Multimedia Video: All About Birds

Subject Area: Science - Animal Life Cycles Unit

Grade Level: Grade 3

http://www.brainpop.com/science/diversityoflife/birds/zoom.weml

Description of Multimedia Learning Object:

The video attached here is a great explanation of birds and their basic physical characteristics. The video is animated and hosted by two cartoon characters named Tim and Moby – a boy and his robot. The video starts off by defining what characterizes a bird, how they survive in nature and finally the different parts of their body that are adaptations to their environment.

Description of Integration Idea:

I would use this video after I have gone through all of physical adaptations of a bird. By this time, students should be familiar with what a bird is and what kind of animal they are. Once I have gone through all of the bird’s physical characteristics and adaptations, this video is a great way to link all of the concepts together. In addition, the video gives animated descriptions of how each part of the bird works to help it eat, fly, and survive. This is a great lead-in to that part of the unit as we explore the function of the bird’s beak, feathers and wings in depth. Many children are better visual learners. To show this video after I have gone over the concepts could serve useful for some children to further understand the concepts taught and tie them together. There is also a great quiz at the end of the video. Once I have shown the video, we would go through this quiz together as a class.

Planning and Preparation:

In order to use the video effectively, it would be tied into my lesson plan. I would ensure that my lesson plan covers the concepts covered in the video. If it does not, the concepts should have been covered in previous classes. The video goes through the information rather quickly; therefore it is critical that I have explained much of the information ahead of time rather than bombarding the students with information without the opportunity to stop for questions. This way, the video has served it’s purpose as a summary of concepts taught and a lead-in to further exploration of each concept. In addition, I would have the video set up and ready to go before the class started. This is key to good classroom management. If there is a break between the lesson and setting up the video, the students can get off task and unfocused.

Grade 3 Science Learning Outcomes:

General Learning Outcome 3-1: Students will investigate the nature of birds.
General Learning Outcome 3-10: Students will be able to describe the appearances of birds and identify their adaptations to their environment.
Specific Learning Outcome 1: Students will be able to classify birds based on their observable characteristics – feathers, beak, wings, shape, and backbone.
Specific Learning Outcome 7: Students will recognize adaptations of birds to their environment.

8: Grade 3 ICT Learning Outcomes:

C1: Students will use and communicate information from a variety of technologies. Specifically, students will process information from more than one source to retell what has been discovered.

C5: Students will use technology to aid collaboration during an inquiry. Specifically, students will share information from the video to add to the classroom-learning task.

C6: Students will use technology to investigate problems. Specifically, they are supporting the information and answering further questions about birds.

Webquests

Check out the webquest I created for a Grade 3 Science Class. The webquest is intended to address the Life Cycle of a Tadpole in the Animal Life Cycles Unit

http://teacherweb.com/WQ/ElementarySchool/LifeCycle/

Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Discussion Boards in the Classroom

After completing my own discussion board thread, I found that there were some things that I enjoyed about the use of discussion boards in the classroom, but there were also some aspects I did not like.

Liked:

1. The discussion board is a more enclosed method of holding a discussion. Students do not have to send a link for their post and teachers can easily access all of the students threads with ease since they are kept together under one subject.
2. Though discussion boards are still public and accessible, it isn't as popular as blogging sites and doesn't contain as much personal information. As a result, they provide more privacy to the students when the general public goes on to search for posts.
3. Discussion boards are very specific for students. They go to the board and post a thread based on a subject topic only. This helps to keep the student on track and on topic.

Disliked:

1. The discussion board is slow. It was difficult to post threads, edit, and in general slowed down all other programs on my computer.
2. The discussion board is very impersonal. Unlike the blog, the students can't personalize, change the background, and learn about other students. As a result, students may not enjoy the discussion board as classroom forum since it is not as "fun".
3. Because the discussion board is so specific, it doesn't allow a teacher to view the change in a students posts over the semester. Though the discussion board makes it easier to assess students on one topic and compare to their peers, it is more difficult to assess the students progress over the year. With the blog, all of their posts are in reverse chronological order and gives a great visual of the students change over the school year.

I found that the discussion board and the blog both incorporate classroom discussion and technology use, but both are very different methods to assess students. Teachers need to consider the above points prior to deciding which online tool to use.

Concept Mapping Using Technology

The Concept Map shown here is an overview of the basic concepts covered in the Wetland Ecosystem Unit of the Grade 5 Science Curriculum. In this unit, students are expected to understand that Wetland Ecosystems are composed of both living and non-living components and that these interact with each other in order to create an ecosystem. This concept map would be a great tool to use from the beginning of the unit as an introduction, to the end of the unit as a summary. When introducing the unit, a concept map could be created collaboratively among the students and teachers. The teacher is able to introduce the topic of Wetlands, find out how much students already know about wetland ecosystems, and also ensure they understand the difference between living and non-living organisms. As the unit progresses, the students can return to this concept map, review the items, make additions, and also create links between the non-living and the living items to show an understanding of the interactions required to make an ecosystem work.

Ideally, the concept would be made in class, with active participation from each student. Afterwards, each student would then be able to work individually to personalize the concept map using the Inspiration software. This would allow them to apply their own creative interpretation of the concepts learned and also become familiar with the software. In addition, the use of Inspiration Software ties the science curriculum in with the ICT program of studies. In particular, students are fulfilling an outcome from each of the three strands of the ICT curriculum for Division 2.

a) Communicating, Inquiring, Decision Making and Problem Solving: By using organizational processes and tools to manage inquiry (C4); but, more specifically, they are organizing information using electronic webbing (C4.2.2). In addition, by creating the initial concept map as a whole class, the students are also using technology to aid collaboration during inquiry (C5) by recording group brainstorming, planning and sharing of ideas using technology (C5.2.2.).
b) Foundational Operations, Knowledge, and Concepts: Students are able to demonstrate an understanding of the nature of technology in a new area (F1). In particular, they are identifying and applying tools to communicate, store organize, and retrieve information (F1.2.2). Not only do they create the concept map, but they also have to be able to save the file, retrieve the file for editing, and finally create a picture file for the object (jpeg or gif) when the map is complete.
c)Processes for Productivity: The concept map is yet another way for the students to understand how to organize and manipulate data/information (P2). This is done using a tool specifically designed to organize the data, in this case it is Inspiration software (P2.2.1). In addition, if they incorporate the concept map into a word document or any other location (P4.2.1), they are learning to integrate various technological applications (P4).

Creating Crystals Using Basic Household Ingredients and Supplies

http://www.beloit.edu/~SEPM/Rocks_and_minerals/growing_crystals.html
http://www.micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/activities/students/variables.html

This experiment is intended for grade 5 students and can be used in the ``Classroom Chemistry`` unit.

General Learner Outcomes:
· Carry out an investigation using given procedures and expand on this investigation
· Interpret observations and apply to knowledge they have acquired.

Specific Learner Outcomes:
· Create a prediction/hypothesis by providing answers to a given question.
· Record observations and create a conclusion based on experimental results.
· Identify new questions based on what they have learned.

Basic Procedures:

The student will only complete the first part of the excercise where they are growing alum and salt crystals at room temperature and in the refrigerator. After they have allowed the crystals to grow overnight, they should be able to answer the following:
a. How are the salt crystals different from the alum crystals? Talk about the shape, size and color. You may draw a picture if that helps. Create a table that compares and contrasts the crystals.
b. How are the crystals different when crystallization occurs at room temperature and when it occurs in the refrigerator? Create a table that compares and contrasts these characteristics.
c. What was the constant variable in the experiment?
d. Describe in your own words what “crystallization” means and how temperature affects crystallization.
e. Write down 3 new questions that you have about crystallization.
f. What other things would affect the shape, size, or color of a crystal?

Ask the students to re-dissolve the crystals. They must decide for themselves the best way of dissolving the crystals. Ask the students to answer the following questions:
g. Did the crystals redissolve in water and what did you have to do to make them dissolve?
h. What other techniques could you use to get the crystals to dissolve?
i. Is crystallization a reversible or irreversible reaction?

ICT Outcomes:

· Students are able to retrieve information from the Internet by using a specified URL
· Students are able to compile information obtained from the activity using a table in Microsoft Word or Excel.

Why use technology in the lesson?

The use of technology in this lesson allows the student to see the types of information and experiments they can find on the internet. By compiling the information in tabular form on the computer, they are seeing the effects of formalizing data and creating clear observations that can be shared amongst their classmates.

References:

Davidson, M.W., (2003, Aug 1). Science, Optics and You: Activities in Optics. Center for Integrating Research and Learning. Retrieved September 29, 2007 from
http://www.micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/activities/students/variables.html

Beebe, M.A., (2003, August). Growing Crystals. Society for Sedimentary Geology. Retrieved September 29, 2007 from
http://www.beloit.edu/~SEPM/Rocks_and_minerals/growing_crystals.html

Web Logs as a Classroom Tool

It seems to have happened overnight. Classrooms overtaken by technology and the resources it can provide. I can remember when I was first introduced to the internet in a school setting... I was in Grade 12. The internet is now used and integrated into classroom curriculum as early as Grade 1. This technological revolution has not only modernized teaching structures and curriculum today; but it has provided teachers with added resources at their fingertips. When used effectively, a whole new world, with limitless learning possibilities has been opened up for all students.
Unfortunately, in the wrong hands, the infiltration of technology can also lead to corruption of our youth and lack of classroom/student privacy. The issue of privacy has proven itself critical in order to protect our students from being exploited, to ensure their safety, and to maintain a positive learning environment in a school setting. One of the more controversial tools available to students and teachers today is the web log. What has the potential to be a great technological tool in the classroom can also present a hazard to the students if not used properly.
What makes blogging such a great classroom tool?
The greatest advantage of the web log is that it provides an instant audience for the students. By expressing themselves in a blog, the student now has an audience beyond the teacher. Not only does this make their writing so much more meaningful, but it also requires the student to write responsibly, in a social context. In high school Social Studies classes, one of the first questions a teacher will ask a student when they prepare for a writing assignment is “Who is your audience?” In classic journal writing and essay writing, a student has a theoretical audience that they consider when incorporating vocabulary, tone, and subject matter. That audience is no longer theoretical; it is real. The implications of this are appealing to students as their writing has become so much more purposeful. Examples of the motivation and learning experience a blog can provide High School students can be seen in the following video:
http://weblogg-ed.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/WebLoggingSmall.mov
The creator of this video has also created some of his own blogs of his experiences and love for creating web logs in the classroom. When you click on this link, check out his entry from June 11, 2001. He goes into detail about how blogging has evolved over the years as a classroom tool and how it has affected his own classes positively:
http://weblogg-ed.com/category/blogging/
How do you ensure safety and privacy of the students is upheld?
If I were to incorporate blogging into my own classroom (which I can assure you I will likely be doing), there would be some very specific guidelines that I would need to ensure the students adhered to. Students will be excited about their new writing audience, but they also need to be taught how to be responsible with the information that they post and the potential implications of careless blogging.
1. I would provide a lesson on responsible blogging. Not only would we talk about privacy issues and potential consequences of ignoring privacy, but I would also emphasize the vast audience they will be addressing. Complete strangers will be reading these writings and the students need to be sensitive to the various cultural and sociological groups. I would emphasize this under “blogging manners”.
2. As much anonymity as possible would be required. Avoiding the use of family names, the school they are attending, geographical data and other information that could allow a stranger to find them.
3. I would try to use blogging sites that restrict who can see the student’s blogs and profiles.
4. Photos would need to be approved by myself or an administrator prior to posting. There can be signs or other indications of where the student lives in those photos.
5. I would check comments sent to the students on a regular basis to ensure nothing inappropriate is being communicated.
A great example of how a high school Social Studies teacher has incorporated the importance of responsibility into the classroom’s blogging forum can be seen at http://mistercooke2.wordpress.com/.
Despite the potential dangers of exposing students to an international audience, the learning opportunities are too great to ignore the function of a blog in the classroom. With the correct precautionary steps, blogging can be used safely and become an extremely effective classroom tool.

My Introduction to the “Blog”

Welcome to my Blog! My name is Michelle McDonald and I am pretty excited about being here in the faculty of Education and also to be writing my first ever Blog. I am originally from Calgary, Alberta and graduated from the University of Calgary about 3.5 years ago with my Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry. I was sidetracked from my original goal of becoming a teacher when I was offered a job down here in Lethbridge, Alberta with Maple Leaf Potatoes. I loved my job there as a Food Safety and Sanitation Coordinator; however, I realized I was losing sight of my original goal and was eager to resume my education before it was too late. Not only did my previous career give me a lot of professional and life experience in a short period of time; but it also introduced me to the city of Lethbridge and the highly recommended Faculty of Education here. In my sheltered Calgary life, I imagined myself finishing my Education at the University of Calgary, getting a job as a teacher and settling down there for the rest of my life. Getting a job outside of Calgary has forced me to explore educational, career, and other lifelong opportunities that present itself all over the world! Though most of family lives in Calgary and Red Deer, I am not alone. Waiting for me at home is my hyperactive, 7 month old black Labrador retriever. You can imagine the challenge of raising a puppy and going to school at the same time, but it is well worth the effort and he is my comic relief on a stressful day.

What stresses me out? Well, the word "technology" and "headache" are synonymous in my mind. I often find technology frustrating, particularly the upgrades, updates and advances made to any technological application by the second. What I find more frustrating is the impact it has on my life when it fails... or when I fail to use it properly. Pressing the wrong key means anything I type appears in Korean. Or what about that long cord that connects my computer to the wall? A foot in the wrong spot cuts off the power sending 20 hours of work down some black hole into oblivion. My frustration is not limited to computers. Where my windshield wipers used to be is now power mirror defrost (who knew that even existed?). Or what about the new microwaves where a simple defrost now requires you to know the weight or type of food you are preparing. Even my bathroom scale does way more (or tells me way more) than I’d like! Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, I will be honest. I use technology hundreds of times throughout the day and 95% of the time I value the use of technology, enjoy using it, and don’t know how I would survive without it. But that 5% of the time when something goes wrong...let’s just say that many tears of frustration have been shed!

When I first became acquainted with the blogging tool, I was impressed. I found my own blog easy to set up, easy to create and easy to edit. To me, the opportunities in the classroom seem endless! What better way to motivate the students to get involved in classroom discussions and collaboration with such a fun and informal tool. There are so many ways to incorporate this into the curriculum at any level and for any subject. A blog can be created for classroom use where students and teachers can post an entry and comments. The blog can also be used by individual students for academic portfolios, projects, or other academic and/or extra-curricular forums. As an additional advantage, parents and peers can access student blogs to keep up with their academic and extra-curricular life at school.

One of the outcomes of the ICT curriculum is the Foundational, Operations and Knowledge concepts. This category deals with general knowledge and understanding of technology; but, also the responsible, ethical and moral use of technological applications. Though blogging is a useful tool in the personal, academic, and work sectors, it has also caused a lot of problems as a result of misuse and lack of privacy. A blog is a public tool. Once posted, it is available to the public for viewing and response. What better way to encourage the responsible, moral, and ethical use of communication via the internet than with a blog?

The threat to young children and adolescents on the web has always been huge and part of the problem is that the children are unaware of how to spot the risk or unaware of the risk altogether. By guiding students from a young age as they create their own blog, they will have a better understanding through experience of the risks associated with the internet and how to avoid these risks. In addition to this, students can learn to respect the privacy of others around them, communicate with students and peers in a respective manner, and to abide by and follow school policies regarding the internet.

These are only some of the possibilities with blogging. The tool is an effective way to teach children communication and technology skills, but it also poses a potential threat to students due to the lack of privacy. However, by turning the risks associated with blogs into learning opportunities, the effectiveness of the blog could
double.