Teacher(s) Name: Ms. Kobelja
School: Hungary Creek MS
Grade Level(s): Grade 7
Content Area(s): Science, Life Science
Lesson Summary
Over several days in May of 2016, the local watershed was inundated with unprecedented levels of rainfall. Hungary Creek Middle School’s Life Science students were given an authentic task by their principal to deliver a water quality report on the pollution levels in the runoff flowing into Hungary Creek. After gathering information from a real water quality specialist via Google Hangout, students put their waders on, take water samples and perform water quality tests in the lab. While doing this they had to document their experiences on their cellphones. In the end students were given the choice of delivering their report through video or a website or both.
TIPC Ratings
Research & Information Fluency
Rating:Ideal – Explanation: Students constructed questions while doing hands-on research and lab work while addressing an authentic task. They recorded their information on Google Docs and outputting their findings and conclusions in video or in a web page format.
Communication & Collaboration
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Students worked in self-selected groups and created group norms to address an authentic task given by the teacher and principal. Students selected and used appropriate digital tools to facilitate collaboration, using Google Drive, Google sites and Google Docs to share and upload video and data of their recorded research. Students also collaborated with an expert in Boston using Google Hangout video conferencing.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Students selected the most appropriate digital tools, as well as questioning, critical thinking and problems solving strategies to solve the authentic task. Students reflected on their roles as critical thinkers/problems solvers by analyzing their data and looking for factors that could have affected the quality of the creek water or the test.
Creativity & Innovation
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Students synthesized existing and self-generated knowledge to create new ideas and products within and beyond the assignment parameters. Students reflected on their creative and innovative process. Students were given the choice of reporting back to the principal in either a video or website. Many students went above and beyond the assignment parameters, by creating videos that used augmented reality, special effects and had original storylines.
Student Artifact
Lesson Materials
