Unit Description

ETEC 562-Technology Integration Unit Project

Emma Jones
May 2, 2015
UNIT: ALL ABOUT ME
Subject Area(s): Language Arts & Technology Integration
Intended Audience: Grade 5
Suggested Time Frame: 7 hrs 20min (split between Monday through Friday class sessions)
Unit Description: Students will explore and learn more about themselves, and each other, by planning, collaborating, and creating an autobiography (All About Me Photo
Story) that they will present to their family and peers. The autobiography will display their creativity, technology skill level, communication skills, and writing skills. This unit consists
of technology tools to appeal to diverse learners and engage students.

Instructional Objectives:
Students will:

design, develop, evaluate, and articulate technological solutions.

operate and manage technological systems.

speak and listen to explore, extend, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences.

communicate information and ideas effectively and clearly, and respond personally and critically.

select, read, and view with understanding a range of literature, information, media, and visual texts.

interpret, select, combine information using a variety of strategies, resources, and technologies.

respond critically to a range of texts, applying their understanding of language, form, and genre.

use writing and other forms of representation to explore, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, experiences, and learnings; and use their imaginations.

create text collaboratively and independently, using a wide variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.

use a range of strategies to develop effective writing and other ways of representing and enhance their clarity, precision, and effectiveness.

TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED

Computers (with speakers)

Projector

Printer/Scanner

Internet access

Apple iPads

Digital camera (with video)

Computer microphone

Windows Photo Story 3 Software-Computer software program used to

create slideshows using your digital photos. All images can be edited with
user friendly features, which include stunning special effects, soundtracks,
and ability to access a computer microphone to voice narrate photo stories.
Photo stories can be customized with titles and captions as well. Photo Story
creations are easy to share and they can be seen from a TV, a computer, or
a Windows Mobilebased portable device or even through the web. Students
will use this technology to develop their All About Me autobiographies.

Kidblog.org Kidblog is a safe online classroom blog site that provides

teachers with the ability to help students create and publish their writings
online. Students will learn digital citizenship within a private classroom
blogging space, where teachers can monitor all activity within their
blogging classroom blogging space. The classroom blog can give
students a feeling of ownership in their writings, while making the process
of writing meaningful. Kidblog is deeply rooted in the pedagogy of writing
and gives teachers a way to engage students in the process of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing, and commenting.

Popplet program- Popplet is a web program that can be used and

accessed in the classroom and at home. Popplet is used to create a
virtual mind-map that helps students brainstorm and learn visually.
Students can learn to create relationships between facts, ideas/thoughts,
and images. For this unit, students will use Popplet to brainstorm and
create an organizational map for planning out their autobiography
information presentation.

LEARNING THEORIES AND INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN MODELS

Constructivism
The autobiography photo story allows students to construct their own knowledge, problem solve, and use traditional research methods and essay writing in a
non-traditional form. Students will reflect on personal experiences to support their learning and make connections to what they have learned, and apply it to other
learning contexts, and situations. This approach will help students improve their research and writing skills. This approach will also encourage and aid students in
their communication skills (listening, and speaking). Visual representations will be created by students using multi-media tools in the form of Popplet, Kidblog,
digital photographs, microphones, and the Windows Photo Story 3 software.
Multiple Intelligences
This unit appeals to a variety of learning styles by presenting materials in a variety of ways to facilitate effective learning. Students will be given opportunities to
learn through the Verbal-Linguistic, Musical, Visual-Spatial, Interpersonal, and Intrapersonal Intelligences.

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES
1. Students will be given an introduction to the unit through a teacher-led class discussion about how we commonly tell about ourselves to others.
2. The teacher can then give more details by discussing autobiographies. Optional: show and/or read from prescribed literature.
3. The teacher will show his/her autobiography that s/he has prepared in advance in the Windows Photo Story 3 program by accessing the classroom
blog at Kidblog.org.
4. The teacher will pass out a K-W-L Chart handout to students, and then will draw a version of the chart on the on the dry erase board. The teacher will
first brainstorm with students a list of what they already Know about themselves, and what they Want to find out about themselves. The teacher will
simultaneously fill in the K-W-L Chart drawn on the board to demonstrate and lead students in filling out the chart.
5. After brainstorming for the K-W-L chart, the teacher will use the collaborated list of responses to create an organizational map. The teacher will
demonstrate how to first put the ideas from the K-W-L Chart into broad categories, and then expanding on them using the Popplet app.
6. Students will gain access to Popplet by logging on to the classroom blog at Kidorg.com. Finally, students will begin to independently plan their
autobiography by creating their own organizational map using Popplet from an iPad or Computer.
7. Students will research what they need to find out in their list from their personal K-W-L chart as a homework assignment.

8. Students will modify their organizational maps in Popplet if needed when their research is complete and print a copy of their organizational map the
next day at school.
9. Students will then collect materials for presentation (i.e., take digital photos, scan images, download video clips/music, etc.) and use their printed
Popplet as a guide.
10. First, the teacher will demonstrate how to use the Windows Photo Story 3 program. Next, students will begin their autobiographies and finish
downloading their images.
11. Students will upload their final presentations to the classroom blog provided on Kidblog.org.
12. The teacher will display the classroom blog using the projector, and will play each uploaded presentation on Kidblog.
13. Students will be given a Student Questionnaire handout to complete as a homework assignment.

Resources & References

Windows Photo Story 3 (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=11132)

Popplet program (http://www.popplet.com)

Kidblog (http://kidblog.org/home/)

Method(s) of Assessment

Student Questionnaire

Observation

Unit Documents and Demonstrations

Detailed Lesson Plan

K-W-L Chart handout

Student Questionnaire handout