Fourth-grade students at Tamarac Elementary School connected literacy and learning during a recent library lesson that utilized laptops in a unique way. 

Led by library media specialist Lori Capozzi, students connected a recent reading assignment with elements of technology. Students began reading the fiction book “The One and Only Ivan” by K. A. Applegate and answered numerous questions about the story using Google HyperDocs. 

Students learned how authors incorporate descriptive language to appeal to all five senses of the reader. In addition, students examined how the choice of descriptive words can entertain, persuade, inform and educate those reading different forms of writing. Further creating a connection to technology, once the students identified the main character as a gorilla, they then researched the animal to better understand the author’s inspiration for writing the story.
 
As students’ progress through the activity they will be presented with additional questions to collaboratively answer with their peers using Google HyperDocs.