Online Projects, Collaboration Sites, and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Template

Name: Laura Jordan

Grade Level: 2nd grade
Content Area: Loti level 5 Science Sunlight & Seasonal Changes (spring)
Standards Addressed:
S2E3. Students will observe and record changes in their surroundings and infer the causes of the
changes.
a. Recognize effects that occur in a specific area caused by weather, plants, animals, and/or
people.
ISTE Standard:
Digital Citizen (5):
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal
and ethical behavior.
a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.

Title of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: Online Project Journey

North
URL of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: http://learner.org/inorth
Online project URL
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/sunlight/sl/1/index.html

Describe how you would use the Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in
your classroom:
First, I would introduce to my class that spring is here! I would have a brief introduction
of the seasons and their changes to the world. I would then show them the short power
point slide on Journey North about the seasonal changes, sunlight, and animal migration
and plants around the world. I would go through the website Journey North with the
entire class. I would show them the live maps on migration of plants and animals around
the world from others, and I would show the live maps of the changes the sun causes with
the seasonal changes. When the overviewing is complete, I will slit my classroom into
groups (3-4). I will have the students go outside and observe what animals, insects, plants,
the weather, and the sunlight. I will have the students write down notes throughout their
observations outside. I will then have the class come back inside and group up and discuss
what all they saw pertaining to the elements listed above. I will have them right down the
effects of the sun relating it to the animals, insects, weather, and plants they saw.
As an entire class group, each group (3-4) will talk to me and their peers about what they
saw and what they think the effects were pertaining to the sunlight outside. How is spring
changed from winter?
As an entire class, we will make a live map (through the computer) showing the migration
of insects and animals in the spring season, throughout their observations. Differences
between winter season to spring season.
To complete this project, the student will stay in their 3-4 groups and create a poster
pertaining to what they saw outside about the season (spring) including: sunlight,
weather, plants, insects, and animals observed! This poster will create a presentation of

1
 what changes come with the season spring. The students will then present their group
posters the next day during the science session. ** If approved by guardians and school
district safety matters some students work can be published to the site Journey North to
show other peers and mentors their great posters. **
What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a
classroom?
We will need 1 classroom computer during this lesson idea. This one computer will be
interactive with all students and all students will experience technology throughout this
lesson (live map, and Journey North intro).
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 collaborate with their peers, and mentor. The students will also
observe outside manners (environment) with their group peers and mentor.
b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (collecting original data and or
producing original products as a result of engaging in the project):
This lesson is student-centered but teacher guided. The students are observing and
taking notes on their own, and creating a poster on their own. (assuming an adult-
role) but teacher guidance will be there if needed.
c. Higher-order thinking:
They will have higher-order thinking questions pertaining to the season change.
What changes were made throughout the world from winter-spring? What did you
observe? What changes were there? What stays the same? Etc.
d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their
product:
The students will be creating a poster of the season and providing many
characteristics of that specific season with their group peers. The students will then
be presenting their posters to their classmates and mentor. If, approved by
parents/guardians I will post their example presentation posters to Journey North for
other peers and mentors to see!

Blooms Level of Critical Thinking Required (check all that apply):

Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating
What Level of Technology Implementation best describes this learning activity and Why?
Level 3 technology implementation because they are only using technology for the
introduction and the live map portion of the lesson. The other section of the lesson is
observing, creating, and presenting. The students will be hitting a higher Loti Level (5).
How could you implement this proposed learning experience and still comply with your districts
Internet Safety and Student Privacy policies?
I would contact my principal and make sure this is okay to share students work through
this site. I would also implement the internet safety and student privacy policies by
sending out a guardian form of allowing me or not to post their work on the website
Journey North. This site is well-known and very well protected on safety issues. I would
use the best safety procedures possible for my classmates.