Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Name:

Content Area: Science

Grade Level(s): 4h Grade
Content Standard Addressed: S4E4. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to predict
weather events and infer weather patterns using weather charts/maps and collected weather data.

Technology Standard Addressed: Digital Citizen

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: Journey Norh

URL(s) to support the lesson: https://journeynorth.org/sunlight-seasons

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing

Opportunity in your classroom:
The use of technology can break ties with traditional classroom standards, Forward-thinking
teachers use technology to promote teamwork and collaborative projects, linking their students to
classrooms across the globe. Building students’ collaborative skills is tough in traditional
classrooms, where a teacher stands at the front of rows of students isolated by desks. Using
technology makes such a difference for students, for some of those who once sat in the back of the
room and did not want to speak up or be part of the lesson now are excited to get online and share
what they’re learning.

I plan to use Journey North as my resource, allowing students to take advantage of this online
project tool. Students would first complete a flipped classroom activity where they will absorb
material by reading or watching a video before coming to class. They will watch a video on
weather patterns and collect any data they feel is important to share with the class. They will be
completing this as a homework assignment over the weekend, and when they return to class, the
teacher will begin a lesson, using the guidance of the required textbook to lead a discussion on the
changing of weather patterns. The teacher will discuss with students on what they found
interesting from the video. They will also use this class time to ask any important questions they
may have.

Continuously, the students will be observing weather patters over the course of the next two weeks
that we experience in our own community. They will be writing down and making a chart of these
patterns and any important changes they observe. Moreover, after the two weeks, as a class, we
will be writing a blog over our own weather patterns to post with students and teachers around the
world to see through the Journey North site. People from all over will learn about the weather
patterns in our own personal home town. Students will also be divided into groups, and they will
ether create an audio vile, video, or PowerPoint to communicate information on a specific weather
pattern. These projects will also be posted to Journey North.
What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a
classroom? Students would need access to computer desktops, iPads, or laptops provided by the
school in order to complete this project. They would be divided into groups, so they would be able
to share technological devices.

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 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
Describe how the following features are addressed in this learning experience (note: all of
them may not be addressed in the project, but most should be if you are reaching a high LoTi
Level).
a. Collaboration with peers, near-peers, mentors outside their classroom and often beyond
their school: Students work together in groups to create a project of their own that will be
posted on the Journey North site. Students will also have the opportunity to collaborate with
peers all over the world via the Journey North site.
b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (creating original data and or
producing original products as a result of engaging in a project): The students will be
collecting data and patterns of our own weather that we experience and any major changes
or observations they find. They will be collecting this data over the course of a two week
time frame. Likewise, the class as a whole will combine all of the data retrieved into a blog
posts that will be uploaded to Journey North. Students will also be creating their own
protect that they decide on as a group using information they learned throughout this lesson.
c. Higher-order thinking: Students use their own individual observations to contribute to the
blog posts and project. Having them collect their own data, promotes high order thinking
from each individual child. They will also take note and analyze each other’s date to the blog
post and contribution to the group project.
d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product:
Students will be divided into groups to create a project of their choice. All of the groups’
projects will be uploaded to the class webpage and uploaded to the Journey North site.
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):
X Remembering X Understanding X Applying X Analyzing X Evaluating ☐
Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level): (Select the best level)


☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4:
Integration
X Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):


Engagement: Students are engaged in this activity because they are able to incorporate their own
unique style and information. Each student feels apart of this lesson and as if they are valued.
Online collaboration with students from all over the world sparks a sense of excitement and
interests for each child.
Representation: Students represent their knowledge through their combined information with the
class blog, and they contribute their individual input to the group project. They will use Journey
North as evidence in their development with understanding this topic. This online project will be
used, rather than a traditional paper and pencil quiz or test.

Action and Expression: Student choose the project of their choice as an expression of their
understanding of this standard. They will be able to contribute their knowledge with students
everywhere.
Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies: As a teacher, one should review and set
privacy controls on a device, browser, site and app level to ensure you and your students are not
oversharing online. This should be done to teach the value of privacy to your students. Also,
encourage students to think twice about what they post and share and not to say anything in the
cyber world that they wouldn’t be comfortable saying face-to-face. Keeping students informed and
knowledgable about online safety is the best way to prevent any incidents form happening.
Likewise, students are anonymous on the Journey North site. It is established specifically for
students; therefore, it is required to meet internet safety standards.

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 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
Reflective Practice: Journey North expands student’s learning and sparks their interest. They have
so much fun contributing their individual information to a class blog post, and they feel their
information and knowledge is valued in small groups. They get to create their own project, while
connecting this project to the standard. Moreover, they experience sharing their work with
students from all over. To extend this lesson, students could participate in a FaceTime conversation
with a class from a different state or country and analyze the difference in weather pattern from
the two different places. Before They can discuss similarities and differences, then create a vin-
diagram to prove these differences. The students could use the tablet or laptop for FaceTiming.

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