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TopicQuest Lesson Plan

Title of Lesson:

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- (Grade 3 topic 13)
B. With teacher guidance student will be able to read 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: Reseach
Standard: Uses basic research techniques with teacher guidance.

Georgia Performance Standard (GPS)
B. English/Language Arts Performance Standard
Grade: 3
Comprehension
ELA3R3 The student uses a variety of strategies to gain meaning from grade level text.
a. The student reads a variety of texts for information and pleasure.

Materials and Equipment:
1. Have example of your mission project to show students
2. Poster for each student
3. Crayons & Colored Pencils
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: "Georgia On My Mind"  &  URL: http://www.valdosta.edu/~jmstape/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 symbols of Georgia.  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 Georgia's state symbols?" 
2. "Can you tell me something that you know about Georgia's state symbols?"  
Today we are going to learn about Georgia's state symbols 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 several websites about Georgia's symbols then you will create a poster to share with a friend from a clasroom in Florida

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.  How does the brown thrasher eat insects?  (he thrashes brush that is on the ground all around to find insects that                                                                                                 are underneath the brush)
2.  What color is the Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly?  (male is yellow and black and the female is sometimes a dark color)
3.  Why is this butterfly called a Swallowtail ?  (because it has a long tail on the hindwing)
4.  Why is this fish call a largemouth bass? (the big mouth reaches beyond its eyes.)
5.  What does the male fish do after the female lays the eggs?   ( he swims around them to guard them)
6.  Who is the considered the father of peanuts?  (George Washington Carver)

Practice and feedback related to the PLO
Read mission project to students.  Explain to students that they are going to create a poster to share with students from Florida.   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 create a poster about Georgia symbols of their choice.  The posters will be shared with students from Florida.  The students will use the symbols of their choice.  The students will draw pictures of the symbols that they have chosen.  The students will write 2 to 3 sentences about each symbol that is included on their poster.  While students are completing mission project, teacher will observe students and give assistance when needed.]

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."The special student" that is in this classroom speaks Spanish.  His English vocabulary is llimited.

2. We also have a student in our class that speaks Spanish and English.  I will have her sit next to the Spanish speaking student so that she can assist him with this activity.  I will have a list of Georgia state symbols that is written in Spanish.

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 developed this mini-research project by beginning to visit various sites on the Internet so that I could evaluatethe various sites.  I evaluated the sites to make sure that they would be age appropriate for my fourth grade students..  From the secretary of state's website, I was able to learn about the different symbols that represented Georgia.  I made a list of the symbols that I thought would be most interesting to students in the fourth grade.  Next, I researched several sites about the symbols.  I would search until I found  the best site for each symbol.  I used Dr. Judd's suggested sites for children to find some of the connections for my mini-research.  I used google to choose the pictures to represent each website.

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. 

The two students that I taught my lesson to were  very much interested  in my TopicQuest lesson.  The two  took turns to investigate some of the  web sites that I had linked to my  TopicQuest lesson.  I was familiar with my  web pages, so it was easy for me to ask inquiring questions of the two students.  If the students did not know the answers, I would guide them to the area in the site where they could re-read the information.  The students were able to relate life experiences to the website of the largemouth bass.  They were able to share their fishing  trips with me.  I guided students through the various sites, allowing each one to explore on their own.

4. Examine and describe your teaching of this TopicQuest lesson.

I had never met the students before, so I needed to find out a little bit about them.  I introduced myself and tried to make them feel comfortable with me.   First, I made sure that the two students could read.  After this, I asked both of the students if they had ever used a computer.  They both could read and they both had used a computer before.  I did not need to teach them about the computer or read the words in the various sites to them.   I noticed that the girl had a shirt on that had a logo of where she went to church.  I asked the students if they knew what a logo was.  They did not, so I explained to them that a logo was a symbol that represented something. I used the girl's shirt for an example about logos.   I told them that we were going to learn about logos or symbols today.  I shared with them that I had developed a special website just for them.  I told them that we were going to explore these pages together.  I suggested that when we went to the computer to look over and read the sentences on the front page about each site and to choose what ones that they would like to visit. I gave them each a pencil and paper to take notes.   I made them aware that this site  was on the Internet and that they could look at more of the symbols later.  I also let them know that after they learned some facts about the symbols of Georgia that they were going to do a special project about the symbols.  I then asked the students if they were ready to get started.  The two were anxious and I had them to turn facing the computer that they would share to investigate the site.  The students read thouroughly the resource page.  They decided who should go to a site first.  They both wanted to go to the bass page.  They were very polite with each other and took turns very nicely.  They visited the bass, peanut, cherokee rose, flag and live oak tree sites.  They enjoyed doing a learning game about the peanut.  While at the various sites, I would ask the students questions that was in the reading of the sites.  The students would answer the questions correctly.  I also would ask the students to share their experiences that they had that related to some of the symbols.   After spending about 30 minutes learning about the various symbols, we reviewed the symbols that they had read about during the lesson.  I asked them if they were ready to do their special project.  They both were ready.

First I shared with them that I had created a poster about the websites that they had just visited.  I told them that I had a mission for them.  I instructed them that we were going to pretend that we were in a real classroom and that we were going to have some students from Florida visit us.  I shared with them that these students did not know anything about Georgia like we did.  We needed to design a poster so that we could share some of the symbols of Georgia with our friends.  I told them that they needed to do a really neat job because the Florida students wanted to take the posters home to hang in their library. I asked them to use the symbols from the sites that we visited.  I asked them to draw a picture of the symbol and to write 2-3 facts about the symbol.   I then told them that I was going to put their posters on my web page and that they could go to visit the site to see their work.  I also told them that their project was very special because other people would be able to see what they had learned today.  Both students spent time doing a nice job on their posters.  While the students created their posters I used the computer to link on to one of the TopicQuest sites to play the melody of "Georgia On My Mind." 

5. Give at least on suggestion that would lead to improving your teaching practices and student achievement.

I believe that I should have stressed more to the students to use more than one symbol on their posters.  I would have liked to see more of a variety.  The students both used the largemouth bass.  I would have liked to see more than one symbol  on their posters. 

A fourth grader drew a picture of the largemouth bass.  He stated that when the mom fish went somewhere that the dad fish watched the eggs.  He said that the male fish is in the water and has a big mouth. This boy was able to state several facts when he visited the peanut link.  He learned that the peanut is not a nut.  The peanut is a legume.  He also stated that goober is another name for a peanut.   He also learned that the peanut contains cholestrol. This boy also knew that Georgia's state flag was adopted just a few years ago to be Georgia's new state flag.

This is a picture by a a fourth grade girl.  She stated that this fish is called a largemouth bass because his mouth is big.  She also said that the female lays eggs at the bottom of the water.  The male fish will guard the eggs. After the girl visited the State of Georgia's flag  web site she was able to say that the 13 stars represented the thirteen colonies of Georgia.  She spent time reading the legend of the Cherokee Rose and was able to tell me that a Cherokee Rose grew on the spot of  The Trail of Tears where mother's cried.

Stape's Homepage

jmstape@valdosta.edu

TopicQuest Page