______________________________
   Mentor Teacher's Signature & Date

TopicQuest Lesson Plan

Title of Lesson: Let's Hunt for Nouns

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- 1- 11)
B. With teacher guidance student will be able to listen to information to gain knowledge.  (GPS- English/Language Arts- Comprehension- ELA1R6)
 

Assessed Standards
Georgia QCC
A. Grade: 1st
Subject Area: Technology Integration
Strand: Research
11 Topic: Research
Standard: Uses basic research techniques with teacher guidance.

Georgia Performance Standard (GPS)
B. English/Language Arts Performance Standard
Grade: 1st
Comprehension
ELA1R6:  The student gains meaning from orallly 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
4. Scissors for cutting out pictures
5. Glue for pasting pictures
6. Pencil & paper (to make notes for lesson plan assessment and reflections)
7. 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: Journey to the World of Nouns   &  URL: http://www.valdosta.edu/~rfbarnes/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 nouns.  List 2 or more questions that introduce students to your TopicQuest that establish a connection to students' prior knowledge by asking them:
1. "Does anyone know what a noun is?"
2. "Can you give me some examples?"  
Today we are going to learn about nouns 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 nouns you will draw what type of treasure nouns that you collected on the hunt for nouns. You will cut the pictures out and place them on a map of the places that we visited.  

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.  Name me one type of noun?
2.  Is it a Common Noun or a Proper Noun?
3.  Where can we find nouns?

Practice and feedback related to the PLO
Read mission project to students.  Explain to students that they are going to be on a treasure hunt to find nouns and information about nouns from different web-sites.   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 draw pictures and attach them on a map of the different sites that we visited  for the mission project.  While students are completing mission project, teacher will observe students and give assistance when needed.]

Misson  Today we have geared up to go on a treasure hunt. We  will be searching for treasure. Not just any treasure but Nouns. What are nouns you say? Well on this journey we will find the answer. Nouns are right in front of you and you may not even know it. When you find a noun that you really like, I want you to make a drawing of it  so that we can see what nouns you may have stumbled upon on this journey. I also want you to place the drawings on a map of the places that we visited on our hunt for nouns. Are you ready ? Let's get started. If you need assistance in finding nouns here are some good websites  to help  you on your journey. Fact Dictionary The School House Rock English Online

Mission Steps 1. Go on a journey through the links provided on a hunt to learn what nouns are and some of the different types 2.When you are aware of what nouns are then you will draw two pictures that you conceive to be nouns of a person , place or thing . 3.After drawing you will discuss what you drew and attach it to a map. You will also discuss why you believe the  object is a noun.

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. 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.")   A special student in the class had a slight attention problem. He would focus only when attention would be placed on him. 

2. Explain what you would add to this lesson plan to accommodate your special student?  I would make sure that the student was seated close to the activity going on so he would keep focus. I would also let the child participate hands on, so that he would feel that his paying attetion was really important and needed.  

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. First, I picked the topic of nouns. I researched different websites that pertained to elementary grammar. I researched the sites to makes sure that the site was age appropriate and interesting. I also made sure that the information that was provided was valid. I also looked at the web's graphics to see if it would keep the interest of a first grader. I wanted the sites to provide information as well as examples. I wanted the children to be able to practice what they learned as we went to different links.

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.  I used a variety of websites. I guided the students in using the computer and the mouse to access the different information that I wanted them to obtain. They obtained knowledge on how to go to different search engines and get information on nouns. My students learned how to use the back button to get back to the home page after visiting a site, so that we could continue our journey through the different search engines that were provided. They also learned that links are usually in different colors and underlined and they will take you to other places.

4. Examine and describe your teaching of this TopicQuest lesson.
  I introduced the lesson and asked questions to see if the children had any knowledge of nouns. I listen to the feedback given and proceeded with the lesson. I explained to the children the mission that we were going to journey through the links on a hunt for nouns. We researched the websites so the students could gain knowledge to complete the activity. The students found nouns they considered interesting to them in each category and  placed it at the destination on the map where it was located. During the activity I asked questions to see if they were understanding what I was telling them. After the activity, I asked questions to see if they truly understood the knowledge at the end of lesson. With student one she was a little confused on the proper nouns and common nouns. After reflecting back to the material, she grasped the infomation. I made sure of this by asking questions to test her knowledge. I made evaluations throughout the lesson by listening to the students responses and the conversation they carried between themselves. They even questioned each other to see if one another understood. If a concept was not understood the other would assist to help the meaning get across.

5. Give at least one suggestion that would lead to improving your teaching practices and student achievement. I need a little more patience in realizing that these are young children and they need a little more time to know how to use the computer and figure out what the mouse does.
 

(Two or more sentences of student's description of project & three or more sentences of student's comments that show they gained knowledge from your TopicQuest lesson.) This picture was completed by Vernetta. She is a first grader. She drew pictures of nouns that they felt was interesting  as we searched  the links. They chose 2 people, 2 places and 2 things. The child stated whether the noun was a person, place, or thing. She kept tally of each item that she needed to get to make her list complete and make such comments as "I need one more thing." While researching the links she would say that's a noun. She also noted that a proper noun started with a capital letter.

(Two or more sentences of student's description of project & three or more sentences of student's comments that show they gained knowledge from your TopicQuest lesson.) This picture ws completed Kowaski. He is a first grader. He drew pictures of nouns he thought was unique to him as we searched the links. He chose two people, places, and things. He would name off the items that he had found according to what category it fell in. He also noted if it was a common noun or a proper noun. He also noted that he loved nouns and they were all around us. He started naming different nouns that was located in the room where I taught the lesson.