TopicQuest Lesson Plan

Title of Lesson:

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. Newspaper
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: Mr. Rusty's Animals in the Sea   &  URL: http://www.valdosta.edu/~rojarret/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 sea animals.  List 2 or more questions that introduce students to topic of sea animals that establish a connection to students' prior knowledge by asking them: "Have you ever studied or read a book about sea animals?"  "Can you tell me something that you know about sea animals?"   Today we are going to learn about sea animals by visiting websites on the Internet and we will do a fun activity to learn more about sea animals.  I have made a special sea animals 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 sea animals then you will pretend to be a reporter for the W. G. Nunn Elementary School Newspaper and draw a picture and tell some interesting things about sea animals. 

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 "Difference and Similarities" website to use in Mission Project.)  List three or more questions.
1.  There are many different creatures in the ocean.  Can you name one mammal and one fish?
2.  There are a lot of oceans in the world.  What percent of the world is covered in water?
3.  How many oceans are there in the world?

Practice and feedback related to the PLO
Read mission project to students.  Explain to students that they are going to be reporters for their school newspaper.  Discuss the report/drawing with students and show them the newspaper with examples of articles written by reporters. 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, "Difference and Similarities."  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 articles and drawings for the mission project.  While students are completing mission project, teacher will observe students and give assistance when needed.]

Step Three
Closure:
Have students discuss the mission project of their articles and drawings and information they found on the Internet about sea animals.  Tell students that your topicquest page is on the Internet and they can visit the website at school or home to learn more about sea animals.  Explain to students that you are going to put their articles and drawings 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.")  .My "Special Student" is a great student that has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder.  He is a great student, and he takes a special medication to help keep him on task.

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 take extra care and pay close attention to my "Special Student" during this lesson plan.  I would make sure he was paying attention at all times, and I would even sit him close to me to make sure this occurs.  I would make him involved in the disscussion by asking him numerous questions and by keeping an eye on him at all times.  When the students begin to do the activity I would make sure he understood the directions thouroughly. 

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. Before I taught my lesson on the ocean and sea animals we did a whole weeks worth of reviewing.  On Monday we watched a short video, and wrote sentences about their favorite sea animals.  The remainder of the week until the day I did my lesson we did numerous fun learning acitivities.  I believe this really got all the students enthused about the lesson I would teach them.  I could tell when I did my lesson that all my students had been listening very closely because they all did a great job.

    b. Describe and give examples of how your TopicQuest lesson illustrated your understanding of content and tools of inquiry.

    c. My students stayed engaged throughout the whole TopicQuest lesson because they knew they were going to get to use the computer at the end.  One of my students told me that she would rather use the computer than anything else, and that she wanted to use it everyday.

  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.  My students achieved the assessment of my lesson on a very satisfactory level.  They all did much better than I ever thought they would have.  The only thing I was worried about was the use of the computer, but each of them really showed my that they knew what was going on.
    A. Technology Integration:
        Student One: This student really did a great job during the lesson.  She already knew how to use the mouse and keyboard.  I would definately give her a satisfactory grade for the great job that she did.
        Student Two: This student really did a great job during the lesson also.  Her computer skills weren't as good, but after I helped her briefly she caught right on.  I would give this student a satisfactory grade.
     B. Observes, explores and describes a wide variety of ocean animals.
        Student One: This student named off many different types of fish and mammals when I asked her questions.  She also drew different animals on the piece of paper that I gave her. (Satisfactory)
        Student Two: This student did a super job when it came to describing the animals.  She told me two characteristics about sharks and two characteristics about dolphins. (Satisfactory)

3. Describe what you would do differently and why if you taught this lesson again.I really felt like I did a great job doing this lesson.  The only thing I would have done differently is to use a few less websites for the students.  I think two or three websites would have been better than using all the websites that I did.
 
 

A kindergartner drew this great picture for me after I completed my lesson to them.  She told me she was drawing a big shark because it was her favorite animal that I talked about.  She added a turtle, fish, and lobster with the shark in the sea picture.	One of my kindergarten students drew this picture of a shark with it's friends.  She explained to me that sharks are nice to the fish in the ocean and that they are teammates.  She added some jellyfish and other small fish with her beautiful shark.