TopicQuest Lesson Plan

Title of Lesson:
Food Chain

Primary Learning Outcome (PLC):
The primary learning outcomes to be achieved with this lesson include:
A. With teacher guidance students will be able to use the computer to research information on the Internet.
 

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

Materials and Equipment:
1. Paper for drawing
2. Crayons
3.pictures of a food chain
4. Pencil & paper (to make notes for lesson plan assessment and reflections)
5. Modification of a  lesson developed by Donna Daniel
 

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: The Merry-go-round of Life  &  URL: http://www.valdosta.edu/~ddaniel/topic.html.

Procedures:
Step One: Introduction
Have a small group of students go to a computer.  List 2 or more questions that introduce students to topic of a food chain that establish a connection to students' prior knowledge by asking them: "Do you know where you get the energy to run, hop, or play?" Did you know everything living need food to grow!  Just like you.   Today we are going to learn about the food chain by visiting websites on the Internet and we will do a fun activity to learn more about where we get energy to work and play and how every living creature depends on energy from the sun.. (Give explanation of importance of lesson to students' lives today or in the future.)  I have made a special food chain 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 how the sun is important to animals, plants, and human, we will discuss the kinds of foods different animals eat to grow.

Check for understanding
Have students explore and discuss the information in each of 3 or 4 pre-selected websites.  Ask students guiding questions about the important concepts in each of the visited websites.  (Save the sun website to use in Mission Project.)  List three or more questions.
1. Name some food humans eat inorder to grow?
2.  What favorite food do you like that helps you grow?
3.  Do you know what makes the food grow?
4.  Why is the sun important for living things to grow?

Practice and feedback related to the PLC
Read mission project to students.  Explain to student that they are going to be a chef for the class. You are going to prepare a dinner for a very hungry capterpillar.   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, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  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 draw pictures for the mission project.  While students are completing mission project, teacher will observe students and give assistance when needed.)

Step Three
Closure:
Have students discuss their mission project of their articles, pictures and information they found on the Internet about a food chain.  Tell students that your topicquest page is on the Internet and they can visit the website at school or home to learn more about food chains.  Explain to students that you are going to put their articles and pictures 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 K-10
Student will be assessed through the use of the computer with teacher guidance to do research and find information for the mission project.
Satisfactory: Student is able to use the computer with teacher guidance to do research and find information for the mission project.
Unsatisfactory: Student is not able to use the computer with teacher guidance to do research and find information for the mission project.
 

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.")  This student has an attention deficit problem.

2. List the specific URL address of one Internet resource website, where you found information to assist you to work with your special needs student. Information for assisting special students:  Links for Accommodations for Special Students or you can do a search.  Ideas for Attention Deficit Children.

3. Explain what you would add to this lesson plan to accommodate your special student?  For my student to stay occupied, I would present to him magazines such as Wildlife and Nature and instruct him to turn the pages and find as many pictures on all animals as possible.  After the student has cut the pictures out of the magazines, I would ask him to sort the pictures.  With teacher assistance, I would help student choose pictures that could form a food chain.

Reflections: (For Electronic Portfolio under Standard #1 Knowledge of Subject Matter)
1. a. Describe and give examples of how your TopicQuest lesson created learning experiences and activities that makes subject matter meaningful for students.  When the students visited the web site about about the sun, I explained to them the importance of the sun to every living being, plant, and animal.  They were able to visit a classroom where other students demonstrated the importance of the sun through art work.  The students visited a web site which demonstrated plant life under the sea.  They were able to see how important plants are for the fish.  The students were able to see animals who ate both plants and animals.  

    b. Describe and give examples of how your TopicQuest lesson illustrated your understanding of content and tools of inquiry.
 I ask the students how they feel  when they are tried?  I ask the students  where do they get energy to run and play?  I was prompting them to think about the foods they eat.  I wanted to help the students to realize all life and energy begins with the sun.  I was trying to get the student to realize how important the foods we eat are to both animals and humans.  As I visited the web sites, I stress the importance of how humans, animals, and plants depend on each other to survival. 

    c. Describe and give examples of how students were engaged in learning and responded during your lesson.  When the website iniatially appeared on the screen, The Merry-go-Round of Life, the students immediatly responed to the actual merry-go-round.  I know their attention was captured.  When I viewed the pyrimad with the huge lion at the top, the giraffes in the middle, and the green plants at the bottom, the students commented on the sequence of the chain.  The students stated who eat the plants which was the giraffes, who eat the giraffes which was the lion.  The pyramid chain reinforced the concept of carnivores-meat eaters.

  2. Describe and give examples of how the students achieved the assessment of your lesson. Give the achievement level (satisfactory or unsatisfactory) for each assessment for each of your students.
    A. Technology Integration:
        Student One:  This student was able to correctly answer the questions presented in the lesson.  When the student created a food chain of his own, the student was able to add another link to the chain.  Satisfactory:  Student is able to use the computer with teacher guidance to do research and find information for the mission project.
        Student Two:  After discussing the websites, the student was able to repeat the answers to questions asked about a consumer and the sun.  Satisfactory:  Student is able to use the computer with teacher guidance to do research and find information for the mission project.

3. Describe what you would do differently and why if you taught this lesson again.   If I were to teach this lesson again, I would plan a week long acitivities.  The students would be given a chance to create several different types of food chains such as meat eaters only, plant eaters only, and meat and plant eaters.  At the end of the week, I would allow the students to choose their own food chain.
 
 

(Three or more sentences of students' descriptions & comments) This is a picture of a food chain drawn by a kindergartner.  He said the caterpillar went up the tree to eat some leaves.  When he came down he was sofull he burped.  The bird came along and ate the caterpillar and the snake ate the bird.	(Three or more sentences of students' descriptions & comments) This is a picture by a kindergartner.  The student said the caterpillar was about to eat some more leaves.  He was on his way to the tree and before he could get up the tree the bird eat the caterpillar.  When the bird finished eating the caterpillar, he burped.