|
PURPOSE:
Using previously completed reports about famous people in history (i.e. Jackie Robinson, Cleopatra,
Confucius, etc.), 5th graders will construct a multi-media CD-ROM using cross-platform
Hyper Studio software.
DESCRIPTION:
Students will construct a CD-ROM by splitting off into various groups and completing a particular task
that is essential to the project. These groups will include: cover design, Hyper Studio card
storyboard, Internet research, typing text, scanning graphics, and the actual "burning" of
the CD.
ACTIVITIES:
(Note:
This is a unit plan that may cover several days to several weeks. Not all of the following
activities/standards will appear in the video clips used.)
|
Preparations:
|
Curriculum
Standards from http://www.intime
.uni.edu/
model/cont.html :
|
National
Educational Technology Standards (NETS) Performance Indicators from http://cnets.iste
.org/profiles.htm :
|
|
Each student needed to
identify a person in history to research for their report. In order to broaden their horizons,
students were encouraged to investigate non-living, non-Americans.
|
Social Studies: II Early
Grades c, d, e, f
|
|
|
Students needed to
complete a written report that included an illustration of their person and a list of
references.
|
English Language Arts:
3-8, 12
|
Grades 3-5: 1, 4, 5, 7, 8,
9, 10
|
|
Students took their
information and then prepared an oral presentation that was done in our cafeteria for invited
students, parents and staff members. All of the students "became" their chosen person
by dressing up like them, making displays, etc.
|
English Language Arts:
3-8, 12
|
Grades 3-5: 1,4,5,7,8,9,10
|
|
Procedures:
As a class, we will review
and critique the "Smile Across Iowa" CD that we have already made. We will discuss how
we can improve the next one we make.
|
English Language Arts:
8,12
Technology: 3-6
|
Grades 3-5: 8, 10
Grades 6-8: 3, 7, 8
|
|
Students will discuss the
various groups that need to be formed in order to make our new CD. What skills will be needed in
each of the groups?
Who will be the leaders?
What are their responsibilities?
|
English Language Arts: 4,
7
Technology: 5, 6
|
Grades 3-5: 4, 9
Grades 6-8: 6, 8
|
|
Take students' already
completed reports and type them into Hyper Studio or a word processing program. Reports may need
to be edited.
|
English Language Arts: 6
Technology: 3, 4
|
Grades 3-5: 1, 3
Grades 6-8: 6
|
|
Students will scan various
maps, photos, drawings and other materials that are relevant to the projects. Students will
observe all copyright laws.
|
Social Studies: II Early
Grades d, III Early Grades c, IX Early Grades a.
Technology: 3-5
|
Grades 3-5: 4, 5, 9
Grades 6-8: 3, 4
|
|
One group of students will
design a storyboard of the layout for the presentation. They will then coordinate with the
students designing the cover and those making the actual "cards" that are linked
together for the CD.
|
English Language Arts: 4-7
Technology: 4-6
|
Grades 3-5: 5, 9
Grades 6-8: 4, 6, 7
|
|
A group of students will
use PowerPoint to design an effective cover for the CD-ROM. They will use a variety of editing
tools, clip art, etc. This file will be saved as a .jpg file so it can be manipulated and also
imported into Hyper Studio.
|
Technology: 3, 6
|
Grades 3-5: 1, 4, 5, 9
|
|
Students have used the
Internet to search for relevant web sites. A group of students will verify that the addresses
recorded are correct and that the sites are still available. They will use Netscape for this.
|
Technology: 5, 6
|
Grades 3-5: 7, 10
|
|
One group will be
responsible for actually making cards for each report and then linking them together. They will
work with the other groups to work on continuity, quality, etc.
|
Technology: 3-6
|
Grades 3-5: 4, 8
|
|
After all of the groups
have agreed that the project is complete, another group of students will "burn" or
make the actual CD-ROM disks. They will copy the Hyper Studio file to a blank CD-ROM disk. All
of the groups will view the final product to verify that the work was carried out.
|
English Language Arts: 8,
12
Technology: 3
|
Grades 3-5: 5, 9
Grades 6-8: 6, 7, 10
|
TOOLS & RESOURCES:
Hardware:
Software:
ASSESSMENT:
The assessment will be done by viewing the completed CD and verifying that the report material was
inserted in the proper place and order, to see if the CD actually works on both PC and Mac platforms
and to assess the teamwork throughout the process.
CREDITS:
Mr. Kim Reed, Elementary teacher, Madison Elementary
music@mcleodusa.net
Mr. Steve Reynolds, Media Specialist, Madison Elementary
sreynolds@esc.cr.k12.ia.us
TIMELINE & COURSE
OUTLINE:
I "looped" with this class from Fourth Grade to Fifth Grade this year, and during that time
we have been involved with a wide range of technology. This includes: videoconferences, regular e-mail
work, extensive Internet research and use, presentations (PowerPoint and Hyper Studio), scanning
documents and using a broad range of software.
Since this class has already
made a similar CD-ROM entitled " Smile Through Iowa", it was envisioned that this project
would be similar to the last one. The difference will be that students have a clearer picture of where
they are going, and a greater level of expertise.
Our "Smile Through
Iowa" CD-ROM took a total of two months to create, mainly because we were doing this with another
class and I was training another teacher as well as 50 students. We also used the help of a parent
volunteer to coordinate some aspects of the project.
Since that time we have done
much more work with HyperStudio, scanned photos, used MS Office, and burned CDs. We also constructed
various aspects of the project in a piecemeal fashion in order to teach the students effectively. I
feel confident that if we were to make a concerted effort to complete this CD with my class now, we
could get it finished in two weeks. My students are more mature and have more technical savvy at this
time. They know where they are going and work cooperatively to reach their goals.
COMMENTS:
This is about the 5th CD-ROM that I have made with upper elementary classrooms in the past
3 years. They include projects on Career Day, a project on Iowa’s Sesquicentennial, and a project
entitled "Understanding Homelessness." The latter CD won us a lot of local, state, and
national recognition, and was given to various agencies (Cedar Rapids Library, Police, Red Cross,
etc.) to use as a resource. Various schools and agencies across the country have contacted us to
obtain copies.
Technology Resources:
I wanted to make our "Walk Through History" project as meaningful as possible. After they
completed their written report, students portrayed their people one afternoon for students, parents
and staff members. This really helped students identify with their character and instilled more
"ownership" in the project. I felt that putting the information onto a CD would help
solidify the project, as well as bring it to a unique closure. It also will serve as a good record of
their project, and helps them to practice applying technology effectively.
School Background Information:
Madison Elementary is one of twenty-two elementary buildings in the
Cedar Rapids Community
School District. Our K-12 building includes eleven regular education
and 4 special education classrooms. We have a current enrollment of
approximately 270 students. Less than one percent of our students have
limited English fluency and 11.4% of our population are minority
students.Our parents are lower-middle class, with jobs in a variety of
fields in Cedar Rapids and the surrounding areas. The Cedar Rapids
population is approximately 110,000 people. Major employers in the
city include Rockwell Collins, Quaker Oats, General Mills, AEGON USA ,
and the Cedar Rapids Community Schools District.
Technology as
Facilitator of Quality Education Model Components Highlighted in This Activity http://www.intime.uni.edu/modelimage.html
(Note: This is a unit plan that may
cover several days to several weeks. Not all of the elements from the Technology as Facilitator of
Quality Education Model that are described below will appear in the video clips used.)
Principles
of Learning:
Active
Involvement
Students were actively involved in the whole lesson as a result of careful planning and
knowledge about my students’ capabilities. Examples of these times were in large and small group
discussions, planning, data inputting, designing, burning the CD and critiquing.
Direct
Experience
Examples of Direct Experience is where
we looked at the CD we made the previous year and discussed changes/improvements that could be made.
Small group decision-making regarding what role they would have in making the new CD is another
example.
Reflection
Reflection on
the previous CD is an example that comes to mind, as well as reporting on what their group was
planning on doing for the new CD.
Enjoyable
Setting
My class was arranged mainly in groups of four
for ease of discussion and working. They were comfortable either with the technology they would be
using or working in teams and learning from the leaders I appointed. My students worked very well in
teams throughout the year.
Frequent
Feedback
I am careful to give the students feedback on
the process as we go along, as well as trying to give individual feedback on ideas, performance, etc.
Patterns
and Connections
Patterns and Connections were
evident when they were working on designing various aspects of the CD and could use skills that they
had previously learned. They used ideas or ways of doing things from previous projects and utilized or
refined them.
Information
Processing:
Appreciation
My students demonstrated an Appreciation for the work we were doing as we examined
the previous CD, when they signed up to work in various groups, and when they were working in various
groups.
Communication
My students demonstrated Communication skills
when they discussed their ideas in large and small group settings, and when they were involved in
their own piece of the project.
Evaluation
Evaluation of
the previous CD was the first thing we did as a group. This task was essential in improving the new CD
and was crucial in generating enthusiasm for the project. Evaluation was also done in small
group situations as they discussed how and what should happen as they went along.
Democracy:
Tolerance
I would hope that my students demonstrated Tolerance throughout the entire video.
Regard for the worth of their peers is something that I try to instill in all of the students and I
believe that it was demonstrated throughout each step of the process.
Critical
Thinking and Decision Making
Although some students were more vocal about
it than others, those students who volunteered opinions about the project, their role or the direction
of the project all demonstrated Critical Thinking and Decision Making skills.
Thinking
Together &
Power Sharing
As was stated a number of times previously, this was demonstrated throughout the video in
the lessons that were taped. This kind of project involving my entire Fifth Grade class (as opposed to
just a few students) could not have taken place without Thinking Together or Power Sharing.
Individual
Responsibility
Students demonstrated Individual
Responsibility when volunteering for various groups/jobs, when helping others, when working on
their own and adhering to the rules that were set down before and during the lessons.
Civil Involvement with
Others
As stated previously, I believe that my
students demonstrated positive and sincere behaviors throughout the video. They worked well as a large
team and in small groups on this project and that is one reason why I volunteered to be involved in
the INTIME project.
I looped with
these students from 4th 5-th grade and we knew each other very well. There was a high degree of
respect and trust that was built up over the years.
Student
Characteristics:
Since I have been with the same students for two years, we have been able to use and experience a wide
variety of technology tools. It is nice to be able to utilize many of these tools and strategies when
working on a CD-ROM project such as this one. I also know how well my students can work cooperatively
and have no qualms about having them organize various groups to work in. My 5th graders are
sensible, hard-working students.
How the Activity Has
Evolved Over Time:
It was certainly a learning experience for all when I first began making CD-ROMS with my students.
Besides learning new hardware, we were learning to use Hyper Studio and a wide variety of editing
software. We also utilized parent helpers to supervise the inputting of text and the construction of
links throughout the project. My students this year have enough knowledge to be able to make correct
and efficient choices. Many have them have the expertise to do this on their own.
(Learning activity format
adapted from National Educational Technology Standards for Students Connecting Curriculum &
Technology http://cnets.iste.org/index2.html
)
Copyright.
© 2000, INTIME.
Privacy Statement. Credits
Questions: intime@uni.edu
Last updated:
03/18/08
|
