Chris+Stewart's+Page

S7CS4. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating equipment and materials in scientific activities. S7CS9. Students will investigate the features of the process of scientific inquiry. S7L1. Students will investigate the diversity of living organisms and how they can be compared scientifically. . || 1. Creativity and Innovation 2. Communication and Collaboration 3. Research and Information Fluency 4. Critical Thinking, Problem solving and Decision Making
 * = Daily Lesson GAME Plan = ||
 * Lesson Title: Don’t Swim in the Pond! |||| Related Lessons: Protist Characteristics ||
 * Grade Level: 7th Grade |||| Unit: Kingdom Classification ||
 * ==GOALS== ||
 * Content Standards:
 * ISTE NETS-S:

Instructional Objectives: Learners will be presented with a scenario where two children have died two days after swimming in a local pond. Students will investigate the children’s symptoms, and then collect and examine pond samples under a microscope. Through their research, the class will hypothesize on the cause of death and make recommendations on how to prevent future disaster! This lesson will be tied to protists and amoebic dysentery. ||
 * ==ACTION== ||
 * Before-Class Preparation: Create a fake WordPress blog that breaks the story of two children dying two days after swimming in a local pond. I will then link this page from my classroom website. I will also create several WordPress accounts, one for each student team. ||
 * During Class ||
 * Time |||| Instructional Activities || Materials and Resources ||
 * 15 minutes |||| In the computer lab, I will introduce the story of the two children dying and allow the class to individually read the blog post I created. I will then allow the students to sign-in and leave comments on the blog page as if it were real. || Internet-ready computers ||
 * 20 minutes |||| Introduce the problem to the class and discuss purpose of the activity. Break into research teams and allow the students time to brainstorm various approaches to the problem. || LCD Projector and SMART Board ||
 * 30 minutes |||| Allow students time to research internet for symptoms, possible causes of death, and for similar deaths in the area. || Internet-ready computers, notebooks to record notes ||
 * 60 minutes |||| Students will visit the pond behind the school to collect water samples, take digital pictures, and record observations. They will also observe water clarity, temperature and amount of visible life in the pond. || Vials to collect water samples, digital cameras, thermometers, and notebooks. ||
 * 60 minutes |||| Students will use the microscope lab to inspect the water samples that they collected from the pond. They will record and draw everything substantial that they find. || Microscopes, video eye-piece attachment to view samples with LCD Projector ||
 * 30 minutes |||| Students will analyze their drawings, digital pictures, and observations that they collected from the pond. If needed, they will use Excel software to create graphs and they will upload their pictures and scanned drawings into WordPress. || iMacs with built-in digital camera to take pictures of their drawings ||
 * 30 minutes |||| Student teams will draw conclusions and hypothesize on possible cause of children’s deaths. Each team must be able to use the information and data that they collected to rationalize their conclusions. || Computers with Microsoft Word ||
 * 60 minutes |||| Student teams will create posts using the WordPress accounts that I created for them. Each team will post their conclusions as to the culprit that caused the death of the two children. Each team must also support their conclusion with pictures, graphs that they created, and factual information from class. || Internet-ready computers, WordPress sites ||
 * 60 minutes |||| Each team will present their WordPress site to the class and briefly discuss their findings. When each team has presented, the students will visit the other team’s sites and initiate online discussions through WordPress’s blogging component. || Internet-ready computers, LCD projectors, SMART Boards ||
 * Note student groupings, environmental modifications needed, etc: Students will need to have some background knowledge on Protists, and amoebic dysentery from science class. ||
 * ==MONITOR== ||
 * Ongoing Assessment(s): Monitor student teams for participation in the inquiry and investigative process. Check student notebooks for their observations, and drawings. Check WordPress sites for relevant information and posts.

Accommodations and Extensions: Teams will be created based on ability and motivation to assure maximum participation from everyone. Assure that each student has the equitable opportunity to go to the pond to collect samples. Assure that each team has necessary technology to complete project. Provide help as needed with graphing software and during microscope lab, and ensure that all students have adequate understanding of WordPress.

Back-Up Plan: If WordPress fails as a viable presentation method, then the learners will print off their pictures, graphs and conclusions to create a poster board. Each team will present their boards to the class and initiate a classroom discussion. ||
 * ==EVALUATE AND EXTEND== ||
 * LESSON REFLECTIONS AND NOTES: This lesson will be evaluated with a rubric. Areas of evaluation include appropriate connection of death to protist disease and amoebic dysentery, adequate evaluation of pond based on qualitative and quantitative observations. Evaluation will also be based on use of technology, and recommendations to prevent future deaths. I will create a WordPress post to initiate an online discussion on ways to make this activity better for future classes. ||

S7CS10. Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas. S7L1. Students will investigate the diversity of living organisms and how they can be compared scientifically. || 1. Creativity and Innovation 2. Communication and Collaboration 3. Research and Information Fluency 5. Digital Citizenship
 * = Daily Lesson GAME Plan = ||
 * Lesson Title: Publish a Kingdom’s Blog! |||| Related Lessons: Kingdom Characteristics ||
 * Grade Level: 7th Grade |||| Unit: Kingdom Classification ||
 * ==GOALS== ||
 * Content Standards:
 * ISTE NETS-S

Instructional Objectives: Students will be placed into groups of 3 and each group will be assigned one of the 6 kingdoms to research. The students in each group will be assigned one of the following writing elements: 1. General characteristics. 2. Negative impact of organisms. 3. Positive impact of organisms.

After researching and gathering the required information, they learners will create a blog. Each student will post their research within their group’s blog. Once all the posts have been created, the learners must read the posts from the other groups and leave a constructive comment on at least 4 posts. ||
 * ==ACTION== ||
 * Before-Class Preparation: I will have to create the appropriate WordPress sites for each group of students, and then share the URL with each group. I will also have to sign-up for time in the computer lab for 2 to 3 days to ensure the students have adequate opportunity to research and post their information. I will also discuss with the class the importance of leaving appropriate online comments, and how I will be able to track and moderate each comment. I will also have to create a Netiquette handout for students. ||
 * During Class ||
 * Time |||| Instructional Activities || Materials and Resources ||
 * 10 minutes |||| Classroom discussion on appropriate posts, and online interactions. || Netiquette Handout ||
 * 60 minutes |||| Students will research his or her assigned role in the computer lab. || Internet-ready computer and student notebook ||
 * 30 minutes |||| In the classroom, the learners will gather their research and write a coherent post. They will proof each others writing during this process. || Pen, paper, research notes ||
 * 30 minutes |||| In the computer lab, the students will type and publish their blog posts. || Internet-ready computers ||
 * 45 minutes |||| Students will read the posts from the other students. Each learner will choose 4 posts and then leave a constructive comment for each post. || Internet-ready computers. ||
 * Note student groupings, environmental modifications needed, etc: Students will be grouped according to ability and motivation. ||
 * ==MONITOR== ||
 * Ongoing Assessment(s): I will observe students during research for appropriate participation. I will check student notebooks to verify their research is adequate. I will offer guidance and suggestions as the students write their blog post, and I will moderate all posts and comments prior to publishing.

Accommodations and Extensions: Groups will be created based on ability and motivation. Each student will be afforded equal and equitable use of the computer lab, and if necessary additional time will be allowed within the classroom to finish posting and/or reading. I will provide additional help and resources to ELL students if needed. I will also provide text-to-speech resources for struggling readers.

Back-Up Plan: If the technology fails, the learners will use their research to create posters instead of blogs. Each group will create a poster that illustrates the 3 research criteria. ||
 * ==EVALUATE AND EXTEND== ||
 * Be specific and include the evaluation that you will use for this lesson:

LESSON REFLECTIONS AND NOTES: This lesson will be evaluated with a rubric. Areas of evaluation include appropriately working within a group, addressing the blog’s required writing elements, accuracy of content information, and leaving constructive comments to peers. I will also create a WordPress post to initiate an online discussion on ways to make this activity better for future classes. ||

S7CS10. Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas. S7L1. Students will investigate the diversity of living organisms and how they can be compared scientifically. || 1. Creativity and Innovation 2. Communication and Collaboration 3. Research and Information Fluency 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making 5. Digital Citizenship 6. Technology Operations and Concepts
 * = Daily Lesson GAME Plan = ||
 * Lesson Title: Telling a Digital Story! |||| Related Lessons: Kingdom Classification ||
 * Grade Level: 7th Grade |||| Unit: Classification ||
 * ==GOALS== ||
 * Content Standards:
 * ISTE NETS-S

Instructional Objectives: Students groups will use the information that they researched in the last blog activity, and create a digital story. The digital story must incorporate pictures, research facts and audio commentary. The class will have access to Flip Video cameras and the built-in web cams on the iMacs, so video clips are also recommended and encouraged. Each digital story must emphasize and focus on the following components:

1. General characteristics. 2. Negative impact of organisms. 3. Positive impact of organisms.

In addition to the above information, the students must focus on one negative impact of an organism in their Kingdom, and illustrate the dangers of that organism and ways that people can avoid being hurt by that organism. (Example: Bacteria can cause infection. What are different types of infections, what are the effects of infection and how can a person fight bacteria infection?) ||
 * ==ACTION== ||
 * Before-Class Preparation: ||
 * During Class ||
 * Time |||| Instructional Activities || Materials and Resources ||
 * 20 minutes |||| Students will break into their assigned groups and go over their research notes from the last blog activity. They will also choose on a negative component to illustrate in their digital story. || Groups and research notes from the last blog activity ||
 * 20 minutes |||| Students will organize their ideas with a concept map (Laureate Education Inc., 2009). || Paper and pen ||
 * 60 minutes |||| Students will sequence their ideas and then develop a script and storyboard to follow (Laureate Education Inc., 2009). || Additional paper, pens and research notes ||
 * 10 minutes |||| Students within a group will be assigned the following roles: Pictures, Video, Audio and Assembly. ||  ||
 * 120 minutes |||| Picture group will find relevant pictures on the Internet. Video group will create and record video to incorporate into the digital story. Audio group will create the audio commentary script and be responsible for creating the soundtrack. Assembly group will begin building the digital story in iMovie. || Flip Video, internet ready computers, iMacs, GarageBand and iMovie Software ||
 * 30 minutes |||| Students will take the final product and build a DVD menu structure and burn the project to DVD using iDVD. || iDVD software, blank DVD ||
 * Note student groupings, environmental modifications needed, etc: Students will be grouped according to ability and motivation. Students will also be assigned roles within the group to complete various components of the project. ||
 * ==MONITOR== ||
 * Ongoing Assessment(s): I will make observations while the students work to ensure that they are on-task and that they on-schedule with completing the assignment. I will also check their story-board content, read their scripts and view the pictures they find to ensure they are appropriate for a digital story.

Accommodations and Extensions: We will use the same groups from the prior blogging activity. Each student will be afforded equal and equitable use of the computer lab, and if necessary additional time will be allowed within the classroom to finish their projects. ELL students will be paired with English speaking students to ensure participation, and I will check with each ELL to ensure their understanding.

Back-Up Plan: If the technology fails, or we are not able to utilize school technology resources, then the learners will create posters with the relevant information and present their posters to the class. ||
 * ==EVALUATE AND EXTEND== ||
 * Be specific and include the evaluation that you will use for this lesson:

LESSON REFLECTIONS AND NOTES: This lesson will be evaluated with a rubric. Areas of evaluation will include appropriately working within a group, addressing the required elements for the project, effectively communicating their ideas, accuracy of content information and creativity. ||