Name: Lawren Cranor
Grade Level: Pre-Kindergarten
 

*Annotation
The Learning with The Rainbow Fish lesson could be used with children in Pre-K through third grades.  This lesson is designed for pre-kindergarten level students.  The students will begin with a hands-on technology activity of a Paint picture with a summary of the literature story.  The students will have the opportunity to explore the Microsoft Paint Program.  This is a cross-curricular lesson integrating technology, art, and language arts skills.

*Primary Learning Outcome:
With teacher guidance, students will be able to use the mouse while operating the computer and develop a picture using a drawing program.  Students will discuss questions about literature story.  How do you use the mouse to make the page move up and down (scroll)?  Describe how you made your picture on the computer.  What would you have done if you were the Rainbow Fish? (question from story)

*Assessed QCC:

Grade: K
Technology Integration
Strand: Basic Skills
5
Topic: Basic Skills
Standard: Operates basic technology tools and applications.

Grade: K
Fine Arts
Strand: Visual Arts
3
Topic: Artistic Skills and Knowledge: Creating, Performing, Producing
Standard: Uses a variety of art materials and techniques to model, construct, and compose original artworks.

Grade: K
Language Arts
Strand: Written Communication
39
Topic: Literature
Standard: Responds to literal, inferential, and evaluative questions about literature.
 

*Total Duration:
It will take about 45 minutes to teach this lesson.
 

*Materials and Equipment:
1. Book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good,Very Bad Day, by Judith Voight
2. Computer with Internet connection
3. Drawing program
4. Printer
5. Disks (one for each student’s picture)
6. Pencil and paper
Technology Connection:
Computer with Internet connection, printer, drawing program, and website: http://www.valdosta.edu/~ldcranor/paint.html

Procedures:
Step One
Introduce students to the MS Paint picture and summary of the book, The Rainbow Fish, on the Internet (see URL above).  Discuss the story, picture, and questions with the students.

Estimated Time:
About 10 minutes

Lesson Materials to be Attached:
Copy of:  The Rainbow Fish Web Page

Annotation:
Copy of website developed for this lesson plan.
http://www.valdosta.edu/~ldcranor/paint.html

Web Link for Step One:
Title: The Rainbow Fish

URL:
http://www.valdosta.edu/~ldcranor/paint.html

Annotation:
Website with Paint picture summary and questions.

Step Two
Teacher will read book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Vioght, to students.  Students will discuss answers to questions about the story.  Questions: If you Alexander, what things would you have done differently to make the day much better?  How would you have reacted to the same things he went through?  During this process teacher will give assistance when needed.

Estimated Time:
About 15 minutes

Step Three
Show students how to open the Paint program and demonstrate some of the Paint tools.  Students will explore with the Paint program and draw a picture about the story or questions.  Save students’ Paint pictures on disks.  Print 2 copies of the student’s paint picture (one for student and one for technology notebook).

Estimated Time:
About 15 minutes
 

Step Four
Students will discuss and share their drawing products with their peers.

Estimated Time:
About 5 minutes
 

*Assessment:

Student will be assessed through observation while using the mouse to control the computer and using the drawing program.
Satisfactory: Student is able to control the computer and use the mouse to view the Paint Web page and explore the drawing program.
Unsatisfactory: Student is not able to control the computer or use the mouse when viewing the Paint Web page and exploring the drawing program.

Student’s product will be assessed for answers to the questions.
Satisfactory: Student is able to write or dictate answers that make sense to the presented questions in reference to the story.
Unsatisfactory: Student is not able to write or dictate answers that make sense to the presented questions.

Student will be assessed by the development of a picture using the drawing program with or without the assistance of the teacher.
Satisfactory: Student is able to develop a picture through the use of the drawing program with or without the assistance of the teacher.
Unsatisfactory: Student is not able to develop a picture through the use of the drawing program with or without the assistance of the teacher.
 

Accommodation:
My special needs student is speech and language impared.  He does not put beginnings or endings on words unless he is made to by either his regular teacher or speech teacher.  He goes to speech class and does really well while he is in the speech room setting.  This child does preform at grade level and is average among the rest of his peers.  When I work with this student, I need to make sure that I say my words clearly.  When this student is speaking to me in a group setting I need to stive to understand the words that he is saying and then attempt to correct the words he mispronounces, but not to the point that he is being singled out or it takes away from other students.

Here is a web site that will help accomidate teachers who have speech and language impared students in their classrooms.

Speech and Language
 

Reflections:

1. Describe and give examples of how the students were engaged in learning during
your lesson.
    I had two students working with me.  The little boy obviously loved the idea of painting on the computer.  I could not get him to
stop playing around with the program long enough so that he could listen to the story.  Finally, I had to shut down the paint program
so that he would listen to what I had to say.  The little girl thought that she couldn't do the paint program, but when it came to
actually doing her picture, she wanted to do more than just one.  The little boy was not very engaged in the actual answering my
critical thinking questions.  He had his mind on what he was going to paint on the computer.  I am not sure he listened much to my
lesson.  He gave the same answer as the little girl did to all of the questions.  The little girl was very involved in the lesson.  She
thought long and hard on her questions and then gave me very reasonable answers.  For example, when I asked what each picture
was, the little girl would tell me something very specific from the story to describe her pictures.  The little boy just made something
up.  They never really had anything to do with the story.

  2. Describe and give examples of how the students achieved the assessment of your
lesson.
    The little girl did not think that she was going to be able to use the program.  Come to find out she did really well using the
program.  It is quite clear what her pictures are showing us about the story.  She also listened very closely to the story as I read.
She answered every question in detail and was eager to answer the questions.  She knew how to work a mouse and a keyboard.  I
even was able to walk her through how to pull up the paint program on the computer so that she could do it all by herself.  She
used the computer to draw to very nice pictures about the story.  She scores satisfactory on all parts.
    The little boy showed that he had knowledge of using a computer.  He knew how to work the mouse and keyboard.  He
obviously had used the paint program before because he knew a little information about being able to change the colors.  He
scored satisfactory on the part when it came to understanding about the computer.  Although, his pictures had nothing to do with
the story.  He couldn't tell me the answers to my questions about the story.  He didn't have his mind on anything except that
program we were going to be working with.  Therefore, on everything else, he gets unsatisfactory.

3.  Describe what you would change or do differently in you taught this lesson again.
    I would go to a room where the internet was diffinately working at that time.  I would also read the story before I showed the
children how to use the paint program.  If I had done that I believe the little boy would have focused more on the story.  I also
would have made sure the little boy gave me at least one good answer to my questions.  I would have required him to answer and
made sure the little girl didn't answer it for him.

Answers & Comments to Paint Lesson	1.  I would not have slept with gum in my mouth.
Pictures from the Paint Lesson
Description of picture and comments made by student	This is Alexander on a cannon in the mud.  He fell right into the mud.

Answers & Comments to Paint Lesson	1.  I would have moved to Australia.
Pictures from the Paint Lesson
Description of picture and comments made by student	Alexander is moving to Hallatassee.  This is him in the car.

Lawren's Home Page

ldcranor@valdosta.edu