Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Name: Exploring Life Cycles

Content Area: Science
Grade Level(s): 2nd
Content Standard Addressed: S2L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the life cycles of
different living organisms.

Technology Standard Addressed: 3- Knowledge Constructor

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: Online Learning/Project

URL(s) to support the lesson: www.journeynorth.org

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in your
classroom:
I would incorporate the website Journeynorth.org. On this website there are many different organisms’
students could collect data on and how they affect the environment. This site allows students to analyze
different videos and learn how the organism plays a role in the environment. Students, working in at least
pairs, will choose how they want to complete the project, based on the organism they choose. This gives the
student their voice towards their project.

The students will follow the organism’s life cycle for two weeks. The data should be collected on some form of
sheet, whether that is on the computer or handwritten in a journal. Once they have completed the data
collection, they will move on to how they will present their findings to the class. They will choose some form
of display (video, PowerPoint, poster, etc.) The teacher will then display the projects all around the classroom,
allowing student to do a gallery walk to find out more about different organisms and their role in the
environment.

What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a classroom?
The classroom would need computers or a tablet/iPad, enough for students to work in pairs. The device
would need to be connected to the WIFI.

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 will be working in at least pairs, maybe more depending on class size. They will be
working on the site (JourneyNorth) to collect data. This site is a collection of current videos, showing
the life cycles of different plants and animals.

b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (creating original data and or producing original
products as a result of engaging in a project): Students will be using the data from the videos on
JourneyNorth for their projects. How the use the data to present their findings, is up to the students.
Students are going to be presenting the information in a creative way that allows their peers to learn
about a different organism.

c. Higher-order thinking: While collecting data on an organism, students are going to be thinking about
how the organism affects the environment and the ecosystem around them. The findings from the
data collection will be used to inform their peers about the different life cycles and how they affect the
environment.

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 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product: There will be
a gallery walk within the classroom for entire class. After the gallery walk, the teacher can publish
student work, with parent permission first.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☒ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

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

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

Engagement: Students are choosing their own organism. This allows the students to have an interest towards
organism and have them wanting to find more information on it too.
Representation: Before the project is introduced, there will be an explanation of what to look for when
looking at an organism’s life cycle and their environment. The teacher will show videos and pictures that
display the characteristics students should look for when on the website.
Action and Expression: Students choose how they want to present their information and data from the
project. They can create a video, PowerPoint, poster, cartoon, etc. The students will present them to the class
as a gallery walk, which are smaller groups. After the teacher will display the projects around the classroom.

Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies:

The teacher will have already gone over the different characteristics and stages of animal and plant life cycles
prior to this lesson. Examples will be through all learning styles (video, pictures, hands-on, etc.). Students will
pair up, or small group (depending on class size) and they will choose an organism from the list provide. The
list are the organisms on the website (www.journeynorth.org). Once the students have chosen their
organism, they will use a computer or technology device to look at the first part of the life cycle. They should
take notes on the device through Office365 or in their journal. They will watch a video for two weeks,
documenting the changes they have seen and any affects on the environment. After the two-week period, the
students will select a way to present their findings and information. They will present their project through a
gallery walk, which are smaller groups looking/listening to their projects. After the gallery walk, the teacher
will display the projects around the room. With parent permission, the teacher can publish student work
online. Before letting students use the technology or internet, the teacher will collect parent permission from
all students. The website used for this project will be on the class blog with a direct link. This helps to alleviate
students from going to other websites while trying to access the original link.
Reflective Practice:
To further extend this lesson, I would have brought in a biologist who specializes in animal and plant life
cycles. This would take the lesson to the next Loti level. The students would learn more from just my
knowledge; they will get more information from an expert. This lesson is more of a summative project,
meaning it is going to be at the end of the unit. Although it is at the end, having the expert come in will get
students to think deeper and get a better understanding of the content. If there are also questions students
need answered but are not in the videos, they could ask the expert, which could also give them more insight
towards the organism.

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