Welcome to my ThingLink Challenge Blog!
Through this science methods course my favorite project has been the ThingLink Challenge. Prior to this course I was not aware of the importance that technology plays on the role of the students i the 21st century. Similar to this, my first blog was actually about the importance of technology on the learners of the 21st century! That being said, this project was a great opportunity for us to be able to use technology and our lessons in the classroom to combine and create a new learning experience through inquiry!
At Bishop Dunn Memorial School in the Spring of 2018 I had the opportunity to teach the students a Direct Instruction Lesson Plan on Weather and Water, and an Inquiry Lesson Plan on the water crisis in Cape Town, South Africa. After this experience, Dr. Smirnova asked us to create a ThingLink Project on our collection of information and articles that we would want to provide to the students to come up with another inquiry lesson plan. In creating these lesson plans I was able to help the students to recall on their prior knowledge of what they learned during the Direct instruction lesson and have them take a step further into understanding their own sensory garden and the effect of weather, climate, and water on gardening!
THE 5 E's
- ENGAGE: Watch the How to Plant a Garden Video and share your answers in the KWHL Chart
- EXPLORE Growing Season: Read the National Geographic- Growing Season article and record what period of the year growing season is on your KWHL chart
- EXPLORE Weather & Climate: Read the National Geographic- Climate and Crop Growth article and record the connection between climate and crop growth in your KWHL chart
- EXPLAIN: Describe the difference between Weather and Climate Answer HERE. After watching the Berenstain Bears Video as a class, write a letter to the Bear Family explaining why their plant was not growing. Use this writing checklist
- ELABORATE: View the Weather Wiz page and adapt yourself with the common questions and answers regarding weather and climate. Pick one question and take notes on the findings that you have come up with and share your ideas by creating a Voki.
- EVALUATE: Using all the data and information you have collected throughout this Project, create a Google Slideshow about your findings with weather and climate and how it affects plant growth. Follow the presentation checklist
Throughout this experience I have learned a lot about myself and my ability to work with technology to provide the best learning experiences for my students! I am so proud of myself for facing adversity and overcoming my fear of technology enabling myself to become a better future teacher! This has been an amazing technological experience for me to truly be able to excel in my learning process as a teacher candidate! I will definitely take ThingLink with me as a resource of technology to use in my future classroom! Click the links below to follow my lead through my ThingLink Lesson Plan: My Magical Garden Experience :)
Click here to view my ThingLink Lesson!
Click here to view my Sensory Garden HyperDoc!
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI really loved your thinglink project. I loved exploring it, I think students would love to explore it to. You have great ideas. Keep being creative!!