Down on The Farm Technology Integrated Lesson

Annotation
The "Down on The Farm" lesson could be used with children in kindergarten through third grade.  This lesson is designed for kindergarten level students.  The students will begin with a hands-on technology research activity.  The students will research the topic of farms through connecting Internet links on the topic page that I developed for my field class students.  This is a cross-curricular lesson integrating science, language arts, technology, and art.

Primary Learning Outcome:
With teacher guidance students will be able to research the Internet and use the computer to find information for the writing and drawing scenario activity.  Did you find information on the Internet about farms?  If so, what did you find?
 

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

Grade: K
Subject Area: Language Arts
Strand: Written Communication
# 41
Topic: Reference/Study
Standard: Explores the uses of the media center, picture books, audiovisual recources, and available technology for reading and writing.
 

Total Duration:
45 minutes

Materials and Equipment:
1. paper
2. crayons
3. pencil
 

Technology Connection:
Topic page, "Down on The Farm," and scenario activity developed for field class students.
"Down on The Farm" information website, for scenario activity
1. computer with Internet connection

Lesson Materials to be Attached:
Attached is a copy of my topic website with scenario activity used in lesson.

Web Links:
Topic Page at:  http://www.valdosta.edu/~dwbarfie/topic.html
Farm Life and Farm Animals at:  http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/farmanim.html

Procedures:

Step One
Introduce students to topic by asking them: "Have you ever studied or talked about farms?"  "Can you tell me something about what you might see on a farm?"  Today we are going to learn about farms by visiting websites on the Internet.  I have made a special page for your class about farms. (During the introduction the teacher relates the lesson to the students.)

Estimated Time:
5 minutes
 

Step Two
Introduce topic page to students and visit several websites.  Discuss the special information in each website with students.  (Will save "Farm Life and Farm Animals" website to use in Step Four below.)

Estimated time:
15 minutes

Step Three
Read scenario to students.  Tell them they are going to be farmers for the day.  Discuss farmers and what they do.  Discuss things that you might see on a farm. Tell the students that the information that they will need to draw pictures of their farms is linked in the scenario.

Estimated Time:
5 minutes

Estimated Time:
5 minutes

Step Five
Students write (or dictate to teacher to write) and draws pictrues for the scenario activity.

Estimated Time:
10 minutes

Step Six
Closure: Discuss with students the scenario activity and what they learned about farms.  Tell students that you are going to publish their pictures on the Internet to share with everyone.

Estimated Time:
5 minutes
 

Assessment:
Student will be assessed through the use of the computer with teacher guidance to find information for the scenario activity.
Satisfactory: Student is able to use the computer with teacher guidance to find information for the scenario activity.
Unsatisfactory: Student is not able to use the computer with teacher guidance to find information for the scenario activity.

Student will be assessed through the use of technology for writing.
Satisfactory: Student is able to write or dictate information for scenario activity that was obtained while exploring the Internet.
Unsatisfactory: Student is not able to write or dictate information for scenario activity that was obtained while exploring the Internet.
 

Accommodation:
My student with special needs has not been tested for disabilities, but is repeating kindergarten for the second time. He is a very slow learner, and although he is repeating kindergarten, he is not familiar with the letters of the alphabet.  I have found the following Website to be helpful for him:  http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/lpbuilder/lptools/lpshared/pdf/comp_sld.pdf.
Reflections:
1.Describe and give examples of how the students were engaged in learning and responded during your lesson. The two students enjoyed the lesson and activity that we did, and I think they related even better because in their extension class, they are studying farms.  They loved the web pages, and I am glad that I chose them.

  2. Describe and give examples of how the students achieved the assessment of your lesson. The students both completed the activity with a satisfactory achievement level.  They both were able to use the computer with my assisstance to locate things on my Web Page.  Both students completed the scenario activity satisfactorily, and I feel they gained more knowledge about farms by looking at my topic page.

3. Describe what you would change or do different if you taught this lesson again.  I feel the lesson went very smoothly, and I would not change anything about the lesson.  This lesson was easier than the paint lesson plan, and I feel the students were a lot more comfortable actually drawing pictures on paper than on the computer.
 
 

This is a picture that Devontae drew of his imaginary farm.  He drew a pig, and he also drew a barn.  He said that the pig and barn were two of his favorite things about farms.	This is a picture that Zenas, a kindergarten student drew of his imaginary farm.  He drew the barn and a pig, and he said his favorite thing about farms was the fact that farmers drive tractors all the time.