Exploring NookColor with 4th Grade

This past week, I had two of my three 4th grade classes explore NookColors. I showed them what the NookColor looked like (purchased along with the Nooks were book-like protective cases) explaining that it was an eReader or a tablet meant to hold books for them to read.

I asked them to think of some rules that would be good for the handling of the device. They were told to keep in mind that the Nook was an electronic device, so think of the rules for the computers in the library. The Nook is also like a book, so they needed to think of the care required of library books. After sharing ideas of what should be expected of Nook care, I passed one Nook to each table.

We watched a short clip about Nook Kids, so students would see what they would be experiencing with the eReader. Most of my students haven't used a tablet, so this was a good way for them to visually see what would be in store for their future reading.

Each student at the table was guided through the following aspects of using a Nook: locating the power button and turning it on, turning it off, sliding the green button to unlock the Nook, putting the Nook on sleep mode, waking the Nook, accessing the menu by pressing the "n" right below the screen, accessing the library and more specifically the kids shelf, selecting a book, "turning" the pages, and adjusting the volume. My students were so excited to be using the eReaders that they didn't mind the simple step by step instruction.

Students were given 8 minutes to explore any book on the kids shelf. I purchased the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel, so many of them chose that book. Some of them chose the free books put on the Nook, such as Seymour Simon's Fun Facts About Pets and The Elephant Child by Rudyard Kipling. The 'Read to Me' feature was one of their favorite finds (like the feature indicates, the book is read to them).

This coming week, they will continue exploring the Nook.