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TopicQuest Lesson Plan

Title of Lesson: Ocean Critters

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- K10)
B. With teacher guidance student will be able to listen to information to gain knowledge.  (GPS- English/Language Arts- Comprehension- ELAKR6)
 

Assessed Standards
Georgia QCC
A. Grade: K & Pre-K
Subject Area: Technology Integration
Strand: Research
10 Topic: Research
Standard: Uses basic research techniques with teacher guidance.

Georgia Performance Standard (GPS)
B. English/Language Arts Performance Standard
Grade: K & Pre-K
Comprehension
ELAKR6:  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. Paper for drawing
3. Crayons
4. Pencil & paper (to make notes for lesson plan assessment and reflections)
5. Modification of a  lesson developed by Dr. Diane L. Judd
 

Technology Connection:
Technologies that will be used in this lesson include:

• Computer with Internet connection. 
• Students will use computers to research information on the Internet.  
• Copy of my TopicQuest Web page included with this lesson plan. 
• TopicQuest Web page Title: Ocean Critters   &  URL:
  
• http://www.valdosta.edu/~bjcox/topic.html

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 ocean animals.  List 2 or more questions that introduce students to your TopicQuest that establish a connection to students' prior knowledge by asking them:
1. "Has anyone ever read you a book about ocean animals?" 
2. "Can you tell me something that you know about ocean animals?"  
Today we are going to learn about many different animals that call the ocean their home by visiting websites on the Internet and we will do a fun activity.  I have made a special Web page for you.  (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 at least three websites about ocean animals you will pretend to be a deep sea diver for the Valdosta Oceanic Department, draw a picture and then write or tell the teacher some interesting facts about ocean animals. 

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.  What is a seahorse?
2.  Why does the stonefish look like he does?
3.  How does a jellyfish sting people ?

Practice and feedback related to the PLO
Read mission project to students.  Explain to students that they are going to be deep sea divers and find out information about ocean animals.   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) facts about ocean animals to be sent to the Valdosta Oceanic Department and draw pictures for the mission project.  While students are completing mission project, teacher will observe students and give assistance when needed.]
                                                                                       
                           

Mission Activity                      You must be very brave to accept this dangerous mission. The Valdosta University Oceanic Department needs volunteers to go on a voyage out into the deepest waters of the ocean and deep sea dive. You must make careful note of all the creatures you see. When you return to the university you will draw pictures of at least three creatures you observed and tell at least one interesting fact about each.                                              Mission Steps 1. Be at the VSU dock by 5:00 a.m. sharp tomorrow morning. 2. Board the ship named VSU Rules. 3. Get into all of your deep-sea diving equipment and when the ship anchors...dive in! 4. Watch carefully...from every side...there are lots of hungry sharks out there! Remember everything that you see...but most importantly...remember to surface before you run out of air! 5. Surface, board the ship, and return home. 6. Get your special waterproof paper and crayons from your teacher and draw at least three of your favorite ocean critters. You can review the Sea Critters from A-Z web site to refresh your memory. 7. Tell your teacher an important fact about each animal and she/he will help you write them down. If you can, you may write the facts yourself. 8. Your teacher will forward this important information to the VSU Oceanic Department for further study.

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

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

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.")  A special student that was in the class that I observed had a hearing impairment. He wore a hearing aid to help him hear better.

2. Explain what you would add to this lesson plan to accommodate your special student? As I read the text I can point to the words, and I can also make sure he is very close to me as I speak.

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-research TopicQuest lesson for your students.  Include your process of researching and selecting web sites for your pre-k/elementary students.
    Since this is Maymester and I was not sure who the children I would be working with would be, I chose a topic that I enjoyed.I did a search for my topic. I spent an entire weekend browsing website after website and evaluated them each until I found five that I thought would be appropriate for elementary and pre-k students.

2. Comment on your teaching of how your TopicQuest lesson created learning experiences and activities that implemented the use of a variety of resources and technologies. I chose very bright and colorful pictures for my lesson hoping to quickly gain the attention of my students. It worked, because they both loved the pictures. I used a variety of web sites. The students used the computer and mouse. I asked many questions that they were able to answer, and they felt comfortable enough with me to ask me several questions. The children drew pictures with crayons to complete their mission project.

4. Examine and describe your teaching of this TopicQuest lesson.
I began with my introduction by asking both students if anyone had ever read them a book about animals that lived in the ocean. They said no. I then asked if they had seen any programs on television about ocean animals. They said they had seen The Little Mermaid and Spongebob.I proceeded to tell them about my website and told them about some of the critters we would find there. They were very interested so we began with all three of us sitting in front of the computer. The younger student was not comfortable working with the mouse so the older child did. He went where his younger sister told him if she saw something that interested her. He had absolutely no problems browsing my website or double-clicking to go to my links. I read the sites to them that they were interested in and asked them both many questions, and they both had many questions for me. The older student answered every question I asked while the younger child answered some of my questions. After we finished exploring the sites. I then told them all about their mission project. They got to work quickly after they decided what animals they wanted to draw. As they drew, I told them that I was writing down the address for my website, and they could visit it any time they wished. As I concluded, I told them that I was also going to put their pictures on the site as well. The older student wrote a fact about each of his pictures, and the younger student told me a fact about each of her pictures.

5. Give at least one suggestion that would lead to improving your teaching practices and student achievement. Since this is Maymester, I taught the students in my own livingroom. I have a cat who does nothing but lay around, and I never gave her a second thought. When my youngest student saw the cat, I had quite a time getting her mind on my lesson. The next time I teach this lesson I will try to make sure that there are as few distractions as possible in the room. I would also teach one student at a time. I think it would be easier to keep the attention of the younger child.
 

The three pictures directly above are products of a pre-k, 4 year old little girl named Sierra. In her first picture she told me that she liked how dolphins can jump out of the water. In her second picture she drew a starfish and said that they have five arms. Her last picture was of a tropical fish. She liked how they were all such bright and beautiful colors.	Austin is seven and his first picture is a stingray. He wrote that stingrays sting people with their tails. His second picture is of a hammerhead shark He wrote that they kill fish and eat fish. His last picture is a tiger shark. He wrote that tiger sharks have stripes like a tiger.