Curt+Gerbers

PBL: Ensuring Water Quality Within our Community Curt Gerbers Walden University

Dr. Suzanne Lebeau EDUC-6713I-4 Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas March 29, 2012 . || and creative processes environments intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources and resources digital-age communication and collaboration tools Instructional Objectives: TLW tie the Earth Science content to the community in which they live. TLW find online resources for determining water quality. TLW find online resources for improving water quality. TLW understand the GAME plan and how to use it. || I will be researching online resources for determining local water quality as well as resources for testing and improving water quality. This will be done to determine the ease in which students will find the same information. It will also help me guide students if they run into issues finding the information themselves. Finally, my research will be compared to student data to ensure accuracy from their sources. The computer lab will be checked out so my students may use it for research. || Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4-5 Day 6-8 Day 9 |||| Instructional Activities Students will work in small groups to review what they know about the water cycle. Groups will present an aspect of the water cycle that they recall. The class will work together to build and overall model of the water cycle. The main goal being to identify that water exists within the ground and that water is used by us. As a class we will discuss how the quality of our groundwater can affect us. Students will be introduced to the problem facing our community: How do we ensure that our water sources are free from contamination and what can we do about contaminated sources of water? Students will be place in groups based on learning styles. This will give each group a better chance of organizing their research in the best way for them. Groups will begin their research on the quality of surface and groundwater within our community. They will be researching methods of testing as well as existing data. This information will be shared with the class. The water testing methods identified will be used to test real water sources within our community. Students will be bringing in water samples from local wells and surface water sources. We will also be traveling to a local nature center to test water. After testing is complete each group will compile their data and set up a plan to identify possible causes for low water quality and solutions to the problem. Students will be using online maps to locate farms or other possible sources of water contaminants. Students will be preparing presentations for their testing methods, data found, and solutions to the possible groundwater contamination. This will include the creation of graphs, charts, and tables in Excel as well as a final Power Point or video. || Materials and Resources Water cycle model, Earth Science text books, Projector, Computer Computer Lab, Internet Computer Lab, County Map Water Testing Kits, Bussing Computer lab, Internet, Power Point, Projector || - Each class setting will end in an exit quiz where one question is asked to check for student understanding. Question topics will include: groundwater, water testing, contamination sources, water quality, surface water. - Each group will have time to meet with me to ensure they are on the right track and ask questions if necessary. This will also be my time to use an oral formative assessment to check for understanding up to that point. - Student participation will be used as an informal assessment as to understanding. - Students will fill out "self assessments" to identify their status with the project and how comfortable they are with the new content. Some groups may need extra time for various steps. They may also need extra support and scaffolding from me. Members within groups will be scaffolding throughout the project. Groups working quickly and at a higher level will dig further into the water source for our school. They will be tracing the path of water to determine what factors may contribute to poor quality or differences in our school's water supply. If the nature center water testing does not work out for some reason we will use a local creek down the road from the school. If our online resources do not provide enough information on water testing we will utilize the course text book. The local water company may also be used as source for water quality data. || Students final evaluation will be a combination of formative assessments used along the way as well as the quality of the final presentation of methods, data, and solutions. LESSON REFLECTIONS AND NOTES: || // Jennifer Robichaux to Curt: (March 31, 2012) //
 * = Daily Lesson GAME Plan (1) = ||
 * Lesson Title: Ensuring Water Quality |||| Related Lessons: Social Collaboration/ Digital Story Telling ||
 * Grade Level: 8 |||| Unit: Hydrology ||
 * ==GOALS== ||
 * Content Standards:
 * E4.1B**: Explain the features and processes of groundwater systems and how the sustainability of North American aquifers has changed in recent history (e.g., the past 100 years) qualitatively using the concepts of recharge, residence time, inputs, and outputs.
 * E4.1C**: Explain how water quality in both groundwater and surface systems is impacted by land use decisions.
 * E4.p1B**: Analyze the flow of water between the elements of a watershed, including surface features (lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands) and groundwater.
 * ISTE NETS-S:
 * Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity**
 * a.** promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
 * b.** engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
 * c.** promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning,
 * d.** model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual
 * Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility**
 * a.** advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright,
 * b.** address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools
 * c.** promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
 * d.** develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using
 * ==ACTION== ||
 * Before-Class Preparation:
 * During Class ||
 * Time
 * Note student groupings, environmental modifications needed, etc: ||
 * ==MONITOR== ||
 * **Ongoing Assessment(s):**
 * **Ongoing Assessment(s):**
 * Accommodations and Extensions:**
 * Back-Up Plan:**
 * ==EVALUATE AND EXTEND== ||
 * Be specific and include the evaluation that you will use for this lesson:

// I enjoyed reviewing your lesson plan. I have a couple of inquiries. Why did you decide to group students according to their learning styles? And what benefits do you see arising from such a grouping strategy? I really would like to know your thoughts behind such as I am curious. //

// Also, I notice that you have literally planned everyday for the students. Maybe I am not understanding PBL very well, but isn't it important to let the students come up with their own GAME plan for working through the problem and devising their own strategies for action and investigation? I thought one of the tenets of PBL was to give the problem to the students and let them determine: What do I need to know to solve this problem and how can I learn the prior? Please, don't get me wrong I think your lesson is sound, I am just asking these questions for my own knowledge base in reference to PBL. As a recommendation, you state that students will prepare presentations, how could you integrate technology into this portion of the experience to give it that technological edge. A possibility could be charts/ graphs created through excel or even a graphic representation of the water cycle etc. might be useful at this point. //

// I think your extension activity would prove to be interesting and informative as well. As an additional extension activity, what about having students test water from their homes? I am not sure where you live, but many of the homes in the area where I live use well water, which varies greatly in water quality, dependent upon location, agricultural sources, use, etc. Just a thought. I wish I could be in your class. Thanks for helping me by sharing your feedback to my questions. I appreciate it. Jennifer //

Jennifer, I grouped students according to their learning styles so they would have a better chance of organizing their presentation in a way that suits each person within the group. The visual learners may rely on graphs and pictures while the auditory may only use these features as occasional supplements to their speech.

My students will be planning their research their solution based on their research and data analysis. This is the core to their PBL lesson. My daily plan outlines when they will be given time for online research, water testing, and building presentation. They will be responsible for diciding the best way to test the water, what the results from their tests mean, and what they, or the community, can do to preserve or improve our local water sources.

I hope this helps. I do have plans for students to use technology in their presetntaions, but I should specify that in my plan. Thanks! - Curt G.

Jennifer Robichaux to Curt April 4, 2012 Curt, thanks for answering my questions, it is sometimes hard to perceive the background of someone else’s lesson. Now that you have clarified it for me, I do see where you have allowed your students some decision-making processes, which support PBL. Thanks for helping me to understand. Jennifer

. || Instructional Objectives: TLW find and share online content relating to water testing and local water quality TLW create tables and graphs with water testing data and share online TLW collaborate online to create a plan to improve or sustain the water quality within our community || Students will be using My Big Campus, which is a social networking site similar to Facebook, but with more protections, educational aspects, and teacher control. Each student is already a member of my class within the site. This lesson will be implemented within the previous and following. This portion of the unit will be used as the collaboration aspect as well as feedback between groups. || Students will be using the social networking tool throughout and after the previous lesson. This portion has no daily schedule. To begin, students will be creating a discussion board for their group. Here they will be sharing content within their groups, but also with other groups. Each group's discussion board will be visited daily by other groups. They will be sharing content, asking questions, and giving constructive criticism. This will allow students from various hours share data without having to be in the same class. The primary goal of this collaboration will be the sharing of gathered data. Students will share the data they have gathered from various sources around the community. They will also be sharing the data gathered at the nature center. Students will then be able to analyze the data gathered throughout the community to better inform the extent of the problem and the solution they find to best serve the community. Students will continue working in the same groups from the previous lesson. || Materials and Resources My Big Campus, Computer Lab, Internet || Each group will be responsible for building and contributing to their own discussion board. They will also be responsible for contributing to at least two other group's discussion board. This may be in the form of constructive criticism or data that may be applicable to another group's research. I will be checking on the discussion boards to evaluate the contributions of each group. This will also help me assess their progress on the project. As this lesson is primarily an addition to the previous, it will not require any accommodations or extensions. Should My Big Campus crash or not work for certain individuals, I will take one member of each group and form another will be given time to share and access each groups data. This way each group can collaborate with others, but can still do so on a small group scale. || Each group's performance will be assessed on their contributions to the discussion board. They will also be assessed on their ability to share their specific data with the rest of the groups. LESSON REFLECTIONS AND NOTES: ||
 * = Daily Lesson GAME Plan (2) = ||
 * Lesson Title: Water Quality/Social Collaboration |||| Related Lessons: PBL, Digital Storytelling ||
 * Grade Level: 8 |||| Unit: Hydrology ||
 * ==GOALS== ||
 * Content Standards:
 * E1.2D**: Evaluate scientific explanations in a peer review process or discussion format.
 * E1.1D**: Identify patterns in data and relate them to theoretical models.
 * E1.1E**: Describe a reason for a given conclusion using evidence from an investigation.
 * E1.1h**: Design and conduct a systematic scientific investigation that tests a hypothesis. Draw conclusions from data presented in charts or tables.
 * ISTE NETS-S
 * Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments**
 * a.** design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity
 * b.** develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress
 * c.** customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
 * d.** provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching
 * Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility**
 * a.** advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources
 * b.** address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources
 * c.** promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
 * d.** develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools
 * ==ACTION== ||
 * Before-Class Preparation:
 * During Class ||
 * Time |||| Instructional Activities
 * Note student groupings, environmental modifications needed, etc: ||
 * ==MONITOR== ||
 * **Ongoing Assessment(s):**
 * **Ongoing Assessment(s):**
 * Accommodations and Extensions:**
 * Back-Up Plan:**
 * ==EVALUATE AND EXTEND== ||
 * Be specific and include the evaluation that you will use for this lesson:

Curt,

This lesson sounds very interesting and engaging for students. I like how you connect the science to your community. Do you have any intent for sharing the student work with your community? I am not familiar with My Big Campus, but maybe you could submit the blog URL to the school newsletter for all students and parents to view. This may assist with student motivation if they know that a wider audience than the class will view their work.

Approximately how long do you intend this activity to take? It sounds as though it is occurring over several days. I have two suggestions to assist in time management. First, I have learned through experience that it is helpful to have students set specific daily goals at the beginning of class and then reflect upon progress as a conclusion to the class period. This helps students to focus and really stay on track. Second, a handout including a check list of expected student products will assist students in making sure they have all aspects of the project completed. Any structure that you can provide will assist your students in being successful. Again, I learned this through experience.

Sarah

Curt, I have learned that there are so many sites that teachers can use that are similar to Facebook that the students love. Is the My Big Campus site just for your school and is is very user friendly? it seems to make collaboration very easy between the group members and the other groups. Is it easier than using Google docs? It seems to be very time consuming to check the sites as the students post their comments. That part seems to be the most challenging to me. What plan do you have for scheduling yourself?

Karen

Karen,

My Big Campus is a service provided by Lightspeed, which is my school's internet content filter. I'm not sure if it is available for school's without Lightspeed, but I assume it would be. There may be a fee involved, though. I use MBC for different purposes than I might use Google Docs. Though both are great for collaboration, MBC is better if your product is to be viewable by the public. Google Docs would be great if I had groups working on a project only they needed to see and maybe present in class or simply turn in. Viewing comments can be very time consuming. Depending on the project, you must develop a system to review comments most efficiently. I generally look for keywords or constructive comments. -Curt


 * = Daily Lesson GAME Plan = ||
 * Lesson Title: Presenting Conclusion on Water Quality |||| Related Lessons: PBL, Social Collaboration ||
 * Grade Level: 8 |||| Unit: Hydrology ||
 * ==GOALS== ||
 * Content Standards:


 * E1.1E**: Describe a reason for a given conclusion using evidence from an investigation.

. ||
 * E1.1g**: Based on empirical evidence, explain and critique the reasoning used to draw a scientific conclusion or explanation
 * ISTE NETS-S


 * Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity**
 * a.** promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
 * b.** engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
 * c.** promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
 * d.** model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments


 * 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility**
 * a.** advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources
 * b.** address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources
 * c.** promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
 * d.** develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools

Instructional Objectives:

TLW organize data, research, and conclusions into a presentable digital story.

TLW collaborate with peers to develop digital story.

TLW present solutions to water quality improvements or sustainability. ||
 * ==ACTION== ||
 * Before-Class Preparation:

Students use Video Studio, Power Point, and Animation-ish in their computers class. They will have experience utilizing these tools prior to using them in my class. I will have the computer lab checked out for our use in organizing each group's findings into a video style presentation. This activity will take place following the previous two. Each group will have found data on local water quality, tested the community's water sources, and collaborated online to develop a plan to sustain or improve our community's water quality. ||
 * During Class ||
 * Time

Day 1

Day 2-5

Day 6 |||| Instructional Activities

I will present the idea of digital storytelling. Students will understand that they should present each step of their experimental process through a video where, ultimately, their solution for improving or sustaining the water quality in our community is given.

Students will work in their groups to decide how they would like to build their digital story. Each student will decide on a portion of the project they can complete. Some will animate, some will organize images or video and others will write a script. This will work will be completed in the computer lab. This may take more or less than four days, but more time will be given to those who may need it.

Students will present their projects in class. One group will be chosen or voted on to present their project at an upcoming board meeting. || Materials and Resources

Computer, Projector

Computer Lab, Power Point, Video Studio, Animation-ish

Computer, Projector, Speakers ||
 * Note student groupings, environmental modifications needed, etc: ||
 * ==MONITOR== ||
 * **Ongoing Assessment(s):**
 * **Ongoing Assessment(s):**

Each day I will take five minutes to meet with each group. I will be gauging their progress and answering any questions. This will be used as a formative assessment to ensure student participation and estimated time of completion.|| Students will be assessed as a group on their overall presentation. They should have included the problem, evidence and water testing methods found online, data gathered and researched, a solution to the problem, and the resources used throughout the experiment. ||


 * Accommodations and Extensions:**

Students that need extra time will be encouraged to utilize our Study Table that meets after school every Tuesday and Thursday.

Students in need of an extension will continue work from the PBL lesson where they traced the path of water to determine what factors may contribute to poor quality or differences in our school's water supply. They will include this into their presentation.

Back-Up Plan:

Groups that cannot complete the digital story will use the resources they have obtained to give a live oral presentation to the class.
 * ==EVALUATE AND EXTEND== ||
 * Be specific and include the evaluation that you will use for this lesson:
 * Be specific and include the evaluation that you will use for this lesson:

LESSON REFLECTIONS AND NOTES: ||