Engaged Learning Project Template

Title of Project: Quadblogging about Winter

Subject(s): Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Math
Grade Level(s): 1st
Abstract:
Students will use their class blog and collaborate with 3 other 1st grade classes in Australia, Canada, and California centered
around the seasonal topic of Winter. Each class will be featured for 1 week, and the other 3 weeks each class will comment
on 1 other classes blog posts about winter. Students will culminate the activity with a Skype chat between 1 or more of the
classrooms. Students will be weather reporters and experts on the geography of their area, as well as discussing preparations
for winter and drawing conclusions about other cultures in the process.
Learner Description/Context:
A class of 23 first-graders, including 7 ELL students, and 3 special needs autism inclusion students are in the classroom. The
students have widely varying levels of ability and will be engaging in new forms of learning. Although they have written in
their class blogs since September, this will be their first opportunity to collaborate with other 1 st grade learners. Parents will
be included in the learning activity by receiving an information sheet about the project from the teacher and by being invited
to read and comment on student blogs.
Time Frame: Pre-project blogging: 1 hours per week for 8-10 weeks. Project 4-5 weeks (2-3 hours per week), beginning
the week of January 7th and culminating in early February
Standards Assessed:

CCGPS Grade 1
Writing
write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some
sense of closure (CCGPS) (1LA_D2012-25/ELACC1W2)
focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed,
with guidance and support from adults (CCGPS) (1LA_D2012-27/ELACC1W5)
use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers, with guidance and
support from adults (CCGPS) (1LA_D2012-28/WLACC1W6)
Language
demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking
(CCGPS) (1LA_F2012-37)
demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing
(CCGPS) (1LA_F2012-38/ELACC1L2)
Science (Earth Science)
observe, measure, and analyze weather data to determine patterns in weather and climate (GPS) (1SC_B2007-7)
Social Studies
use cardinal directions (GPS) (1SS_A2008-1)
use intermediate directions (GPS) (1SS_A2008-2)
compare similarities and differences (GPS) (1SS_B2008-3)
identify and locate his/her city, county, state, nation, and continent on a simple map or globe (GPS) (1SS_C2008-10)
locate major topographical features of the earth's surface (GPS) (1SS_C2008-11)
Mathematics
organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories; ask and answer questions about the total number
of data points, how many in each category, and how many more or less are in one category than in another (CCGPS)
(1MA_C2012-25/MCC1.MD.4)

ISTE-S Standards
1- Creativity & Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using
technology.

Jo Williamson, Ph.D., Kennesaw State University

Engaged Learning Project Template

b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
d. Identify trends and forecast possibilities
2- Communication & Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support
individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and
media
b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats
c. Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures
5 Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity
c. Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning
d. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship
Learner Objectives:
Students will be able to write information blog posts with grade-level appropriate mechanics & spelling
Student posts/comments will be on-topic, convey factual information about winter in Georgia, and have a sense of
closure
Students will make factual observations about our weather and weather data from other places
Students will contribute data to a class weather graph and discuss similarities and differences in the data points
Students will identify other countries and states on maps and globes, and use cardinal directions to go from one
place to another
Assessment will be done through rubrics evaluating blog posts, and pre-made grade-level assessments in social
studies and mathematics
The hook or Introduction:
Students will view and respond to a video slideshow about last years Snowmageddon event, including some news clips
about this years winter forecast. Then, they will watch a teacher-created video showing last winter in Ontario, Canada, Los
Angeles California, and Melbourne, Australia. Students will be introduced to the project through photos and tweets from the
cooperating classes and will brainstorm ideas about what we could share with them about winter, preparing for winter, last
years Snowmageddon, and more.
Process:
Pre-project blogging: 1 hours per week for 8-10 weeks, beginning in September and ending in December.
Weekly instructional coaching support from technology coach
Expansion of audience to include other teachers at school, parents, and administration
A mixture of teacher-selected and student-selected posts
Project 4-5 weeks (2-3 hours per week), beginning the week of January 7th and culminating in early February.
Week of January 7th intro lesson, begin gathering weather data (recording temp/precipitation on charts), meet
classes through photos, Twitter feeds, Skype chat if possible
Week of January 14th gather/record weather data, read/comment on other student blogs, SS geography
integration with Google Maps & cardinal direction practice
Week of January 21st gather/record weather data, draw conclusions from graphs, read/comment on other student
blogs, write drafts for featured week posts possible Skype with Paul Milliken from Fox5 Atlanta
Week of January 28th gather/record weather data, write/publish featured week posts, including multimedia
component (photo collage or other)
Week of February 4th read/comment on other student blogs, have a culminating Skype chat with 1 other class
Product:
Students will produce 3 high quality blog posts about weather, winter, and the geography of where they live. They will select
which post to feature through reflective discussion and self-evaluation with peers and the teachers. They will comment on
student blogs from the other 3 participating classes as well, with a focus on developing written conversation skills and
learning from others. Student blogs will be shared with parents and the community, and students will be invited to speak
and/or record short videos to display on school announcements to tell other students at our school about the project and what
they learned. Student blogs will be assessed by the teachers using a teacher-developed writing rubric with an additional
audience awareness component (rubric linked in references section)

Jo Williamson, Ph.D., Kennesaw State University

Engaged Learning Project Template

Technology Use: Kidblog (web-based and iPad app) will be used to publish student work and for students to read and learn
about weather from students in 3 other classes. Twitter will be used by teachers and displayed to students to show photos of
students and their winter weather. Skype will be used by teachers and students to have face-to-face guided conversations
around the weather topic. Video slideshows will be used by teachers to kick-off the lesson. These technologies support
higher-level LoTi by using technology to connect outside of the classroom and to make a learning experience possible that
couldnt happen without this technology.
References and Supporting Material:
Informational Blogging Rubric Grade 1
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Quadblogging website http://quadblogging.net/

Twitter to connect with other teachers and classrooms
Skype in the classroom - https://education.skype.com/
Karen Lirenmans blog - http://learningandsharingwithmsl.blogspot.com/2012/09/getting-my-class-connected-listof-ideas.html
Kristen Wideens Primary Blogging Community - http://www.mrswideen.com/2012/09/primary-bloggingcommunity.html
WeVideo to edit clips for introductory video - https://www.wevideo.com/
Weather data collection chart (student)
Class-created weather chart
Google Maps (http://maps.google.com) & Google Earth (http://www.google.com/earth)
Screen clipper to get snapshots from Google Maps
School-owned and student devices to take pictures
Instaweather app to create pictures from weather photos
PicCollage app (iOS & Android) to create photo collages

Jo Williamson, Ph.D., Kennesaw State University