Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Name: Introspective Insects

Content Area: Science
Grade Level(s): 5th
Content Standard Addressed: S5L4. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about how
microorganisms benefit or harm larger organism.

Technology Standard Addressed: 4

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: Bugscope

URL(s) to support the lesson: http://bugscope.beckman.illinois.edu

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in your
classroom: To introduce the topic of insects, I will show students pictures of bug on the projector and ask
what they know about them. Then, I will have students access Bugscope on our computers and pick out a bug
that interests them most. They will then they will research and type up a list of questions and findings on their
insect of choice. After this, they will submit and send in their findings to Bugscope.
This activity will take some time, because it will require some time for scientists to read over the submissions
and respond back. Students will also create a small poster telling the class about their insect of choice. These
will be hung in our “insect museum” in the hallway.
What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a classroom? We
would need access to a computer, a camera, magnifying glasses..

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 can collaborate with their peers as they find and assess the bugs that they find
themselves. They can then use Bugscope to collaborate with expert scientists and ask them questions.
They will also have access to the digital microscope and can compare bugs with their peers.
b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (creating original data and or producing original
products as a result of engaging in a project): This activity is completely student-centered because it
requires students to find a bug, research it, and submit it to Bugscope in order to learn more about it.
The student has complete control and freedom over the direction of the project.
c. Higher-order thinking: This engages higher order thinking within students by requiring them to dig
deeper into every day things. They get to discover and learn more about creatures they don’t know
about.
d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product: Bugscope
has to means to publish student work. Students send in what they’ve learned about a certain insect,
and Bugscope can publish their findings.
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): This activity supports UDL. Students with visual impairments can use the
magnifying glass to zoom in, there is no required auditory functions for those with auditory impairments, and
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 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
ELL learners can read and reread the material on Bugscope as many times as they like. They also can use
software to have the words read aloud to them.
Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies: While this assignment does require the internet, it
is totally safe. The website used is created for educational purposes only and is completely safe for students.
It does not threaten safety or privacy. I would monitor students too.
Reflective Practice: To expand on this lesson I would have students write a short story pertaining to the day in
the life of their chose insect. This will integrate English into the lesson. Once their short story is complete, it
will be hung in the insect museum alongside their posters.

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