Educational Technology Lesson Plan Template

Contact Information:Tara HazelHazeltj@mail.irsc.eduTitle:“Super Growers”Primary Subject Area and Grade Level:Science, Grades 1-3Overview:During this lesson, students will complete a Webquest, allowing them to gain information from a number of sources. Florida Educational Technology Content Standards requires students to understand that information, from many different sources, can be acquired from technology. While completing the Webquest, students will learn the life cycle of a plant, plant parts, the items that plants (and other living organisms) require to survive, and social skills through cooperative learning. In doing so, students are engaging in a fun and motivational lesson, which is full of games, writing, coloring, singing, listening, reading, dancing, and hands-on experimenting. Students will also learn to use the scientific method by predicting how they believe a plant grows, gathering data, experimenting, observing, and sharing what they learned. Approximate Duration:One 60 minute session and a two-week homework assignment to be discussed on a different day’s sessionClass Information:This class will be primarily face-to-face with some hand-on experimenting that is to be done at home. Also, an internet component will be included within the 45-60 minute face-to-face session. Students will have the opportunity to adjust the size of text, which would be incredibly helpful for students with visual impairments, and audio level, which would be helpful for students with hearing impairments. Students will also be able to use a number of resources to receive information through fun and motivating ways. Students with various other special needs will be able to use a variety of modifications, such as peer work and choice-making, to complete work.

Common Core Educational Technology Standards Addressed: SC.H.1.1.5 : The student uses the senses, tools, and instruments to obtain information from his or her surroundings.

Common Core Sunshine State Standards Addressed:SC.2.L.16.1: Observe and describe major stages in the life cycles of plants and animals, including beans and butterflies.SC.2.L.17.1: Compare and contrast the basic needs that all living things, including humans, have for survival.

Interdisciplinary Connections:Health; Language Arts; SocialPrior Knowledge:It is important that students have gained a foundation of reading and writing skills before beginning this lesson. Students’ abilities to read and comprehend, as well as follow directions will also be important. Students should also have a basic understanding of scientific concepts concerning plants (i.e. whether they are living or not, where you can find them, that you can eat a large number of plants, edible plants are healthy).Outcomes/Objectives:

Given a webquest on plants, the student will be able to explain the life cycle of a plant in 2 or more sentences with at least 100 percent accuracy.

Given a webquest containing a series of websites, the student will be able to describe, how web tools can be used to obtain information with 100% accuracy.

Given an opportunity to grow a virtual plant, the student will be able to describe at least 2 of 4 things a plant needs in order to grow and survive with 100% accuracy.

Technologies and Other Materials /Resources:

Lesson materialsJournals, certificates, pencils, crayons, cups, soil, bean seeds, water, computers with internet access, glue, plastic bags, “The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle, large plant life cycle pictures

Websites used:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J62ffc0RR8Q&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2RuVxdr0mA&feature=relatedhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/7_8/plants_grow_fs.shtmlhttp://www2.bgfl.org/bgfl2/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/science/plants_pt2/growth.htmhttp://www.slideshare.net/elemlms/plant-parts-12nd-gradehttp://www2.bgfl.org/bgfl2/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/science/plants_pt2/dispersal.htm

Extra resources:http://urbanext.illinois.edu/gpe/index.cfmhttp://www.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/NewPlants/activities/watchitgrow.html

Activities/Tasks (Lesson Procedure):

Lesson Procedure:

Webquest link: http://www.zunal.com/process.php?w=187761“Save the Day Journal” and “Super Grower Award” are on the last pages of this lesson.

Introduction/Gain Attention/Ice Breakero Teacher (T) claps a beat, and the students (S) repeat the beat. The teacher claps a new beat, and the

students repeat the new beat. This process continues until all students are quiet and in their seats. Outcomes and Relevance

o T- Explain that students will be learning about the life cycle of a plant. Introduce and then say-spell-define the vocabulary words for the lesson (life cycle and web quest). “A life cycle explains the ‘birth’, life, and death of something. Every living thing has a life cycle.”

o “ A Webquest gives us all of the tools we need to learn something new and exciting. They also help us understand that when we learn, we can gather information from many different places, tools, and activities.”

o Tell students that they will be learning what plants need in order to grow and live, like food and water, just like humans and animals do.

o Explain they will be going to the computer lab to complete a Webquest. o When we are finished learning all of this, we will know how to grow our own plants and food, as well as

keep them alive! Motivating Introduction

o T- Show the students the front of “The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle. Ask the students what they think the book will be about and why. Mention the use of picture clues to help you find the answers and make predictions, like good readers do. Ask the students what type of plant the seed will grow into. Hint at using picture clues, so that students will look at the picture of the flower on the cover and say “flower”. Provide feedback for students who answer questions correctly and incorrectly. Hint students toward discovering the answer without giving them the answer.

o T-Read the book, and stop periodically to ask the students what they think is going to happen next. Content of Lesson

o Transition from the classroom to the computer lab by asking students to think of a plant. Once they have a plant in mind, they are pretend that they are the seed of that plant, blowing in the wind from their seat to the line. Once students are in line, they will be “blown” to the computer lab, where they will be planted into a seat.

o When students are seated, they are to log into their computer. Journals will be passed out while students talk to the person next to them, their partner for the assignment, about where they imagined they could have been blown by the wind. Students will also write their names on the front page of their journals.

o While the students finish their conversations, set up the control computer for remote viewing. When the computer is set up, regain the students attention by singing “Petals, leaves, stem, and roots” to the tune of “Head, shoulders, knees, and toes”. Sing it extra at a regular pace, extra slow, and extra fast.

o T-Tell the students that they are going to be super heroes. They will save the day with their plant growing powers. Read the introduction of the Webquest, and walk students through the first few steps. Gradually give students more responsibility through guided and then individual practice.

o T-Before beginning the Webquest together, allow students to read the task. Allow students to make group decisions and flip through their journals.

o T- Build on students’ prior knowledge by guiding them in a discussion about plants. Ask students what plants are (living organisms that provide food and oxygen). Guide students to discover the answers to the questions, including their own, by providing hints and guidance on using metacognitive strategies

(questioning, visualizing, etc.). Ask students to name a few plants, including ones that are edible and those that are not. Ask students to think about and then explain how plants grow. Start by discussing how a plant starts from a seed and then grow taller until they bloom. Instead of making a K-W-L chart, teacher and students will discuss the content that would go into the chart. Students will say what they still want to know about plants. Have students complete page 2 of their journals by drawing a picture of their predictions or understanding of how plants grow (3 minutes or so).

o T -Show the first link on the Webquest, through the viewing tool, which displays the screen of the controlling computer. “Let’s continue. Look at the next step. All of the steps tell us what we will be learning about or what we need to do in order to complete that step. This one says, ‘Now it is time to listen to a song and watch a video that will show us the process that every seed goes through to become a plant. The song will tell you about the life cycle of a plant. A life cycle is a circle of events that happen over and over again in life. A seed, for example, starts as a seed, grows to a plant, and dies as a flower. When the flower dies, seeds fall out of the flower, planting themselves into the ground, and preparing to grow another plant. Listen to this song to understand the plant cycle. Press play (the triangle) once the Website loads. Were you and your partner right? Do plants grow the way that you guessed they do?’ Do you see the blue sentence? That is what we will click on to start the activity. Let’s listen to the song now.” Click on the link and listen to the song.

o S- Watch the video and listen to the song quietly, and then take a minute to discuss with a partner what new information they found out through the video.

o T-Rewind to the beginning of the video and replay it without sound. Have the students help you explain what is happening in each stage of the life cycle. Pause it when necessary. “It looks like the seed has been planted, but what is the dark thing growing from the bottom? Right! They are roots! Why does a plant have roots? What job do they have?” Continue in his manner until the whole life cycle has been reviewed. Emphasize planting the seed, the seed growing roots, the plant sprouting above the ground, and the development of leaves and buds.

o T- Model moving on to the next step and reading the directions. Follow the directions while thinking out loud. For instance, “The directions said to watch a video. We said that the blue sentences or words were what we needed to click on, in order to complete each step, so I will click on ‘Watch a real seed grow, or germinate.’ Oh, look! It brought up another video. The directions also said to…” Continue on until the video is finished.

o S-Once again, students will turn to their partners and discuss what happened in the video. They will discuss what they learned or what was different from their prediction. Students will then turn to pages 3 and 4 of their journals. They will begin the activity with the teacher as the model. S/he will first decide which picture will go first in the sequence. S/he will model using metacognitive skills and elaboration of prior knowledge to complete the task orally. S/he will then have students help create a descriptive sentence for stage 1. Partners will then work together to complete the rest of the page.

o Encourage students to work together to complete the next step on their own computer and with their partner. Move about the room, providing feedback and guidance for students. Once students are finished, ask students about the effects of certain conditions of plants (i.e. too much water, too much light, and just enough light). Ask students what each plant in one of the conditions looks like, and have a few students share what they wrote on page 5 of their journals.

o Allow student groups to work together to complete the rest of the activity, including the closure sections. Students can play on the extra Websites listed in the closure section, if s/he has extra time. Each child will be given a “Super Grower Award” at the end of the WebQuest. However, before students can review the Webquest links of their choice, they can mentally grade their own work, using the rubric. The teacher will also grade students’ journals, using the teacher rubric. As students leave the computer lab to begin the review, students will pretend that they are seeds, as they sit in their chairs. As they stand and move to line, they will pretend they are growing, like a plant does, from seed to flower.

Closure and Review: Students will close the lesson with a review of their work. They will share, with their partners, the information they learned and transcribed into their journals. Once in the classroom, four to five students at a time will stand in front of the classroom with large pictures plant life cycle stages. Students must work together to place their cards in order, by moving their whole body to the correct position in line. Students, independently, will then receive the opportunity to plant their own seeds, as well as observe and record their growth. At the end of the lesson, students will receive cups, soil, a seed, and some water to plant their own seed. Independent practice will continue for the next 2 weeks, as homework, until the plant has grown. Before taking their plant home, the teacher should ask, “Think back on all that we learned today. Now, tell me what you are going to do to make sure that your plant grows?” On minute papers, students will be encouraged to explain what a plant needs, how it grows, and what they will do to ensure that their own plants grow.

Higher Level Thinking Skills Notedo “Think back on all that we learned today. Now, tell me what you are going to do to make sure that your

plant grows?”

o “What is a plant?”o “How do plants grow?”

Relevance/Rationale: Plants are a part of everyday life. Students see them every day. They know that they are planted, and that they grow. They are eaten, used to decorate, picked for loved ones, and necessary for our survival, as well as the survival of animals. By building on prior knowledge, students are better able to grasp the concepts being presented, as well as use metacognitive skills, such as visualization, to enhance their own learning. Students need to know how complex and magnificent life cycles, including our own, are. Students should be able to experience these types of lessons to learn how to sow and care for plants, as well as to learn how to utilize multiple tools and devices to gather information for educational purposes. Through this Webquest, creative, fun-loving second grade students are able to build initiative and motivation, as well as social skills. It utilizes the scientific method, while introducing students to the plant life cycle and basic needs for living organisms. Students are also integrating language arts, student collaboration, and technology integration. These lessons meet the Sunshine State Standards, enabling students to grow academically while having meaningful learning experiences. Finally, students are able to learn about technology and its potential, while learning in a way that the Net generation is more comfortable with. While these students are expressing themselves through paper and pencil, they are collaborating, sharing knowledge, and changing information through partner and whole class work, while developing Web 2.0 skills. Assessment Criteria for Success:

How will you assess student learning throughout the lesson (formative)? Observation, interviewing, and direct feedback during the task will be utilized, as a formative assessment, to measure students’ understanding of the lesson’s concepts, as they are being taught. Also, completion and products of the journal will be good indicators of students’ understanding.

How will you and your students know if they have successfully met the outcomes? If student work is meeting the criterion for excellence, described in the teacher rubric, then it will be evident that students have met the outcomes of the lesson. Students will show an understanding of material through the ability to discuss it, follow the directions of the Webquest, and complete the activities, including the journal and experiment, that are assigned.

What specific criteria will be met in a successful product/process? Students will show an ability to utilize a Webquest, discuss and teach plant life cycles, as well as what a plant needs to survive with a peer, use second grade writing skills, collaborate with a partner, and use technology to find information. Students will be able to explain that technology can be used to find information from many different sources, use the scientific method to observe and learn about a plant’s life cycle, as well as successfully experiment providing a plant its needs in order to survive.

What does success on this lesson’s outcomes look like? Students will be able to either use technology more effectively, or ease any anxiety related with technology, by the end of this lesson. Also, student’s should be able to turn in their completed journals, including their observation logs, in order to show an understanding of the lesson’s material. With the knowledge they have acquired, students should be able to care for a plant through the germination stage.

Describe any (summative) assessments to be used if applicable. Aside from “Save the Day Journals”, students will be assessed at the end of the chapter, on the entire chapter, using a chapter test.

Explorations and Extensions:1. EXPLORATION: Students may feel the desire to grow their own gardens at home, after completing this lesson. Students will also gain quite a bit of knowledge to apply to other areas within the subject, such as the life cycle of other plants and animals, as well as the definitions, purpose, and uses of plant parts. Those who finish early will concrete and build upon the knowledge they just acquired by completing activities that are listed in the “Conclusion” section. These activities include growing a garden and solving an in-depth mystery about plants in Detective LePlant’s laboratory. 2. EXTENSIONS: To reteach this lesson, students can start this activity by sequencing stages of a humans life, motivating students and increasing their likeliness of success, due to their familiarity with the subject. Afterward, I would utilize pictures of varying real and fake plants and ask students to sequence them. We can go on nature hunts and look for the various cycles of the plant life cycle. A variety of teaching methods would be utilized in order for students to grasp the concepts.Modifications/Accommodations and Access for All:Since the Webquest is done through a software program that will allow font size to be changed, students with visual impairments can change the size of the text. Also, students with hearing impairments may wish to adjust the volume of the activities or use recorded audio direction with a cassette or audio player. When completing the independent experiment, students will also be given the opportunity to express their view and understanding through several mediums, including: video, audio, drawing, pictures, etc.

How will you ensure that all students have access to and are able to engage appropriately in this lesson? Students of every shape, size, culture, nationality, and diverse background will have access to the Webquest through the school’s computer lab. The lesson will be taught using a myriad of methods, allowing every type of learner to master the concepts. Many visuals, hands-on experimenting, relia, props, games, and so on will be used to help ELLs to engage in the lesson, as well.

Reflections:Use this component to provide any insights you gained after teaching the lesson to your students. LIST at least three (3) questions you will ask yourself after the lesson is taught. DO NOT FILL OUT THIS PART I HAVE LEFT THIS HERE IN CASE YOU WISH TO RE-USE THIS LESSON TEMPLATE AT A LATER DATE

Scroll down to page 6 for lesson handouts.

Created by: _________________________________

1

How does a plant grow?Draw a picture and explain how you think a seed grows into

a plant. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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2

Now that you have seen a plant grow, you will be able to put the life cycle cards in order after you color and cut them. After you put them in order, glue them in the

appropriate box and explain what is happening in each stage.

3

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

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4

What does a plant need in order to grow?

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Now that you have finished your experiment, you can describe what happens when a plant gets too much water, too much light, or just enough

of everything. Draw a quick sketch of what each plant looks like and describe why the plant looks the way it does.

Too much water Too much light Just enough water and light

__________________ __________________ ____________________________________ __________________ ____________________________________ __________________ ____________________________________ __________________ __________________

5

Now that you know the different parts of a plant, label them. When you are finished, look below the picture. Find the red circle’s matching number and describe what that part’s job is.

Word Bank: stem fruit seed leaf flower root

1._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6

Flying Seeds and Seed Dispersal

Were the predictions you and your partner made correct? Name and describe at least 2 ways that plant seeds travel to a new place.

Draw a picture of one way seeds are dispersed. Explain what is going on in your picture.

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7

Lima Bean’s Life Cycle Observations

When you arrive at school, write down at least one sentence about what you can see, or observe, while your real lima bean seed

grows. Make sure you date your entry. Don’t forget capital letters and punctuations!

Week 1Monday:___________________________________________________________________________________________________Tuesday:___________________________________________________________________________________________________Wednesday:__________________________________________________________________________________________________Thursday:___________________________________________________________________________________________________Friday:______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Week 2Monday:___________________________________________________________________________________________________Tuesday:___________________________________________________________________________________________________Wednesday:__________________________________________________________________________________________________Thursday:___________________________________________________________________________________________________Friday:______________________________________________________________________________________________________

8

Super Grower Award

Congratulations!You saved the day!

____________________________ Presented to:

________________________ _____________ Presented by: Date: