Mrs.+Hart's+Endangered+Animals+5th+Grade

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 * Standards:**

Technology- NETS II. Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students: a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts or others employing a variety of digital environments and media. b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.

Social Studies and Language Arts (5th grade)- GLE 0507.2.3 Establish the connections between human activities and natural disasters and their impact on the environment.

CFU 0501.4.3 Use current technology as a research and communication tool for personal interest, research, and clarification.

CFU 0501.3.8 Compose and respond in writing to original questions and/or problems from all content areas.


 * Explanation:**
 * This lesson is a 50 minute culminating activity following a writing activity on Endangered Animals. This lesson was done in a classroom setting with each student having a computer and all working at the same time. It can, however, be done on one classroom computer as a station.

Procedures:** 1. The teacher has completed lessons of natural and man-made causes that change animal habitats. 2. The teacher has set up a teacher Voicethread account. Directions for Teacher Account Set Up 3. The teacher has set up individual student identities within the teacher Voicethread account [|Directions for Student Identity Set Up] 4. The teacher has created the Endangered Animals Voicethread, template in Voicethread. In this case, it was 14 image slides gathered from the Internet, and a citations, and standards slide. ** ** NOTE: It was important to the teacher that the Voicethread include all information needed for students to work independently. Following the 50 minute lesson, this thread was made available as a STATION so students could continue to refine and edit their work.
 * Prior to this lesson:**
 * NOTE: When creating student identities within an individual teacher account, name each identity Student One, Student Two, Student Three, etc...(NEVER name student identities within the teacher account with actual student names, this can cause data storage issues over the long term!) As students become more comfortable with technology and have access to their own email accounts, it is possible for students to create their own individual Voicethread student accounts. Student first names CAN be used for these individual student Voicethread accounts, but it IS NEVER a good idea to use first AND last names!

During the Lesson: 1. The teacher will introduce Voicethread ([|http://voicethread.com]) as a Web 2.0 tool that allows students to collaborate and share ideas locally and world-wide. 2. The teacher will show an example Voicethread made by a 10 year old child. ([|Example VoiceThread Created by a 10 Year Old]) It is NOT necessary to view the entire example thread. The teacher should show the first slide with the original student's comment and then pick one or two additional comments to highlight so students can understand the interactivity of the program. The teacher may show one or two additional slides and comments, but MAKE SURE to show the number of views (on the last slide.) 3. The teacher will then explain that VoiceThread will be a technology tool we will use to record our observations, thoughts, and comments about endangered animals. 4. The teacher will then show the endangered animals template to activate discussion amoung students. 5. The teacher will MODEL logging on to the Teacher Voicethread Account and locating the template. 5. The teacher will assign students an identity (Student One, Student Two...) and MODEL how to choose the appropriate identity. 6. The teacher will MODEL use of the control buttons (pause, play, advance forward or back a slide), adding a voice recording, and use of the doodle tool. 7. The teacher will discuss expectations, including the rigor and relevance of using Voicethread as compared to an oral report. Students should also be reminded of the importance of publishing highly thoughtful, quality work. 8. The teacher will assist students as they log on to the TEACHER'S Voicethread account and choose their assigned identities. 9. Once students are comfortable with the basics use of Voicethread, the teacher will walk the students through the slides and instruct students to choose a slide to record endangered animals writings. ** 10. Students will practice reading the response with fluency. 12. Once thoughtful, quality responses are prepared, students will navigate to their chosen slides on the template and record the "Voice" version of their written responses. They can use the doodle feature while recording, if needed. 13. If a student gets finished before the end of the class period, encourage them to view comments that have been left by other students! Students may also record comments in response to other student comments.


 * After the Lesson**


 * If necessary, the teacher may choose to make the Endangered Animals template available as a station on a classroom computer. This will allow opportunity for students who wish to edit or revise their comments to do so. *Once all student comments are complete, the teacher MUST then change the settings within the voicethread to PUBLIC...this will allow it to be viewed. The teacher can also choose if the thread is only "viewable" or if viewers can also "add comments." (Directions for changing the settings)
 * The teacher should then make the address to the thread available for students and parents. This can be done by adding the address to the class newsletter or embedding the address as a link on the teacher's webpage. (Directions for providing the thread address to students and parents.)