Lesson Plan 1

Lesson 1:  Creating a non-fiction bat book 

I. RATIONALE:

For this lesson, students will research various questions on bats to gain knowledge about the species and its structures.  Students will learn how to research a topic using various sources including books and online websites.  Students will create their own non-fiction book to show the information that they learned.

II. OVERVIEW

Grade Level:  2nd Grade

Subject(s):  Language Arts: Reading and Writing

Topic of Study:Research on bats

Time Allotment:30 minutes

Standards:
2.W.8  Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
2.RI.1  Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Science Strand 4: Life Science, C1.PO1 Identify animal structures that serve different functions (e.g. sensory, defense, locomotion).

Objectives: Students will create a non-fiction book about bats, after researching information on bats and will provide 5 facts to share with the class.

Reflection: Assessing Prior Knowledge and Planning Instruction What do the students need to know prior to the lesson? Prior to the lesson, the students will need to know how to use i pads or computers.  The students also would need to know how to take information from a source to answer questions in their own words and the difference between fiction and non-fiction.  Students should also have background knowledge in how to use Pixie software prior to this lesson. How will prior knowledge and experience be assessed? Prior knowledge will be assessed by asking questions at the beginning of the lesson through informal formative assessment.  These questions will include: "Where can we find some information on bats to help us answer these questions?"  "Who can tell me how we give credit to our source?"  "What is the difference between fiction and non-fiction?"  Also, remind students that when researching answers to the questions, the answers should be in their own words. How will you use this information in the planning process? After asking the questions to see where students are at, I will  use the information to see if we need to do a review of  locating and crediting sources or using Pixie software as a class prior to sending students to do their research individually.  If only a few of the students do not understand how to locate and credit sources, then I would review with those students in a small group prior to having them begin the research on bats. Why should the content of this lesson be taught at this grade level? The content of this lesson should be taught at this grade level because it helps students learn to research and extract information from various sources to gain knowledge about various animals and their structures.  It helps students to learn information about animals and their structures which is a second grade standard.  Also, it integrates language arts standards as well as writing standards for the second grade. How do the objectives that you have for the lesson align with the standards? The objective of this lesson is to answer questions by extracting information from various sources through research.  This aligns with several second grade standards including answering informational text questions by gathering information.  It also helps to meet the science standard of identifying animal structures. When will the lesson be taught in the course of the school year? Why?  This lesson will be taught in October.  By doing this lesson at this time, students will have had previous experience using i pads and computers.  They will also have previous experience identifying and crediting sources.  Students by this time should have been previously introduced to the use of technology in this lesson.

III. IMPLEMENTATION

Procedure:
The teacher will begin the lesson by reading Fantastic Bats by Justin McCory Martin.  Next the teacher will explain how the students are going to create their own book on how to describe a bat.  The teacher will explain that in order to write a non-fiction book, first the students must learn facts about the topic. The teacher will hand out a paper with various questions for the students to answer.  The teacher will ask the students "Where can we find some information on bats to help us answer some of our questions?" (Books, internet, magazines).  "Who can tell me how we give credit to our source?" (Write down the name of the book and author, write down the website address).  Also, the teacher will remind students that when researching answers to the questions, the answers to their questions should be in their own words.

Students will then use i pads, computers and books to extract information in order to answer questions on how to describe a bat from the following websites;  http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/bats/index.htm,  http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/bats.html and http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/bat.html.  Students will then take the information from the questions that they answered and create a book using Pixie software.  The book should have a title page and at least 5 pages including 5 different facts that they learned about bats. The book should also contain a source page including the places that the information was found.  The book should be a minimum of 7 pages.

Technology Integration:
Students will use technology by utilizing computers and/or i-pads to assist them in their research and be able to navigate to three different websites to find research information.  The students will also use Pixie software on computers to create their own non-fiction book about bats.  The teacher can use a document camera to show pictures in the story book for children to see while reading the story and use the computer smart board to review as a class how to navigate to a website or use Pixie software.

Differentiated Instruction: 

• Cognitive delay - Accommodations will include additional time to complete research and create book if needed.  Student may use video sources instead of reading sources to find out information. 
  Modifications that can be made include only drawing pictures and/or using one word descriptions instead of complete sentences.  Students could be asked to complete 3 facts instead of 5. Students can use the voice recording option to describe their facts instead of writing out sentences.
• Gifted - Students can be asked to create an additional page in their book describing the life cycle of a bat or describing the differences between a bat and a bird.
• ELL - Accommodations will include using visual modeling from the teacher while explaining the directions.  Directions can be broken down into simpler steps.  Students will be allowed to have additional time if needed to complete the research and the book.  Students can use the voice recording to create sentences instead of writing out sentences.
  Modifications can include completing 3 fact pages instead of 5 in the book. 

Reflection: Designing Instruction (InTask Standards 7 and 8): Why are you using the instructional methods you have described? I am using the instructional methods that I have described so that children are engaged in their learning.  By allowing children to create their own books, and do their own research, children are active participants in the learning process.  During the course of this lesson students are integrating several different content areas including reading, writing, art and science. How do the instructional methods align with what you know about best practices (think about your methods classes)? The instructional methods allow me to help all students in my class through differentiated instruction.  By differentiating instruction, I am able to help more students in my classroom be successful in their learning.  Students are also active participants in the learning process.  It is not the teacher giving them the information.  Students are being asked to find the information on their own. How are you engaging students in creative and higher order thinking? In this lesson, students are learning how to research factual information.  The students are then asked to create their own book to show the information that they learned.  By creating their own book, students are able to apply the knowledge that they learned and create their own resource of information that is meaningful to them.

IV. ASSESSMENT

Procedure:
Formative Assessment:  Students will turn in completed worksheet on bat research to check for understanding how to answer questions on what, how, who and when from an informational source.  The teacher will also check for understanding through observation at individual research periods and ask questions to make sure students are understanding how to create their book and answer the questions.
Summative Assessment:  Students will print and turn in a copy of the book they created on Pixie software. I would use a rubric that was created prior to the lesson to grade the book on a 9 point scale. 

Instruments:

Bat Book Rubric

Name:________________________________________

Date:_________________________________________

Directions:

Create a Bat book that has a title page, 5 pages of facts and a sources page.  Create your book using Pixie software. Please use complete sentences and create a drawing or picture for each page.

Requirement	0 points	1 point	2 points	3 points	Points Earned
Book contains all required elements. 1 Title page, 5 fact pages and 1 source page	Book contains none of the required elements.	Book is missing two or more of the required elements.	Book is missing one of the required elements.	Book contains all of the required elements.	/3
Book contains pictures or drawings that support the information on the page.	Book contains no pictures or drawing on the page at all.	Book contains pictures or drawings on the page.	Book contains pictures or drawings that somewhat support information on the page.	Book contains pictures or drawings that well support information on the page.	/3
Sentences begin with a capital letter and have correct punctuation at the end.	No sentences begin with a capital letter and have the correct punctuation at the end.	3 or more sentences are missing capital letters or correct punctuation at the end.	2 or less sentences are missing capital letters or correct punctuation at the end.	All sentences begin with a capital letter and have correct punctuation at the end.	/3
Total Points					/9

Bat Research Questions

Name:_______________________________________

1.     What type of animal is a bat?  _____________________________

2.      What do bats eat?  _____________________________________

3.    When do bats eat?  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.    What does nocturnal mean?  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.    How many different species of bats are there?  _______________

6.    Describe the different parts of a bat.  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7.    How does a bat fly?  _____________________________________

__________________________________________________________

8.    What do you like about bats?  _____________________________

______________________________________________________

9.    What other information did you find?  ______________________

Reflection: Planning Assessment (InTask Standard 6): How does the assessment align with the standards and objectives of this lesson? The assessment will allow me to see if students are able to gather information from a source, answer questions about a topic and identify an animal structure and/or function. How does the assessment demonstrate that the students have been successful in learning the content? The assessment allows me to see that students have learned how to gather and recall information, answer questions on a topic and has knowledge about an animal structure/function. How does the assessment demonstrate student engagement in higher order thinking? The assessment demonstrates student engagement in higher order thinking because they are describing what a bat is in their own words and creating visual aids to help in the description.  They are also being asked to apply the knowledge that they learn to create their own source of information that is meaningful to them. How does the assessment demonstrate that individual student needs were met? The assessment will demonstrate that individual needs were met in several different ways.  With the formative assessments, asking questions and making observations allows me to see where individual students are at and help them with parts that they may be struggling with.  The summative assessment allows me to see if individual students were able to take the information that they learned and apply it in a different way.  Each child will create their own book so I will be able to evaluate if students understood the concept of researching information and applying it.

IIV. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES

Fantastic Bats by Justin McCory Martin
 http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/bats/index.htm
 http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/bats.html
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/bat.html
Rubric
Bat Research Questions paper

Reflection: How does your lesson meet each of the ISTE NETs Standards?

1. How does your lesson meet Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity ?
   
   This lesson meets Standard 1:  Facilitating and inspiring student learning and creativity by allowing students to invent their own book to show various facts that they have learned about bats by using Pixie software.
2. How does your lesson meet Standard 2: Provide Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments?
   
   This lesson meets Standard 2: Providing digital-age learning experiences and assessments in several ways.  The students will be gathering information through online web sources and their assessment will be in the form of the online book that they create through Pixie software.
3. How does your lesson meet Standard 3: Model Digital-Age Work & Learning?
   
   This lesson meets Standard 3: Modeling digital-age work and learning because students are learning how to locate information through educational websites and how to use a computer as a research resource.  Students will also learn how to create their own source of information using technology software as a tool.
4. How does your lesson Meet all four elements of Standard 4: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility by:
   

   • advocating, modeling, and teaching safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.
   • addressing the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.
   • promoting and modeling digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.
   • developing and modeling cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.
     
     Students will meet all four elements of Standard 4 in this lesson.  First, students will know how to site sources they use and to make sure the information that they use is in their own words.  Next, all students will be provided their own i pad or computer to provide equitable access for all students.  Also, students will be given three different websites that they can navigate to promote responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.  Finally student will develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness using digital age communication and collaboration tools to learn how to connect with people in the world they live in.  For example, creating a book allows students to reach a group of people that may not be able to read.  By using the Pixie software with the recording device, students are able to connect with people that may be different then themselves.