Instructional Software

Lesson Idea Name: Classroom Zoo

Content Area: Reading/Science

Grade Level(s): 2nd

Content Standard Addressed:

Knowledge Constructor

Students will use iPads or computers to access content-related e-books and build their knowledge, creating a
unique and meaningful learning experience.

Selected Technology Tool: epic!

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable and goes directly to the lesson): www.getepic.com

Type of Instructional Software:

☐ Drill and Practice ☐ Tutorial ☐ Simulation ☐ Instructional Game X e-books/e-references

Features of this software (check all that apply):

X Assessment Monitoring/Reporting

☐ Allows teacher to create customized lessons for students

☐ Multi-user or collaborative functions with others in the class

☐ Multi-user or collaborative with others outside the class

X Accessible to students beyond the school day

X Accessible via mobile devices

X Multiple languages

X Safety, security and/or privacy features

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Level(s):

☐ Remembering X Understanding X Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☐ Creating

TFrazier, 2021
 Instructional Software
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.

X 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):

This lesson allows students to express one of their interests through their favorite animals. Students will read
about them and put together a poster representing the information that learned from the e-books they read.
The poster can be created in any way the students feel is appropriate for them. This allows for a more
personalized plan for each student. The lesson contains features to keep students engaged, while allowing
them freedom of expression. This will keep them motivated and willing to learn.

Lesson idea implementation:

Using classroom computers or tablets, students will access books on epic! to research an animal of their
choosing to help create a classroom zoo. The teacher will take part of this lesson to introduce the website and
how it works. Students will be given a couple of days to complete their research and compile notes on their
animals that will then be turned into a poster. For every book the students read, they will take the
accompanying quizzes to show the teacher that they did read the book and understood its content. After
research is completed, students will take their information and create a poster in any way they choose. Once
everyone has completed their posters, students will submit them to the teacher to be examined for any
corrections that need to be made (the only bad grade a student can have is by having no submission).
Students will then take a day to present their posters one by one. After everything has been completed, the
teacher will hang the posters outside the classroom to be shared with the entire school! At the end of the
lesson, the teacher will hold a class discussion to see how the students feel about using epic!, what they like
and don’t like about it, and if they would like to use it for their daily reading.

Reflective Practice:

With this lesson, students will hopefully think of reading and presentations as a fun activity! Students will be
encouraged to like reading, not only for research, but for enjoyment. The goal is to create expert readers and
to have students who don’t groan when they hear they have to do some reading. To further extend this
lesson, I could do another similar project where students pick a topic entirely of their own and create a
project that is entirely of their own creation (using technology, of course). The projects could then be
uploaded to a sort of class forum that could be made public globally, not just limited to the school. Students
could even choose to work together and collaborate on the end product.

TFrazier, 2021
 Instructional Software

TFrazier, 2021