Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)

Lesson Idea Name: United States Landmarks and Rivers

Content Area: Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 3rd grade

Content Standard Addressed: SS3G1 Locate major topographical features on a physical map of the United
States.
a. Locate major rivers of the United States of America: Mississippi, Ohio, Rio Grande, Colorado, Hudson, and
St. Lawrence. b. Locate major mountain ranges of the United States of America: Appalachian, Rocky.

Technology Standard Addressed: 6- Creative Communicator

Selected Technology Tool: Padlet

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): https://padlet.com/aterryschool/oiwlgoblu9do3m5o

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Level(s):

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

Levels of Technology Integration:

☐ Infusion Level: Students may work at a higher Bloom’s Level, but they do not have any “Voice or Choice”
during the activity and most of the decisions are made by the teacher.

☒ Integration Level: We would like to see ALL lessons/activities reach this level. The project is student-
driven. Students have “Voice and Choice” in the activities, selecting the topic of study and determining the
technology tool to demonstrate mastery of the standard. The teacher becomes more of a facilitator.
☐ Expansion Level: The projects created are shared outside of the classroom, publishing student work and
promoting authorship. This could be reached by showcasing the project on the school’s morning
newscast, posting the project to the classroom blog, or publishing via an outside source.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

Padlet accommodates a variety of student needs. It offers multiple templates to present information to
accommodate our visual learners. It allows students to organize their work neatly and creatively. It offers
templates that require collaboration, therefore enhancing the students’ Engagement and responsibility within
the assignments. It provides students with a diverse amount of choices therefore enhancing the Expression
components of the Universal Design for Learning framework. Padlet will assist all of our students present
their information in a way that is suitable for them.

Lesson idea implementation:

This lesson should take teachers and students 25-30 minutes to complete. At the beginning of the lesson, the
teacher will pull a physical feature map up on the Smart Board where every student can see. The teacher will
point out a few well-known features and will talk about the importance of rivers and mountains. Afterwards,
the teacher will zoom in on the United States and explain that we have a set of rivers and mountains that are
important and beneficial to us. The teacher will then situate each student with a computer, iPad, or tablet so
they may begin creating their own map. The students will each be given a word bank filled with United States’
landmarks and rivers. This includes the Mississippi, Ohio, Rio Grande, Colorado, Hudson, and St. Lawrence
Rivers. It will also include the Appalachian and Rocky Mountain Ranges. The students will drop a green pin
SBooker, 2020
 Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)
where the school is located, pink pins for the rivers, and orange pins for the mountain ranges. The students
will be creating their own Padlet and using the map feature to label all eight features.

After labeling the features, the students will find a fun or interesting fact about each and include them in the
text boxes under each pin. The students are able to include images that correspond to the features, online
facts, and the links where they find their information. They have a freedom to present the information in a
variety of ways. After each student finishes their own map, they will share it via Google Classroom. This
ensures that the teacher is able to see every student’s map and can properly assess them. Once all of the
maps are turned in, the teacher will ask for volunteers to present their maps to the class for bonus points on
the assignment. The class will learn multiple facts about each river or mountain, and also see any images or
links their classmates chose to use.

Reflective Practice:

In order for students to complete this assignment within 25-30 minutes, they need to be experienced with
Padlet before the lesson. Students will have the opportunity to explore and create a map of their own. This
shows them that they have a say and part in their education. They are able to make important decisions
regarding how and what they are learning. They are the ones choosing the facts that are important and the
corresponding images. To further extend the lesson, I could have made this a group project and included
many more landmarks and rivers that have importance all over the world, not just in the United States. This
would have enhanced this assignment by adding in collaboration with classmates, and also allow them to
explore the entire globe. It would have moved them out of any familiar territory they may have been in when
we were only looking at the United States.

SBooker, 2020