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Online Projects, Collaboration Sites, and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Template
Name: Carol Taylor
Grade Level: Grade 2
Content Area: Science
Standards 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
Title of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: Journey North
URL of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity:
www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch
Describe how you would use Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in your
classroom: I would use this website in conjunction with a webquest, online expert contact and
video to introduce the life cycle of a butterfly as well as the migration routes and why the
butterfly migrates. Students would have the opportunity to work with students in other areas to
follow the butterfly as they migrate. In the video online the teacher had the students exchange
butterflies they had made with students in Mexico. I would use this as well because it allows
students to form a connection with someone from a different culture. There would also be an
interactive white board activity where students would create the life cycle of a butterfly as well
as one other animal of their choosing. The interactive white board would also be used to track
the butterflies path. The number of Monarch butterflies has declined so students will also be
asked to come up with ideas of why, how and how to stop the decline.
What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a
classroom? Interactive white board, computers with internet access, hand held response systems
for the interactive white board.
Describe how the following features are addressed in this learning experience (note: all of them
may not be addressed in the project, but most should be if you are reaching a high LoTi Level.):
a. Collaboration with peers, near-peers, mentors outside their classroom and often
beyond their school: The students will be working with students from other
countries and areas to not only learn about the life cycle and migration pattern, but
also to try to find a solution to the decline in the number of Monarch butterflies.

b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (collecting original data and or
producing original products as a result of engaging in the project): Students will
but creating an interactive white board presentation including maps of migration.
Students will also create an item to exchange with the students that they have been
collaborating with online.
c. Higher-order thinking: Students will be analyzing why there is a decline in the
population and evaluating how they can help the butterflies so there will be an
increase in the numbers.
d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their
product: Students will be publishing their work and ideas on how to help stop the
decline in butterfly numbers on KidPub or Planet Connect.

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Blooms Level of Critical Thinking Required (check all that apply):
See http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating
What Level of Technology Implementation best describes this learning activity and Why? LOTI
level would be High 5 low 6 due to interaction with an expert, coming up with a solution, making
a plan and (with the help of students who live in the areas the butterflies migrate through)
putting the plan in place to see if it seems to help.
How could you implement this proposed learning experience and still comply with your districts
Internet Safety and Student Privacy policies? Students would only use sites that are approved by
the district. Students would also use masks to hide their faces as well as making up their own
special name which will be used for all activities (teacher will have list of the aliases so they can
monitor what students are posting). Students will be instructed on internet safety and not to
give their real name or location to anyone they are working with and they are only to post
under their secret name.