Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Name: Bugscope

Content Area: Science
Grade Level(s): 3rd Grade
Content Standard Addressed: S3CS3. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and
manipulating objects in scientific activities utilizing safe laboratory procedures.
S3CS1. Students will be aware of the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in science
and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works.
Technology Standard Addressed: Knowledge Constructor

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: Bugscope

URL(s) to support the lesson: http://bugscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in your
classroom:
Our class will begin by talking about how Bugscope can use a high powered electron microscope to show us a
much more detailed view of organisms. The students will then have a week to find a bug on the playground to
bring in to submit to Bugscope. Students will work in groups of three and each measure their bug and record
observations about their bug before they are sent and record their observations in a document together. The
class will select five different bugs to be sent to Bugscope to view. The teacher will send the bugs to
Bugscope.

Once the scientists receive the samples and approve them, they will schedule a time to view our organisms
and talk with the scientist. We will then use the electron microscope and scientist discussion to facilitate a
comparison of the bugs we found. Students will then compare their original observations with what they
were able to see with the electron microscope and see if they were able to see anything new. The class’ bug
measurements and results will be posted to the classroom blog with no names.

What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a classroom?
Computers for the class, Computer and a SMARTboard for the teacher

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: Students are able to work in group to select, measure and evaluate their bug. They are then
able to receive valuable information and input from a scientist working for Bugscope.
b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation: Students are creating original data about their
bug and compiling a class document about their bugs.
c. Higher-order thinking: Students are able to analyze, evaluate, and create their own data during this
project.
d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product: Students are
able to share their bugs with the scientist and the class’ bug measurements and results will be posted
to the classroom blog with no names.
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
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 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Students who are visually impaired could benefit from the discussion
with the scientist and he/she could work with another student to describe their bug. For hearing impaired
students, closed captioning could be used on the video. For ELLs, they could utilize the google translate app to
listen as the scientist is speaking.

Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies: This assignment complies with internet safety
policies because all interactions and online activities are monitored by the teacher. The students will view the
electron microscope through a screen that is controlled by the teacher.

Reflective Practice: I feel like this could engage students and give them an interesting and even fun
assignment where they can explore scientific ideas and materials. To extend the lesson, students could do a
powerpoint on their bug and if parent permission was provided, they could publish their work on the
classroom blog.

Spring 2018_SJB