Website, Content, and Rationale
This activity will involve a trip to the Great Plant Escape website at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/index.html. I chose this website for several reasons. First, it introduces our classroom unit on plants. Second, it is available in Spanish which is the primary language of all of my students. Finally, it is fairly easy to navigate; it has few external links, and does not contain advertisements or other distractions. Of my 28 students, 12 have a computer at home and of those students, seven have internet access. A website that is simple with large colorful images to support the content is appropriate for students at first grade and appropriate for students with limited internet experience.
Activity and Objectives
Students in groups of four will work together to navigate through the portion of the Great Plant Escape dealing with growing plants indoors. The objective is threefold: Students will identify the basic needs of plants. Students will demonstrate and reflect on their ability to work together. Students will demonstrate beginning internet navigation skills including following a bookmark, navigating by hyperlinks and navigating by navigation arrows. The standards associated with these objectives are:
Colorado Model Content Standard 3, K-2 Benchmark 5: Organisms interact with each other and with nonliving parts of their habitat to meet their basic needs (for example: food, water, air, shelter, space) (Colorado Department of Education).
Illinois Social Emotional Learning Standard 2C: Use communication and social skills to interact effectively with others. Demonstrate cooperative behaviors in a group (Illinois Department of Education).
National Educational Technology Standards 6. Technology Operations and Concepts:
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. 6a: understand and use technology systems (International Society for Technology in Education).
To open this activity I will explain that we are going to plant some plants and we want to find out what the best way to keep them alive is. The students have practiced basic navigation using the Smart Board. I will plan a day for navigating using only a touch pad. A fellow first grade teacher and I will model working together, emphasizing how to discuss and question the web page content. We will model how to help each other when one of us does not know a word or where to click. We will also model taking turns and handling the laptops carefully. Next, I will present the learning goals in kid-friendly language and the rubric for content, cooperation, and technology.
Then, students will be assigned their groups and jobs and given their laptops and begin. I will circulate to monitor the students and provide assistance as needed. After navigating the site and taking notes (drawings with labels) we will return to a whole group and students will share what they learned about plants, navigating through the site, and working together. In addition to knowledge level questions about plant needs the following questions will be used to encourage higher level thinking:
Content:
What two needs do you think are most important?
Where would be the best place in this classroom to place the plants so that they grow best, and why?
Do you think it would be better to plant 15 seeds in pot or to plant only three? Why?
Does your lawn have to be mowed in the winter? Why not?
Why do you think we do not see flowers outside in the winter?
Do all plants need the same amount of water?
What are some plants that do not need as much water as others?
How are plants and people alike? (Or different).
What are some examples of plants that need to be cared for and why do they need to be cared for when other plants do not?
Process:
What was the best thing about working in a group and why?
What was the best thing about this website and what was the worst thing? Why?
What were some hard things and what where some easy things in navigating and why?
What would make this activity better and why?
How is learning on the internet like learning from a book and how is it different?
Who do you think made this website and why?
Would you call who made the website an author? Why or why not?
Is there a better way to show what plants need?
How could you make this website better if you knew how to make websites?
Activity Management
The students will work together to make sense of the content. They will work in four person heterogeneous groups that include a strong reader, a strong navigator, a note taker/artist, and a time keeper. They will take turns in each role at the computer and help each other. All the students will work at the same time using the laptop carts for about 20 minutes. The students will record the information gathered online by taking turns drawing pictures with labels. The students will only need their note taking sheet, a timer, and their rubric.
Rubric:
References:
Colorado Department of Education: Colorado Model Content Standards. Retrieved September 12, 2008 from http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/documents/OSA/k12_standards.htm.
Illinois Department of Education: Social Emotional Learning Standards. Retrieved February 12, 2008 from http://www.isbe.state.il.us/ils/html/descriptors.htm
International Society for Technology in Education. National Educational Technology Standards. Retrieved September 12, 2008 from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007_Standards.pdf
