2nd Lesson

I. Rationale
The reason for teaching this lesson is so that students understand the variety of measurements that we use in the world. They will acknowledge that an item can be represented as a different number measurement based on what tool they are using.

II. Overview
Grade level: 2nd
Subjects: Math
Topic of Study: Measurement
Time Allotment: 30 minutes
Standards: 2.3.3 Demonstrate an understanding that using different measurement units will result in different numerical measurements for the same object.
Objectives: Students will be able to compare the different length of objects based on the tools they use to find the measurement. 

III. Implementation
Procedure: 
1. Measure the length of an object using paper clips.
2. Measure the length again using connecting cubes.
3. Record your findings using pictures, numbers and words.
Technology Integration: 
Use the internet to play a matching definition game (Match It Measurements) of measurement and data words.
Use iPads to play Pixie to document your measurements with pictures, words, and voice memos.
Differentiated Instruction: 
-Cognitive Delay: Give extra time to those who need it. Spend my time working with the ones that need it the most.
-Gifted: Have the students who finish the lesson ahead of time help the delayed students so they can further their learning by having to teach it to others.
-ELL: The good thing about math is that it is pretty much the same in all cultures and languages. Numbers are universal and this is a hands on visual lesson. To reach those students needs I would learn the key words in their native language to better their understanding of the concepts.

IV. Assessment
Procedure:
-85% or better on the measurement definition game
-All students using the iPads appropriately and documenting their measurements accurately
-Answering questions such as, did it take more paper clips or more connecting cubes to measure
the table? Why?
Instruments:
-Match It Measurements game
-Pixie
-Paper comparing objects with different measurements.

IIV. Materials and Resources

•  Ruler
• Cubes
• Paper clips
• Pencil
• Paper    
• Objects around the room or outside
• iPads
• Computers

http://mrnussbaum.com/second-grade-measurement-and-data/
http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/2nd-grade-math/measurements-2nd.html

Blog Phase 2 Reflection

Instructional Decisions/Teaching (InTask Standard # 9):
Something that did go well during my lesson was the excitement and interest of the activity. Both students wear eager to dig out as many fossils as possible and race each other to see who could find the most. Something that did not go well during my lesson was students staying on task while using the cameras to document their excavation. They wanted to take funny pictures or selfies instead of pictures of their fossil cookies. Mostly everything went according to plan. The objectives and standards aligned nicely and went as expected. The only modifications made were that the students did not write out the answers to the questions I had originally wanted them to fill out, instead they just discussed them together while doing the activity.

Mechanics:
The technologies I used were the cameras and the computer. I used the computer for the video at the beginning of the lesson. The students used the cameras for their documentation of the excavation and then we used the computer again to look at the journey from the pictures. As mentioned before, the students did not follow precise directions about only using the cameras for educational purposes. My lesson was a little short because it was intended for three people but one person was absent which made things go by faster.

Assessment of Learning (InTask Standard # 6):
My pre-assessment was the students filling out a KWL chart. My formative assessment was the students taking pictures and using their paleontologists tools correctly. My summative assessment was them answering the questions I provided for them. Their level of success was of course hard to calculate because my "students" already knew the information I was teaching them, but I think my actual third graders would have met the standards appropriately and I could have seen that based on my effective assessments. The reflections from my peers were very helpful. They let me know that I did a good job of keeping them on task and the lesson content was engaging and interesting. Their ideas of making my lesson better was to extract fossils from other food items other than just cookies.
KWL Chart

What did you learn from designing and teaching this lesson and how will you use this in the creation of future lessons/learning activities.
I learned that there are many components to make up a lesson. If you find a lesson online or hear about it from someone else, you still have to change it for how it will work best for you. When teaching the lesson you should think about possible problems that may arise so you can have solutions for them before they even occur. Hopefully I will not be making many other lessons in the future since I will not be a teacher anymore :)

Reflection For Blog Phase 1

Assessing Prior Knowledge and Planning Instruction
Prior to this lesson, students need to know what a fossil is. We will be watching a video on how a fish fossil is formed but only very briefly to remind students. Prior knowledge and experience will be assessed when we are having a group discussion and adding new vocabulary such as paleontologists. Depending on how much input the students contribute to the discussion will decide how much time we need to spend going over previous information learned and the addition of the excavation process. This content is appropriate for third graders because it explores history and science while doing a fun activity that they can remember the information their entire life. The objectives I have for the lesson align with the standards by students filling out the KWL chart before the activity where they are forming questions based on their prior knowledge, recording their data with cameras of their fossil findings, and explaining the decay process and what comes next for the dead plant or animal. The lesson will be taught after learning the life cycles of plants and animals so they understand the whole process of how things start and end.

Designing Instruction (InTask Standards 7 and 8):
I am using the instructional methods that I have described because it provides a variety of ways for students to learn the information. We will be watching a short video, taking data ourselves, having group discussions, practicing the skill, and reflecting. Students will learn by talking with others and sharing ideas when first discussing the job of a paleontologist and then also experiencing (as much as we can) what they do hands on. I am engaging students  in creative and higher order thinking by letting them take their own pictures to record their excavation and then having them answer questions that reflect on their experience and what they found.

Planning Assessment (InTask Standard 6):
The assessment aligns with the standards and objectives of this lesson by the students filling out a KWL chart to identify the key terms they already know and will learn about fossils, showing me they know what happens to dead plants and animals from the class discussions, and by answering the questions about paleontologists and how they find and extract fossils. The assessment shows student success when they can individually extract chocolate chips from the cookies using a toothpick like a real paleontologist extracts bones from the ground. The students will be assessed individually, in groups, and as a class whole. 

How does your lesson meet each of the ISTE NETs Standards?
My lesson meets standard 1 by giving the students the required information and tools to expand their creativity and learning through the freedom of the activity. This is not a quiet or individual task. The students will use their own findings as well as other's observations to from, record, and explain the ins and outs of fossils and paleontologists. My lesson meets standard 2 by using a video to stimulate prior knowledge, using the internet to dig deeper and ask more questions while filling out ones I provided, and by using cameras to record their experience to look back on while answering questions. My lesson meets standard 3 by me modeling the video on my own computer for them to watch, me learning alongside with them on problems that arise during an excavation (such as a tool or toothpick breaking), and  me checking their pictures and reflections via internet. My lesson meets all four elements of standard 4 by not taking inappropriate pictures or going on websites that are unrelated to our topic of the day, coming up with alternative solutions to the same activity and objective goal for students who need modifications, and bringing in the history/cultural point of fossil digging and the different locations paleontologists go to to find human, plant, and animal remains.

Blog Phase 1

I. Rationale
Students explore fossils by learning how they are formed and how paleontologists dig them up. They will identify what a fossil is and how they are discovered.

II. Overview
Grade level:
3rd
Subject: 
Science
Topic of Study:
Fossils/Paleontologists
Time Allotment:
30 minutes
Standards: 

PO 1.  Formulate relevant questions about the properties of objects, organisms, and events of the environment using observations and prior knowledge.

PO 5.  Record data in an organized and appropriate format (e.g., t-chart, table, list, written log).

PO 2.  Explain how growth, death, and decay are part of the plant life cycle.

Objectives: 
Students will be able to:
1.) Identify key terms relating to fossils.
2.) Demonstrate what real paleontologists do for a living.
3.) Describe the process and tools needed to discover fossil remains.

III. Implementation
Procedure:
-Activate prior knowledge and incorporate new vocabulary such as paleontologists, fossil, excavation, etc.
-Watch http://www.footprints-science.co.uk/flash/Fossils.swf
-Have students fill out a KWL chart
-Pass out chocolate chip cookies and toothpicks for the dig
-Students dig out the chips with the toothpick as if they were fossils
-Taking pictures along the way for documentation
-Answer the questions in the assessment section

Technology Integration:
-Using websites
-Cameras
-Video

Differentiated Instruction:
-Attention Deficit Disorder- watch this student more carefully and give him/her extra instructions to make sure he/she follows the correct procedure during the activity.
-Students needing extra assistance after the lesson will be allowed to watch the video and discuss the steps of the "fossil dig" with a peer tutor or a parent volunteer.

IV. Assessment
-Listening to class discussions
-KWL chart
-Answering these questions:
1.) What paleontologists do... 
2.) Tools paleontologists use... 
3.) Where paleontologists may dig... 
4.) Things paleontologists may find... 

IIV. Materials and Resources
1.) Chocolate chip cookies
2.) Toothpicks
3.) Paper towels
4.) Cameras
5.) KWL charts

http://alex.state.al.us/lesson_view.php?id=24120
http://lessonplanspage.com/sciencechocolatechipcookiefossildig24-htm/