Micro Lesson #1 - Designing Instruction

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This lesson should be used toward the end of the school year after students have had experience using Microsoft Word and Google Earth for other projects.  The lesson is to be divided into three parts: creation of a chart in Microsoft Word, research on Google Earth, and synthesis of information and creation of the project artifact.  

Students will be encouraged to work together during all three stages in order to complete this topic.  Students who need extra help will be teamed with students who are more proficient with the tools and will receive extra help from their teacher.  Since the goal of the project is to produce an artifact that may be presented to the class, struggling students may use a Word template provided by the teacher, or, if needed, may make a chart using crafts.  This will allow those students to expend more energy on the research and synthesis of information rather than making the technology their learning focus.  For the more advanced learners, the project allows the students to utilize many different sources to gather information and they are also open to further web searches.

Integration of technology in the classroom allows for another level of learning to be integrated into the teaching process.  By children using technology during instruction, they learn to use tools that will help them in other areas as they move through school.  

For the purposes of this lesson, the digital information and technology used is legal and ethical without question.  For the use of Google Earth, however, teacher must be reminded that guidance should be used to target specific information as there are images on Google Earth that may not be suitable for young eyes.   

This lesson does not require any interactions online so digital etiquette and responsible social interactions are not necessary.   

While all students will have access to the tools needed to complete the task, some may not have the ability to use them to greatest effect, and it must be remembered that the artifact the student creates is not the point of the lesson. The standard states students will integrate information from two sources into one report either written or spoken.  If a child can draw pictures of the information they have learned and then explain it to you verbally, that satisfies the terms of the standard.  

The use of Google Earth will allow students to choose subjects from anywhere on the planet.  Through this lesson, students will learn a little bit about other parts of the world and be made aware of the ability to learn about things that are not in their own backyard.