Colleen's+Lesson+Plans

Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach Daily Lesson GAME Plan Problem-Based Lesson || Related Lessons: What do plants need to survive? || Maryland State Standards, Science Grade 2 – Ecology (MSDE, 2010) F.1.b. – Explain that organisms live in habitats that provide their basic needs
 * // Colleen //**
 * // Project-Based Lesson GAME Plan //**
 * Lesson Title: Design our Garden
 * || Unit Title: New Plants ||
 * Goals ||
 * Content Standards: **

ü Creativity and innovation ü Communication and collaboration ü Research and information fluency || ü Critical thinking, problem-solving, & decision-making The student will be able to select from a list of given plants and design a garden for the front of the school. This lesson is intended for students who are not very practiced in the skills required for a problem-based lesson. As such, this lesson has fairly specific scaffolds to help guide students through the research process, and ensure that they learn what is necessary, instead of getting caught up in the process (Ertmer & Simons, 2006). <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Prior to the lesson, explore 7-9 different plants that are locally available. Create a spreadsheet that lists the names of the plants, but includes blank areas for the students to fill in information about each plant: <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Create a Delicious or Diigo page with websites bookmarked for student research. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Make sure computer lab time is available for student research. || <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">30 minutes <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">15 minutes <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">30-45 minutes <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">20 minutes <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">60 minutes || <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Explain to students that they are going to help plant the landscaping in front of the school. Make a list including what things the students think they need to consider as they decide which plants to include. Keep the list for future reference. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Create a separate list with suggestions for plants to include. Explain that a list has already been created, but other plants can be added for research. Share the names of the plants the students will be researching. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Show students the pre-made template with the plants they will be researching. Allow groups time in the computer lab to complete their research on each of the plants. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Regroup with students and share what was discovered during research. Revisit the list created during introduction session, and see if there is anything they wish to add or take away. By the end, the students should be considering the sunlight a plant needs and how big it gets. They should also consider if it needs to be planted every year or if it will stay in the garden permanently. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Once research has been completed, allow students the opportunity to create a design for the garden. Remind them that they will need to consider the sunlight the garden gets, and how big the plants get that they have chosen. Students may choose to create a drawing by hand or to use Kidspiration software. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Each group will present their garden plan, and explain why they chose each plant. After all the presentations have been completed, the class will vote on a favorite design. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">After winning design has been chosen, purchase plants and plant the garden, following the design plan! || <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Chart paper & markers <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Computers with internet access. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Delicious or Diigo website with sites to research already bookmarked. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Chart paper from first session <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Markers <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Computers with Kidspiration software <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Paper, pencils, crayons <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Computer with projection capabilities. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Plants used in winning design. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Garden trowels and rakes <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Watering can/hose <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Garden gloves || <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Notes: Students should be grouped in pairs or threes for this activity. Keep reading abilities in mind when creating groups. || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: center;">Monitor <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Ongoing assessment(s): Students will be monitored during research and garden creation to make sure they are staying on task. Group discussions will lead students towards the content. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Accommodations and extensions: Students who finish researching will be encouraged to find other plants not on the list that can still be included in our garden. Students who have difficulty reading due to ELL status, or learning difficulties should be paired with a strong reader. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Backup plan: If the internet does not work, have books available from the library where students can find the same information. If drawing software is unavailable on computers, have paper and markers/crayons/pencils available for all students. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Lesson reflections and notes: <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Create a rubric for final drawing and presentation. Some areas may include: <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Give students a reflection sheet.
 * **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">ISTE NETS-S **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Digital citizenship
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Technology operations and concepts ||
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Instructional objective(s): **
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: center;">Action ||
 * **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Before-class preparation: **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">How much sunlight does it need?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">When does it bloom?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">How big will it get?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">Is it an annual or perennial?
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: center;">During class ||
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Time || <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Instructional Activities || <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Materials & Resources ||
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">20 minutes
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: center;">Evaluate and Extend ||
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">Did the group consider spacing when designing their garden?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">Did the group consider the sunlight the garden gets and plan accordingly?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">Did the presenters speak slowly and clearly?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">Allow them to “grade” their group-mates, explaining why each grade was deserved.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">Invite students to write why their design deserves to win.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">Allow students to share their favorite/least favorite part of the process and explain why.


 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; text-align: center;">References ||

Ertmer, P., & Simons, K. (2006). Jumping the PBL implementation hurdle: Supporting the efforts of K–12 teachers. //<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, // //<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">1 //(1), 40–54. Retrieved from @http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=ijpbl.

MSDE. (2010). //School Improvement in Maryland//. Retrieved July 28, 2011, from []

<span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Response to Colleen, <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Great idea!! I too have a problem that is similar. One thing I did with my lesson is include a visit or in my case a Skype visit from a professional landscaper. They could share their designs and get feedback and questions answered. I think that with 2nd graders it is important for you to have sites bookmarked. Will you allow them to try and find sites of their own then refer them to your bookmarked sites? If you had time you could do a mini-lesson on how to make an effective search for this topic and then let students see how successful their searches are before giving them the bookmarked list! I think that you students will love this project and I know that it is something they will be proud to show off!! <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Great Work!!! <span style="color: #008080; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Joy

Joy, I like the idea of including a visit from a landscaper! There are several nursuries in our area, so I imagine I could ask someone to come in. As for the websites, I do plan on having things already bookmarked on a diigo page. My students have absolutely no background skill when it comes to internet searches, and would need more than just a mini-lesson to really be able to do anything effectively. Also, I think about the trouble //I// had finding sites with the kind of information I wanted, and I wouldn't want to subject the students to that. If I get a chance to repeat this lesson in the spring, than I think I'll be able to include a little bit more in the way of independent searching. Thanks for the thoughts! ~Colleen