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Mentor Teacher's Signature & Date
TopicQuest
Lesson Plan
Name: Leah
Wilkerson
School/Mentor Teacher:
Maymester 2005
Grade Level: Pre-K and K
Subject Areas: Technology
Integration and Language Arts
Date Taught: May 2005
Total Duration of Lesson: About
45 minutes
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- K-10)
B. With teacher guidance student will be able to listen to information
to gain knowledge. (GPS- English/Language Arts- Comprehension-
ELAKR6)
Assessed Standards
Georgia QCC
A. Grade: K
Subject Area: Technology Integration
Strand: Research
10 Topic:
Research
Standard: Uses basic research techniques with teacher guidance.
Georgia Performance Standard (GPS)
B. English/Language Arts Performance Standard
Grade: K
Comprehension
ELAKR6: The student gains meaning from orally presented
text.
a. The student listens to and reads a variety of literary and
informational texts and materials to gain knowledge and for pleasure.
Materials and Equipment:
1. Have example of your mission project to show students
2. Paper for drawing
3. Crayons/Markers/Pen
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: Under the Sea
& URL: http://www.valdosta.edu/~lmwilkerson/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 creatures that live
under the sea.
List 2 or more
questions that introduce students
to your TopicQuest that establish a
connection to students' prior knowledge by asking them:
1. "Did you know that there are
animals that live underneath the water in the ocean?"
2. "Do you know any of the animals
names?"
Today we are going
to learn about creatures
that live under the sea
by visiting websites on the Internet and we will do a fun activity.
I have made a special Web
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 the different animals that live in the
ocean water, we will then draw a picture of 2 animals we liked learning
about the most and write 2 facts about each one and report to our
school about what we learned.
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. Which animal has the most
powerful jaws on the planet?
2. What are the arms on
an octopus called?
3. Can sea turtles pull their head and
legs into their shells?
Practice and feedback related to the
PLO
Read mission project to students. Explain to students that they
are going to be
reporting to their school information they found out about the
different sea creatures they learned about.
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 write (or dictate to teacher) information to be included
in
the pictures they draw for the mission project.
While
students are completing mission project, teacher
will observe students and give assistance when needed.]
Mission
The
principal of your school has just learned that this summer you went
diving into the ocean and discovered some interesting facts about some
of the sea animals that live in the ocean. He wants you to
bring in two pictures that you drew of the sea animals that you liked
learning about the
most. Also, he wants you to tell two facts about each animal that
you drew. You
will be presenting this information to the whole school.
Good
Luck!
Mission
Steps
1.
Pick which two sea animals you want to talk about. They can be
any of the five animals that you saw when you went diving: the shark, dolphin,
octopus,
sea
turtle, or whale.
2. Learn about these animals by going to the websites
and pick
two sea animals that you would like to learn more about.
3. Write two interesting facts on each sea animal.
4. Draw a picture
of the
two sea creatures that you researched.
5.
Tell the school about the two sea creatures you picked and show them
the pictures you drew.
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Estimated Time for Step Two:
35 minutes
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
Performance
Levels |
Indicators |
0
|
Student is not able to use the
computer with teacher guidance to do research on the Internet for topic
information. |
1
|
Student is able to use
computer with a great amount of teacher guidance to do research on the
Internet for topic information. |
2
|
Student is able to use
computer with some teacher guidance to do research on the Internet for
topic information. |
3
|
Student is able to use
computer with little teacher guidance to do research on the Internet
for topic information. |
| Student |
Performance
Level |
Describe
the Students' Evidence that Illustrate their Achieved Use of Technology
Performance Level |
1
|
2
|
Student worked well with some
guidance. He knew how to work with the mouse, but would need help
of where to click.
|
2
|
2
|
This student worked well with
guidance. She has worked with computers as well, but needed to
know where to click.
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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
Performance
Levels |
Indicators |
0
|
Student is not able with teacher
guidance to listen to information to gain knowledge. |
1
|
Student with
teacher guidance is able to listen to information to gain little
knowledge. |
2
|
Student with teacher
guidance is able to listen to information to gain some knowledge. |
3
|
Student with teacher
guidance is able to listen to information to gain much knowledge. |
| Student |
Performance
Level |
Describe
the Students' Evidence that Illustrate their Achieved Language Arts
Performance Level |
1
|
3
|
Student listened well and
learned a lot.
|
2
|
2
|
Student listened, but since she
is a Pre-K, her attention span was short, so at times she listened and
at times I could tell she was just looking at the computer.
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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.") In
the Pre-K class that I observed, there were several children in there
that I suspected had ADD. They were really hyper and tended to
get into things they were not suppose to. The teacher was
constantly trying to keep them in line got on to them quite often for
them misbehaving. When she would be teaching, I would notice them
paying attention for a little bit, but then they would start wondering
by either their body language or picking on other children.
2. Explain what you would add to
this
lesson
plan to accommodate your special student? I would keep them close to me, so that I
can keep an eye on them. I would make sure that I have good eye
contact with them to make sure they are listening. I would make
sure to keep asking questions to that student and have visuals to
keep their mind from wandering.
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-research TopicQuest lesson for your students.
Include your process of researching and selecting web sites for your
pre-k/elementary students.
I started this TopicQuest lesson for my
students by thinking of a topic that would be of interest to
them. I asked them what they would like to learn about. I
gave them several options and they chose the ocean and learning about
animals. I decided to do a theme of Under the Sea and talk about
animals that lived under the ocean. After deciding what lesson to
do, I went on the Internet and did a search for the different animals I
wanted them to learn about. I then clicked on the different
websites that came up in my search engine and evaluated it to make sure
that it was age appropriate, valid, and interesting for the students.
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.
My
lesson created learning experiences with a variety of different
websites. The students used the computers while I was giving my
lesson. I guided them while they worked their way through the
different websites. They liked using the computers and took turns
going to the variety of websites.
3. Describe what your
students did (mission/evidence) as a result of your TopicQuest
learning
activities that created interdisciplinary learning experiences that
allow students to integrate knowledge and skills to apply them to
everyday life situations.
The TopicQuest lesson included
interdisciplinary learning experiences in the following subject areas:
language arts, science, and art. In language arts department,
they had to think and write two facts about the animal that they liked
the best. Their science experience was that they learned about
different animals that live in the ocean water. Then they had to
draw a picture of the animal, which helped them develop art
skills. This lesson related to everyday life situations in the
way that they had to report to the school what they had learned and
show the pictures that they had drawn of the sea animals.
4. Examine and describe your
teaching of this TopicQuest lesson.
I first had the students sit down at
the computers, but face me so that they would not be tempted to look at
the computer screen. I did an introduction and asked them some
questions to see what knowledge they had of animals that live in the
sea. I took that information and determined what route to do my
lesson. They knew of some animals, but a majority they did not
know about or name. I then had them turn around, so that they
could work on the computers. They went to the website of the
TopicQuest. I had one student go to 3 of the websites and the
other one go to the other 3 websites, so that they could take
turns. They explored all the websites and was enjoying learning
about the different sea animals. I let them do everything on the
computer with me only guiding them. We read the mission and the
mission steps, and I explained what they were to do. We then went
to a table where I had the different materials set up for them to draw
and write. They did the mission activity and I concluded the
lesson by asking them questions to see if they had comprehended the
material. During this time of me teaching, I evaluated the
students to make sure they were learning and understanding what I was
teaching them. I watched for their enthusiasm, body language, and
asked questions during the lesson. I then learned how to scan
their pictures that they drew into the computer and pasted them
on my website.
5. Give at least one suggestion that
would lead to improving your teaching practices and student
achievement.
One
suggestion that would help improve my teaching practices and student
achievement would be that I would have probably taught the two students
at two different times. One is a Kindergartener and the other one
is in Pre-K. I did not think that there would be that much of an
age difference to have to teach them separately, but there was.
The Pre-K student could not read at all, so she was just looking at the
pictures. I could tell after a couple of websites that she was
about ready to quit. Next time, I will make the lesson for each
student if there is an age difference and gear the lesson to their
needs. Then I will be able to better make use of the students
time and help them learn to their full potential.
TopicQuest Scanned
Pictures & Comments
by Leah Wilkerson
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This kindergarten
student drew a picture of the two animals that he liked best: the
shark and octopus. The first picture is of the shark. He
said the tail looks like the letter T and this fin is shaped like a
triangle. He also said that those are the sharks jaws.
The second picture
was of the octopus. He said that was the ocean and the bright
yellow sun. He also said that was a little jellyfish at the
bottom. He also said there is the octopus with 8 legs and the
blue sky with
clouds and a rainbow.
The third picture
is the two sentences they were to write about the animal they
drew. On the paper you see a little drawing in the middle.
He said that was him diving in the ocean
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This
is a picture by a pre-kindergartner. The first picture is of the
octopus. She said that this octopus has 8 arms and she counted 8
lines for me and told me those were the arms. She said he is
swimming in the water. Those letters at the bottom, she said she
was her just writing and drawing.
The second picture
is the whale. The yellow circle at the bottom was her just
drawing again.
Since she could not
write that well the two sentences that they were to write about their
animals, she told one sentence on each animal. She said that
octopus arms take it and grab it (referring to food) and the whales
were big.
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