Synopsis:
The following series of lessons is taken from a Year 2 unit about Bugs. The lessons presented below build upon prior learning in which students classify a variety of bugs and also investigate bugs in the school playground. It is assumed that students will have age-appropriate literacy skills and that they will have previously used Inspiration, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Powerpoint.
Pedagogical Links:
The lessons are based on sound pedagogical principles in the following ways: • Joint Productive Activity: Teacher and Students Producing Together
Students will work in mixed ability pairs to complete their research and produce their powerpoint presentations. Teachers will emphasise the importance of working as a team and supporting each other’s literacy skills. The physical classroom arrangement will enable students to work in pairs at a computer and/or at a shared desk. Teachers will circulate amongst the pairs, working with each pair for an extended period to enable joint discovery. • Developing Language and Literacy Across the Curriculum
Teachers will encourage students to verbally discuss the goals for each lesson and review their progress at the end of the lesson. Students will also engage in ongoing discussions and decision-making about the bug selection, the information found about the bugs and the design ideas of the powerpoint presentation. Students will give teachers updates on their progress, new understandings and modified understandings. • Making Meaning: Connecting School to Students’ Lives
By engaging in an investigation of the bugs found in the school playground, students can link new information to their prior knowledge. The podcasts and powerpoints could also be presented at an assembly or parent night, enabling a wider community to share in the students’ creations. • Teaching Complex Thinking: Cognitive Challenge
Different ability levels will be catered for by modifying the research internet sites and powerpoint requirements. Students choose the inclusions their powerpoint presentation has (for example: download a photo of the bug or take a photo with a digital camera). Students will engage in a group discussion to decide upon the sub-headings for the bug research. • Teaching Through Instructional Conversation
Teachers will adopt a listening role when working with pairs of children. By asking questions and provoking discussions, teachers can enable students to formulate their own opinions and modify their understandings.
Links to ISTE Standards:
1.
a) apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b) create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
2.
a) interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b) communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
3.
b) locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
c) evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
6.
a) understand and use technology systems.
b) select and use applications effectively and productively.
c) troubleshoot systems and applications.
Technology Requirements:
- Desktop/Laptop computers (enough for one per pair of students)
- Inspiration
- Internet connection and search engine
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Powerpoint
- A digital camera (for the extension activity)
Teaching and Learning Activities:
Please note that the following ideas are a brief description of a series of lessons, which can be separated in a way that suits individual teachers.
Students will work in mixed ability pairs to select a bug. This bug can be one that was discovered on the school playground bug investigation. Students then use Inspiration to brainstorm what is currently known about the bug. Students will then use online resources (please see below) to research information under a number of headings, which have been previously decided upon by the class. This new information is then added to the existing Inspiration mind map. Students now individually write an Information Report about their bug and use the shared Inspiration mind map as stimulus. Once completed, students publish their reports using Word and create a podcast by reading their reports aloud and recording them. These are then shared with their parents and the rest of the school at an appropriate time (eg. school assembly). Students complete a storyboard for their powerpoint presentation by selecting some key points from their research. Students create their powerpoint presentations, engaging in discussion about the style, links and design elements of the slides.
Extension Ideas:
- Students create models of their bugs and photograph them with digital cameras. The images could be added to the powerpoint presentations or added as photos to the podcasts.
Synopsis:
The following series of lessons is taken from a Year 2 unit about Bugs. The lessons presented below build upon prior learning in which students classify a variety of bugs and also investigate bugs in the school playground. It is assumed that students will have age-appropriate literacy skills and that they will have previously used Inspiration, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Powerpoint.
Pedagogical Links:
The lessons are based on sound pedagogical principles in the following ways:
• Joint Productive Activity: Teacher and Students Producing Together
Students will work in mixed ability pairs to complete their research and produce their powerpoint presentations. Teachers will emphasise the importance of working as a team and supporting each other’s literacy skills. The physical classroom arrangement will enable students to work in pairs at a computer and/or at a shared desk. Teachers will circulate amongst the pairs, working with each pair for an extended period to enable joint discovery.
• Developing Language and Literacy Across the Curriculum
Teachers will encourage students to verbally discuss the goals for each lesson and review their progress at the end of the lesson. Students will also engage in ongoing discussions and decision-making about the bug selection, the information found about the bugs and the design ideas of the powerpoint presentation. Students will give teachers updates on their progress, new understandings and modified understandings.
• Making Meaning: Connecting School to Students’ Lives
By engaging in an investigation of the bugs found in the school playground, students can link new information to their prior knowledge. The podcasts and powerpoints could also be presented at an assembly or parent night, enabling a wider community to share in the students’ creations.
• Teaching Complex Thinking: Cognitive Challenge
Different ability levels will be catered for by modifying the research internet sites and powerpoint requirements. Students choose the inclusions their powerpoint presentation has (for example: download a photo of the bug or take a photo with a digital camera). Students will engage in a group discussion to decide upon the sub-headings for the bug research.
• Teaching Through Instructional Conversation
Teachers will adopt a listening role when working with pairs of children. By asking questions and provoking discussions, teachers can enable students to formulate their own opinions and modify their understandings.
Links to ISTE Standards:
1.
a) apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b) create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
2.
a) interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b) communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
3.
b) locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
c) evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
6.
a) understand and use technology systems.
b) select and use applications effectively and productively.
c) troubleshoot systems and applications.
Technology Requirements:
- Desktop/Laptop computers (enough for one per pair of students)
- Inspiration
- Internet connection and search engine
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Powerpoint
- A digital camera (for the extension activity)
Teaching and Learning Activities:
Please note that the following ideas are a brief description of a series of lessons, which can be separated in a way that suits individual teachers.
Students will work in mixed ability pairs to select a bug. This bug can be one that was discovered on the school playground bug investigation. Students then use Inspiration to brainstorm what is currently known about the bug. Students will then use online resources (please see below) to research information under a number of headings, which have been previously decided upon by the class. This new information is then added to the existing Inspiration mind map. Students now individually write an Information Report about their bug and use the shared Inspiration mind map as stimulus. Once completed, students publish their reports using Word and create a podcast by reading their reports aloud and recording them. These are then shared with their parents and the rest of the school at an appropriate time (eg. school assembly). Students complete a storyboard for their powerpoint presentation by selecting some key points from their research. Students create their powerpoint presentations, engaging in discussion about the style, links and design elements of the slides.
Extension Ideas:
- Students create models of their bugs and photograph them with digital cameras. The images could be added to the powerpoint presentations or added as photos to the podcasts.
Research Resources:
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~slacey/minibeasts.htm
http://www.ento.csiro.au/about_insects/index.html
http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/citybugs/index.html - includes a facility to ask an expert.
Examples of Student Work:
Bugs Webpage