TopicQuest Lesson Plan

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:

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 the ocean. List 2 or more questions that introduce students to topic of the ocean that establish a connection to students' prior knowledge by asking them: "Do you know what an ocean is?" "Have you ever been to the beach and saw an ocean? " "Can you tell me some things that you can find in the ocean?" Today we are going to learn about the ocean by visiting websites on the Internet and we will do a fun activity to learn more about the ocean. I have made a special about the ocean page for your class. (During discussion have students turn around away from the computer to interact.)

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 ocean you will then pretend to be a Zoo Keeper that will come to speak to your class about sharks and you will draw a picture one to tell some interesting things about sharks.

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 "Zoom Sharks" website to use in Mission Project.)
1. How many different type of sharks are there?
2. Do sharks have the same amount of teeth as us?
3. Name the biggest fish the world.

Practice and feedback related to the PLO
Read mission project to students. Explain to students that they are going to be a special guest speaker for their class. Discuss the role of a zoo keeper with students and show them there are are many different types of sharks. 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, "Zoom Shark." 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 their drawn pictures for the mission project. While students are completing mission project, teacher will observe students and give assistance when needed.]

Mission: Special Guest Speaker(ZOO Keeper)

At this point you are an expert of the ocean and some things that lie within it. You are going to be a special guest speaker for Miss Whelchel's Kindergarten class. You will pretend to be a ZOO Keeper who is responsible for all the different sharks at the local zoo. Your task is to tell them everything you know about the sharks. You may tell them there are many different types of sharks. You will have to give a description of what they look like and some other characteristics you can think of. A picture will have to be drawn and shown to the class. This way they will have a better idea of a shark. You will be great, and remember this is fun too!

Mission Steps: Special Guest Speaker

Step 1: Using the provided link Zoom Shark, and the help of your instructor, explore the mysterious life of sharks.

Step 2: As you explore, think about what kind of shark you are going to describe. You may take notes or draw pictures if it will help.

Step 3: List some facts about your shark, and draw a picture of it. Your picture will help you and your classmates correctly identify the shark.

Step 4: Read your clues aloud, and share your picture with your class.

Step 5: Share with the class what you thought was the coolest thing about sharks.

Step Three
Closure:
Have students discuss their mission project pictures and information they found on the Internet about the ocean. Tell students that your topicquest page is on the Internet and they can visit the website at school or home to learn more about the ocean. 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.)

Assessment:
A. Technology Integration K
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 special student has Attention Deficit disorder. He is not able to stay on task and he needs to be supervised at all times. The process of completing work takes longer for him compared to the other students.

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: Teaching Children With ADD .

3. Explain what you would add to this lesson plan to accommodate your special student? I may monitor him closer than the other student. He will not be constrained with a time limit on completion.

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. I started off by asking them about the beach and if they had ever been. That geared them to think about the ocean. The students were just starting to be introduced to the ocean. That that point, they were not quite familar so seeing my TopicQuest page made them want to learn about the ocean. We discussed what lies within the ocean. Them being able to sit in front of the monitor and "explore the ocean", encouraged the learning.

b. Describe and give examples of how your TopicQuest lesson illustrated your understanding of content and tools of inquiry.
I had to take time in forming the Topic page and remember to ensure that it would be user friendly to my students. I had to make sure the webpages would spark interest in them. This way they would want to learn about it. I had to include games so they could understand that learning can be fun. I knew they would not be able to read the pages so I had to look for easy text. This way they would be able to read a few phrases.

c. Describe and give examples of how students were engaged in learning and responded during your lesson. From the start the students were excited about doing the mission. They were also fascinated about learning the ocean as in class. As soon as I showed them the page they were ready to learn. They liked to state the facts they already knew about the ocean and addressed to me what other things they wanted to know about it. While we were going through the sites they were excited to know the interesting facts. They wanted to stay on the computers longer and learn more. They were about to retain more information from the websites. They thought sharks were pretty cool and did not think they were too scary after learning about them.

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: Satisfactory-The student was able to play the games on the some of the webpages. he was able to remember how to get back to the paper he was previously that; also he was able to navigate withought any of my assistance. This enabled him to work more freely and explore.
        Student Two: Satisfactory-Exploring through websites was fairly new to this student. She was able absorb the instructions given to go through the pages. Some assistance was needed, but with one on one help, she was able to navigate from one site to the next. Seeing my my TopicQuest page intrigued her interest on technology.

3. Describe what you would do differently and why if you taught this lesson again.
If I had a chance to do the lesson over, I would change a few things. I would have first made sure no one needed to make a trip to the restroom before starting the lesson. I would have allowed more time for the whole lesson. I would have given them more time to explore the websites. I would have checked the fish games and thought about it it would be difficult for them. I might have possibly chose another animal for the students to examine or not just have it limited to animal.


Student One chose to draw a shark to show to the class because that was what he was learning about. he knew how to draw the shark because to was able to scroll through the website to see an illustration of a shark. He was then able to create his version by remembering the page.	Student Two had to pretend the role the of a shark keeper at a Zoo and had to explain them to students. The drawing the picture of a shark of one of the best ways for her classmates to understand because they were all not able to do the mission she mentioned. She draw her shark black because that's what color they are. Also included pink at the rim of the mouth because that is her favorite color.