Students employ technology to create original stories.

Every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, Simon students enjoy a variety of clubs after school.  The Wolverine Workshop includes clubs such as Digital Storytelling.  Club leader, Kelly Johnston, coaches students in creating original stories and illustrating them with original artwork.

Simon Middle School teachers, Lindsey Land, Alison Hartley, and Brooke Lucio will be the first at Hays CISD to work with the new TI-nspire calculator/computer system.  Each nspire staton is comprised of 30 TI-nspire student calculators with interchangeable touchpads, 30 wireless cradles, three docking stations and a TI navigator access point that remotely connects to each calculator.

Data collection tools from TI and Vernier Software & Technology can help educators:

• Introduce many fascinating real-world concepts in mathematics
• Give students interactive ways to visualize relationships and patterns
• Help students express critical thinking

1.  Calculator

Enter and evaluate math expressions. Use it to define library objects, such as variables, functions and programs, which are accessible from any problem of any document.

1. B Graphing

Graph and explore equations, expressions and functions. Then make changes to variables to see how the values in dynamically-linked tables and equations will also change in real time.

1. C Geometry

Construct and explore geometric figures interactively and animate points on objects or graphs and explore their behavior.

1. D Lists and Spreadsheet

Work with tabular data. Use it to store numeric data, text or math expressions. Define a table cell in terms of the contents of other cells, and more.

1. E Notes

Provides text editing functions that allow you to create and share documents with others using TI-Nspire™ handhelds and computer software.

Thanks to TI-Nspire technology, the power of visualization is multiplied on a single screen, allowing educators and students to:

• Explore algebraic, graphical, geometric, numeric and written problems – one at a time, or four all on the same screen.
• Choose different split-screen options.
• Using a drop-down menu, select the number of representations and their arrangement on screen.

Representations can be dynamically linked. This means that changes made to one representation of a problem are automatically reflected in other representations of the same problem – instantly, in real time, on the same screen. Real-time, interactive feedback lets students explore different problem-solving techniques.

Research Validates It

Research shows that students learn mathematical concepts more readily and with deeper understanding when they learn across different forms of representation. When they are able to see the math in different ways — through multiple representations — they begin to broaden their critical thinking skills and make meaningful connections.

SMS ReadingPen

Simon MS is charting new territory in its efforts to assist in the success of English language learners and dyslexia students. The WizCom ReadingPens use portable “Scan-See-Hear-Define” Technology to increase fluency, vocabulary and comprehension by reading scanned words aloud, displaying syllabic division of words, spelling words letter-by-letter, and providing immediate definitions from the American Heritage® Children’s Dictionary and Thesaurus and translations from WizCom’s English to Spanish dictionary. The easy-to-use pen can scan and read words from a worksheet, book, newspaper or magazine making it an opportune, assistive learning device for the classroom.

6th grade Science teacher, Emily Repp, walks students through a lesson using a document camera. Every classroom in Simon middle school has been outfitted with document cameras. These light-weight, but powerful devices replace old classroom overheads and allow teachers to show more than just transparencies. Teachers can magnify materials, take screen captures of materials and notes, as well as, record video and audio of lessons and labs for later reference.