Lesson Plan Title

Author

Hannah Petrie

Grade
Level

Fourth Grade

Integrated
disciplines
Content
Standards

Writing
Standards

NETS-S

Objectives
:

Assessme
nt:

2.

History
Writing
Technology
The historical eras, individuals, groups, ideas and
themes in Colorado history and their relationships to
key events in the United States
a. Describe interactions among people and cultures
that have lived in Colorado (DOK 1-2)
2. Informational and persuasive texts use the recursive
writing process.
a. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a
topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
(CCSS: W.4.2)
i. Introduce a topic clearly and group related
information in paragraphs and sections;
include formatting (e.g., headings),
illustrations, and multimedia when useful
to aiding comprehension. (CCSS: W.4.2a)
6. Students demonstrate a sound understanding of
technology concepts, systems and operations.
a. Understand and use technology systems
b. Select and use applications effectively and
productively
c. Troubleshoot systems and applications
d. Transfer current knowledge to learning of new
technologies.
Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of
how history, writing and technology can work together in one
cohesive assignment by writing a short paragraph about a
topic in Colorado history, typing a final draft, creating a
Bitstrip Comic and embedding it into their final writing piece.
Formative:
o Teacher will assess students understanding by
observation throughout the writing and creation
process.
Summative:
o Teacher will use a rubric to assess the completed
piece, checking for understanding and
demonstration of knowledge in the writing and

Materials:
Anticipato
ry Set:

Technolog
y
Integratio
n

Procedure
s and
Learning
Activities

Bitstrip creation.
Computers/iPads or some other sort of access to
technology with capabilities for the Bitstrip application.
Note: This lesson would ideally be used as the final
project/assessment of a history unit.
Students will create a brainstorming web listing the different
people and cultures that have lived in Colorado based on
their knowledge gained throughout the unit. The teacher will
also show an example Bitstrip to get the students excited
about integrating technology in their final draft.
This lesson will allow students to incorporate technology into
other content areas, writing and history. The use of
technology will occur when students type their final draft of
their short paragraph, create a Bitstrip comic, and embed it
into their writing piece. Demonstrating these skills will show
understanding of how to use a basic word processing
application and a comic strip application, skills that can be
extended beyond the classroom and into real world
situations.
Students:
Teacher:
1. Students will create a
1. Teacher will introduce
brainstorming web as
the anticipatory set,
described in the
explaining that this will
anticipatory set.
be the final piece of a
2. They will then select
Colorado history unit
one topic from their list
the class has been
that they feel
working on for a few
comfortable with, and
weeks.
gather their
2. Teacher will prompt the
notes/readings on this
students to select one
topic.
topic from their
3. Students will write a
brainstorming web to
rough draft describing
write a short paragraph
interactions among
and comic about.
people and cultures
3. Teacher will help
that have lived in
students through the
Colorado.
drafting process as
4. After self-editing, and
needed, answering
peer-editing groups,
questions and helping
students will type up
with the writing
their final draft of their
process.
paragraph.
4. Teacher will mediate a
5. After seeing a
self-evaluation and
demonstration of how
peer-editing workshop,
to use Bitstrips,
available for individual

students will create a

comic that reflects the
information presented
in their paragraph.
6. Upon saving their
Bitstrip, students will
copy and paste a copy
of it into their final
draft writing piece.
7. Students will submit a
final copy to the
teacher to be graded
and print a copy to
hang in the classroom.
8. The closure activity for
this lesson will be a
gallery walk around the
classroom to view the
different paragraphs
and Bitstrips.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Differentia
tion

Closure
Reference

conferencing as
needed.
Teacher will
demonstrate the use of
Bitstrips for the entire
class. Then, she will
allow the students to
try to create their own,
helping as needed.
Teacher will walk the
entire class through the
process of saving,
copying and pasting
their Bitstrip into their
writing piece.
Teacher will collect final
copies of each students
project, grading them
according to the rubric
created.
Teacher will hang the
final copies in various
locations around the
classroom and lead
students through a
gallery walk.
Demonstrating how to
view and compliment
other peoples work,
and create
connections/questions
from viewing.

Higher Ability Learners

o Topics selected/paragraphs written will require
higher level thinking
o Instead of just one comic, students will create a
series of related comics
Learners with Disabilities
o Sentence frames or structures will be provided
o Additional help in use of technology will be
provided
Students will participate in a gallery walk around the
classroom to view their peers writing projects and Bitstrip
comics.
n/a

s: