Basic Productivity Presentation Tool

Lesson Idea

Lesson Idea Name: Animals

Grade Level/Content Area: 1st grade/ Life Science
Content Standard Addressed: S1L1.b - Ask questions to compare and contrast the basic needs of
plants (air, water, light, and nutrients) and animals (air, water, food, and shelter)
ISTE Technology Standard Addressed:  What would you like students to know and
Creative Communicator – 1.6.c Students be able to do by the end of this lesson:
communicate complex ideas clearly and By the end of the lesson, I would like for students
effectively by creating or using a variety of digital to clearly communicate their research using a
objects such as visualizations, models, or software tool.
simulations.
What is the student learning goal for this lesson idea?
The goal of this lesson is to research the basic needs of a chosen animal. Discover and present
information about their diet, habitat, etc. in an eBook like the example I shared.
Selected Instructional Software Tool:
URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Level(s):

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

How will this lesson be implemented? Check all that apply.

☐ Teacher-directed: There is no student voice and choice in the activities. Students are guided by the
teacher's direction and expectations.

X Student-Led: Students are given voice and choice in the activities. They may select the topic for
presentation and/or determine the tool they will use to meet the learning goal. Products of
learning will be uniquely designed. Teacher simply facilitates the learning in a lesson like this.

X Project-based and/or Publishable: Students are completing projects to demonstrate their learning
and the projects can be shared outside of the classroom. This objective could be reached by
displaying the project on the school’s morning newscast, posting the project to the classroom
blog, presenting it to another class, or publishing it via an outside source.

Lesson idea implementation:

For this lesson, students will partner up and choose an animal to research its basic needs (food,
habitat, etc.). They will then use this information to create their own ebook on Microsoft Powerpoint.
I will use my ebook about pandas as an example of what they will be creating. I will demonstrate how
the tool is used to create an eBook and explain each feature. Students will research their chosen
animal’s diet, habitat and find at least 1 fun fact. I will monitor student progress. We will conclude the
lesson by sharing each student’s eBook with the class and compare/contrast the unique needs each
animal requires.
 Basic Productivity Presentation Tool
Lesson Idea

Managing engagement: Describe a way to use this technology in a way that gets students
actively involved in authentic tasks and contexts?
Students will collaborate and be placed into pairs to create their eBook. They will together choose an
animal to research. They will also share a computer when researching their chosen animal and to
create their product. They will have 20 minutes to find the animal’s diet, habitat, and one fun fact.
They will have 15 minutes to plan out their eBook and 30 minutes to create it. When they are all done
with their eBooks, they will have the choice to share theirs with the class.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

This eBook activity will promote engagement because students will be collaborating to create their
own creative eBook on Microsoft PowerPoint. Students are given creative freedom as to what animal
will be researched and how they want to display their information in their final product.

Reflecting on enhanced learning:

After designing this lesson plan, I feel students will be more confident in their creative abilities and
with using/experimenting with new tools. This tool, along with other technology will allow them to
expand their knowledge and broaden their options for future projects.