Title III Learning Experience
Learning Context | Procedure |Instructional/Environmental Modifications | Time Required | Resources | Assessment Plan | Student Work | Reflection
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LE Title: Owl Scavenger Hunt |
Author(s): Deb Martin, Debbie Streeter |
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Grade Level: 3,4,5 |
School: Hermon-DeKalb |
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Topic/Subject Area: Northern Spotted Owls |
School Address: 709 E. Dekalb Rd. Dekalb Jct, NY |
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Email: |
School Phone/Fax: (315) 347-3442 |
This learning experience is based upon the book “There’s an Owl in the Shower” by Jean Craighead George.
It will be used in an after school program of third, fourth, and fifth grade students. The novel will be read orally to the students as a group with the experience to follow. This experience is designed to give the students practice in using internet technology for a specific purpose, in this case an owl scavenger hunt.
CONNECTIONS TO STANDARDS
Standard 2 Information Systems
Students will access, generate, process, and
transfer information using appropriate technologies.
Key Idea 1
Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information and as a tool to enhance learning
Performance indicators
Students access needed information from printed media and electronic data bases.
Essential Questions:
How does technology enable us to access information to solve a problem
How does technology assist us in finding information to apply to further study and activities.
Content Knowledge: Declarative, Procedural
Declarative Knowledge: The students will know and/or understand that:
Northern Spotted Owls live in a specialized habitat, the
old growth forests
The food source of the owl is limited to mice, voles,
shrews, birds
Man impacts the owl by destroying its habitat
Procedural Knowledge:
The students will be given a model for using the internet to acquire information.
They will be given time to access the internet to answer specific questions.
Procedure
Day 1: Launch activity (1 hour)
A representative from the Robert Moses State Park Nature Center will visit the classroom to display and discuss owls.
Day 2-3: Internet Research (1 hour each)
Materials:
Group envelopes for internet information to be gathered
Scavenger hunt sheets
Computers with internet access connected printer
Yarn, scissors, meter stick
Students will gain access to given internet sites and record information in their packets. They will also follow directions in their packets to complete as many of the activities as possible in the allotted time.
Day 4 : Scavenger Hunt Evaluations (1 hour)
Materials:
Scavenger Hunt rubrics
Completed Scavenger Hunt materials
Partnership evaluation form
Students will exchange group materials’ envelopes for evaluation, using the rubric. Students will also evaluate their own work effort by completing the Partnership Evaluation Form.
Scavenger Hunt winners will receive an owl stuffed animal or other owl related gift.
Instructional/Environmental Modifications
This experience will be used with an after school program of third, fourth, and fifth grade students. The attendance may vary from day to day, thus grouping will help with continuity.
This project includes activities designed to incorporate the abilities of a range of students. Cooperative pairs and groups will assist in the learning process. Students are assessed on their cooperative work and their scavenger hunt results. Students are given opportunities for creativity along with problem solving and decision making.
Time Required
This experience will run for five days for one hour per day. (The book will be read prior to the activities)
Resources
Teacher
Provides computers with printing and internet capabilities.
Internet websites
Copy of “There’s an Owl in the Shower” by Jean Craighead George
Yarn, yardstick
Packets of information questions about owls
Extending and Refining Activity
Students, in pairs, will use the 300 feet of yarn they measured to compare the schoolyard to the Old Growth Forest and the safe distance from a Northern Spotted Owl’s nest to where loggers can cut down trees. They may also deduce that if another owl’s nest is located within this distance, another 300 feet needs to be measured off before the forest can be logged.
Assessment Plan
The rubrics for the Owl Scavenger Hunt and the Partnership Evaluation are included on the next two pages.
Cooperation |
3 |
2 |
1 |
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Place an X on the box that describes your partner’s helpfulness |
Very cooperativeHelpful Works well with others |
Sometimes was uncooperative Not very helpful Argued |
UncooperativeNot helpful Didn’t work with the group |
Give this to your partner to grade your cooperation when your teacher tells you to.
Partnership Evaluation
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Number of items correctly found |
Time Management |
Help Needed |
Followed Directions |
Final |
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21-25 |
Used time wisely |
Minimal or no help needed |
Followed directions well |
Owl Expert! |
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16-20 |
Usually worked on task |
Much help needed |
Needed reminders for directions |
Soaring high |
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11-15 |
Much time wasted |
Much help needed |
Constant reminders needed or didn’t do what was asked |
Endangered |
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0-10 |
Poor usage of time |
Majority was done with help |
Didn’t follow directions |
Extinct |
Names in group:
Owl Scavenger Hunt
Student Work
Reflection
The activity was very engaging and students were eager to be the first to finish. I found the fifth graders had a better attention span than the third graders. It worked well combining the grade levels when assigning the groups.
Make sure, before attempting the activity that you check out the websites to make sure they are still there. I would suggest making a copy of each website on separate disks rather that relying on access to the Internet every time. This way you assure the website will still be there when you go to do your activity. Students can share disks, or you can make several copies.
If you decide to order owl stuffed animals as prizes, allow at least a week for delivery. The shopping page is included in our Appendix section.
Appendix
C Scavenger Hunt Answers