Preeti's+Lesson+Plans

**Preeti's Lesson Plans** [] **Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach ** **Daily Lesson GAME Plan ** **Overview of the unit**

In this unit plan, students deal with a real world problem and integrate it with technology and language arts. The unit is divided into three different integrated lessons. The first lesson consists of problem-based learning, the second lesson is online collaboration, and the last lesson is on digital storytelling. “Problem-based learningis an instructional strategy in which students work cooperatively to investigate and resolve an ill-structured problem based on real-world issues or situations. ” ( Starr, L. 2005). Students also understand the meaning of figurative language, similes, metaphors, and proverbs. They integrate technology while creating an illustration on Microsoft Paint and write a brief description of //how they are involved in their community,// while using idioms, metaphors, similes, and figurative language. They work in collaborative groups for this unit. “Collaboration is a key component of problem-based learning environments, as it allows students to draw on each other’s perspectives and talents in order to more effectively devise solutions for the problems at hand (Ertmer, P., & Simons, K. 2006. p. 43).

Students collaborate online via Skype, blogs, and wiki, and this interaction enhances student learning, especially for the visual learners. “Online social networking includes much more than Facebook and Twitter. It is any online use of technology to connect people, enable them to collaborate with each other, and form virtual communities” (Stan Bumgardner and Kirk Knestis, 2011). Using digital storytelling to demonstrate a concept helps students retain the concept better. Students create a digital story explaining everything about themselves to their peers. Digital storytelling software taps into students’ inner creative drive, and empowers “all students to express themselves both through their digital images and any new works they create by collecting, combining, and manipulating digital images” (Zahra, A. 2008. p.7). By creating the digital story, students are able to be creative and learn to utilize technology to communicate with other in support of learning, and be safe on the Internet.

**__ Lesson one: Problem-Based Learning Lesson Plan __** ** Content Standards: ** Students demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.  **a**. Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.  **b**. Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.  **c.** Demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms).  ** 2. [|Content Area: 21st-Century Life and Careers:] ** The systematic integration of 21st century life and career skills across the K-12 curriculum and in career and technical education programs fosters a population in which students apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to make reasoned decisions at home, in the workplace, and in the global community.(State of New Jersey Department of Education, 2009)  ** 3. [|8.1 Educational Technology:] ** All students will use digital tools to access, manage, evaluate, and synthesize information in order to solve problems individually and collaboratively, and to create and communicate knowledge.  **a**. Students effectively use [|digital tools] to assist in gathering and managing information.  8.1.4.E.2: Students evaluate the accuracy of, relevance to, and appropriateness of using print and non-print electronic information sources to complete a variety of tasks.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Lesson Title: ** Community involvement || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Related Lessons ** : Writing, illustrate on Microsoft Paint ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Grade Level ** : Fourth Grade || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Unit Title: **Grammar: Vocabulary acquisition and use ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">**Goals** ||
 * 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; line-height: 25px;">**[|Content Standards:]** (page 29)


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** ISTE NETS-S **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**☑** Creativity and innovation <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**☑** Research and information fluency || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**☑** Critical thinking, problem-solving, & decision-making <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**☑** Technology operations and concepts || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Instructional objective(s): **Students ponder on the question "How am I involved in my community?" With this question in mind, they use Microsoft Paint to illustrate and write about their involvement in their community. In their writing and illustration, they use figurative language, word relations, similes, metaphors, common idioms, and proverbs. The objective of the lesson is that students develop their creativity and imagination by expressing their feelings through drawings. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> In this lesson students tackle a real-world problem about volunteering, that is declining among our youth. They will tackle a few questions about themselves. These questions are: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The students will start to know more aboutthemselves and who they are. They will learn more about their own history by studying the significance and traditions behind their names. They will interview their parents to know interesting stories about their names. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> The learning outcomes, skills, and content area objectives or standards the lesson will address are that students would express their views on how they are involved in their community, through written text and illustrations. Using figurative language, similes, and idioms, students will develop critical thinking. Students use technology to express themselves. “Technology can enhance and extend students learning in several ways” (Cennamo, K. et.al. p. 193).
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Communication and collaboration
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Digital citizenship
 * 1) <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">How am I involved in my community?
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Does my involvement help make this a better world?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Does my involvement with the community tell me something about “Who am I?”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Students reflect on their actions and what help they can provide for their community. Does this action tell them anything about themselves? They will also ponder on the question “who am I?” among their cooperative groups || * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Writing note book,
 * < <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: center;">**Action** ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">** Before-class preparation: **Students discuss among cooperative groups the importance of volunteering in the community. They discuss ways that they can improve their community by being more involved. Within their groups, students read [|Helpers in my community], a book that discusses aspects of volunteering in their communities. This book introduces children to the important people who make our communities cleaner, safer, and better. Students complete an activity that helps them to think about the different areas in which they can volunteer in their own communities. Students discuss among cooperative groups the meaning of figurative languages, similes, idioms, proverbs and metaphors. ||
 * < <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">**During class** ||||||  ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">** Time ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">** Instructional Activities ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">** Materials & Resources ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">30 - 45 minutes || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">In cooperative groups, students ponder on the question posted to them “How am I involved in my community?” They read the book “ [|Helpers in the community] ” that explains the type of help people give to make their community a better place. In their writing note book students write the problem posed to them and write down an explanation of how the question/problem is relevant to their daily life. They discuss the importance of volunteering in their community.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Book: Helpers in my community ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">40-50 minutes || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The class is divided into cooperative groups and each group is assigned one idiom, proverb, figurative language, simile, and metaphor to interpret and illustrate. Students research [|idioms and proverbs] and first discuss the literal meaning of the idiom, then depict and list the figurative meaning of the idiom. They repeat the above process by researching [|similes], [|metaphors] , and [|figurative language] . After discussing, each student chooses one idiom, proverb, simile, metaphor, and figurative language they would like to use in a paragraph about themselves. || * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Dictionary
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Internet ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">40 -50 minutes || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Students use technology during this portion of the project-based learning process. Students gather all their information through Internet research (on figurative language), talk to their peers about their involvement in their community, and proceed to write a paragraph using figurative language. Students illustrate by using Microsoft Paint, then copy, and paste their writing and their illustration onto a word document. || * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Internet
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Microsoft Paint
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Microsoft Word ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Notes ** : The strategy that should be used in this lesson is that teachers develop a classroom culture of collaboration in order to “conduct whole-class debrieﬁngs after small-group work is completed, so that students can reﬂect on the group process itself. Through these group reﬂections, students can develop their own strategies for managing problems that occurred within their small groups and thus move closer to assuming greater responsibility for their own learning” ( Ertmer, P., et. al. p. 43). Students who are struggling with the assignment need to be monitored closely and given extra help by the teacher.

|| ** Monitor ** ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Ongoing assessment(s): In order to a ssess student learning, students will be introduced to two rubrics. One will be on [|cooperative learning] groups and a second will be an [|oral presentation rubric] that explains how well they answer the question “how am I involved in my community?” It is important for the teacher to introduce the rubric to the students and let them know what is expected of them. Rubrics are used to explain specific assessments. “Rubrics are performance-based assessment devices that judge progress on performance, not isolated knowledge about the topic” (Gloria J. Edwards, 2002). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> The teacher would also walk around the classroom to monitor that proper classroom participation is taking place among students. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Accommodations and extensions: In order to customize the activity for diverse learners in the classroom, students who have a little difficulty in understanding the concept are put in cooperative groups with students who can help each other with the content or any language difficulties. The teacher monitors the students more often and provides immediate individual assistance to students who are having a difficult time with the project. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Backup plan: Students can Skype with a community leader and learn about ideas on how students can be more involved in their community. They can refer to the township website on [|how to get involved in the community]. Students who need extra practice with idioms, proverbs, metaphors, and figurative language can visit [|figurative language games] to help them understand these concepts. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> After they write their paragraph on “//how they are involved in their community//,” students can review their work with their peers before conferencing with their teacher.

|| <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">** Lesson reflections and notes: ** “One of the basic tenets of a collaborative classroom culture is the expectation that the teacher will assume a facilitative, rather than directive, role” ( Ertmer, P., et. al. p. 43). Problem based learning is a difficult concept for teachers and students. Teachers have to learn to let students be responsible for their learning. Since the students are doing this project based learning for the first time, the teacher should monitor the students very closely and give them as much guidance as possible. After the students have worked on a couple of these project-based learning assignments, the teacher should let students become in charge of their learning. The teacher should keep track of the project and the students’ progress on her [|blog] and reflect on it often to see if any modifications are needed for the project. Project-based learning helps learners to develop effective problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
 * = <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;"> **Evaluate and Extend**

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 170%;">** __Lesson Two: Online Collaboration__ ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Content Standards: ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> **1. [|Content Standards:]** (page 29) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Students demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> **a**. Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> **b**. Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> **c.** Demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms).
 * = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Lesson Title: ** Cyber buddies || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Related Lessons ** : Writing, oral presentation ||
 * = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Grade Level ** : Fourth Grade || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Unit Title: **Grammar: Vocabulary acquisition and use ||
 * = <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">**Goals** ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** 2. [|Content Area: 21st-Century Life and Careers:] ** The systematic integration of 21st century life and career skills across the K-12 curriculum and in career and technical education programs fosters a population in which students apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to make reasoned decisions at home, in the workplace, and in the global community. (State of New Jersey Department of Education, 2009)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** 3. [|8.1 Educational Technology:] ** All students will use digital tools to access, manage, evaluate, and synthesize information in order to solve problems individually and collaboratively, and to create and communicate knowledge. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> ** a **. Students effectively use[|digital tools]to assist in gathering and managing information. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">8.1.4.E.2: Students evaluate the accuracy of, relevance to, and appropriateness of using print and non-print electronic information sources to complete a variety of tasks. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> ** b **. Students understand the purpose of, and are able to use, various computer applications. They continue to develop information-literacy skills and increasingly use technology to communicate with others in support of learning, while also recognizing the need for cyber safety and acceptable use policies.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** ISTE NETS-S **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**☑** Creativity and innovation <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**☑** Communication and collaboration <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**☑** Research and information fluency || * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Critical thinking, problem-solving, & decision-making <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">**☑** Technology operations and concepts || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Instructional objective(s): ** Students work in cooperative groups and demonstrate understanding of figurative language. They collaborate online with their peers to combine definitions and examples of figurative language. The learning outcomes, skills, and content area objectives or standards that the lesson will address are social networking and online collaboration among students and teachers. “Social networking is software that allows people to come together around an idea or topic of interest” (Smith, F. 2007). By the end of the lesson, students would have demonstrated understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and will know the meaning of simple similes and metaphors in context. Students recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms and proverbs. They create a Prezi and a voice thread while collaborating with their peers via the classroom [|blog] and the wiki.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Digital citizenship

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Students work in cooperative groups and write down the information they need to make a presentation on P rezi or voice thread They discuss methods with which they could collaborate with their classmates on making this presentation. || * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Smart Board
 * <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">**Action** ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">** Before-class preparation: ** Students are introduced to the [|classroom blog] and wiki. The students learn about [|internet safety] and [|blog agreement] before the assignment. They reflect on the previous lesson related to //community involvement// and refresh their memories about [|idioms and proverbs], [|similes], [|metaphors], and [|figurative language]. Instead of using PowerPoint, students collaborate with each other and make a presentation on Prezi. The teacher will model to the students how to create a [|Prezi] and make a short presentation for the students to view and refresh their memory on figurative language. The class will be divided into two groups for the presentation. One group will create a Prezi and another group will create a voice thread of their presentation. They will collaborate on their project even after school via the blog or the wiki. ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: center;">**During class** ||||||  ||
 * = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">** Time ** || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: center;">**Instructional Activities** || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 140%;">** Materials & Resources ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">30- 45 minutes || <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Students work on the [|Smart Board] and play an interactive game on the smart board about figurative language.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Prezi software
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Voice thread software
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Internet ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">40-50 minutes || <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Students go the computer lab, log into the classroomwiki, and collaborate with each other (in their groups) about the definitions they would need for the figurative language. They refer back to the teacher’s example of the[|Prezi] to get ideas on their presentation. After school, students communicate with each other on the classroom[|blog] and the wiki to work on their assignment. This online collaboration helps students to be flexible about when they do their assignment. The teacher gives assistance to students who are a little wary about technology. || * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Wiki
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Blog
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Prezi
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Voice thread
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Internet ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">40- 50 minutes || <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">On the Smart Board, students give their presentation that they created on Prezi or voice thread. After the presentation, each group teaches the other about the technology they used for the project. || * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Smart Board
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Prezi
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Voice thread ||

|| <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Notes: ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">In order to incorporate a creative thinking component in the lesson, students work in cooperative groups to make a Prezi and create illustrations for the voice thread. They write about idioms, metaphors, proverbs, and similes and make illustrations of each figurative language. They upload these illustrations to create the voice thread presentations. Students will use social networking and online collaboration tools in the lesson by working together through Skype, the classroom [|blog] and the wiki. “Using a blog or wiki, and providing a few open-ended prompts before or after a class discussion, allow students to digest and synthesize readings more fully” ( Ertmer, P., et. al. p. 194).

|| <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">**Monitor** || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Ongoing assessment(s): ** Students are introduced to the [|cyber buddies rubric] so that they are aware of what is expected from them. They take a quiz on figurative language for the teacher to assess their progress. Students also play [|interactive games]on figurative language, and the teacher monitors the students to see if they understand the concept. The teacher will assess student learning through a forced-choice assessment with an online quiz, and by using [|Study Island] for students to assess themselves. The presentation would be a performance-based assessment. Students presentations would be recorded and “kept as a record of content understanding” ( Ertmer, P., et. al. p. 146). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Accommodations and extensions ** : In order to customize the activity for diverse learners in the classroom, students who have a little difficulty in understanding the concept are put in cooperative groups with students who can help each other with the content or with any language difficulties. The teacher monitors the students more often and provides immediate individual assistance to students who are having a difficult time with the project. Students are introduced to different multimedia tools for their assignment. “Students with varied learning preferences may find different multimedia authoring tools more closely linked to their learning preferences, and these tools may serve as a springboard for creativity in skills related to language arts” ( Ertmer, P., et. al. p. 199).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Backup plan: ** Students who are having difficulty with the concepts can meet with the teacher during their lunch break or with their peers to get extra help for the assignment. They can watch the YouTube video to refresh their memories on [|how to create a Prezi] or [|how to create a voice thread]. If students need help after school, they can also Skype with their peers or their teacher. Students who do not have a computer at home can have extra time on the assignment and work on the assignment in school during their free time. <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;"> **Evaluate and Extend** || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Lesson reflections and notes: ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> Students reflect on their experience on creating a Prezi and voice thread on the classroom blog. Students are considered digital natives and teachers need to gear their teaching towards it. Technology is everywhere for our students and it is up to the teachers to take advantage and ‘hook’ students’ interest by integrating technology with their teaching. Vicki Davis states numerous benefits of using web 2.0 tools, both for teachers and students. It allows students to work in and out of school and interact with experts around the world. It also gives them time to work in the time frame when an idea hits them. (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). The teacher should keep track of the project and the students’ progress on her [|blog] and reflect on it often to see if any modifications are needed for the project. Online collaboration and “social interaction can positively influence learning, motivation, and problem solving, and can help learners gain needed support and overcome frustration. Social interaction and collaborative activities can help learners avoid feelings of isolation and improve motivation and persistence” (Patti Shank, 2005. p.12).

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">**Lesson Three: Digital Storytelling** <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Goal ** || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">1. [|Content Standards]: <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">a. Production and distribution of writing: Students recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources, and sort evidence into provided categories. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;"> b. Students develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details, and they demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;"> 2. [|Content Area: 21st-Century Life and Careers:] Students are introduced to 21st-century life skills that are critical for personal, academic, and social development. <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">a. Students use effective communication, communication technology, and collaboration skills to interact with cultural sensitivity in diverse communities and to work in cross-cultural teams in the multinational workplace. (State of New Jersey Department of Education, 2009) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25px;"> 3. [|8.1 Educational Technology:] Students apply information-literacy skills to access, manage, and communicate information using a range of emerging technological tools. <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">a. Students use[|digital tools]effectively to assist in gathering and managing information. <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">8.1.4.E.2: Students evaluate the accuracy of, relevance to, and appropriateness of using print and non-print electronic information sources to complete a variety of tasks. <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">b. Students understand the purpose of, and are able to use, various computer applications. They continue to develop information-literacy skills and increasingly use technology to communicate with others in support of learning, while also recognizing the need for cyber safety and acceptable use policies. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">**☑** Creativity and innovation * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">Communication and collaboration <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">**☑** Digital citizenship <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">**☑** Technology operations and concepts || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">** Instructional objective(s): **The learning outcomes, skills, and content area objectives of this lesson are that students would be able to use digital tools effectively to create a digital story.Students would demonstrate understanding of figurative language and word relationships. They would use digital storytelling in the lesson by creating a story, //All about me.// Students would initially work independently and think about the topic //All about me//. They are required to make a digital story explaining all about themselves to their peers. In this story, students would use [|figurative language] to describe themselves. In order for the students to understand the process, the teacher models the process and demonstrates to the students how to create a digital story.“Modeling can prompt students to compare their own approaches with that of an expert, while simultaneously learning the languages of the discipline” ( Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. p. 39). Students learn to scan pictures and then upload them to create a digital story. If they do not have pictures, they find pictures online but are reminded about [|copyright] laws in order for them to use pictures or images for this assignment. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">** Action ** || <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">**During class** |||||| || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">** Time ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">** Instructional Activities ** || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">** Materials & Resources ** ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">Lesson Title: Digital Storytelling || <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">Related Lessons: Writing, digital presentation ||
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">Grade Level: Fourth || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;"> Unit Title: Grammar: Vocabulary acquisition and use ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">** ISTE NETS-S **
 * <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">Research and information fluency || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">**☑** Critical thinking, problem-solving, & decision-making
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">** Before-class preparation: ** Students are introduced to a [|rubric] to see what is expected out of this assignment. They fill out a [|KWL] chart on the benefits of creating a digital story for an assignment. Students watch a [|YouTube] video on the benefits of digital storytelling. The teacher will discuss the challenges they might face while creating the digital story and provide solutions on how the students can tackle these problems. The teacher also demonstrates to the students how to make a [|digital story] and models the process by showing a digital story about herself. The tools that students will need for this assignment are the write up about themselves, pictures, images, Photo suite 3, and their imagination. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">35 - 45 minutes || <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">In their writers notebook students write all about themselves. They use descriptive and figurative language in their writing. After they finish their writing, students peer-edit before conferencing with their teacher. || * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Writers notebook ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">35 - 50 minutes || <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">After completing their story//All about me//, students create a storyboard from their story. They organize all the information and make a list of all the pictures, images and artifacts they would need for their story. Students work from the [|digital storytelling template] to organize their story. || * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Computer Lab
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Internet
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Digital Storytelling software ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Done at home or in the computer lab before the lesson in class 15 - 20 minutes

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">45 - 50 minutes || <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Students upload their digital story to the classroom blog and comment on their peer’s stories.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;"> On the Smart Board, the teacher displays the digital stories of the student and reads all the comments posted on the blog by the students. After a student’s story is displayed on the Smart Board, that student comes in front of the class to answer any questions about the presentation. || * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Completed digital story
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Internet
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Computer lab


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Smart Board
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Digital Story ||

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> **Notes:** This lesson has to be monitored closely, especially when students copy pictures or images from the Internet. Teachers should make sure that the photographs in the digital story are used in a responsible way. Teachers and students must be aware of the district’s privacy policies before they post any photographs of students in the digital stories. While making the digital story, s ome students find it difficult to understand the copyright laws. The teacher should post a video on the classroom blog for students to refresh their memory. Teachers should also collaborate with other teachers to check and make certain that students do not break any copyright laws. Some potential challenges of making the digital story are that the teacher should set a time limit for the video (less than 5 minutes), ensure that the video is tied to the standards, and that students use figurative language in their story. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;"> || ** Monitor ** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> **Ongoing assessment(s):** Digital storytelling is an effective teaching tool. Stories created by teachers can serve as a lesson hook and a way to integrate multimedia into the curriculum. It also makes difficult content more understandable and facilitates classroom discussion. When students create a book report or a project on the digital storytelling software, it allows “teachers to take into consideration a range of skills and learning styles” (More, C. 2007.p.171). The assessment on digital storytelling would be done via performance assessment and students would have a [|rubric] to understand what is expected from them. Student learning would assessed by observing how students develop information-literacy skills and “use technology to communicate with others in support of learning, while also recognizing the need for cyber safety and acceptable use policies” (State of New Jersey Department of Education, 2009. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> **Accommodations and extensions:** In order to customize the learning activity for diverse learners in my classroom, students will use a graphic organizer to put their thoughts in order. They can do this by using a concept mapping software called Inspiration to organize their thoughts. “Technology plays an obvious role in facilitating the creation of graphic organizers and helping to create mental pictures and pictographs” (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. 2007. p. 87). The teacher monitors the students more often and provides immediate individual assistance to students who are having a difficult time with their project. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> **Backup plan:**Students who are having difficulty with the concepts can meet with the teacher during their lunch break, or with their peers to get extra help for the assignment. Teachers can model and guide these students to create a digital story. Students who are familiar with the process can also help their peers create the digital story. In order to incorporate a creative thinking component in the lesson, students discuss with their peers about their project. Students then give each other ideas on how they could make their digital story interesting. When students give each other advice, it brings out their creativity. S tudents can also watch examples of digital stories created by students from the previous year to get some ideas for their story. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">** Evaluate and Extend ** ||

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Lesson reflections and notes: Students reflect on their experience of creating the digital story on their classroom blog. They discuss all the challenges they had to face for their project. Students also comment on each other’s posts. This interaction helps students to reflect on how they have done on their project, and indirectly assess their progress and understanding. Reflecting is a very important part of any project, and students learn better when technology is integrated with content learning. Technology can certainly enhance the content area experience for these ‘digital learners’ of today. By creating their digital story, my students learned a web 2.0 tool along with the use of figurative language in their writing.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"> Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). // Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach //. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
 * = <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;"> **References** ||

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"> Ertmer, P., & Simons, K. (2006). Jumping the PBL implementation hurdle: Supporting the efforts of K–12 teachers. // The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 1 // (1), 40–54. Retrieved from @http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=ijpbl. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"> Gloria J. Edwards. (2002). //Make Your Own Project-Based Lesson Plan//. Retrieved on July 28, 2011 from [] <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"> Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Integrating technology across the content areas: // Spotlight on Technology: Social Networking and Online Collaboration // [DVD]. United States: Producer. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Patti Shank (2005). //Student Collaboration in the Online School:// Faculty Focus//:// Retrieved on August 3, 2011 from [] <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007).//Using technology with classroom instruction that works.//Alexandria, VA: ASCD. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Smith, F. (2007, April 20). //How to use social-networking technology for learning//. Retrieved from the Edutopia website : @http://www.edutopia.org/print/3980. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Stan Bumgardner and Kirk Knestis, 2011//://// Social Networking as a Tool for Student and Teacher Learning ////.// Retrieved on July 29, 2011 from [] <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"> Starr, L. (2005). // Education world virtual workshop //. Retrieved from the Education World website:@http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/virtualwkshp/virtualwkshp002.shtml <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"> State of New Jersey: Department of Education. New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards: Retrieved on July 28, 2011 from [] <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;"> Zahra, A. (2008). Limitless images: Digital photography in the classroom // Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 75 // (1), 7–17.

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