Submitted by: Garry Marshall

School: Fairfield Middle School

Summary

In this lesson, students review area and perimeter. Students utilize technology and hands-on manipulatives to apply mathematical formulas.

Submitted by: Paul Cassimus
Collaborators:Renee Balch, Mike Dunavant, Sam Peterson, Lisa Hand, Anne Dillon.
School: Varina High School

Summary

(INTRO VIDEO) Using their laptops, students will create instructional videos in which they teach the basics of Spanish to others. They must have at least two characters, a student character and a teacher character. A major part of the grade will come from the dialogue and interaction between the characters. The teacher character will teach all the grammar we have learned so far. The student character must act appropriately like a student; asking questions, wanting explanations for difficult concepts, etc. The teacher character will explain each concept and share with the student helpful tips, advice, study strategies, mnemonic devices and others that will help the student learn. Students will act as researchers and teachers to discover the best methods and strategies in learning the basics of Spanish. Google docs will provide a platform for collaborating with upper-level Spanish students to get strategies and methods in learning the basics of Spanish. They will reflect on this information, their notes, and from their own experiences as a Spanish student to create the video, the dialogue and the content. The videos will be forwarded to middle school Spanish teachers to show and make available to their students. Then, my classes and the middle school classes will have a discussion board set up to discuss any tips or advice to learning Spanish. Essentially, my students will take on the role of the upper-level students to pass on their knowledge to the middle school students to bring the scenario of the project full circle.

Submitted by: Diana Hundley
Collaborators: Kadie English-Student Teacher, Merle James- Art, Kathy Vick- Librarian, Jessica DelMonte-ITRT, Parent Volunteers
School: Echo Lake Elementary

Summary

The students will work collaboratively in 5 groups that they have chosen and will be in charge of one of Virginia’s 5 regions of Virginia. Directly prior to today’s culminating lesson, the students’ developed questions the would like to find out about each region as well as what they wanted to learn about the moon. The students each used a graphic organizer and chose from three web-sites to research information about all five regions in class. They also utilized the library in a lesson about searching the web. (Kids Link) They were able to add to their research with this information. The art teacher worked with the students to paint white t-shirts with the map of Virginia for us to wear as Jr. Virginia Trekkers. Today, I will video-conference with the students from the “moon” (to bring in our school-wide theme of “Echo Lake is Out of his World”) and to tell them they have got to visit the moon with me! I will let them know I am on my way back to pick them up so we can compare the physical characteristics of the regions of Virginia to that of the moon. However, we will need to each bring a few things with us about the regions.

Submitted by: Cheryl Corbin
Collaborators: Suzanna Panter, Jessica DelMonte
School: Dumbarton Elementary

Summary

Students explored and understood the life cycle of a pumpkin through a wide variety of media. Students researched our topic with Mrs. Panter, our librarian. During several trips to the library, students asked questions and predicted they might experience on our pumpkin patch field trip. Students discussed finding the answers to these questions through the use of song, “Plan, Do, and Review”, a process to use to gather our data. Students found answers collaboratively through discussion, books, databases, and videos. Research ended by sampling the wide variety of foods made out of pumpkins (ice cream, bread, muffins, roasted pumpkin seeds, pie). The field trip was recorded through the use of an iPad and a flip camera by students. Students returned with pumpkins, the following day, students actively participated in 8 rotation centers throughout the week. Centers allowed students to work collaboratively and think critically to apply what they learned through their research to activities that consisted of phonics, computer, Promethean board activities, reading, writing, home living, math, science, and listening.

Submitted by: Jehan Gabrual
Collaborators: Suzanna Panter
School: Dumbarton Elementary School

Summary

First Grade students self-selected their own habitat and members of their group. They participated in a mini habitat flipchart before they were able to select their habitat. In the library, first graders used a variety of resources: non-fiction books, Discovery Science, databases, Brain-Pop videos, and magazines to help guide their research. They were given a research template to draw or write the information they explored including animals and plants that live in their habitat. They also had to find out information about the animals’ body covering, movement and how they adapt to their surroundings. Next, as a group, designed on paper what they wanted their habitat to look like. Using children’s engineering, each group made a shoebox model of their habitat. Using the following center rotations: reader’s theater- students videotaped each other as they explain their animals and habitat using felt pieces and felt board, groups completed a planning sheet on who will say what on their final video, each group graphed animals on the Promethean board according to their body coverings and movements, each group sorted animals and then used the iPad to record an explanation of how the animals were sorted, and lastly, show me center- groups use this application to explain each animals. As the completion of this project, videos were shared with teachers and other students.

Submitted by: Christy Hudson & Nate Shotwell

School: Mills E. Godwin High School

Summary

The students will spend several days in class working in groups on this lab and will produce an extensive lab report that includes a narrative written by the students explaining what they did, a map containing the raw data they collected, and a topographic map constructed using the data the students collect. The students will also submit their own narrative analysis of the region explaining what they have learned about the relationship between the geology and topography in their region. Evaluating this activity is tricky because each group is creating a unique map. The rubric was designed with this in mind and rather than trying to fit the student projects into a “box”, the rubric attempts to allow the students to work creatively while still ensuring that each group meets certain expectations.

TIPC Ratings

This is an example of an Approaching Lesson in Research and Information Fluency.

• Students researched in collaborative groups to determine what elements were necessary for online/interactive chapters for an online textbook. These chapters not only had to cover the content, but the content also had to be presented in an interesting and interactive manner using the most appropriate digital tools, such as, videos, podcasts, games, etc.

This is an example of an Approaching lesson for Communication and Collaboration.

• Through collaborative teams students had to create a time line, determine what elements were appropriate in their product, create a layout and a final product. Smaller groups were organized from the larger group in order to make the timeline established manageable. Each group determined what digital tools were necessary to create an online/interactive original product. Each group had to evaluate their success as a team.

This is an example of an Approaching lesson for Critical Thinking and Problem Solving.

• Working as cooperative groups, students had to solve conflicts, make decisions, plan and execute the necessary elements of their product. They had to analyze resources available for their scientific validity. Once the product was created, students had to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the completed product.

This is an example of an Approaching lesson for Creativity and Innovation

•  Students were assigned the task of creating original online/interactive content that addressed the strengths of all levels of learners. This product required the students to draw on their individual strengths and talents and to share those strengths and talents with each other in the areas of research, creativity, collaboration and design.

Submitted by: Courtney Kendrick
School: Echo Lake Elementary

Summary

The students were introduced to watersheds by a Henricopolis visitor who provided a background and a hands on demonstration of watersheds. After the students received this background, they continued to research watersheds through books and pamphlets provided by the EPA and Henricopolis. Visitors came to the class to talk about watersheds, and the laws and legislations that affect watersheds impact them in their business. These visitors were: a golf course superintendent, The Farm Bureau, and a water safety employee from a local factory. Lastly, the EPA had an employee visit our classroom electronically to talk about watersheds and to answer questions that remained. The students took all this information, develped and created their own groups and research. They used the research to create a slideshow, commercials, comic life, brochure and blog to explain and educate about the importance of watersheds. They explained everyone’s role and part and how they can contribute to the clean up efforts of the watershed.They used both perspectives of the business person and the EPA to create their work. They would like to get their information out to the public by sharing their project. They decided to invite a local senator (Senator Watkins has agreed to come on Dec. 14th) and hold a “town meeting” for him and parents, submit a new movie being produced on watersheds, submit to UVA interactive workshops, blog to the communtiy and submit to Virtual Share for Henrico County.

Submitted by: Alissa Straus
School: Colonial Trail Elementary School

Summary

Students created a flipchart using ActivInspire and presented information on a state they chose to research.
Once a student chose his/her state, research was done using library books, online databases, and teacher-approved websites. A handout, with examples of types of research, was provided to students. Research was done at home and at school. (Students previously had a library lesson on research and citing of sources.)
Students learned how to use ActivInspire by teacher-modeling and using Promethean’s ActivTips. They downloaded the tips (short video tutorials) to their home computers, loaded them on their iPods, and brought the iPods to school. Students were able to utilize these short clips to help them create and design their flipcharts. Scott Caufield, Promethean’s ActivTip creator, flew to Virginia to meet the students, when he learned about how they were using the ActivTips in class. Mr. Caufield was impressed by the skill level of the students and was blown away by their presentations. He asked them questions throughout their presentations about their states and about how they made certain aspects of their flipcharts. Class discussion included how to design an interactive presentation and how to engage their peers during in the lesson. Students were encouraged to add audio and video clips if they chose to. Each flipchart included nine sections. Students created an assessment, using ActivEngage, and ran voting for their peers. Their assessment could have included multiple-choice, short answer, fill-in-the blank, and likert scale questions. Students asked questions and interpreted answer data. They were then able to ask their peers for clarification on a specific answer and find out why another student answered a question the way they did. Copies of the finished project files were added to our class website for students to download. They all received a copy of ActivInspire for home use as well.

Submitted by: Jim Covais
School: Adams Elementary School

Summary

This is a review lesson for perimeter. The students pick a partner and design the floor plan for a house. First they make a blueprint on paper using a ruler. Then the students transfer their design to the computer using the activinspire software and the ruler tool. When the students were finished they shared their designs with the class. They then reflected on their experience using the class blog.

Submitted by: Kori Freeman and Cynthia Chambliss
Collaborators: Stacie Young
School: John Rolfe Middle School

Summary

Students thoroughly research a famous or historical person they consider inspirational, write a research paper, and then reflect on the inspirational person as they complete a concentric circle activity (LTF format) using an ActivInspire flipchart. Students use a thesaurus to identify strong adjectives that describe the person that was chosen. They also include picture symbols to represent the person. In addition, they analyze how they can apply and adopt the person’s admirable qualities to their own identities in order to change the world for the better. Finally, in collaborative small groups, students compare and contrast admirable qualities among people. They create a Wordle word cloud as a group to express the commonly found inspirational qualities.