HOW IT WORKS
Brooklyn: Our Beloved Borough integrates technology into the social studies and language arts curriculum. The students use the Internet to research the borough of Brooklyn as part of the Neighborhoods and Communities curriculum. The students visit various websites to research their topic and gather relevant information. They report what they have learned by writing in a variety of interesting formats. The students must first edit and revise their writing before it is published with the aid of the computer. Using Microsoft Publisher software, they create postcards and travel brochures about some of the different tourist attractions found in Brooklyn. They write books on various aspects of Brooklyn using Microsoft Word, and also create slideshow presentations about the history of their neighborhood using Microsoft PowerPoint. At the completion of their work, their families are invited to a Technology Expo, during which the students proudly display their fabulous projects.

THE STUDENTS
Twenty-three second grade students participated in this program. The children worked on their project two times a week in their classroom. The class worked on both small group and individual projects. This program can easily be adapted to all grade levels and academic achievement levels. A teacher can alter the program by finding various websites that are appropriate for the students’ academic level. 

THE STAFF
Terri Olivieri has been teaching second grade for ten years. She received both a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education and a Master of Science in Elementary Education from Brooklyn College. This past June, she received a Master of Science in School Administration and Supervision. This is the first year that she has implemented Brooklyn: Our Beloved Borough. She previously received an IMPACT II Award in 1995 for a grant entitled Proud Pupils’ Press. In addition, she has led several technology workshops for both teachers and parents over the past five years.

WHAT YOU NEED
Required materials include computers with Internet access, a printer (a color printer is preferable), Microsoft Office (which contains PowerPoint, Publisher, and Word), and books to supplement the Internet for research. A digital camera is optional. 

OVERALL VALUE
This is an excellent program that boosts the participants’ self-esteem while integrating technology into the social studies and language arts curriculum. The students improve in language arts because they research, read, write, revise, and edit their pieces. They improve in social studies as they become aware of their community and its rich history. In addition, through their research, they become proficient in technology. Most importantly, students will feel successful and proud when their completed work is published and justly celebrated.