Online Projects, Collaboration Sites, and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Template

Name: Emily Meyer
Grade Level: 4th
Content Area: Science
Standards Addressed:
S4E2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to model the
effects of the position and motion of the Earth and the moon in relation
to the sun as observed from the Earth.
1. Develop a model to support an explanation of why the length of day and night change
throughout the year.
2. Develop a model based on observations to describe the repeating pattern of the phases of the
moon (new, crescent, quarter, gibbous, and full).
3. Construct an explanation of how the Earths orbit, with its consistent tilt, affects seasonal
changes.
Title of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity:
Journey North
URL of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity:
https://www.learner.org/jnorth/
Describe how you would use the Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing
Opportunity in your classroom: I would have the students use the sunlight and
seasons tab on Journey North to record their daylight hours. The can view the
phases of the moon during their recordings and use this data to create a phases
of the moon chart. In this tab they can also record changes in the seasons they
notice and as a class they can compare their findings. s
What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity
in a classroom? A class set of computers and iPads for students to use to record
their data. They can take the iPads outside to take pictures of seasonal changes
for their reports.
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, mentors outside their classroom
and often beyond their school: Students would be working as a class
to record seasonal findings and compare what they individually found
with classmates findings.
b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (collecting original
data and or producing original products as a result of engaging in the
project): Students will create their own phases of the moon charts
based on data entered into Journey North.
c. Higher-order thinking: Students will have to observe the world around
them and learn how to calculate the number of daylight hours in their
days.
d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care
about their product: Students will publish their work on Journey North
1

and on the class blog to compare their seasonal findings.

Blooms Level of Critical Thinking Required (check all that apply):
See http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
Remembering
Understanding
Applying
Analyzing
Evaluating
Creating
What Level of Technology Implementation best describes this learning activity and
Why?
LoTi level 5
Students engage in higher-level critical thinking as described by Blooms
taxonomy of educational objectives
Students engage in two-way collaborations with peers, mentors, and/or
experts beyond the classroom as they pursue their learning
Students produce products that are interesting/meaningful to themselves
and to the others beyond the teacher, peers, and parents in their
classrooms. They share these projects with an audience beyond their
classroom.
How could you implement this proposed learning experience and still comply with
your districts Internet Safety and Student Privacy policies? Parents would be
required to sign off on a permission slip allowing students to publish their work
online and on the classroom blog. This form would have to comply with FERPA
and CIPA.