Science


 * 

__Curriculum Standards: Science__ ** Life sciences: 1. Compare the life cycles of different plants including germination, maturity, reproduction, and death.

· Kidspiration · Internet access · Teacher created database on rainforest plants and animals · Smartboard __Technology Day Activities:__ ** Students will compare life cycles of rainforest plants. · Teacher will demonstrate on the Smartboard how to use database information to complete a Kidspiration graphic organizer that compares the life cycles of two rainforest animals as an example of the lesson · Students will be divided into groups of two or three to complete the assignment collaboratively · Students will use an online teacher-created database to guide them to sites for information about rainforest plant life cycles · Students will compare life cycles of two rainforest plants including germination, maturity, reproduction, and death.
 * __Technology:__ **
 * 

Kidspiration is a tool that allows each student in the classroom to be able to fully participate regardless of ability level. “Visual learning devices, when paired with learning strategy instruction, have also been shown to increase achievement in students with disabilities” (2006). The limitations that can be placed on students because of their reading or writing level can almost be eliminated because Kidspiration has “extensive age-appropriate symbol and picture libraries that invite the use of graphics in representing ideas.” (2006). Special features that this program has include “narrator functions, text reading, and magnification options” (2006). In this lesson I have used Kidspiration as a means for students to present what they have learned from the database search, but “students can use this software for brainstorming, planning systems, thinking, and decision-making, as a visual organizer and as a concept-mapping instrument” (2006). “Visual learning software accelerates understanding and development of higher order thinking skills” in a way that not only meets the Science standards, but also meets the 21st century skills standards (2006).
 * __Supporting Research:__ **

Kidspiration is a “new and innovative” technology. There are many research articles on this software program, however, the oldest article that I could find was written in 2002. O’Bannon, et. al. states that “visual learning has been used for centuries to communicate” (2006). Graphic organizers have been around for a long time, but “visual learning software is an increasingly popular technology tool for use across all subject areas. Using visual learning software provides the advantages of a quick, intuitive, interactive, and visual means of organizing ideas and expressing thoughts in a graphical, visual, nonlinear fashion” (2006).
 * <span style="color: #f79646; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">__Tried and True or New and Innovative:__ **

<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">O’Bannon, B., Puckett, K., & Rakes, G. (2006). Using Technology to Support <span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Visual Learning Strategies. //<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Computers in the Schools, 23 (1/2), //<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">125-137. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
 * <span style="color: #f79646; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">__References:__ **

<span style="color: #0d72af; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Images: <span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; textunderline: none;">[] <span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[]