Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Sara Rudelich
Lesson Idea Name: Learning about Plants
Content Area: Science
Grade Level(s): K-2
Content Standard Addressed:

S1L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the basic needs of plants and
animals.

1. Develop models to identify the parts of a plant—root, stem, leaf, and flower.
2. Ask questions to compare and contrast the basic needs of plants (air, water, light, and nutrients)
and animals (air, water, food, and shelter).
3. Design a solution to ensure that a plant or animal has all of its needs met.

Technology Standard Addressed:

ISTE Standard 4: Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve
problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: PlantScience

URL(s) to support the lesson: https://www.plantingscience.org/content/article/8-about/53-

planttoolkit

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing

Opportunity in your classroom.
Firstly, this resource allows students to explore downloadable resources that help develop content
understanding. After a lesson about plants, students can work individually or in pairs to explore these
resources. Students can choose different aspects to focus on. These include using math, plant care, safety,
lab research, technology, microscopes, and field research.
As students develop skills and scientific knowledge, they can work together to find a project of interest.
They develop questions, activities and strategies with the help of a mentor. They carefully record
information and share it with teachers and a mentor. They then can upload the project to show what
they learned, share with other students, and possibly win an award!
What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a
classroom?
Computer and/or iPad
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: Scientists provide online mentorship to student teams.
b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (creating original data and or
producing original products as a result of engaging in a project): Students design and think
through their own inquiry projects.
c. Higher-order thinking: Students create inquiry projects.
d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product:
Work/projects are shared with the learning community composed of scientists, teachers and
other students.

Spring 2018_SJB
 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
Sara Rudelich
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☐ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4: Integration

☒ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

2: Provide options for language, mathematical expressions, and symbols
2.1 Clarify vocabulary and symbols 2.2 Clarify syntax and structure
2.3 Support decoding of text, mathematical notation, and symbols
2.4 Promote understanding across languages 2.5 Illustrate through multiple media
4: Provide options for physical action
4.1 Vary the methods for response and navigation
4.2 Optimize access to tools and assistive technologies

Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies:

PlantingScience is a secure web site, and schools, teachers, students, and scientist mentors must be
registered to participate. PlantingScience works directly with registered teachers and school
administrators to ensure student anonymity. PlantingScience makes a great deal of effort to ensure
online security. As teachers implement this tool, they can also take measures to keep students safe by
monitoring their interactions and ensuring that no personal information is shared.

Reflective Practice: This lesson can be included throughout lessons or even through the year. This
technology offers an authentic experience through exploration and creation of projects.

Spring 2018_SJB