Lesson Plan #4

Grade Level:

Third Grade

Content:

History: Christopher Columbus

Tech Used:

Internet, Computers, LCD Projector

Activity Overview:

Students will use multiple online websites to research information about Christopher Columbus. Students will use this information to create an online timeline highlighting at least 10 important events in Columbus' life.

Procedures:

The lesson will start with a KWL chart on Christopher Columbus. Students will use the "W" questions to guide them in their online search. Students will then begin their search from a list of pre-approved bookmarked sites. Students will choose the information they want to include on their timeline. Students will then take the information they have gathered and use this timeline tool to create their timeline about Christopher Columbus. The teacher may want to model using the LCD projector for students so that they have a starting point and somewhere to begin working from. Students will then present their timeline using the LCD projector.

Essential Skills and Concepts:

Students will use pre-writing to prepare for research

Students will collect and expand historical information

Students will learn how to create a timeline using online resources

Standards:

Iowa Core

Understand cause and effect relationships and other historical thinking skills in order to interpret events and issues.

Understand historical patterns, periods of time, and the relationships among these elements.

Understand the role of innovation on the development and interaction of societies.

NETS-S

Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:

use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.

Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:

locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.

process data and report results.

Thinking Tools: Planning

Concept maps are a VERY familiar topic for me. During my science methods class, I don't think we went more than a week without using one. Generally in that class, each group would get a big whiteboard and make one of their own and then present it to the class. At first, I didn't really see the point in making all these "dumb" concept maps. I didn't get it. Then slowly, my view changed as I realized that each group (even though given the same ideas or chapter to map) came up with completely different maps.

I like the idea of using an online resource to create a concept map. I feel like that way it's easier to make corrections and changes. The one issue I see with using online resources to make a concept map is that (at least in my experience) you can't add connecting words to the map, in my science methods class my professor really really emphasized having those connecting words to bring it all together so that it makes sense.

I thought that the Mindtools article brought up a really great point about making sure that students are the ones creating the knowledge and learning when using technology. It's so easy to get excited about having students working with technology that we (as educators) forget how key it is to focus on WHAT they are getting out of the experience. Having them simply play a game or absorb information from the computer. Using concept map technology is all student based knowledge and information, you can really get a grasp for what they know and understand.

Collaboration Tools

The readings we did this week are sort of what I expected we would talk about throughout this class, thankfully, I have been pleasantly surprised that we have discussed other topics. I think that most of my internet use is with collaboration tools. It's hard for me to think of something that I use online that isn't a collaboration tool.

The knowledge building article discussed the tension between "tried and true" knowledge techniques (drill and practice, tutoring etc.) vs. exploratory activities on the other. The article proposes that we should search for a third way to teach. The article really made me think of my science methods class, my professor REALLY emphasized teaching science through inquiry. After taking that class and experiencing a classroom in my practicum, I can see how HUGE this idea is. Students don't respond to being lectured, they like to ask questions and explore learning.

I think the strongest point for online collaborative learning environments is their ability to share information from wherever you are. I remember working on projects in elementary school, only to panic when I realized I had forgotten a prized worksheet or important information. Having these things accessible from home is a great benefit for students working together as well as for those students who forget things.

Lesson Plan #3

Grade Level and Content Area: Kindergarten; Math: Number Sense

Technologies Used: A projector, computers, printer, KidPix

Activity Overview: Students will investigate different ways of representing numerals and numbers using KidPix in order to develop number sense and one-to-one correspondance.

Procedures: The teacher will introduce numbers through a read-aloud of the book The Cheerios Counting Book discussing the word "number" and asking for definitions. Students will then use manipulatives to create different ways to represent numbers on cards. The teacher will then odel the use of KidPix with the class projector to create representations of a specific number. The students will use the pencil and stamp tool to create various ways to represent the number.

Essential Skills and Concepts: Students will demonstrate one-to-one correspondence and learn various ways to represent numbers.

Iowa Core Curriculum Standard:

Represent numbers in different ways using written words, numerals, or models and translate among representations.

NETS-S Standards:

Students use technology to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.

Lesson #2

Grade Level

5^th Grade

Technologies Used

The internet

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Overview

A health lesson teaching students about calories and fat using the internet to view fast food nutritional information as well as the food pyramid.

Procedures

Students will be asked to choose a fast food restaurant with an online menu that features the number of calories and calories from fat in each of the food items. Once there students will make their own meal choosing a sandwich, a side dish, a drink and dessert. Students will then create a chart in Excel showing the calories and calories from fat. Students will then view the online food pyramid and healthy eating habits website. After reading about what they should eat, students will write a reflection/answer these questions in Word. Paragraph 1: Introduction, restaurant and food chosen, paragraph 2: summarize the findings of the meal, copy and past a chart from excel, paragraph #3: compare and contrast your meal with another student, paragraph #4 what choices can you make to help make your meal healthier?

Standards

Iowa Core Curriculum

Know and use concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention.

Analyze influencing factors on health enhancing behaviors.

Advocate for personal, family and community health.

Apply writing strategies to communicate in a variety of genres.

NETS-S

Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.

Reflection #2

This week the readings were about telecommunication. I don't think I had ever considered tools like skype to have a place in the elementary classroom. I always thought it was more for those in business or friends that want to keep up across distances.

One of the articles talked about a classroom of American students interviewing HIV positive students in Africa. That is incredibly powerful. "Students were moved from apathy into empathy as they began to form an emotional connection to the people on the other side of the world." Empathy is not something that can be taught to students, it's something that comes from an emotional bond and understanding the situation on a personal level. Knowledge is power and knowledge can move to action. These students will remember the rest of their lives what HIV can do to people.

Tags are something I'm very familiar with, I use facebook, youtube as well as tumblr to organize and tag things as well as search with tags. I think tagging is a very web 2.0 idea. People don't search for things that the "internet" labels, but, rather things that other people label or things they have labeled themselves. It's not passive, it's active.