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Name: Billie Adams
Mentor Teacher's Signature & Date
TopicQuest Lesson Plan
Title of Lesson: Animals of
the Rainforest
Primary Learning Outcomes (PLOs):
The primary learning outcomes to be achieved with this lesson include:
A. With teacher guidance student will be able to use the computer to
research topic information on the Internet. (QCC- Technology
Integration- Research- 3-13)
B. With teacher guidance student will be able to listen to information
to gain knowledge. (GPS- English/Language Arts- Comprehension-
ELA3R3
Assessed Standards
Georgia QCC
A. Grade: 3
Subject Area: Technology Integration
Strand: Research
13 Topic:
Research
Standard: Uses basic research techniques with teacher guidance.
Georgia Performance Standard (GPS)
B. English/Language Arts Performance Standard
Grade: 3
Comprehension
ELA3R3: The student gains
meaning from orallly presented
text.
a. The student listens to and reads a variety of literary and
informational texts and materials to gain knowledge and for pleasure.
Materials and Equipment:
1. Have example of your mission project to show students
2. Have MS Paint program on computer
3. Pencil & paper (to make notes for lesson plan assessment and
reflections)
4. Modification of a lesson developed by Dr. Diane L. Judd
Technology Connection:
Technologies that will be used in this lesson include:
Procedures:
Step One:
Introduction
Have a small group of students go to a computer. Explain to
students that you are going to use the computer to find out information
about animals of the rainforest.
List 2 or more
questions that introduce students
to your TopicQuest that establish a
connection to students' prior knowledge by asking them:
1. "Have
you ever studied or read a book about animals of the rainforest?"
2. "Can you tell
me some of the animals that live in the rainforest and what they look
like?"
Today we are going
to learn about animals of the
rainforest by visiting
websites on the Internet and we will do
a fun activity.
I have made a special Web
page for your
class. (During discussion have students turn around away from the
computer to interact.)
Estimated Time for Step One:
5 minutes
Step Two
Teaching the Primary Learning Outcomes:
(Have students sit at the computer where they can control the mouse
and computer.) (Explain to students the process of the
lesson.) After we visit
several websites about animals of the rainforest,
then you will pretend to be a reporter for the National Weekly Reader
and draw a picture tell some interesting things about the animials that
live in the rainforest.
Check for understanding
Have students explore and discuss
the information in each of the 3 pre-selected websites. Ask
students guiding
questions about the important concepts in each of the visited
websites. List three or more questions.
1. Did you know there were so
many different animals that live in the rainforest? What is your
favorite animal of the rainforest?
2. Name 2
types of frogs that live in the rainforest? What colors are
they? Name atleast 2 characteristics for each frog named.
3. What did you learn about
the orangutans that live in the 0?
0Practice and feedback related to
the
PLO
Read mission project to students. Explain to students that they
are going to be
reporters
for their class and find out information about animals that live in the
rainforest.
Tell
the
students that the information that they will need to complete
their
mission project is listed and connected in the mission
activity.
Visit website for information for mission project. Discuss the
information in the linked website in
the mission activity with the students to emphasize
interesting and important information students will need to complete
mission
project.
[Students will write (or dictate to teacher) information to be included
in
the articles and paint pictures using MS Paint for the mission
project.
While
students are completing mission project, teacher
will observe students and give assistance when needed.]
| Mission Activity We have explored many
animals and insects that live in the rainfores. I want you to
think about all of the animals you have studied in the above
links. Then make up a new animal or insect. Pretend that
you have just left the rainforest and you saw a new species. What
would it be? What type food would it eat? What kind
of plants or other animals would be around in the same habitat?
|
| Mission
Steps 1.)
Look at the
slide show one more time and the list of animals and insects from
the enchanted
learning websites to refresh your memory.
2.) Next, use your imagination to make up new animal or insect. You can name it whatever you want. 3.) Then I want you to tell me the characteristics of your new animal/insect, what it likes to eat, and a little about the surroundings. 4.) After you have all of this, I want you to draw a picture of your newly created animal/insect and its surroundings. |
Step Three
Closure:
Have students discuss their mission project and
information they found on the Internet.
Tell students that your topicquest page is on the Internet and they can
visit the website at school or home. Explain to students
that you are going to put their pictures and information
on the Internet and they will be able to share their mission
projects with
their friends and family. (If possible teacher should take
brief
notes during the lesson and concluding discussions to be added
later
to the assessment and reflections in lesson plan.)
Estimated Time for Step Three:
5 minutes
Assessment:
A. Technology Integration
Student will be assessed through observation while using the computer
with teacher
guidance to do research on the Internet for topic information.
Assessment Rubric
| Performance Levels |
Indicators |
| 0 |
Student is not able to use the computer with teacher guidance to do research on the Internet for topic information. |
| 1 |
Student is able to use computer with a great amount of teacher guidance to do research on the Internet for topic information. |
| 2 |
Student is able to use computer with some teacher guidance to do research on the Internet for topic information. |
| 3 |
Student is able to use computer with little teacher guidance to do research on the Internet for topic information. |
| Student | Performance
Level |
Describe the Students' Evidence that Illustrate their Achieved Use of Technology Performance Level |
| 1 |
3 |
Lauren was able to answer
questions about some of the animals that she had looked at on the
internet. |
| 2 |
3 |
Kamryn was also able to answer
questions that was asked over the websites that they viewed. |
B. English/Language Arts
Student will be assessed through observation and oral discussion to
evaluate if student with teacher guidance is able to listen to
information to gain knowledge.
Assessment Rubric
| Performance Levels |
Indicators |
| 0 |
Student is not able with teacher guidance to listen to information to gain knowledge. |
| 1 |
Student with teacher guidance is able to listen to information to gain little knowledge. |
| 2 |
Student with teacher guidance is able to listen to information to gain some knowledge. |
| 3 |
Student with teacher guidance is able to listen to information to gain much knowledge. |
| Student | Performance
Level |
Describe the Students' Evidence that Illustrate their Achieved Language Arts Performance Level |
| 1 |
3 |
Lauren loved the websites for
the animals that was listed on my TopicQuest page. She used her
imagination like she was asked to when giving a description of her
animal and their habitat, especially what type of food the imaginary
animal liked to eat. |
| 2 |
3 |
Kamryn followed instructions
very well when asked to write in detail about what her imaginary
rainforest animal was and what it ate. |
Accommodation:
Links
for Accommodations for Special Students
1. Select one of your students that needs special
attention. Describe the student in your class with special needs.
(Do not use the student's real name. You could refer to the
student
as "the special student.") The
student in the class I observed during Spring
Semester 2005, has Autism. This special student has a special
education resource teacher
that is always close by to help keep the student on task. This
student was high-functioning.
2. Explain what you would add to this lesson plan to accommodate your special student? This student may get aggravated using the mouse to paint on the MS Paint program. His/Her motor skills may not be as developed. I would provide crayons and papers for this child to use or try to obtain a different program for the computer to paint with that maybe uses a pen to color or draw with. I would also allow the student more time to complete the assignment.
Comments & Reflections: For Electronic Portfolio Principle
#1 Content and Curriculum: Teachers demonstrate a strong content
knowledge of content area(s). Describe how your
TopicQuest project is evidence that shows how you understand concepts
of knowledge. Also tell how you used the tools of inquiry to
develop and implement your TopicQuest for your elementary students in
your field classroom
1. Describe how you
developed the mini-reserach TopicQuest lesson for your students.
Include your process of researching and selecting web sites for your
pre-k/elementary students. I searched the internet through many
different search engines for information on animals that live in
the rainforest, but I selected animals that were bright and colorful
and that would keep the kids attention. In choosing the websites,
I also made sure that the information that was given on the websites
were correct.
2. Comment
on your
teaching of how your
TopicQuest lesson created learning experiences and activities that
implemented the use a variety of resources and technologies. I
used the computer to increase my knowledge of the rainforest and
the animals that live in it, then allowed my students to use the
internet and the MS Paint program to increase thier knowledge and
to show what they knew about the animals of the rainforest.
4. Examine and describe your
teaching of this TopicQuest lesson. I was very excited about
teaching a lesson over the animals that live in the rainforest.
First, I explained to the kids what the lesson was going to be about
and that they were going to get to explore the subject on the
internet. Then I explained to them that they had to research the
websites that are listed on my TopicQuest page. I talked with the
girls about the animals that live in the rainforest, and asked them
questions to make sure they were paying attention. The students
were very attentive to the subject being taught. I then let the
kids observe the links by themself and then I explained to them that
they were to pretend that they were on a expedition in the
rainforest. Before they leave the rainforest, they discover a new
species or animal that no one has ever seen before. Using MS
Paint, the children have to paint a picture of their imaginary animal
and then write a description of it and tell a little about what it
likes to eat and where it lives in the rainforest. After the kids
finished painting and printed their pictures, I then scanned their work
and transfered it to the TopicQuest Lesson Plan.
5. Give at least one suggestion that
would lead to improving your teaching practices and student
achievement. In order to improve my lesson plan, I would ask the
students more questions on each of the animals that they studied,
instead of just asking them questions on thier favorite animals.
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 Billie Adams Homepage |
 bjcarter@valdosta.edu |
 TopicQuest Page |