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Date

TopicQuest Lesson Plan

Title of Lesson:
Thinking About Thanksgiving

Primary Learning Outcome (PLO):
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. 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:

• 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: Thinking About Thanksgiving   &  URL: http://www.valdosta.edu/~encawtho/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 Thanksgiving.  List 2 or more questions that introduce students to topic of Thanksgiving that establish a connection to students' prior knowledge by asking them: "Does anyone know what holiday is celebrated in November?"  "Do any of you know why we celebrate Thanksgiving?"   Today we are going to learn about Thanksgiving by visiting websites on the Internet and we will do a fun activity to learn more about dinosaurs.  I have made a special Thanksgiving 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 Thanksgiving you will pretend to be a Pilgrim traveling to America on the Mayflower or living in Plymouth and you will draw a picture of you and your family in either of these places. 

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.  (Save "Thinking About Thanksgiving" website to use in Mission Project.)  List three or more questions.
1. What did the clothes look like that the Pilgrims wore back then?
2. Where did the Pilgrims travel to America from?
3. What kinds of foods did they have at the first Thanksgiving feast?

Practice and feedback related to the PLO
Read mission project to students.  Explain to students that they are going to be Pilgrims. 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, "Thinking About Thanksgiving."  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 drawn picture for the mission project.  While students are completing mission project, teacher will observe students and give assistance when needed.]

Mission Activity Congratulation!  You and your family have just been invited to be among the 110 people to set sail across the big ocean to a magical, new land called America.  So pack your bags and get ready for a long ride full of excitement and adventure.    Go ahead and put all your bags in the huge ship called the Mayflower, this will be your home for the next 65 days.  Soon you will arrive in Plymouth and start a new life in a new land with your family.  View the tours above (click on the underlined words) of the Mayflower and Plymouth and draw your family in either the boat on the way to America or in Plymouth.  Hope you have a great trip! Mission Steps 1. View the virtual tour of the Mayflower. 2. View the virtual tour of Plymouth. 3. Imagine you and your family took part on the journey to America on the Mayflower.  4. Draw you and your family in the Mayflower or in Plymouth.

Step Three
Closure:
Have students discuss their mission project of developing a picture and information they found on the Internet about Thanksgiving.  Tell students that your topicquest page is on the Internet and they can visit the website at school or home to learn more about Thanksgiving.  Explain to students that you are going to put their 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 
Student will be assessed through observation while using 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.")  The student in my class that has special needs is a young boy who has a problem paying attention.  He is not classified as having a learning disability; however, he is not able to pay attention like the rest of the class.  When I teach a lesson I always tell the directions standing right in front of this student.

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.
 List the specific URL information for your special student.  Be sure it links.

3. Explain what you would add to this lesson plan to accommodate your special student? 
 Provide positive verbal praise for on-task behavior, attention, and participation .

Reflections: (For Electronic Portfolio Standard #1 Knowledge of Subject Matter)
1. a. Describe and give examples of how your TopicQuest lesson created learning experiences and activities that made subject matter meaningful for your students.
    The students learned the basic research techniques along with many interesting facts about Thanksgiving. They learned this by
    searching the web through the sites I provided.

    b. Describe and give examples of how your TopicQuest lesson illustrated your understanding of content and tools of inquiry.
    This lesson shows that I know who to build a web site.  This lesson also shows that I know about Thanksgiving because of all
    the sites I found and researched.   

    c. Describe and give examples of how students were engaged in learning and responded during your lesson.
    The students were excited about the games and pictures on the different sites.  They also enjoyed drawing the picture of their
    family and did a great job making the picture fit the time period. 

  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 assessed through observation while using the computer with teacher guidance to do research and find information for the mission project.  
        Student One: Satisfactory, the student was able to use the technology and draw a picture using the correct requirements.
        Student Two: Satisfactory, the student was able to use the technology and draw a picture using the correct requirements.
 

3. Describe what you would do differently and why if you taught this lesson again.
    I would have moved the students to a chair that did not have a computer at it to talk to the students about the lesson before
    we did the activity.  I would have also made sure that there were computers in different areas without disturbance.  I was
    unable to find, at the time, a room with two computers without a class. 

Shannon, a kindergartner in Mrs. Zipperer's class, drew a picture of her  mother, sisters, and herself as Pilgrims.  Her father is a Native American in this picture. Shannon said, "I drew my dad as an Indian to show that the Pilgrims and Indians get along."  There is also a house that looks like the houses in Plymouth in the background.	This is a picture by Mckenzie, a kindergartner in Mrs. Zipperer's class.  She said her picture is of her family.  They are all dressed in clothes like the Pilgrims wore.  There is a house in the background that looks just like the ones in Plymouth.