Sophia Zinicola

February 28, 2019

EDCI 385

Interactive Technology Lesson: Science Review

Technology Focus:
- Word Art​- used to show students how to turn their knowledge and information into a
digital masterpiece.

Standard:
● ISTE Standards: 1c. Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and
demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
● Standard 3.0 Life Science, Topic C: Genetic: 2
○ Recognize that all living thing have offspring, usually with parents involved.

Objective: ​Students will demonstrate understanding of their previous science lesson in their
textbooks. (Animal Parents and their Offspring)

Sequence:

● Activator: Have students think about what we have discussed in our last lesson in
science.
○ How do animal parents help their young?
○ What are some words that make you think of animals and their babies?
○ Think about what parent’s in the wild’s top priority is? (safety)
● Introduce Word Art
○ This is a tool where we can type our ideas, thoughts and create a piece of art.
○ I need students to raise their hands and think about words that make them think
of animals and their young.
■ What do we call baby animals? (ex- ducklings, chicks, cubs, calfs, etc)
● Students Begin Self Check as a Class ​(video had to be stopped at this point
○ Students have to complete the five science questions in their book as a class
using the projector.
○ Each question is read aloud as teacher circulates room
■ 1. How might animals keep their young safe?
■ 2. Which animals stay safe in the same way?
■ 3. Observe each bird and its young, What pattern do you see?
■ 4. Which sentences is true about young animals?
■ 5. How long do bear cubs and leopard cubs stay with their mothers?
○ After students complete check, walk around the room to grade students work as
they finish.
 ● Closure
○ Ask students to share most important word or important aspect of what it means
to be a parent or offspring in the animal world.

Shareable link for video for lesson:

● https://photos.app.goo.gl/EFhkUxdau5Rx9LzV8
● Video had to be cut due to memory issue on phone.

Word Art-
Reflection:
​After planning and conducting this lesson, I think as a teacher I really was able to
embrace the flexibility portion of the teaching profession. When planning this lesson, I was a
little bit stressed as my classroom does not have many technology resources, as our school has
a very limited technology budget, and a very large student population. Our classroom is a first
grade class, with 28 students, and one visualizer/projector device, and six Chromebooks. Our
students are able to access computers as a whole group once a week in the computer ,lab, and
during the week during centers, we have about 4-5 students on a laptop during 20 minute
blocks. Our students are still relatively new to interacting with the internet, and many of my
students struggle with just logging on. When designing this lesson, I wanted to have them in a
whole group setting with me modeling with technology, as I felt it would be more beneficial to
them and less confusing. I sometimes worry using too much independent technology with them
as the confusion and struggles that come along with it can sometimes overwhelm them, and
take away from the actual lesson and content at hand.
My students have a fascination with the internet, and I wanted to show them tools that
went beyond spelling and math games, but played into a more artistic side of it. I thought it
would be more intriguing for them to open their review lesson with an activity that allowed them
to review the material without making it a tedious task. I tried to prompt students with words or
clues that would align with the contents of their assessment in the lesson check. Th lesson itself
began with a rocky start, as the projector didn’t connect to my laptop as intended, so I had to
use the projector camera to point at the Chromebook screen. This meant the image my students
saw was quite blurry and hard to follow, but again, we are teachers and we are flexible. I
continued with the lesson, best I could. Students were able to raise their hand, participate, and
were all quite excited with end result.
Looking back, I wish I had triple checked that the projector worked,as I had checked the
day before and that morning, but we adapted and the lesson went well. I wish during the actual
lesson I had explained the concept of Word Art a little better as I was very frazzled when it
occurred, as well as behind schedule for the day so we had slightly less time for science than
we normally have. I think going forward, I should have taken more time to explain the concept at
hand, and had students maybe seen a practice run of how the Word Art website worked before
showing it to them for them to utilize in a review. However, I do think I will use it to review for
other concepts or even as a review for student’s spelling words. Students enjoyed the creative
aspects of the tool, and the freedom it offered to choose different fonts or shapes. After the
lesson, I had several students ask me if they could find or use this website at home as they
wanted to try to explore the tool on their own.
Although my classroom has limited access to technology, I want to try to expand
my student’s interest in tools that are not just educational games, but in tools that allow them to
express themselves and become more familiar with how to use a computer independently,
without assistance which is something my students are working on.

Citations:

Capella University. (March, 2017). Capella University: Education

Retrieved from: ​https://www.capella.edu/blogs/cublog/benefits-of-technology-in-the-classroom/

Horn, M. (November, 2017). New research answers whether technology is good or bad for
learning. Forbes Magazine. Retrieved from:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2017/11/14/new-research-answers-whether-technolo
gy-is-good-or-bad-for-learning/#869fb1f19d7f

Stavridi, S. (2015). The role of interactive visual art in learning in development of young
children’s creativity. Creative Education, Retrieved from:
https://file.scirp.org/pdf/CE_2015121015090874.pdf