page.
Keyboarding Practice
 
Students should type at least 15 minutes every day (not just when they have technology specials) in order to become familiar with using Home Row to type on the keyboard. Use Typing.com (K-2) or Learning.com Adaptive Keyboarding (3-5) for keyboarding practice, it is listed in Learning.com as assignment #1.
 
Students should meet or exceed these goals to meet typing proficiency:
Grade Words Per Minute (WPM) Accuracy
1st Grade 5 90%
2nd Grade 10 90%
3rd Grade 15 90%
4th Grade 20 90%
5th Grade 25 90%
 
If students do not have access to a computer for practice, parents can print the Chromebook Keyboard in landscape view and have students practice typing using their favorite books.
Parent / Teacher Conferences
 
Specials Parent / Teacher Conferences
 
K-5 parents may schedule to meet with me on Wednesday, September 30 or Thursday, October 1 from 4:30PM-7PM at Lincoln Meadows room 213. 
 
Please use this link to sign up for a 10 minute, in-person, conference slot. In the additional information slot, please include the name(s) and grade(s) of each of your children.
 
You can also always contact me via email.
 
What are we doing in class?
 
*The following lessons are subject to change.
Rotation 1 Classwork
 
  Aug. 24-28 Aug. 31-Sept. 4 Sept. 7-11 Sept. 14-18 Sept. 21-25
K Reyes Krien Dean Baladad Schneider
1 Yocom True Quinn Paez  
2 Tedesko McNeil Izzi Crain  
3 Wilson Lederhos Kennedy Gappa  
4 Wilson Server McKee Canino  
5 Tobler Hunt DeAmelia Blocker  
 
Kindergarten: Our first week in the lab we will start the year with an introduction to the class and then become familiar with logging onto the computers and using the mouse. We will begin using Typing.com for typing practice using home row.
 
1st Grade: Our first week in the lab we will start the year with an introduction to the class, taking a Technology Pre-test, learning the parts of the computer and review using the mouse. We will begin using Typing.com for typing practice using home row.
 
2nd Grade: Our first week in the lab we will start the year with an introduction to the class, taking a Technology Pre-test, learning the parts of the computer and review using the mouse. We will begin using Typing.com for typing practice using home row.
 
3rd Grade: Our first week in the lab we will start the year with an introduction to the class, taking a Technology Benchmark test,  and learn some digital etiquette. We will begin using Learning.com Adaptive Keyboarding for typing practice using home row.
 
4th Grade: Our first week in the lab we will start the year with an introduction to the class, taking a Technology Benchmark test,  and review digital etiquette. We will begin using Learning.com Adaptive Keyboarding for typing practice using home row.
 
5th Grade: Our first week in the lab we will start the year with an introduction to the class, taking a Technology Benchmark test,  review digital etiquette, learn good file management, learn sending a good email and how to add to the calendar. We will begin using Learning.com Adaptive Keyboarding for typing practice using home row.