TopicQuest Lesson Plan

Title of Lesson:
Community Helpers

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: Community Helpers   &  URL: http://www.valdosta.edu/~malowe/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 community helpers.  List 2 or more questions that introduce students to topic of community helpers that establish a connection to students' prior knowledge by asking them: "Have you ever studied or read a book about community helpers?"  "Can you tell me something that you know about community helpers?"  "Can you tell me some community helpers in your community?"   Today we are going to learn about community helpers by visiting websites on the Internet and we will do a fun activity to learn more about community helpers.  I have made a special Community Helpers 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 community helpers then you will have them pick their favorite community helper and they will draw a picture of him/her.  Once they are finished the students will visit the website "What's My Job" to identify different community helpers and their roles. 

Check for understanding
Have students explore and discuss the information in each of the 3 or 4 pre-selected websites.  Ask students guiding questions about the important concepts in each of the visited websites.  (Save "Community Helpers" website to use in Mission Project.)  List three or more questions.
1. What is a community helper?
2. Name some different community helpers that you know.
3. Which helper makes this world a safe place for us to live in by protecting us? What else does he do?

Practice and feedback related to the PLO
Read mission project to students.  Explain to students that they are going to be community helpers.   Discuss community helpers with the students and help them visit the websites for the different helpers. 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, "Community Helpers."  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 about their community helper and draw pictures for the mission project.  While students are completing mission project, teacher will observe students and give assistance when needed.]

Scenario Mission     Now that you have learned a little about different community helpers you will do a few activities to learn more about them. Today you will pick your favorite community helper and you will draw a picture of  him/her.  After you draw your picture we will visit the "What's My Job" website and you will play a game and try to identify different community helpers and their jobs and roles they play in the community. Mission Steps 1. Explore the different sites above and have the students choose their favorite helper. 2.  Take out your art materials and draw a picture of your favorite community helper. 3.  After you are finished drawing your picture visit the site What's My Job and play a game and try to identify the different community helpers and their jobs. 4.  Give your teacher your picture so she can put your picture on the internet for others to see.

Step Three
Closure:
Have students discuss their mission project and the websites, pictures and information they found on the Internet about community helpers.  Tell students that your topicquest page is on the Internet and they can visit the website at school or home to learn more about community helpers.  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 K-10
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 with special needs has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).  He is constantly off task and roaming around the room.  He has problems paying attention to assignments whether they are long or short.

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. http://www.chadd.org/

3. Explain what you would add to this lesson plan to accommodate your special student?  I would ask my student questions constantly to ensure that he is paying attention and also to get his opinion on different community helpers.  I would tell him the directions for the activity as many as times as he needed me too.  I would also ask him to tell me what the directions are and have him explain to me what he will be doing in this activity.

Reflections: (For Electronic Portfolio under Standard #1 Knowledge of Subject Matter)
1. a. Describe and give examples of how your TopicQuest lesson created learning experiences and activities that makes subject matter meaningful for students.  The students were learing about community helpers.  I decided to take two children and help them expand their knowledge of different community helpers.  We did fun activities that made the children think of different community helpers and what they do for us each and every day.

    b. Describe and give examples of how your TopicQuest lesson illustrated your understanding of content and tools of inquiry.   The TopicQuest assignment was designed to give students a chance to explore different sites on the Internet that relate to the topic.  I picked out various sites on the Internet that the students could visit to enhance their knowledge about community helpers.  The students then visited the websites that I picked out for them to learn about different community helpers.

    c. Describe and give examples of how students were engaged in learning and responded during your lesson.  The students played a game at the end of the lesson called "What's My Job."  The students had to match a description of what the person does to a picture of  the person who does that job.

  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 One:  The student was able to use the computer to explore the Internet.  The student was able to use the information from the Internet to answer questions and complete the scenario mission.
       Student Two:   The student was able to use the computer to explore the Internet.  The student was able to use the information from the Internet to answer questions and complete the scenario mission.
       
 

3. Describe what you would do differently and why if you taught this lesson again.
  If I taught this lesson again, I would probably include more students.  The mission activity was fun with two students but it would have been really fun if everyone could have been involved.  I would have also allowed the students to explore the Internet more. They really enjoyed looking at the different websites that I picked out for them and they wanted to look at more.
 

(Three or more sentences of students' descriptions & comments) A kindergartner drew a picture of a fireman and his firetruck. The child drew a picture of a house that is burning. She also drew a picture of the smoke that is rising from the house as it burns.

(Three or more sentences of students' descriptions & comments) A kindergartner drew a picture of a teacher.  The child said he drew the board that the teacher writes on.  He also drew a chair and a table that they use in their classroom.