Title III Technology Literacy Challenge Grant

Learning Unit

Overview | Content Knowledge | Essential Questions | Connection To Standards | Initiating Activity | Learning Experiences | Culminating Performance | Pre-Requisite Skills | Modifications | Schedule/Time Plan | Technology Use

OVERVIEW

 We have paired ninth and second graders together to experience an innovative project in reading and technology. Each second grade student will be paired with a ninth grade buddy. Working together, they will formulate a summary type book report, word process the report, and produce a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation to showcase their work. This project is truly an integrated one; the English Language Arts connection is especially strong, as is the technology component.
 
 

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

- 1 -

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• Why is reading important?
• What are the elements of a story?
• What is the proper way to interact with younger students in an academic setting?

CONNECTIONS TO NYS LEARNING STANDARDS
List Standard # and Key Idea #: Write out related Performance Indicator(s) or Benchmark(s)

 ELA Standard 1, Key Idea 1 - Elementary

Performance Indicators:

• Select information appropriate to the purpose of the investigation and relate ideas from one text to another;
• Select and use strategies they have been taught for note-taking, organizing and categorizing information;
• Ask specific questions to clarify and extend meaning;
• Make appropriate and effective use of strategies to construct meaning from print, such as prior knowledge about a subject, structural and context clues, and an understanding of letter-sound relationships to decode difficult words;
• Support inferences about information and ideas with reference to text features, such as vocabulary and organizational patterns;

ELA Standard 1, Key Idea 2 - Elementary

Performance Indicators:

• Present information clearly in a variety of oral and written forms such as summaries, paraphrases, brief reports, stories, posters and charts;
• Use details, examples, anecdotes or personal experiences to explain or clarify information;
• Include relevant information and exclude extraneous material;
• Use the process of pre-writing, drafting, revising, and proofreading (the writing process) to produce well-constructed informational texts;
• Observe basic writing conventions, such as correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as sentence and paragraph structures appropriate to written forms;

ELA Standard 2, Key Idea 1 - Elementary

Performance Indicators:

• Understand the literary elements of setting, character, plot, theme, and point of view and compare those;
• Read aloud accurately and fluently, using phonics and context clues to determine pronunciation and meaning;

ELA Standard 2, Key Idea 2 - Elementary

Performance Indicators:

• Present personal responses to literature that make reference to the plot, characters, ideas, vocabulary, and text structure;
• Observe the conventions of grammar and usage, spelling and punctuation;

ELA Standard 3, Key Idea 2 - Elementary

• Express opinions about events, books, issues, and experiences supporting their opinions with some evidence;
• Use effective vocabulary and follow the rules of grammar usage, spelling and punctuation in persuasive writing;

ELA Standard 4, Key Idea 1 - Elementary

Performance Indicators:

• Listen attentively and recognize when it is appropriate for them to speak;
• Take turns speaking and respond to other's ideas in conversations on familiar topics;
• Recognize the kind of interaction appropriate for different circumstances, such as story hour, group discussions, and one-on-one conversations;

ELA Standard 4, Key Idea 2 - Elementary

Performance Indicators:

• Exchange friendly notes, cards, and letters with friends, relatives and pen pals to keep in touch and to commemorate special occasions;
• Adjust their vocabulary and style to take into account the nature of the relationship and the knowledge and interests of the person receiving the message;

MST Standard 5, Key Idea 2 - Elementary

Performance indicators:

• Use appropriate graphic and electronic tools and techniques to process information;

MST Standard 5, Key Idea 3 - Elementary

Performance indicators:

• Use the computer as a tool for generating and drawing ideas;

ELA Standard 4, Key Idea 1 - Commencement

Performance indicators:

• Engage in conversations and discussions on academic, technical and community subjects, anticipating listeners' needs and skillfully addressing them;
• Express their thoughts and views clearly with attention to the perspectives and voiced concerns of the others in the conversation;
• Use appropriately the language of conventions for a wide variety of social situations, such as informal conversations, first meetings with peers or adults;

ELA Standard 4, Key Idea 2 - Commencement

Performance indicators:

• Use a variety of print and electronic forms for social communication with adults and peers;
• Make effective use of language and style to connect the message with the audience and context;

MST Standard 2, Key Idea 1- Commencement

Performance indicators:

• Prepare multimedia presentations demonstrating a clear sense of audience and purpose;
• Access, select, collate, and analyze information obtained from a wide range of sources such as research data bases, foundtions, organizations, national libraries, and electronic communication networks, including the Internet;

MST Standard 5, Key Idea 2 - Commencement

Performance indicators:

• Select appropriate tools, instruments, and equipment and use them correctly to process materials, energy, and information;

INITIATING ACTIVITY

Session 1: 75 minutes

Ninth grade students will walk to Fisher Elementary School, supervised by ninth grade teachers. The ninth and second grade teachers have assigned student "pairings" prior to this session. Ninth grade students report to their assigned second grade teacher and complete the following tasks:

1. "Greet and meet" students

2. Select and read a book together

3. Create a work folder

4. Sharing time

Throughout the afternoon, grade 9 and grade 2 students will work on a variety of teacher prepared activities designed to help students establish collegial relationships. Grade 9 and Grade 2 teachers will be available to monitor all activities.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Session 2: 75 minutes

Location: Fisher Elementary School - Grade 2 classrooms

1. Students will read library book together for a second time;
2. Students will complete graphic organizer together;

• Grade 2 students will dictate notes, words, phrases, etc. to Grade 9 students who will note responses in graphic organizer;

3. Together, students will write a brief review of their book;

• Using notes from graphic organizer, grade 9 students will help grade 2 students to develop sentences from notes;
• Grade 9 students will use editing checklist, positive reinforcement , and questioning techniques to guide grade 2 students through this process;

1. Grade 9 students will take written draft back to Jarvis and create a PowerPoint presentation; Prior to next session, ninth grade students will have template formatted and ready to share with grade 2 students;
2. Prior to the next session, grade 2 students will create an illustration connected to their library book. Grade 2 teachers will supervise this activity in their classrooms.
3. Throughout the sessions, photos will be taken of students working together; photos will then be scanned into the PowerPoint presentation.

Session 3A/3B: 75 minutes

Location: Jarvis High School

Bus transportation needed for elementary students to high school

Note: Session was split because we could only accommodate two second grade classes at one time in our computer labs;
 
 

Tasks:

1. Grade 9 and Grade 2 students will create a PowerPoint presentation of their book review. Ninth grade students will have basic format set up; Grade 2 students will be provided the opportunity to:

• Word process a portion of their review;
• Scan their photo into the Powerpoint presentation;
• Finish the sentence…"I like this book because.…" using voice overlay computer technology;

1. Powerpoint presentation will be formatted as follows…

• Title page/reviewed by…
• Book review
• Student drawing
• Photo of "buddies" with voice overlay telling why they like the book;

Extending and Refining Experiences:

• Consider creating a similar project with senior citizens;
• Collect and collate book reviews for a summer reading list for parents and students;
• Present an oral book review to classmates and/or younger students to encourage and promote reading;
• Compare/contrast Powerpoint presentations using a student developed checklist;

Summative Assessment:

Ninth and second grade students will be required to submit a written summary of their book. The summary will include title, author, setting, main characters, identification of major problem and examples to support, or explain this problem and what they liked best about their book. Teachers will collect and review graphic organizers, notes and final written product and grade each team of students based upon a rubric.

Culminating Performance

Session 4: Parent Night @ Fisher Elementary School

Date/Time to be determined; Set aside two evenings for two classrooms/evening;

Pre-Parent Session:

• Powerpoint slides are checked and timed;
• Files are downloaded to laptop and brought to elementary computer lab;
• Information transfer takes place and hopefully everything works;
• Formal letter is sent home to parents inviting them to view their child's work;
• In order to accommodate everyone, the sessions are divided into two nights, with specific times assigned to each of the four second grade classrooms;

Parent Night:

• Teachers and media specialists are on hand to meet and greet parents and students;
• At the beginning of each parent session, a second grade and ninth grade representative explains to the parents what took place and what they should expect to see;
• We learned that computers should be turned off during the introductory remarks so everyone's attention is focused on the oral presentation;
• A few student samples of work are displayed on the large screen and parents are "walked through" the process;
• For the last 30 minutes or so, parents and students are encouraged to manipulate the computers to view their own child's work as well as other students;
• Teachers, media specialists and computer assistant are on hand, walking and talking amongst the group to offer their assistance

Note: At the end of the projects, hard copies of students book reviews were distributed to each second grade student. The purpose is to provide parents with quality literature an appropriate level for their children to read over the summer!
 
 

Rubric.htm

Self-evaluation Checklist:

1. Did your Powerpoint presentation include the following components?

• Title page
• Photo of "buddies"
• Written summary
• Creative slide
• Illustration of one event from story
• Book cover slide
• "I liked this book because….."

 2.Was your slide show easy to read?

3.Was your slide show colorful and fun to look at?

4.What did you like best about your Powerpoint show?

5.What did you like least about your Powerpoint show?

6.Did you enjoy working with a ninth grade student? Why or why not?

7.Would you like to do this project again? Why? Or why not?

Pre-Requisite Skills:

Ninth grade students will be able to:

• Read at least at a grade 6 level;
• Write legibly;
• Understand basic elements of writing process;
• Be familiar with graphic organizers and note-taking process;
• Be familiar with Powerpoint;
• Have basic knowledge of keyboarding and word processing computer skills;
• Receive instruction and understand how to interact socially with 2^nd grade students;

Modifications:

Mohawk Central School is a total inclusionary school district. Therefore, whatever modifications were necessary as per IEP's , were met. This project was simple and very well structured. Students were matched with each other after intensive and extensive meetings between the 2^nd and 9^th grade teachers, who knew their students best.

Technology Integration:

Media specialists provided expertise in following areas; classroom teachers, as well as students learned from observing, participating and experimenting with the technology:

Integrating and Managing the Technology:

• Library Skills

• OPAC
• Accelerated Reader
• Internet

• Substance before Style

• Written work completed and checked before designing PowerPoint presentations;

• Introduction to PowerPoint

• Use PowerPoint Lesson to teach PowerPoint ….please note that this initial PowerPoint lesson was presented to all students earlier in the year, as a separate lesson, in order to prepare them for this particular experience;

• Network class folders

• Cooperative space on the network

• Network folders for common multimedia elements

• Pictures, clipart, videos and sounds

• Scanning pictures, artworks and book covers

• Graphic extensions, cropping and rotating images

• Creating content for our Intranet

• Student generating information for students;