Cobden Elementary School offers use of tablets for all students

Cobden Elementary School has increased technology for the students’ benefit.

Every student in kindergarten through 5th grade recently received Kindle Fire HD 8s tablets, one for each student to use.

Students in 1st through 5th grade have the opportunity to take the Kindles home and use them.

They use the myON reading program, which gives students access to 10,000 books that range in genres.

Teachers are able to give them reading assignments and find books that go with the curriculum with this program.

School district superintendent Edwin Shoemate says they’ve seen an upswing in reading since the students received the tablets.

In one week, 3rd grade read 5,928 pages and spent a total of 33 hours reading.

Students can even take their Accelerated Reading tests over the books with their tablets.

Technology is prevalent in other ways throughout the school. They recently received four 3D printers, one of them already being used in one of the 5th grade classrooms.

Fifth graders and junior high students also have access to Chromebooks. 

The school’s ratio for tech in high school is currently 1:1.

The elementary school also utilizes creativity with their makerspace room. 

In the room, there is a Lego wall where students can create 3D objects.

“It gives the students creative time,” Shoemate said.

He also said robotics are planned in a couple of months.