Four Lesson Plans developed by Leigh Ann Gronback

Lesson Plan #1:  Learning to Type

Grade Level:  3

Materials:  PC:  Windows 3.1 or higher or MAC: System 7.0 or later
                  Software:  Type to Learn, 1997, Sunburst Communications, Inc.

Objectives:  Students will become familiar with the keyboard and keyboarding
        techniques.  Skills acquired will be used across the curriculum, to
        aid students in the composition of written work.

Procedures:  Students will work individually at separate work stations in the
                    computer lab.

         Students will progress at an individual pace, following instructions
         within the program.

         Students will follow the on-screen instructions, but the teacher will
         be present for added instruction and assistance.

         The teacher will also ensure that correct finger positioning and typing
         techniques, as presented in the lessons, are being applied.

         Students will take part in the practice games and speed building exercises
         and will be encouraged to progress through the tutorial, rather than
         remaining on “comfort” level exercises.

Assessment:  Assessment will be ongoing, as provided by the tutorial.  Students will
                      progress through the program’s lessons error free.
 
 

 Lesson Plan #2:  Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

Grade Level:  4

Materials:  PC:  Windows 3.1 or higher or MAC: 6.0.7 or higher
                  Software:  Odell Down Under, 1994 MECC, SoftKey

Objectives:  Use of this program will supplement a unit on marine life and ocean study.

Students will develop a better understanding of marine creatures living on
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, learning relationships to fellow reef dwellers and
surroundings.

Students will make good decisions based on their understandings in order to enable their fish to survive and thrive in their habitat.

Prior Knowledge:  Students will draw upon prior knowledge regarding oceans, fish
 and reef dwellers as presented in a unit on the study of oceans and their
 inhabitants.

Procedures:  The teacher will present the program navigation, illustrating procedures
 involved.

 Students will participate by taking turns on the computer.

The program will remain on the class computer throughout the unit.  Students will be able to access the program during assigned time periods and during free-time sign up.

Students will begin on the Practice level, allowing them to become familiar with the program.  They can then proceed to the Challenge and Tournament levels as their skills progress.

Students may also use Create-A-Fish to select features for a fish, adding it to the survival game.  Skills developed during will enable students to be able to select features enabling their fish to survive in their particular environment, based on diet, physical characteristics, and surroundings.

Assessment:  Through classroom discussion, students will be asked reflective questions.  Students will demonstrate their understanding of relationships of marine dwellers through the use of terminology and explanations.
 
 Lesson Plan #3:  Math

Grade Level: 1

Materials:  PC:  Windows 3.1 or higher or MAC:  System 7.0 or higher
       Software:  Math Rabbit Deluxe

Objectives:  Students will recognize numbers, count, match numbers, and perform addition and subtraction problems.

Prior Knowledge:  Use of this program will be to supplement ongoing classwork
 in mathematics.

Procedures:  Math Rabbit will be installed on classroom computer.  Teacher
 will demonstrate the use of the program to students.

 Students will have opportunity to access the program during and free-time in the class day.

Assessment:  Assessment will be ongoing, provided by both the program and teacher observation.
 
Lesson Plan #4:  Destination:  Rainforest

Grade Level:  4

Materials:  PC:  Windows 3.1 or higher or MAC:  System 7 or higher, monitor, printer Software:  Imagination Express, Destination:  Rain Forest, 1995, Edmark           Corporation

Prior Knowledge:  Students are familiar with the use of computers and keyboarding techniques.

 Students will draw upon knowledge acquired during a curricular unit on the rainforest.

Objectives:  Use of this software will enhance a unit of study on the rainforest.  Students will use their organizational and writing skills to create a fictional story about life in a rain forest.

 Students will demonstrate use of grammar skills and concepts in their writing.

 Students will develop computer skills as they will plan, save, edit, and print their work.

Procedures:  The teacher will introduce the program’s possibilities by modeling how to write a story, creating a short example in front of students.  (The teacher may choose to customize the program features prior to introduction, based on students’ abilities and time constraints.  For instance, the sound may be turned off.)

 The teacher will encourage students to develop their own ideas, but may allow use of story ideas included in the program for some students.

 Students will proceed from a written outline to a completed, word processed work.

 Work will be performed in the computer lab.  Each student will have access to his or her own computer.

Assessment:  Students will be assessed throughout the assignment and ongoing use of the program.  Students will produce a well-written story, demonstrating thought and planning and correct usage of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  Student stories will be compiled into a class book that will be circulated among students and their families.
 

Differences Between Lions and Tigers
a lesson developed by Thomas Walkuski

Grade Level:  Fourth and or Fifth Grade

Subject:  Differences between lions and tigers.

Objectives:  To have students learn how to use different search web sites while they are trying to learn the difference between lions and tigers and come up with 7 differences.

Purpose:  To help the students with the internet and various search web sites.

Student Arrangement: Work on the computer in the classroom.

Time Allotment: Two hours all together for each student. Each student will be taught on how the computer works and operates.

Assessment:  Every student will have two hours on the computer at the start of the day and then another 15 min to present the class what they found on the computer.

Bridges
a lesson developed by Thomas Walkuski

Grade Level: Third Grade

Subject: To find pictures of different bridges though out the world.

Objectives:  To have students learn how to use different search web sites.  The students would have to print
5 different pictures of  bridges. Purpose:  To help the students with the internet and various search web sites.

Student Arrangement: Work on the computer in the classroom.

Time Allotment: As long as the student needed to take because they might have a hard time using the computer.

Assessment: Every student will have to write the name of the bridge and were it is located and present that information to other classmates.
 

Lesson Plan 1
Subject Matter:  Spanish Language Lesson
Grade: 2nd Grade
Developed by: Eileen B. Nyce

Purpose:  To improve upon beginner-level Spanish language acquisition, incorporating written, oral, and vocabulary skills.

Resources Needed:  LCD projector and projection screen, Powerpoint & Language Adventure software

Hardware Needed:   PC: WINDOWS 95/98 OR NY, 90 MHZ OR FASTER CPU, 3MB HARD DRIVE SPACE TO INSTALL, AND 60MB FOR EACH STUDENT, 16MB RAM (32 RECOMMENDED), 256 COLOR, 640X480 DISPLAY, QUAD-SPEED OR FASTER CD-ROM, 16-BIT SOUND CARD, MICROPHONE

Procedures:  With the use of Powerpoint introduce students to selected vocabulary.  Vocabulary reviewed should be highlighted from those used during selected segments of Language Adventure software.  After review and under the teacher’s guidance, students should move to computers and access Language Adventure software, Lesson 1 to review oral skills.  (A tutorial on how to use the software was conducted in an earlier lesson.)

Closure:  Children complete story sections by creating animated scenes of their own.  Students share their stories with the class providing the audio themselves utilizing oral skills obtained.  The lesson expresses the students’ creativity and language skills as well as facilitates their computer-use proficiencies.

Lesson Plan 2
Subject Matter: Mathematics
Grade:  5th Grade
Developed by:  Eileen B. Nyce

Purpose:  A continuation of lesson on fractions; focusing on the reduction of fractions.

Resources Needed: LCD projector and projection screen, Nothin’ but … the Fractions software

Hardware Needed: PC: WINDOWS 3.1/95/98, 486/66MHZ (100 MHZ PENTIUM RECOMMENDED) OR FASTER, 37MB (LITE - 12 MB), 8MB RAM (16MB RECOMMENDED), 256 COLOR 640X480 DISPLAY, CD-ROM DRIVE. 100% MICROSOFT-COMPATIBLE SOUND CARD

Procedure:  With the use of the LCD projector, teacher “walks-thru” tutorial section of “Nothin’ but ….. the Fractions” with the classroom.  Teacher supplements the tutorial with discussion and checks comprehension of students.  Examples are given for guided practice.  Children move to computers to review tutorial independently and complete interactive worksheets.
 
 

Closure:  After interactive worksheets are completed and discussion has ended, children are to complete the drill-section of software.  Teacher is not to conduct this as a timed-test (as the software is designed) but as an assessment tool to be used for further instruction.  Utilizing this software program allows for independent review and interactive participation, and puts visual representation to a subject area known to be difficult for children.
 

Lesson 3
Subject Matter: Art/Computer Proficiency
Grade: 1st Grade
Developed by:  Eileen B. Nyce

Purpose:  To provide solid experience with computer familiarity and use, at the same time allowing for an outlet for a child’s artistic creativity.

Resources Needed: Literature, LCD projector & projection screen, Paint n’ Play software, printer

Hardware Needed: PC: WINDOWS 95, PENTIUM 75 MHZ OR FASTER CPU, 10 MB HARD DRIVE SPACE, 16 MB RAM, SVGA 640X480 256 COLORS DISPLAY, QUAD-SPEED OR FASTER CD-ROM, WINDOW-COMPATIBLE SOUND CARD

Procedures:  After a guided reading exercise on a piece of literature on horses, students are asked to artistically render the horse on the computer using the software Paint n’ Play Pony.  A tutorial on the software will be given however more individualized instruction and monitoring should be emphasized due to age level of students.  Once the creation is complete, it is printed out and displayed on classroom’s bulletin board.

Closure:  In using the software, children will be more confident in the use of computers and look to the computer as more than just a toy.  Creativity will be enhanced and a sense of accomplishment achieved with the creation of art.

Lesson 4
Subject Matter:  Science
Grade:  5th Grade
Developed by:  Eileen B. Nyce

Purpose:  To provide a stimulating, interactive close to lessons on eco-systems, utilizing knowledge gained in previous lessons.

Resources Needed: LCD projector and projection screen, Gungan Frontier software, printer

Hardware Needed; PC: WINDOWS 95, 95, PENTIUM 166 OR FASTER CPU, 80 MB HARD DRIVE SPACE, 32 MB RAM, DIRECT X COMPATIBLE PCI GRAPHICS CARD, 4X IDE OR SCSI CD-ROM, DIRECT X COMPATIBLE 16 BIT SOUND CARD
 

Procedure:  Class is divided into small groups, making sure each group consists of students with a range of ability levels.  After being guided through the beginner level, students are directed to complete the advanced level of The Gungan Frontier software and report their findings and solutions to the class in a group presentation.

Closure:  Software provides a real-world simulation that requires adherence to ecological principles.  This game will access information presented in class by the teacher and motivate children to apply that new knowledge.  Extra credit assignments can be given for independent work on more advanced levels of the software.

Lesson 5
Subject Matter:  Social Studies/History  (conducting research)
Grade:  4th grade
Developed by:  Eileen B. Nyce

Purpose:  To teach children how to access information via the Internet and available software in the completion of a research paper on Egypt.

Resources Needed: LCD projector & projection screen, printer, Word & Encarta Encyclopedia software

Hardware Needed:  WINDOWS 95, 98, OR NT, PENTIUM PROCESSOR, 16MB OF RAM,
40MB OF FREE HARD DISK SPACE, 2X CD-ROM DRIVE, SUPER VGA, 256-COLOR MONITOR SUPPORTING 640 X 480 RESOLUTION, LOCAL BUS VIDEO WITH 1MB OR MORE OF VIDEO MEMORY, MOUSE RECOMMENDED; 16-BIT SOUND CARD WITH SPEAKERS OR HEADPHONES

Procedure:  Prior to beginning a lesson on Egypt, teacher will ask the class to adjourn to the computer lab to conduct some preliminary research.  With the use of a LCD projector, the teacher will guide the students through the use of Microsoft’s Encarta Encyclopedia Deluxe and conduct a sample search on a random topic.  The class would them be broken down into groups and asked to research Egypt, under the careful guidance of the teacher.  Each group will assemble the facts found into one Word document and the teacher and groups will review them with the rest of the class.  After reviewing all group work, children will be asked to write a research paper using all the information gathered.

Closure:  In addition to familiarizing students with facts/history of Egypt, this lesson addresses computer usage and acquisition of research skills.  Skills used during the lesson will be applied in future projects requiring research.
 

Lesson Plans by Kim Collins - Title:  Email Interactions

Grade: 5

Objective: Students will interact with another student from another
country by emailing on a weekly basis.  The children will learn
similarities and differences between their cultures.  Students will keep
a weekly journal as well.  This journal will be based upon their
discussions with their partner, as well as their reactions to the
assignment.

Ideas/Understandings:
    1. Children will learn a lot about a different part of the country,
as well as the details pertaining to the culture of the other student.
    2. Children will be able to compare and contrast their lives with
their emailing partner.  They will gain a better interaction skills.
    3. Children will learn about cultural diversity.
    4. Students will gain better typing skills and they will become more
comfortable using a computer.
    5. Children will gain better writing skills when entering the
responses in their weekly journal.

Classroom Arangement: Children will each have a set time to check their
email throughout the week.  The teacher will be able to help them if
they have any difficulties.

Resources/Materials:
    1. Computer, with access to email
    2. Journal
    3. Email partner

Lesson Plan for Puzzle - Title:  Welcome to Our World Puzzle

Grade:  5

Purpose:
    1. Children will acquire the idea of family backgrounds and will be
exposed to the different cultures that are present in their class.
(using class knowledge and internet sources.)
    2. Children will acquire language skills as they discuss with their
peers origins while placing puzzle pieces together.
    3. Children will learn the spatial alignment of the continents,
countries, and land formations by using internet sources.
    4. Children will build on their present schema of how the continents
are shaped to figure out how the puzzle pieces fit.
    5. Children will acquire the social skills of cooperation and
teamwork as they work on their puzzle.
    6. Children will be able to discuss and recognize similarities and
differences in places and cultures.

Activity:
    1. Children will rotate and take turns to research on the internet.
All this should be done before they begin to work on the puzzle.
    2. Children will spread the pieces out all facing the side with the
map showing.
    3. They will start placing the pieces together.
    4. Groups will rotate until the puzzle is complete.
    5.  As a class, they will examine the puzzle and discuss the
similarities and differences between the students and their cultures.
They will share with the rest of the class what sort of information they
learned on the internet.

Closure:
    1. Children will react to this project in their journals.  They will
also write a one page description pertaining to a culture that they
found most interesting.
    2. Children will be able to share their journals, if desired, by the
end of the day.

Materials:
    1. Computer
    2. Homemade puzzle-contained of a world political map, poster board,
and children's individual pictures.
 
 

Four Lesson Plans developed by Scott Eident

Lesson Plan #1
Grade: 4

Lesson:  Computers/Spelling

Materials:
- PC computers, "Microsoft Works" Software, teacher created spelling list of
misspelled words.

Objective:
-Students will become familiar with "Microsoft Works".
-Students will be able to use a spell check program to correct errors.
-Reinforcement of weekly spelling words.

Procedure:
-Teacher will demonstrate steps needed to type in and use the spell-check in
and use the spell-check in "Microsoft Works".
-Students will type in words, using a list of misspelled words, from the
week's spelling list, created by the teacher.
-Students will be directed to use the spell-check to spell each word
correctly.

Assessment:
-Final printed out copy of the spelling list with words spelled correctly.
-Teacher observation
 

Lesson Plan #2
Grade: 3

Lesson: Keyboarding

Materials:
-Mac Computer

Objective:
-The students will use the software program "All the Right Type" to learn or
reinforce knowledge of the computer keyboard and increase typing skills.

Procedure:
-The students will work individually following the directions given by the
software.
-The teacher will work with the students checking finger position and posture.
-A cover to conceal fingers will be added to insure that students do not look
at the letters on the keyboard and will also insure that students have
fingers in correct positions on the home row.

Assessment:
-Students will graduate to the next level in the program upon completing each
line, 100 percent, mistake free.
 

Lesson Plan #3
Grade: 3

Lesson: Computer/Science…Life cycles

Materials:
-Mac Computers, "ClarisWorks" software (Draw)

Objective:
-Students will become familiar with another aspect of the "ClarisWorks"
program.
-Students will identify stages of a life cycle of a frog and butterfly.
-Students will compare life cycles of a frog and butterfly.

Procedure:
-Review term "life cycle".
-Go over steps needed to utilize "ClarisWorks, Draw".
-Have students create illustrations of life cycles of a frog or butterfly.

Assessment:
-Final printed out product.
-Teacher observation.
 

Lesson Plans #4
Grade: 3

Lesson: Computer/Geography…Scavenger Hunt

Materials:
-Mac Computers, "MacGlobe" software, teacher prepared scavenger hunt.

Objective:
-Teacher will review previous objectives taught to students.
-Students will recognize the use of computers to search for information.
-Reinforce map skills as well as computer skills.

Procedure:
-Teacher will review scavenger hunt whole group.
-Teacher will review steps needed in "MacGlobe", whole group, in order to
retrieve information needed to complete the scavenger hunt.
-Students will work independently to complete scavenger hunt with teacher
assistance as needed.

Assessment:
-Completion and review of scavenger hunt.

Title: Ice Cream Inventions Recipe Book Lesson developed by Kim Collins
Grade: Fifth Grade

Goal: Children will use their imagination to devise a new and different kind
of ice cream by using a guide sheet.  They will interact with one another
sharing their ideas and favorite flavors.  They will then be able to include
their ice cream invention into a book.

Objectives:
1. Children will be able to use their imagination to develop the ice cream of
their choice.  They will answer questions that will guide their thoughts while
making their own recipe.
2. Children will acquire the need to reflect on their ideas about math in
order to make up their recipes.
3. Children will allow themselves to interact socially while sharing their
favorites about ice cream.

Ideas/Understandings:
1. Children will acquire the idea that it takes parts to make a whole, as in
the recipe part of this lesson.
2. Children will retain the ability of reflecting on the whole process of the
production of ice cream, instead of the basic mixing of ingredients.

Role of the Teacher:
The teacher will act as a facilitator by scaffolding children to expand their
knowledge about the creation of ice cream.  The teacher will observe the
activities that are taking place while children are writing their ideas on
paper.  At the end of the lesson, the teacher will guide the final tally of
favorite ice creams, and lead a whole group discussion on individual ice cream
flavors.

Procedures:
Resources/Materials:
1. Reference books pertaining to dairy and ice cream.
2. A recipe guide sheet to offer guidance through this process.
3. An example of real ingredients used in ice cream.

Initiation/Anticipatory Set:
The teacher will introduce the activity by using a novelty box to initiate
thoughts abot the differences between novelties, ice cream, and the different
ingredients.  The teacher will lead a whole group discussion asking the
students to predict how the ice cream might be made.  Afterwards, the teacher
will proceed to hand out the invention guide sheet.