Classroom Blog and Website Creation Tools

Lesson Idea Name:​ Fun with Life Cycles!

Content Area:​ Science
Grade Level(s):​ 2nd
Content Standard Addressed:​ S2L1. Students will investigate the life cycles of different living organisms.
a. Determine the sequence of the life cycle of common animals in your area: a mammal
such as a cat or dog or classroom pet, a bird such as a chicken, an amphibian such as
a frog, and an insect such as a butterfly.

Technology Standard Addressed:

For students: 2. Digital Citizen

3. Knowledge Constructor

For teachers: 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

4. Promote and Model DIgital Citizenship and Responsibility
3. Model Digital Work and Learning

Selected Technology Tool:

X Blog ​☐​Wiki ​☐​Other: Website Creation Tool (list): Edublogs

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

http://cpelky.edublogs.org/flipped-classroom-2/
http://freemusicarchive.org/search/?quicksearch=superbus&sort=track_date_published&d=1&page=2
https://www.audacityteam.org/download/
https://www.amazon.com/Very-Hungry-Caterpillar-Eric-Carle/dp/0399208534
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):
☐​Remembering ​☐​Understanding ​☐​Applying ​☐​Analyzing ​☐​Evaluating ​X​Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐​Level 1: Awareness ​☐​Level 2: Exploration ​☐​Level 3: Infusion ​X​Level 4: Integration
☐​Level 5: Expansion ​☐​Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): ​To address the UDL principles, the podcast reaches to all students
outside or inside the classroom. To aid students with hearing disabilities I have included a transcript of the
podcast. This lesson also lets students take control of their own learning by allowing them to choose the
animal in which they want to present the life cycle on. This will help engage students by accommodating to
their specific interests.

Lesson idea implementation:​ To begin, the instructor will read the book ​The Very Hungry Caterpillar ​by
Eric Carle. This will introduce the topic of the life cycle of a caterpillar/butterfly. After reading the book the
instructor will explicitly teach that what we just read was the life cycle of a butterfly. He/she will then ask
students if they can think of any other life cycles of other animals that they would like to share. The middle of
the lesson will include having students search online for the life cycle of a butterfly and copy and paste
pictures onto a document in chronological order (from first to fourth stage). Make sure to give instructions
that there are four stages, so each student should have four pictures that represent each stage Throughout

Summer 2017_SJB
 Classroom Blog and Website Creation Tools
the lesson the teacher will be there to answer questions, but the students are in control of their own
research.
After students have gathered their own pictures and have them on their documents, allow time for
formal assessments by having students share their pictures and elaborate on what is happening in the picture.
This lesson may be a bit lengthy and take about two class periods. To conclude the lesson, assign the “Fun
with Life Cycles” project and go over different ways they can present it (via short PowerPoint/ReadWriteThink
Timeline/cardboard poster). This project will include students deciding what animal’s life cycle they would like
to research and how they would like to present it. The project will be set to take about a week. Also, instruct
them to go to out online classroom blog and listen to the podcast for the “Flipped Classroom Assignment”.
This will help get them started.

Importance of technology: ​Using the classroom blog is important because it allows student, parent, and
teacher communication outside the classroom. If parents have a question they can always comment on the
blog for clarification. If a student is absent, they can also refer to the podcast to figure out what they need to
do over the weekend to be prepared for class on Monday. Other than the blog and podcast, there is going to
be a lot of technology use in this lesson (refer to “Lesson idea Implementation”). Other technology includes
google documents, ReadWriteThink Timelines, and Internet access.

Inspiration (optional): ​This was an original idea.

Internet Safety and Student Privacy:
Before beginning this lesson I would refer to district guidelines about using the internet in the classroom.
Then, I would alert parents that we are going to be using classroom computers to research the life cycle of a
butterfly. If they have any comments or do not want their child participating they can sign the appropriate
forms (or they may have already). Then, if we haven’t already, I would go over internet safety with my
students and teach them the correct and safe way to use the internet and specific search engines. Student
privacy should not be an issue since they are not posting anything to the internet, but I would still go over the
fact that they should never use personal information or identify themselves on the internet (also go over what
“personal information” is).
Reflective Practice:
After designing this lesson I feel confident that this will impact student learning. I have designed this as more
of an introductory activity, and the project is the more of the main activity that will extend the lesson further.
Basic and beyond basic productivity tools could really help enhance this lesson and project idea.

Summer 2017_SJB