EDTC 620 Technology in K-12 Education

FINAL UNIT PLAN/FUNDING PROPOSAL/COURSE & UNIT REFLECTION

Gretchen Nicholson

Part I. Project Based Learning Unit/Lesson Plan Template

PROJECT BASED LEARNING OVERVIEW

 Unit Project Overview and Goal: Students will explore the different surfaces of
the Earth and identify how they can change.
 Unit Project challenge, problem or question for students to explore:
o Question 1: What evidence exists that the surface of Earth is changing?
o Question 2: What evidence can be collected that the surface of Earth is
changing?
LESSON PLANS

Lesson Plan One

Project Based Learning Unit/Lesson Plan Lesson Plan 1
Project Idea: Students will utilize technology in order to identify slow changes to Earth’s
surface. They will be use iPads in order to explore the different slow changes.

Content Standard:
Earth/Space Science (Science)
2.K.A.1 Investigate objects and materials in the environment.

ISTE Standard for Students:

Knowledge Constructor
 3a Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other
resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
Global Collaborator
 7a Students use digital tools to connect with learners from a variety of backgrounds and
cultures, engaging with them in ways that broaden mutual understanding and learning.
 7d Students explore local and global issues and use collaborative technologies to work
with others to investigate solutions.

Objective for lesson:

Students will be able to identify and represent slow changes to Earth’s surface.

Tool(s):
 WG Flipchart- Promethean
 Flipbook for Slow Changes
 iPads
 BrainPop Jr. Video
Teacher Directed Activities:
I will ask students have you ever seen a place where it is really dry? We are going to be learning
about slow changes to Earth’s surface today. There are 3 types of slow changes. Students will be
using the Promethean board in order to learn about the slow changes to Earth’s surface. I will
explain to students the different slow changes. We will then watch a video about slow changes
from Discovery Education. Students will then complete the sort about slow changes. After, I will
explain to students that they are going to be watching another video about slow changes on Brain
Pop Jr. I will explain how to get to the video on their iPad.

Student Directed Activities:

Students will watch a video on Brain Pop Jr. about the slow changes to Earth’s surface. After
they have watched the video on the iPads they will click the make a map tool under the video.
They will create a map about the slow changes to Earth’s surface. Using this information from
the videos and their maps they will then create a flipbook as their assessment.

Performance Based Assessment:

Students will create a flipbook about the slow changes to Earth’s Surface. They will use the 3
different types of slow changes in order to create their flipbook. They will have to write one
important fact that they learned and then draw a picture of the slow change. Students will print
their maps.

Sample Finished Product:

Map Assessment

Lesson Plan Two

Project Based Learning Unit/Lesson Plan Lesson Plan 2
Project Idea: Students will be using technology in order to identify fast changes to the Earth’s
surface. They will be using iPads in order to explore the different fast changes.
Content Standard:
Earth/Space Science (Science)
2.K.A.1 Investigate objects and materials in the environment.

ISTE Standard for Students:

Knowledge Constructor
 3a Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other
resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
Global Collaborator
 7a Students use digital tools to connect with learners from a variety of backgrounds and
cultures, engaging with them in ways that broaden mutual understanding and learning.
 7d Students explore local and global issues and use collaborative technologies to work
with others to investigate solutions.

Objective for lesson:

Students will be able to identify and represent fast changes to Earth’s surface.

Tool(s):
 WG Flipchart- Promethean
 Flipbook for Fast Changes
 iPads
 BrainPop Jr. Video

Teacher Directed Activities:

I will tell students yesterday, we learned about the slow changes to Earth’s surface do you
remember the 3 types of slow changes? Next, we are going to learn about the 3 different fast
changes to Earth’s surface. We will be watching a video about the different ways earth changes
quickly. We will then review the different ways that earth changes. We will read about Volcanos
then explore pictures of Volcanos. Then, we will read about earthquakes, we will read about
earthquakes and look at pictures of what happens when earthquakes happen. Finally, we will
explore floods. We will read about floods and look at pictures from floods.

Student Directed Activities:

Students will watch a video on Brain Pop Jr. about the fast changes to Earth’s surface. After they
have watched the video on the iPads they will click the make a map tool under the video. They
will create a map about the slow changes to Earth’s surface. Using this information from the
videos and their maps they will then create a flipbook as their assessment. Students will then
print their maps.

Performance Based Assessment:

Students will create a flipbook about the fast changes to Earth’s Surface. They will use the 3
different types of fast changes in order to create their flipbook. They will have to write one
important fact that they learned and then draw a picture of the slow change.
Sample Finished Product:

Map Assessment

Lesson Plan Three

Project Based Learning Unit/Lesson Plan Lesson Plan 3
Project Idea: Students will be using technology in order to identify fast and slow changes to
Earth’s Surface. They will be using iPads in order to explore the different fast and slow changes.

Content Standard:
Earth/Space Science (Science)
2.K.A.1 Investigate objects and materials in the environment.

ISTE Standard for Students:

Digital Citizen
 2a Students cultivate and manage their digital identity and reputation and are aware of the
permanence of their actions in the digital world.
 2b Students engage in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using technology,
including social interactions online or when using networked devices.
Knowledge Constructor
 3a Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other
resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
Global Collaborator
 7a Students use digital tools to connect with learners from a variety of backgrounds and
cultures, engaging with them in ways that broaden mutual understanding and learning.
 7d Students explore local and global issues and use collaborative technologies to work
with others to investigate solutions.
Objective for lesson:
Students will be able to explore fast or slow changes to Earth’s surface using a virtual reality
device.

Tool(s):
 WG Flipchart- Promethean
 Google Cardboard VR
 Iphone/Any usable phone

Teacher Directed Activities:

I will tell students yesterday, we learned about the slow changes to Earth’s surface do you
remember the 3 types of slow and fast changes? We will be completing a sort about Earth’s fast
and slow changes in order to refresh students’ memories. I will also pull calling sticks in order to
pick students to share one of their maps that they completed in the previous 2 days.

Student Directed Activities:

Students will each be getting a smaller device like an iPhone or another smaller device. They
will also get a Google Cardboard VR viewer. Students will then use their device to open the
YouTube application. They will pick one of the fast or slow changes to experience and write it
on the sticky note on their desk. They will then be typing their choice in the search bar with “VR
360 view.” Students will then view the video in a VR experience. When students are finished
they will view one of the other fast or slow changes, with the expectation that they should view
one of each type of change. Students will then be in a Google Document chat with other peers
who picked the same VR. They will discuss what they saw, what was happening, and why these
changes are dangerous or not.

Performance Based Assessment:

Students will create a model of one of the fast or slow changes to Earth’s surface. They will have
to include a note card about what their change is and an important fact about their change to
Earth’s surface.

Sample Finished Product:

Same Notecard:
Volcano- When a volcano
explodes the lava can travel.
Which can create mountains.
 Part II. Funding Proposal
In my classroom I will be teaching an inclusion class of approximately fifteen students.

There will be nine girls and six boys. My students have a variety of different ethnic backgrounds

such as Caucasian, African American, Asian, and Hispanic students. The project that I am going

to be implementing is a way for my students to experience fast and slow changes to Earth’s

surface. In order for students to be able to experience this they will need iPads and Cardboard

VR. Therefore, since these devices are not provided I need funding. Students objectives for this

lesson are students will be able to explore fast or slow changes to Earth’s surface using a virtual

reality device and students will be able to identify and represent fast and slow changes to the

Earth’s surface.

In order to measure the amount of learning that students are doing, students will be able

to create maps and flipbooks in order to demonstrate what they have learned. Students will also

be creating a model of the fast or slow change of their choice. The technology that will be

provided by the funding is going to have a long life after this project. In the future, the iPads will

be used for augmented reality lessons and as a one on one device to provided more

individualized instruction to students. The cardboard VR devices that will be provided will allow

for science to come to life in future lessons, such as viewing more virtual reality of animals and

the Earth.

Below is the link to my proposal:

https://www.donorschoose.org/project/earths-changes/3465836/

Part III. Final Unit Project and Course Reflection

In a classroom, I believe that technology should be used strategically and promote

learning. One of the main issues with technology is many teachers look to it as a way to get

students busy and not bothering them at specific times. For example, playing games that have
nothing to do with the curriculum. Teachers who strategically look at applications and website

are able to create a place where students can learn and refresh skills that have already been

taught. For example, websites like prodigy.com allows for students to play as a wizard solving

mathematics problems that the teacher assigns them. Also, this allows students to learn about

content when they are playing. This promotes students learning of concepts when they don’t

even realize it. With the new technology that is coming up such as augmented reality, virtual

reality and iPads it is important that students are able to use them and benefit from them.

While creating my final project I learned many things about how to implement new

technology into my first-grade classroom. First, before starting I had a difficult time selecting

which technologies would be beneficial to my students. When working with first graders I have

learned that using too many pieces of technology gets confusing to students. Therefore, I had to

be really strategic as to what and how I was implementing virtual reality and iPad usage. Also,

while creating my final project I concluded how fun it is to add in all these technologies.

Looking at how I would teach this lesson before including these technologies it seemed very

boring. Now including the technologies such as creating a map allows students to create

something that they can take responsibility for. Overall, creating this final project allowed me to

see how important it is for these technologies to be implemented in the classroom.

This course has been really eye-opening to me and using different technologies in the

classroom. Before this course I would never have thought to use virtual reality or augmented

reality in a classroom. Doing the discussion posts on them have really opened my eyes to the fact

it is possible to do this in a first-grade classroom. I am really excited to be able to use these new

technologies in the coming year and see how my students use and benefit from them.