Caitlin+Ward

Problem-Based __Learning__ in the Content Areas Caitlin Ward Walden University

EDUC 6713I-4: Integrating __Technology__ Across the Content Areas Dr. Suzanne Lebeau April 1, 2012

(PDE, 2011) || Instructional Objectives: Students will be able to identify the key demographics of the country. Students will be able to create a replica of the country’s flag and maps of the country (including word map and country map). Students will be able create a timeline of major historical events and a short biography of an influential leader from the country. || Rubrics Model/examples of __work__ || Internet Art supplies (if needed) Map templates || Model timeline Computers Print resources (books, encyclopedias) Internet || Internet Timeline template || Internet Class lists || Internet || Internet || Internet Art Supplies Print Resources || Accommodations and Extensions: Any student who needs more time will be given that time. Since I will be assessing students’ on a daily basis, I will be sure that students need extensions because of their work rather than due to lack of work. By providing students with the template to organize their information, they will have it ready to put in whatever form they choose for the final product. Back-Up Plan: If needed, I will provide students will particular resources from which to work. I will also provide students with some type of print resource for every component of the project. || LESSON REFLECTIONS AND NOTES: || Hello, I really enjoyed reading your lesson. It is great that you integrate Japan's geography and history before they work on their proposal. It is important that students understand they need to know their environment and it is also important for them to understand the people who live in the country. If you have time, I would have students look into special traditions, cultural facts, and current trends. It might help them to come up with a plan for their proposal that will integrate past and present. []
 * = Daily Lesson GAME Plan = ||
 * Lesson Title: Introduction and History of Japan |||| Related Lessons: Culture in Japan, Tourist Attractions and Accommodations in Japan ||
 * Grade Level: 8 |||| Unit: Country Studies ||
 * ==GOALS== ||
 * Content Standards:
 * 1) **R8.A.2.4.1:** Identify and/or explain stated or implied main ideas and relevant supporting details from text.
 * 2) **R8.B.1.1.1:** Explain, interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the relationships within fiction and literary nonfiction.
 * 3) **R8.B.1.2.1:** Explain, interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate connections between texts.
 * 4) **R8.****B.3:** Understand concepts and organization of a nonfictional text.
 * 5) **R8.****B.3.2:** Distinguish between essential and nonessential information within or between texts.
 * ISTE NETS-S
 * 1) Creativity and Innovation
 * 2) Research and Information Fluency
 * 3) Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making
 * ==ACTION== ||
 * Before-Class Preparation: Create a rubric for each of the assessments and evaluations included in the unit. Create an outline and guide for students to follow of deadlines and reference information. Create an example/model of each of the activities, evaluations, and assessments for students to preview before __working__ on their own. ||
 * During Class ||
 * Time |||| Instructional Activities || Materials and Resources ||
 * Day 1 |||| # **__Project Prompt:__** You have been recruited to __work__ for the Travel and Tourism for Japan. They want you to create a plan and proposal to increase travel and tourism to Japan by 20%. You will present your plans to the Department of Tourism at the end of May. Your proposal must include some __form__ of digital storytelling, a print advertising campaign, a journal of your own travels and findings throughout your research of the country, and a presentation for the Department of Tourism.
 * 1) I will present students with the rubrics and field any questions. I will present students with the models and examples that I have created of the various components (I will use America instead of Japan). || Prompt
 * Day 2 |||| # Students will research and recreate (in their own way) the flag of Japan. (due by end of day)
 * 1) Students will use provided map of the world to label the various countries. Students will use the country map template to create a detailed map of Japan which must include the capital city and major cities, water surrounding and within the country, and most visited tourist attractions. || Computers
 * Day 3 |||| # Students will complete maps of Japan. (due at the end of the day).
 * 1) **__Mini-Lesson:__** I will model how to determine the important historical events using various sources. Create a class list of events that might be considered important in a country’s history.
 * 2) Students will begin to research information about the history of Japan in order to complete the historical events timeline.
 * 3) Students will use their journals to takes notes of the information they find about the history. || Map templates
 * Day 4 |||| # Students will complete research of historical events.
 * 1) Students will work with a small group and compare notes on historical events. Students will use the information that they gain within their group to determine what events were the most important to include in their timelines. || Computers
 * Day 5 |||| # **__Mini-Lesson:__** Create a class list of information that should be included in a biography. Model how to eliminate nonessential information throughout various sources and synthesize information over different sources. Share example of biography.
 * 1) **__Whole Class:__** Students will use their timelines to create a class list of influential leaders throughout Japan’s history. Students will then choose their preferred leader from that list.
 * 2) Students will begin to research their chosen leader. || Computers
 * Day 6 and 7 |||| Students will research information on their influential leaders. At the end of each class, students will meet with a partner in order to share their found information and evaluate each other’s work. || Computers
 * Day 8 |||| # Students will complete their research on their chosen leader.
 * 1) Students will meet with their partners to finalize any suggestions.
 * 2) Students will begin to type their biographies. || Computers
 * Day 9 |||| Students will finalize any work that needs to be completed. || Computers
 * **__Notes:__**
 * 1) Students interest in this problem will be two-fold: one, at the end of May, my school hosts an International Fair where each classroom “becomes” a country and competes to have the best transformation. Two, my students are interested in travel and other places they have never heard much about. They actually voted on and chose Japan themselves.
 * 2) Throughout this process, I will act as a facilitator unless I am leading a mini-lesson. It will be my objective to meet with five different students throughout each research class period in order to help field particular questions. As I am working with students, I will take observation notes to areas they are having trouble and perform a mini-lesson whenever needed. I will also pull small groups for mini-lessons if needed. ||
 * ==MONITOR== ||
 * Ongoing Assessment(s): I will read the journals of all of the students except for the five that I met with that day. This will give me the opportunity to see what information students are understanding and where they are struggling. It will also help me determine what information or guidance students might need when I conference with them the following day. I will also check students’ templates before they complete any final drafts.
 * ==EVALUATE AND EXTEND== ||
 * Be specific and include the evaluation that you will use for this lesson: Students will be evaluated through their completion of their journal each day and the templates for each component.

Thanks for the resource! A great starting place! The students actually will be taking a look at the traditions, culture, currency, and more. Some of that will be seen in the following two lessons that I'll be presenting and some of it will happen in other lessons. The purpose is that, by the end of the project, students know just as much (perhaps more?) about another country as they do about their own.

Caitlin

Caitlin, I really like your lesson. It gives students a chance to find out about another country and compare it to how they live here in America. Do you teach them about Japan before introducing the topic? Is all the information they are using for the project coming from the internet that they have researched? Also do you steer them in any direction as to which websites to use or steer clear of? I know i run into alot of resistance when it comes to change. My students are from a small rural town and have the mind set that people or cultures from anywhere other than our little town do not matter. It is great that you get your students to see a different culture and to analyze it. Also the fact that they are presenting the information not only to there classmates but you too. Public speaking is very difficult for some students and to get them experience in it early on is so beneficial. Do you think it would be more beneficial to give them an introduction to Japan and some of the cultural information first to get them hooked and maybe a hint to get them started? From reading your lesson, maybe i missed it, seems like you just introduce the project and let them go to doing research. I do like that way because it lets them take more responsibility in making their own decisions and figuring out what they need to do. Very good lesson!

Ben

Ben, Originally, my plan was as you pointed out- to introduce the project and then let students take hold of the project. I was considering your questions though and I think you bring up a good point that I might need to provide some more direction. I will be modeling everything using USA, but I want to make sure that students do not feel overwhelmed by the amount of information that they will confront on the Internet. I think for the beginning of the project I might provide students with some websites and print resources that will help them most. Then, when they begin their research on their influential leader, they can use their own resources. Thanks for the help! Caitlin

Caitlin, This is a really good idea. Often student do the traditional report or presentation on the assigned country.Then the students go to a website or encyclopedia and just cut and paste information. This assignment forces the students to look at the country as a location they are actually visiting. As a result, they will tend to investigate the location with the enthusiasm of a tourist. It should be much harder to simply cut and paste. I think the students will also research deeper and find different types of information. You have covered several aspects. Geography, atrtistic expression with the flag and even the leaders of the country.I think the students will enjoy this. Karen

(PDE, 2011). || Instructional Objectives: Students will communicate with a student from Japan on a weekly basis based on provided writing prompts. Students will research and share information about various popular tourist attractions in Japan. Students will create a presentation about various tourist attractions in Japan. || Internet (e-Pals) || Internet Print resources Travel books || Internet Print Resources Travel books Google Documents || Accommodations and Extensions: Any student who needs more time will be given that time. Since I will be assessing students’ on a daily basis, I will be sure that students need extensions because of their work rather than due to lack of work. Back-Up Plan: If needed, I will provide students will particular resources from which to work. I will also provide students with some type of print resource for every component of the project. || LESSON REFLECTIONS AND NOTES: || Helene to Caitlin
 * = Daily Lesson GAME Plan = ||
 * Lesson Title: Culture in Japan |||| Related Lessons: Introduction and History of Japan, Tourist Attractions and Accommodations in Japan ||
 * Grade Level: 8 |||| Unit: Country Studies ||
 * ==GOALS== ||
 * Content Standards:
 * 1) **R8.A.2.4.1:** Identify and/or explain stated or implied main ideas and relevant supporting details from text.
 * 2) **R8.B.1.1.1:** Explain, interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the relationships within fiction and literary nonfiction.
 * 3) **R8.B.1.2.1:** Explain, interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate connections between texts.
 * 4) **R8.****B.3:** Understand concepts and organization of a nonfictional text.
 * 5) **R8.****B.3.2:** Distinguish between essential and nonessential information within or between texts.
 * ISTE NETS-S
 * 1) Creativity and innovation
 * 2) Communication and collaboration
 * 3) Research and information fluency
 * 4) Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making
 * 5) Digital citizenship
 * 6) Technology operations and concepts
 * ==ACTION== ||
 * Before-Class Preparation: Students will have already completed research regarding the history of Japan. I will create a connection using e-Pals with a classroom teacher from Japan if possible. If I am not able to, I will contact a fellow teacher I know who teaches English in Japan. Prior to this actual lesson, students will receive mini-lessons on etiquette during emailing and use of Google Documents. Students will also set up their accounts for these programs before these lessons. Students will still be working within the PBL they began in the lesson, Introduction and History of Japan. ||
 * During Class ||
 * Time |||| Instructional Activities || Materials and Resources ||
 * Day 1 |||| # Students will log in to their e-Pals account and get accustomed to the website and procedures.
 * 1) Students will create and send an introduction email to their pal in Japan. Students will be required to include a small amount of information about themselves (age, grade, likes/dislikes, hobbies, typical day-in-the-life, and what students are hoping to gain from their communication) and information about our classroom and school.
 * 2) Students will be required to respond to their pals emails, as well as email in accordance with a weekly writing prompt. Students will be required to email at least once a week, but can email more if desired. Students will be responsible for writing their emails by Friday of each week. || Computers
 * Day 2 |||| # Students will begin research on tourist attractions that can be visited while in Japan. Each student will be responsible for researching and presenting information and details on at least two different places or things to do. Students will meet with their group members to determine which attractions each of them are interested in researching so that there are no duplicates in each group.
 * 1) Students will use their emails with pals, Internet resources, and print resources to research information. As a class, we will also get in touch with a travel agency to receive information regarding a trip to Japan. || Computers
 * Ongoing until end of May |||| # Students will continue to research information about the various tourist attractions. In order to share information and begin to create their presentation, students will use Google Documents, to keep notes on their research, as well as begin organizing their presentation. Students will have open choice on the products that they create for the presentation.
 * 1) Students will continue to write in their journals with information and notes that they find. || Computers
 * Note student groupings, environmental modifications needed, etc:
 * 1) Students will be in groups of three or four. Students will be grouped heterogeneously by reading levels so that students will be able to help each other understand the work.
 * 2) Throughout this process, I will act as a facilitator unless I am leading a mini-lesson. It will be my objective to meet with five different students throughout each research class period in order to help field particular questions. As I am working with students, I will take observation notes to areas they are having trouble and perform a mini-lesson whenever needed. I will also pull small groups for mini-lessons if needed. ||
 * ==MONITOR== ||
 * Ongoing Assessment(s): I will continue to meet with students on a daily basis. I will read the journals of all of the students except for the five that I met with that day. This will give me the opportunity to see what information students understand and where they are struggling. It will also help me determine what information or guidance students might need when I conference with them the following day. I will also check with students on their group’s progress during individual conferences. I will meet with each group at least once per week, I will use the comments and information that students have discussed with me in our independent conferences to guide our conversations within the group checks.
 * ==EVALUATE AND EXTEND== ||
 * Be specific and include the evaluation that you will use for this lesson: Students will ultimately hand in their journals at the end of the project, as well as present their project to the class. I will also check students emails each week to ensure that they are including all necessary writing prompts. Finally, I will be checking students Google Documents work, as well as collecting their final products at the end of the project.

Hello, I like your idea of meeting with students on daily basis. I think I am going to use it for my project as well. When I have students working on project, I usually end up helping one group or two while other are on their own. I don't always have time for each group. Like you say, this strategy will help me to keep track of each group progress and help them fix their work if necessary. Also, it is usually easier to interact with one student at the time than the whole group.

Helene, I did not used to meet with students. Shamefully, I used to do my own work while students were doing their work. I have realized that the quality of their projects, however, really improve when I get the chance to sit and conference with them as much as possible. I am lucky that I have block scheduling so I have 90 minutes with each of my classes and that my largest class is 17 students while my other two have 16! With this size of a class, I am able to meet with every student every other day or so. The daily journals allow me to check in with those that I can't meet with and, essentially, I am meeting with everyone, everyday, in some way! Yes, you are right, my students will be far more honest and outspoken when I speak to them individually then in a group. Caitlin

Jennifer Robichaux to Caitlin April 10, 2012

Hi Caitlin, I noticed that you mention that you plan on engaging students using e-pals. I chose to utilize e-pals as part of my GAME plan an went so far as to register, register a class of thirty and write my post expressing my level of interest and desired connection. Much to my dismay, nobody has responded after four weeks. Quite possibly my topic and need did not engage a possible audience of correspondence. Regardless, I guess what I am trying to say is that it is not as easy as one would want it to be. From my experience, I learned that one must plan in advance in order to make that initial connection. I plan to try to make an initial connection with an e-pal group over the summer time to be used next school year. I hope that I will get a better response. I am glad that you have a backup plan with your friend who is a teacher in Japan. Very smart move on your part. Other than that, I think you have a solid lesson plan. On a different note, do you have a rubric in mind for when you grade student journals? I often have students create journal; however, I do not always utilize a rubric. I was just wondering what your thoughts are on this topic? Jennifer

Jennifer, I actually thought of you when I decided to use e-Pals! I remember reading your blog and how disappointed you were about the lack of interest. Before I created my lesson plan, I actually went on and researched how much interest there was out there. Luckily, there were plenty of classrooms from Japan looking to get in touch with an American school. I came up with my back up plan by chance. My best friend's cousin moved out with his wife a few years ago because she is originally from there. He happens to teach English there, so I know I would easily be able to get in touch with him and connect our classrooms. I am the absolute worst teacher when it comes to rubrics! I have admitted in other posts and applications that my biggest weakness is working with the end in mind. Since the journal is not a reflection or expression journal and is supposed to serve almost as a travel log or travel notes, I will have to use a rubric. It will probably be more on a completion scale for each entry than looking and checking for too much content. For other journals that I have used in the past, I have scored based on connection to topic (if one was assigned) and completion of assignment, with the scale being no higher than five total points. A professor of mine always used a rubric of five. Grading can be difficult, no matter how fair we try to make it sometimes. My professor said his way of being fair was to keep everything on a scale of five. This way, no matter what type of day he was having or students' effort or other factors, his grade would never be too far off. Meaning that if he scored a paper a five on one day, there was little chance of it going lower than a four no matter what the circumstances. I agree that working with smaller numbered rubrics makes the task of grading more manageable. Hopefully, that ramble made sense! Caitlin

(PDE, 2011) . ||
 * = Daily Lesson GAME Plan = ||
 * Lesson Title: Tourist Attractions and Accommodations |||| Related Lessons: Introduction and History of Japan, Culture of Japan ||
 * Grade Level: 8 |||| Unit: Country Studies ||
 * ==GOALS== ||
 * Content Standards:
 * 1) **R8.A.2.4.1:** Identify and/or explain stated or implied main ideas and relevant supporting details from text.
 * 2) **R8.B.1.1.1:** Explain, interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate the relationships within fiction and literary nonfiction.
 * 3) **R8.B.1.2.1:** Explain, interpret, compare, describe, analyze, and/or evaluate connections between texts.
 * 4) **R8.****B.3:** Understand concepts and organization of a nonfictional text.
 * 5) **R8.****B.3.2:** Distinguish between essential and nonessential information within or between texts.
 * ISTE NETS-S
 * 1) Creativity and innovation
 * 2) Communication and collaboration
 * 3) Research and information fluency
 * 4) Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making
 * 5) Technology operations and concepts

Instructional Objectives: Students will be able to present information through digital storytelling. Students will be able to brainstorm ideas by completing a storyboard. Students will be able to present information by creating a script. || Computers || Storyboard supplies || Scanner Print resources || Print Resources || Suggestion questions Promethean board || Print resources ||
 * ==ACTION== ||
 * Before-Class Preparation: Students will have already completed research and products for Introduction and History of Japan lesson, as well as Culture of Japan lesson. This lesson will occur at the end of the Tourist Attractions and Accommodations lesson where students will have researched information about places to go and where to stay during a trip to Japan. Before this lesson, I will have presented information to students through digital storytelling, as well as have given students a chance to practice with the tool. This will be one of the culminating products of this unit. Students will see different examples and uses of digital storytelling as a model for their own work: biography, advertisement, travel guide/log, documentary, or perhaps even their own idea. Students will create their video using Power Point or iMovie. ||
 * During Class ||
 * Time |||| Instructional Activities || Materials and Resources ||
 * Day 1 |||| # Explain to students that they will begin synthesizing their research into a presentation. For this presentation they must include some form of digital storytelling, a print campaign, their journal log, and their written proposal for the Department of Tourism (see Introduction and History of Japan lesson). Students can choose to present any topic from information or research through digital storytelling.
 * 1) Students will begin the planning for their digital storytelling product using storyboarding. Students can choose to create their storyboard on the computer or on paper. || Storyboard template or supplies for creating storyboard
 * Day 2 |||| # Students will continue to work on and complete their storyboard. Storyboard is due at the end of this class period.
 * 1) Students will begin to work on their script when their storyboard is complete. Students can choose to write their script using the computer or on paper. || Computers
 * Days 3 and 4 |||| # Students will begin or continue to work on their script. Script is due for check-in at the end of Day 4. || Computers ||
 * Day 5 |||| # Students will begin to look and compile pictures and/or video that they would like to incorporate in their digital story. Video is not required for this project, but will be seen as above requirements. Pictures can be from the Internet (copyright information and references required) or scanned in from photographs (if using any print resources, copyright information and references must be provided).
 * 1) Students will begin to work on their actual story when they have finished compiling pictures. || Computers
 * Days 6-8 |||| # Students will finish compiling pictures and video.
 * 1) Students will begin and finish creating digital storytelling. || Computers
 * Day 9 |||| # Students will share their digital storytelling with the class. The class will provide feedback as to any changes that might be made, as well as what is done well in the story.
 * 1) Students will complete a suggestion response to each video as they are watching to provide to the group. || Computers
 * Day 10 |||| # Students will edit and change videos if needed. || Computers
 * Note student groupings, environmental modifications needed, etc:
 * 1) Students will work in the same groups with which they were working in the lesson Culture of Japan.
 * 2) Throughout this process, I will act as a facilitator unless I am leading a mini-lesson. It will be my objective to meet with five different students throughout each research class period in order to help field particular questions. As I am working with students, I will take observation notes to areas they are having trouble and perform a mini-lesson whenever needed. I will also pull small groups for mini-lessons if needed. ||
 * ==MONITOR== ||
 * Ongoing Assessment(s): I will continue to meet with students on a daily basis. I will read the journals of all of the students except for the five that I met with that day. This will give me the opportunity to see what information students understand and where they are struggling. It will also help me determine what information or guidance students might need when I conference with them the following day. I will also check with students on their group’s progress during individual conferences. I will meet with each group at least once per week, I will use the comments and information that students have discussed with me in our independent conferences to guide our conversations within the group checks.

Accommodations and Extensions: Any student who needs more time will be given that time. Since I will be assessing students’ on a daily basis, I will be sure that students need extensions because of their work rather than due to lack of work. For any SPED or ELL students who are struggling (despite working in a group), I will assign them a topic and purpose for their digital storytelling. For example, they might present the biography of their influential leader or creating a TV commercial depending on the student.

Back-Up Plan: If needed, I will provide students will particular resources from which to work. I will also provide students with some type of print resource for every component of the project. ||
 * ==EVALUATE AND EXTEND== ||
 * Be specific and include the evaluation that you will use for this lesson: Students will be evaluated on their journal responses. The final evaluation will be in their presentation at the end of May. I will assess students work when they present to the class so that I can help them change whatever aspects of their story they need to change in order to improve.

LESSON REFLECTIONS AND NOTES: ||