Language+Arts

Stair Elementary Language Arts Grade 4

__ Ohio ____ Academic Content Standard: __ Research: Students define and investigate self-selected or assigned issues, topics and problems. They locate, select and make use of relevant information from a variety of media, reference and technological sources. Students use an appropriate form to communicate their findings.

__ Benchmark: __

__ Indicator: __
 * Select and summarize important information and sort key findings into categories about a topic.
 * Communicate findings orally, visually and in writing or through multimedia.

__ Technology: __ In this lesson students will use:
 * Identify important information found in the sources and summarize the important findings.
 * Create categories to sort and organize relevant information charts, tables or graphic organizers.
 * Use a variety of communication techniques, including oral, visual, written or multimedia reports, to present information gathered.


 * Inspiration (graphic organizer software) as well as
 * Digital Video Cameras.

Using the Inspiration software to create graphic organizers would be considered a **__ “tried and true” __** technology.The Inspiration software has been available for some time, they are in their 9th edition. Although this technology may be new to some districts, it has been around the block. In the traditional classroom, most students are not given the opportunity to create a television show and use a digital video camera; I would consider this technology **__ “new and innovative.” __** Teachers are still working out the details on how to appropriately include this into their instruction. __ Rain Forest Technology Day Lesson: __ // *** Note to Reader: this lesson is actually intended to be spread over multiple days, with its culminating activity taking place on technology day. // __ Pre-Teaching Activities: __
 * Students will select an animal from the Rainforest and coordinating informational text.
 * Students will have a variety of other resources available to them to collect the information they need including: library books, magazines, and the internet.
 * Provide students with time to read their texts.
 * Students will pull out important information about their animal and sort it into categories within their graphic organizer using the software Inspiration.
 * Using the graphic organizers that they have created, students will:
 * Work in cooperative groups to create a script for an informational rainforest television show- think National Geographic or Crocodile Hunter.
 * Provide students with time to complete script, as well as brainstorm what they need for their show (props, costumes, sound effects either created by the students or found digitally).

__ Technology Day Activity: __

__ Supporting Research __ In the article //Using Digital Cameras for Multidimensional Learning in K-12 Classrooms// Viola Supon states “Digital cameras are educational tools that support purposeful instruction with a clear vision on curriculum, instruction, assessment, and reflection(2006).”Supon explains that more and more students are visual learners because of their familiarity with video games and computers.More information, details, and data are gathered visually than any of the other senses.It is necessary that our instructional strategies reflect these visual learners.“Digital imaging is a powerful teaching tool that supports the curriculum across all content area (2006).”Skill acquisition is promoted and learning stimulated through the graphics and illustrations digital cameras provide. In the article //“Tech-to-Stretch”: Expanding Possibilities for Literature Response,// Phyllis Whitin states “Incorporating multimodal response strategies into everyday literacy instruction builds comprehension and literary interpretation while giving learners purposeful experience in using these modalities (2009).”
 * On the final day students will be prepared with script, as well as any props, costumes, and sound effects that they need for their television show.
 * Groups will practice their show and then record it using a digital video camera.
 * Groups will then present their shows to the class for viewing. In this way students are learning about other animals of the rainforest as well as their own.

__ References: __ Supon, V. (2006). Using Digital Cameras for Multidimensional Learning in K-12 Classrooms. //Journal of Instructional Psychology//, //33//(2), 154-156. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Whitin, P. (2009). "Tech-to-Stretch": Expanding Possibilities for Literature Response. // Reading Teacher //, //62//(5), 408-418. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

__Click this link to view component 2 for this lesson!__