Lesson Plan Supplemental Materials

Lesson Summary: In this lesson, students will select one of 58 National Parks in the U.S. to research. They will create a Prezi that will make use of relevant information they gather on their selected National Park from a variety of media, reference and technological sources.

The standards that will be addressed in this lesson plan are as follows:
Grade 5: Grade Band: K-5
Content Area: Writing
Standard: Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
8. Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.

Grade: Grade 5 Grade Band: Grade 3 - 5
Content Area: Technology
Standard: Technology and Information Literacy
Standard 4: Technology and Communication Applications
Students use an array of technologies and apply design concepts to communicate with multiple audiences, acquire and disseminate information and enhance learning. Students acquire and publish information in a variety of media formats. They incorporate communication design principles in their work. They use technology to disseminate information to multiple audiences. Students use telecommunication tools to interact with others. They collaborate in real time with individuals and groups who are located in different schools, communities, states and countries. Students participate in distance education opportunities which expand academic offerings and enhance learning.
Benchmarks : B. Develop, publish and present information in print and digital formats

Standard 5: Technology and Information Literacy Students engage in information literacy strategies, use the Internet, technology tools and resources, and apply information-management skills to answer questions and expand knowledge. Students become information-literate learners by utilizing a research process model. They recognize the need for information and define the problem, need or task. Students understand the structure of information systems and apply these concepts in acquiring and managing information. Using technology tools, a variety of resources are identified, accessed and evaluated. Relevant information is selected, analyzed and synthesized to generate a finished product. Students evaluate their information process and product.

Benchmarks: A. Describe types of information: facts, opinions, primary/secondary sources; and formats of information: number, text, sound, visual, multimedia; and use information for a purpose.
B. Use technology to find information by applying a research process to decide what information is needed, to find sources, use information and to check work.
C. Use the Internet to find, use and evaluate information.
D. Identify, access and use electronic resources from both free and fee-based Internet sources.

Students will be expected to use information literacy by applying a research process to decide what information is needed, to find sources and use information. Students will be able to develop, publish and present information in a digital format by the end of the lesson. Below are three supplemental materials I created for this lesson. Each are embedded below.

The first supplementary material is an assessment tool that can be given to students both before and after the lesson is taught. This Quizlet will help to identify whether students have background knowledge about how to go about their research on a national park. If given at the end of the lesson, it will confirm the students' understanding of what was taught.
The second supplementary material I created is a teaching tool. It is a GoAnimate video that helps walk students through the research process. It discusses what to do first and how to map out the information they will need to present their national park in a digital format. Please note that because I have not upgraded to a membership with GoAnimate, I am unable to video over 30 seconds. The last slide needed to be deleted in order to save it, so it is slightly under 30 seconds due to their requirements. National Parks Research by klisteducator on GoAnimate

The third supplementary material I create is Prezi. This is an example of a student's final product. They will be taking the information they collect and putting it into this digital format. Students will use a rubric to follow as they conduct their research.

My Technology Lesson Plan

Assignment 12/13: My Technology Plan by princesslist

Growing Up Online

     The documentary, “Growing Up Online” details the pros and cons of internet use by children. It describes the boundaries that the internet is crossing and what parents and teachers can do to help educate and protect children.

1. A survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that in 2004, 67 percent of parents said the Internet has been a good thing for their children. However, this number decreased to 59 percent in 2006. In 2012, 69% of parents of online teens said they were concerned about how their child’s online activity might affect their future academic or employment opportunities, with some 44% being “very” concerned. Cite some reasons why parental support for their children’s independent internet use is decreasing. Why do you think the number of parents who reported the Internet being a good thing for their children has decreased? 

     Some of the reasons why parental support for their children’s independent internet use is decreasing is because of how it the concern about how it is negatively affecting children in their ability to function. Parents and teachers are beginning to notice that children are having more difficulty in paying attention in class. They are also recognizing the danger of online predators. Parents may also recognize that their child’s socialization is changing. Some parents describe how their children’s behavior changes when they try to talk to them. For example, one father said his son would be chatting with 25 people at a time and get agitated if he (father) asked him a question. Many parents who initially were in support of the Internet for their child may have changed their mind about this as the access to the internet has increased through additional sources of access (smartphones, iPads, etc.).


 2. More teachers are using tools to try to detect cheating or deter students’ inclination to cheat. In the program, we see the use of plagiarism-detection tools like Turnitin.com and writing assignments completed during class time to make sure students do their own work and generate their own ideas. How can we as educators stop students from using material they found online as their own work? Should that be considered cheating, in your opinion?

     I do believe that educators and parents have the greatest opportunity than anyone to influence students from using material they find online as their own work. Teachers can equip students by teaching them strategies that will help them grow as writers. I liked how the teacher in the documentary would have students complete their writing work in class so they couldn’t cheat. I do believe that using someone else’s work is cheating. I feel this is a lack of character on the part of the student and that character building begins in the home.


3. One student claims he "never reads books" but relies on summaries and annotated notes he finds on Web sites. He confesses that he feels guilty about this, stating, "I feel like I kind of cheated it." In your opinion, should he feel guilty? Why or why not?

     I do think the student who used the Sparknotes should feel like he cheated because that’s exactly what he did. Again, I think this a character flaw that makes him think it is okay to be dishonest. A person’s core values are linked to their actions. I believe that students should spend more time reading than the amount of time being spent on a computer or device.


4. Before the Internet, in order to be seen by the world, you had to be portrayed in some form of mass media, and you had to be famous in some respect -- in the news, in politics or as a celebrity. Now anyone can be seen online by anyone else in the world. Some people have become famous for videos or photos they’ve posted (such as Autumn Edows). In your opinion, should people like Edows, or others who become “ famous” through their online presence, be considered “celebrities?”Has the ability to create an online persona, and receive worldwide attention for it, affected our cultural values?
   
     I personally don’t believe people like Edows or others who become “famous” through their online presence should be considered “celebrities.” In the case of Edows, I felt sorry for her. It was obvious from her conversation that the pain of her childhood led her to choose this path. It furthermore only caused more pain to herself and then to her family. The ability to create an online persona and receive worldwide attention for it has affected our cultural values in that it promotes an acceptance to distorting reality to gain attention to oneself.


5. Shows like "To Catch a Predator" on Dateline NBC (http://www.nbcnews.com/id/10912603/) contribute to parental anxiety about online media. It is obvious that certain elements of programs like “To Catch a Predator,” and even this documentary, will likely increase parents’ fears.Cite one current event from the past year where a young person has been affected (positively or negatively) by being active online. (find a link to a news story, describe it in your answer to this question, and provide the link as well). Click here to see an example of what I’m looking for: http://www.startribune.com/nation/254228371.html (Please do some research on your own and find a story other than Rebecca Sedwick's...her story is probably the most famous cyberbullying case to date.)

     The current event from the past year where a young person has been affected, in this case negatively, by being active online can be found in the following link. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2014/01/25/seven-grafton-teens-arrested-felony-witness-intimidation-charges-for-allegedly-cyber-bullying-the-victim-violent-crime/V7sn8b4axyorUa535jA0XK/story.html. It describes a boy that was harassed “physically and through social media.” The teens involved were arrested.


6. Teasing, lying, gossiping, threatening, spreading rumors or harassing online (and offline) can severely affect people’s self-concept and self-esteem and have an impact on their emotional state. In the program, we see one girl who describes flirting with boys and then revealing she was just kidding. She explains: "You wouldn’t do that to someone’s face, but online is completely different. ... No one can do anything. You’re at your house, they’re at their house." In her quote, this teen is describing Suler’s disinhibition effects. Which one do you think it is, and why?

     This teen is describing dissociative anonymity. I think it is this disinhibition effect because the girl knows that she can avoid taking responsibility for her behavior because she is online. She is separating her actions from the real world.


7. At the end of the program, Greg decides it’s time for him to "disconnect" by going to the Coast Guard Academy, where he will spend seven weeks without cell phones or the Internet. Have you ever thought about "disconnecting" from it all? Do you think it would be easy or difficult for you personally? What would you enjoy or dislike about disconnecting?

     I have thought about “disconnecting” from it all, especially this past week, for two reasons. The first reason is this week’s assignment has raised my awareness in how I can help to instill good practices with my children’s internet usage. The second reason is because the week prior I had the opportunity to go to the Grand Canyon and get a taste of being “unplugged” from technology. I would enjoy saying goodbye to the distractions that my smartphone brings me. I wouldn’t feel the need to check my email, text messages or Facebook. I would miss the accessibility of looking up information during our school day or having quick access to the camera on my phone so I can take a picture I would not have normally been able to.

Tech Tool Review

National and State Technology Standards

The purpose of the National Education Technology Plan is to help equip all students to be able to help facilitate our country’s development as a global competitor. Through this plan, the government wants to increase student graduation rates. It affects teachers in that they will be rewarded on how their students perform and more training will be required. Teachers will need to be flexible and willing to collaborate with higher education, businesses and organization in order to aide in student learning. Students will be affected in that it will open them up to more opportunity by gaining the necessary skills for today’s economy. Everyday people will be affected in that taxes could increase to offset the cost of implementation.

The main assumptions under which the National Education Technology Plan are outlined below:

·         “Many of the failings of our education system stem from our failure to engage the hearts and minds of students.”

·         “What students need to learn and what we know about how they learn have changed, and therefore the learning experiences we provide should change.”

·         “How we assess learning focuses too much on what has been learned after the fact and not enough on improving learning in the moment.”

·         “We miss a huge opportunity to improve our entire education system when we gather student-learning data in silos and fail to integrate the information and make it broadly available to decision-makers at all levels of our education system—individual educators, schools, districts, states, and the federal government.”

·         “Learning depends on effective teaching, and we need to focus on extended teams of connected educators with different roles who collaborate within schools and across time and distance and who use technology resources and tools to augment human talent.”

·         “Effective teaching is an outcome of preparing and continually training teachers and leaders to guide the type of learning we want in our schools.”

·         “Making engaging learning experiences and resources available to all learners anytime and anywhere requires state-of-the-art infrastructure, which includes technology, people, and processes that ensure continuous access.”

·         “Education can learn much from such industries as business and entertainment about leveraging technology to continuously improve learning outcomes while increasing the productivity of our education system at all levels.”

·         “Just as in health, energy, and defense, the federal government has an important role to play in funding and coordinating some of the R&D challenges associated with leveraging technology to ensure the maximum opportunity to learn.”

“The plan also assumes that with technology we can provide engaging and powerful learning content, resources, and experiences and assessment systems that measure student learning in more complete, authentic, and meaningful ways. With technology-based learning and assessment systems, we can improve student learning and generate data that can be used to continuously improve the education system at all levels. With technology, we can execute collaborative teaching strategies combined with professional learning strategies that better prepare and enhance educators' competencies and expertise over the course of their careers. With technology, we can redesign and implement processes to produce better outcomes while achieving ever higher levels of productivity and efficiency across the education system.”

With the implementation of this plan, administrators, educators or even students might have concerns about these assumptions. Administrators might be concerned about the budget they will be given to implement the plan. Educators might be challenged with handing over precious classroom time to businesses and organizations. They may also have difficulty with the additional training that will be required as well as the competition it could create between staff. Students might feel overwhelmed by what is expected of them.

Below is list of the five goals for our educational system. They are directly quoted from the NETP. Technology will help to support the growth of these competencies through the increased accessibility of technology for more people and by utilizing it to measure academic learning. It will be used to create teams of professional educators that funnel support to one another with the goal of creating lifelong learners. Additionally, it will be used to manage resources efficiently.

“1.0 Learning: Engage and Empower”

“2.0 Assessment: Measure What Matters”

“3.0 Teaching: Prepare and Connect”

“4.0 Infrastructure: Access and Enable”

“5.0 Productivity: Redesign and Transform”

As I read The State of Ohio's Educational Technology Plan's "purpose and mission" (page 6), I believe it aligns with the National Education Technology Plan in that both work to utilize businesses, agencies and other resources that can be made accessible for improving the technological skills of students. Both plans purpose to make technology more easily available. The two plans are not aligned in that Ohio’s plan is flexible so that it can be adapted as technology changes. Ohio’s plan also seeks public input.

As I read Ohio’ s State Educational Technology Plan outlined on page 8, I believe this outline aligns with the "model of learning powered by technology, with goals and recommendations in five essential areas" proposed by the National Education Technology Plan in that it gives specifics on how it is going to meet those goals. It narrows in and identifies the strategies it will use to accomplish the goals at the State level. The areas where the two plans are perhaps not aligned are the difference in emphasis on assessment. The NETP strongly focuses on assessment to help drive instruction, however the OSETP puts a focus on data collection to determine educator’s professional development. OSETP makes mention of “short-cycle student assessments.”

                As I read Ohio’s State Educational Technology Plan's "measurements of success" (page 16), I see the amount of funding necessary to support this plan and the time it will take for educators to get trained as  barriers to seeing the fulfilling of this plan. I also see the collaboration between the educational system and outside agencies as being a challenge. I think it would be difficult to get everyone on the same page. Not every professional is a teacher. It might be hard for teachers to have outside professionals coming into the classroom without having experience with children or a background of child development. Another barrier in reaching the "measurements of success" in the state of Ohio is regulating the data tracking system for both students and teachers.

ORC Lesson Plan

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/examining-plot-conflict-through-802.html?tab=2#tabs

I had a very difficult time with trying to get the screenshots embedded into this post. I don't know if it had to do with the computer I was working on or if it was just me. I completed everything in the assignment but this part. It was odd...I could take a screen shot and paste it into a Word document, but I couldn't get it to embed into the post. When I clicked the picture icon in the Compose mode, and then selected URL, I got a message that said the picture couldn't be found. It suggested it could be an internal password problem. 
       This standards-based lesson is written for grades 3-5, however I am focusing on using it with fifth graders. Students will be expected to make predictions using the pictures in the stories, identify what the four types of conflicts are, relate what is happening in the plot to their life, talk about the conflicts with classmates according to teacher grouping, use a graphic organizer to identify variables that influenced the conflicts in the story and write an essay that compares a conflict they had in their own life with one that the character had in the story they read.
         Below are the Common Core standards that this lesson is designed to meet. This lesson is divided into six sections, requiring 50 minutes of teaching time for each one. I am focusing on the first section for this assignment. Within this section, students work collaboratively to develop a definition of plot conflict and write it in their notebooks. After the teacher reads a passage, students will summarize what they heard and then identify the kind of plot conflict the passage exemplified by writing their reflections in their notebooks.

OH.CC.RL.5.		Reading Standards for Literature
		Key Ideas and Details
RL.5.2.		Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
		Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RL.5.7.		Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).
RL.5.10.		By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
OH.CC.RF.5.		Reading Standards: Foundational Skills
		Fluency
RF.5.4.		Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
RF.5.4(a)		Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.
RF.5.4(c)		Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
OH.CC.W.5.		Writing Standards
		Text Types and Purposes
W.5.2.		Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
W.5.2(b)		Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
W.5.3.		Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
W.5.3(c)		Use a variety of transitional words, phrases, and clauses to manage the sequence of events.
		Production and Distribution of Writing
W.5.4.		Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
		Research to Build and Present Knowledge
W.5.9.		Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
W.5.9(a)		Apply grade 5 reading standards to literature (e.g., ''Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or a drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., how characters interact]'').
OH.CC.SL.5.		Speaking and Listening Standards
		Comprehension and Collaboration
SL.5.1.		Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.5.1(a)		Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
SL.5.1(b)		Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
SL.5.1(c)		Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.
OH.CC.L.5.		Language Standards
		Conventions of Standard English
L.5.1.		Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L.5.1(d)		Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.
		Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.5.4.		Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
L.5.4(a)		Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
L.5.6.		Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal contrast, addition, and other logical relationships (e.g., however, although, nevertheless, similarly, moreover, in addition).

            I would use this lesson in small reading groups to help my students understand plot conflict. I wouldn’t expect them to have a problem with it as long as I use solid examples of each kind of plot conflict. I think my students would do well with making personal connections to the characters in the story because I would have already made this a strategy that we incorporate every time we read to help us understand the text better. 

Pinterest in the Classroom

 Below are my responses to the questions for this assignment.

1.      What did you learn from the Pinterest activity? I found that Pinterest has the potential to take up a lot of my time!

2. How do you believe you will utilize Pinterest as a teacher?  There are so many creative ideas that teachers can use to make their teaching engaging and meaningful. I can see myself using Pinterest as a tool to help enrich learning for  my students.

  

3. What are the strengths of Pinterest? Pinterest is presented in a very organized fashion and easy to use.

4.What are some of the challenges of Pinterest? Pinterest can be addicting and very time-consuming.

5.What comments, questions, thoughts, opinions, and/or feedback do you have about Pinterest? I am looking forward to using Pinterest not only for teaching, but for other areas of life. For example, planning vacations, home and cooking. This experience has been refreshing and encouraging, especially during this time of the school year when students and teachers have cabin fever and are anticipating Spring Break.

Khan/Koller Review

When I visited the Khan Academy site, I envisioned myself using it as a tool to polish up on some of my math skills. I took the pretest and the program determined what content I had mastered and where I needed to go from there. I plan to use this website with my students. I liked the simplicity of the videos and how Khan casually “thinks out loud” as he explains how to determine the answer. I do think that this site would be helpful to my students because it is easy to follow and learn from. Only time will tell whether Salman Khan is right when he says that in the future we will rely more on “credentialing” through the use of online courses. However, it seems limiting because it can only benefit those individuals that have access to computers. I do believe we are on an upward trend in the use of online courses. Learning online does make learning more accessible for more students. For example, individuals without reliable transportation can benefit from online courses. Individuals that have to work during the day also can still learn, but from their home and within the demands of their schedule. 

   As I explored the Coursera course offerings, I found the number of schools that are participating to be of great interest. The course entitled, “Blended Learning: Personalizing Education for Students” from The New Teacher Center was one that I would consider taking. There were so many that caught my eye…even beginners guitar class at Berklee College of Music. At this time, Columbus State does not appear to accept Coursera transfer credits. I could not find any information about Coursera on either website. I don’t think that Cousera courses appear to be more challenging than others I have taken. Each course gives an estimated amount of time that a student should expect to spend each week on the course. It also states how long the course is. I’m sure a course’s complexity could be influenced by who is teaching it, especially if their teaching style fits most closely to a student’s learning style or personality.

          I believe that MOOCs are the “wave of the future.” It would definitely change the way students would receive their education because of the limitations of social interaction. MOOCs could really change the world as it opens up the door of opportunity for more people through free education.

Ohio DL Schools

	Connections Academy	ECOT	Ohio Virtual Academy	Virtual Community School of Ohio	Virtual Schoolhouse
Clarity and understandability of information	Yes, but font is too small for majority of text throughout the webpage.	Yes	Yes	Limited, poor font choice and size	Yes
Look and feel of the DL environment	Appealing, use of photographs	Includes photographs and testimonials	Appealing, lots of information in drop-down buttons.	Not a clean look to the site. Homepage needs to be more captivating.	Very appealing to the eye with wide screen video on home page. Use of buttons and drop down menus.
Presence of a FAQ page	Yes	Yes	Yes, specifically broken down into separate pages	Under the “How It Works” tab, there are FAQ’s for grade levels, special educ. and part-time classes	No

In this post, I reviewed five distance learning choices for families desiring to school through an online school.

Below are the top five distance learning options I would want to find in a school for my children: 

1. Child can learn at their own pace.

2. Choice for which field trips we are required to attend.

3. Lowest possible time spent on computer

4. Provides computer to use and connectivity expenses

5. High teacher support

The five distance learning options I would not pick: 

1. Standardized testing 

2. Brick and mortar school (Ex. VSH)

3. Excessive computer screen time

4. Workbook based learning

5. Doesn't offer year round schooling