Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Name: Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition With Pals

Content Area: Earth Science
Grade Level(s): 6th grade
Content Standard Addressed:
S6E5: Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to show how Earth’s surface is formed.

d. Ask questions to identify types of weathering, agents of erosion and transportation, and
environments of deposition.

Technology Standard Addressed:

1.2.b: Students engage in positive, safe, legal, and ethical behavior when using technology, including
in social interactions online or when using networked devices.

1.3.d: build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing idead and
theories and pursuing answers and solutions.

1.7.c: Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities
to work effectively toward a common goal.

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: ePals

URL(s) to support the lesson:

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing

Opportunity in your classroom: When the students are learning about weathering, erosion, and
deposition there will be an online project. During this project we will collaborate with another class,
in a different state. Each student will have a partner/group and all students will have an opportunity to
walk around their school outside and find evidence of weathering, erosion, and deposition and take
pictures.

Once all students from both classes have their pictures, they will work together to make a slideshow,
displaying their evidence and explaining why it’s what they say it is.

What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a

classroom?

Computers
Phones/tablets with cameras
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, and mentors outside their classroom and often
beyond their school: Students will collaborate with near-peers outside of their school. They
will see what the other students’ environment looks like and what kind of evidence they can
find of the processes they are learning about.
 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (creating original data and or

producing original products as a result of engaging in a project): Students are leading their
own investigations and reporting their own qualitative data (finding rocks, piles of sediment,
evidence of water erosion, etc.).

c. Higher-order thinking: (Outdoor exploration of weathering, erosion, and deposition not only
reinforces content knowledge, but also enhances higher-order thinking skills such as critical
thinking, problem-solving, inquiry, analysis, synthesis, and creativity.

d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product:
Students from both schools will work together to create a slideshow, showcasing their data and
analyses. These slideshows will be presented in both classrooms across state lines and students
in both classrooms will use is as examples of what they’ve learned in class.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☐ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☒ Evaluating ☒

Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level): (Select the best level)

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☒ Level 2: Exploration ☒ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4:

Integration

☒ Level 5: Expansion ☒ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): This collaborative lesson idea embraces the principles of
UDL by offering diverse and flexible opportunities for engagement, representation, and expression,
ensuring that all students can access and participate in the learning experience effectively.

Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies:

To ensure compliance with district Internet safety and student privacy policies while implementing the
collaborative learning experience of exploring weathering, erosion, and deposition across schools,
the following measures can be taken:
1. Secure Communication Platforms:
o Use district-approved and secure communication platforms for virtual
collaboration between students from different schools. Ensure that these
platforms meet the required security standards for protecting student data.
2. Parental Consent Forms:
o Obtain parental consent forms for students to participate in the collaborative
project, clearly outlining the purpose of the activity, the platforms used for
communication, and how student data will be handled..
3. Teacher Moderation:
 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
o Monitor student interactions during virtual collaboration sessions to ensure
appropriate behavior and adherence to district Internet safety guidelines.
4. Limited Data Sharing:
o Instruct students to only share necessary information related to the project and
avoid disclosing personal details or sensitive information about themselves or
others.
5. Secure File Sharing:
o Use secure file-sharing methods to exchange documents and presentations
between students, ensuring that only authorized individuals have access to the
shared files.
6. Data Retention Policy:
o Establish a data retention policy that specifies how long student data will be
stored after the completion of the project and outline procedures for securely
deleting or archiving the data.

Reflective Practice: Impact on Student Learning:

This collaborative lesson on exploring weathering, erosion, and deposition across schools has a
profound impact on student learning by providing a hands-on, real-world experience that goes
beyond traditional classroom instruction. By engaging in outdoor exploration, working with peers
from another school, and creating a slideshow to showcase their findings, students are actively
involved in the scientific process of observation, analysis, and communication. This experiential
learning opportunity not only deepens their understanding of geological processes but also fosters
skills in collaboration, critical thinking, and communication. Through this interactive and
collaborative approach, students develop a more profound connection to the content, enhance their
problem-solving abilities, and cultivate a sense of curiosity and exploration that extends beyond the
classroom walls.