Technology Projects
 

 

                                                                                        

Logo: Solar System Vacation
Button: Introduction
Button:Task
Button: Process
Button: Resources
Button: Evaluation
Button: Conclusion
 

Download: Report #1
(print and complete)

Jump to Planet Library: Report #2

The first step in your investigation should be to learn a little about our solar system. Below you will find some basic vocabulary terms followed by some general information about the solar system that will help you answer the questions in Report #1. This information should also be used to help your team select the planet that you will recommend to the rest of the class as a future vacation location. Here is some of the basics about the solar system:
  • Orbit means to circle around. The planets orbit the Sun.
  • Our moon is a body in space that circles planet Earth. Other planets have moons, too.
  • Our solar system includes the Sun and all the planets, moons, and stars.
  • A star is a body which looks like a bright point in the sky at night. A star is not a planet or a moon. Our sun is a star.
  • Scientists pretend that planets and stars have a line drawn through their middles. This line is called an axis.
  • A satellite is anything that orbits another object. Earth is a satellite that orbits the Sun. The Moon orbits Earth and is our satellite.


An easy way to remember the order planets is the catchy song: My (Mercury) Very (Venus) Educated (Earth) Mother (Mars) Just (Jupiter) Served (Saturn) Us (Uranus) Nine (Neptune) PizzaPies (Pluto).

Our Solar System consists of the Sun, a family of planets, more than 100 moons orbiting the planets, millions of asteroids, and billions of comets. Our Solar System is an oasis of light, heat, and life. The planets that make up our solar include: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, & Pluto.

  • Contains the nine planets and other smaller objects such as minor planets, comets, meteoroids and cosmic dust. All 9 planets revolve around the Sun.
  • The first four inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) are relatively small and resemble the Earth in composition (rocky).
  • The next four planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) are much larger planets and are very gaseous in nature. Pluto is the smallest planet and is the farthest away from the Sun.
  • All the objects in our Solar System orbit the Sun. It is so big that everything in our Solar System could fit in it many times.
  • Many scientists believe that our Solar System is over 4.6 billion years old.
Quick Facts:
  • Venus is the brightest planet in the sky (from Earth)
  • Mars is covered with craters, volcanoes, and large canyons.
  • The surface of Jupiter is made up of gas.
  • Saturn is known for its rings
  • One year on Saturn, or one orbit around the Sun for Saturn takes 165 years.
  • Pluto is the smallest planet
  • A good way to remember the order of the planets is to memorize the following sentence. My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas (Original NASA Video or Updated MP3)

 
 
Diameter (km)
Mean Distance from Sun (km)
Number of Moons
Sun
1,391,900
0
-
Mercury
4,878
57,910,000
0
Venus
12,104
108,200,000
0
Earth
12,756
149,600,001
1
Mars
6,794
227,940,000
2
Jupiter
142,984
778,330,000
52*
Saturn
120,536
1,429,400,000
30
Uranus
51,118
2,870,990,000
20*
Neptune
49,528
4,504,300,000
8
Pluto
2,300
5,913,520,000
1
Planet Library: Stage Two Research: In the planet library you will investigate more information about the planet you have selected to recommend as the vacation planet of the future. This information will help you in completing Report #2.

Download: Report #2
(print and complete)
Back to Solar System Research: Report #1

Sun Button
 Mercury Button
 Venus Button Earth Button
Mars Button
 Jupiter Button
 Saturn Button
 Uranus Button
Neptune Button

Pluto Button

 Additional Stuff:
Photographer Photo Search Idea-
Google Imagery Database use this tool to locate images on the Internet of your planet. Try using quotations around the name of the planet you are searching for and operators such as and, or, & not to help narrow your image search. For example searching for:
"mars" and "atmosphere" brought up these results. You can also be more specific on your Google image search by using these operators in Google's Advanced Image Search tool.

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Hopewell Elementary HOTT TIP Best Practice Lesson Plan

The Rain Forest

Mrs. Muhonen       4th Grade

 

 

 

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:                 Spi. # and Standard and Subject(s)

 

TSW will conduct an investigation, using technology, to learn about the people, animals, and life in the rain forest.

 

Technology and Language Arts 4.1 spi: 23 Select sources from which to gather information on a given topic

Social Studies 4.3 spi: 2 Identify and use key geographical features on maps

TSW research to find the main purpose of the rain forest and the changes it has undergone.

 

TSW create a chart using their findings and the software program Kidspiration.

Science 4.5 spi: 1 Match a plant or animal adaptation to a particular environmental condition

Science 4.2 spi: 2 Recognize how plants and animals interact with each other in their environment

Science 4.5 spi: 3 Match the form of structures found in living things to its function

TSW summarize one aspect of the flora and fauna of the rain forest.

Language Arts 4.1 spi: 12 Produce written work in various genres and formats

Reading 4.1 spi: 20 Recognize cause and effect relationships within text

Language Arts 4.1 spi: 1 Continue to develop oral language and listening skills

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Materials Needed

 

Large Class Chart

Classroom computers

Paper

Rubric

Markers

Activity Sheet

Websites

At Home in The Rain Forest

 

 

 

 

Computer Activities

 

Computer Function        Program/Software         Data Manipulation                                                                                                                                                                     

Students will access the internet and research the rain forest. (people, animals, and life in the rain forest)

 

Internet Explorer

Participate in a class discussion using the information obtained. Each group will share their findings with the class.

Each group will access the internet and research the main purpose of the rain forest.

 

Internet Explorer

Make a chart listing the benefits of the rain forest and the changes it has undergone.

Students will independently summarize one aspect of the flora or fauna of the rain forest.

 

Microsoft Word

Write a summary and share it with the class. (individual assessment)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Specify Problem

The students will use technology resources to conduct an investigation about the rain forest. They will also use technology as a tool to develop a chart listing the benefits of the rain forest and changes it has undergone. Then, the students will compose a properly written summary of the information obtained.

 

 

Activities and Procedures:

 

 

Activity Group ONE          Activity or Group TWO     Activity or Group THREE

Before Computers

The teacher will conduct a class discussion and read At Home In the Rain Forest.

 

 

 

Before Computers

The teacher will discuss the main purpose of the rain forest and the main changes it has undergone. She will also model how to use Kidspiration to make a chart.

Before Computers

The teacher will have the students present their charts to the class. A discussion will follow.

At Computers

The students will access the internet and research facts about the rain forest

 

 

 

 

At Computers

The students will research the main purpose of the rain forest and the changes it has undergone. They will also use Kidspiration to create a chart listing the purposes of the rainforest and the changes it has undergone.

At Computers

The students will summarize, using Microsoft Word, one aspect of the flora and fauna of the rain forest and save his or her work in his or her folder on the I Drive. (network)

 

After Computers

Small group discussion of their findings and share them with the class.

 

After Computers

Each group will share and explain their chart listing the purposes of the rain forest and the changes it has undergone.

After Computers

The teacher will complete a Rubric on each child and a grade will be assigned according to the results.

 

 

 

 

 

How will your students demonstrate achievement of the stated objectives?

 

The students will use technology to show their ability to work as a team and interpret information from a website to produce an informative chart. The class will be responsible for listening and asking questions, while the presenters will be responsible for sharing and answering questions to the best of their ability. The students will also provide a factual summary on the flora and fauna of the rain forest.

 

 

What is the timeline for implementing this lesson?

 

Direct Instruction:                                     30 min

Read At Home in the Rain Forest:               30 min

Internet Research:                                     30 min

Discussion in small groups                           15 min

Internet Research:                                     30 min

Chart                                                           1 hr

Writing Summary                                        30 min

Total:                                                          3 hrs 45

 

 

 

 

 

                       Websites

 

The teacher will provide students with several appropriate Websites to begin their research. Websites are as follows:

 

After students are given the web addresses, they will begin their research to learn more about the people, animals, and life of the rainforest. In combination with this research, students will also need to find information regarding population, climate, economy, food, and culture of each area that has a rain forest

 

Hopewell Elementary

Best Practice Lesson Rubric

 

Teacher:  Mrs. Muhonen

Grade: 4

 

Date :  1-23-06

Title of Work:  The Rain Forest

 

 

Criteria

Points

 

 

1

2

3

4

 

Chart

Completed the chart with less than 70% accuracy.

Completed the chart with 70%-79% accuracy.

Completed the chart with 80%-94% accuracy.

Completed the chart with 95%-100% accuracy.

____

Group Work

 

Teacher observed students not working together most of the time. Chart had little to no planning.

Teacher observed students working together some of the time. Chart had some planning.

Teacher observed students working together most of the time. Chart was well planned.

Teacher observed students working together all of the time. Excellent chart.

____

Technology Component

 

 

Accessed internet websites with difficulty. Required excessive assistance.

Accessed internet websites. Required some assistance.

Accessed internet websites with minimal assistance.

Accessed internet websites independently.

____

Summary

 

 

 

Weakly organized. Contains 0-2 facts about the rain forest.

Well organized, but demonstrates illogical sequencing and sentence structure. Contains 3-4 facts about the rain forest.

Well organized, but demonstrates illogical sequencing or sentence structure. Contains 5-6 facts about the rain forest.

Well organized, but demonstrates logical sequencing and sentence structure. Contains 7 or more facts about the rain forest.

____

 

 

 

 

 

Total---->

____

 

 

Teacher Comments:

Grading Scale:     20-17 points =  A       16-13 points =  B       12-9 points =  C

                            8-5 points =  D            4 or Less points =  F

 

 

 

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Hopewell Elementary HOTT TIP Best Practice Lesson Plan

Martin Luther King Jr.

Mrs. Muhonen     4th Grade

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:                         Spi.# and Standard and Subject(s)

 

Using the internet, TSW research information on MLK Jr. and answer questions. (in groups)

www2.lhric.org/pocantico/taverna/98/king.htm

Social Studies 4.1 spi: 3 Determine how various groups resolve conflict

Social Studies 4.6 spi: 1 Recognize how groups work cooperatively to accomplish goals and encourage change

TSW create a timeline based on notable points of MLK Jr.’s life (in groups)

Mathematics 4.5 spi: 2 Connect data in tables to pictographs, line graphs, or bar graphs

TSW will form an opinion on “If Dr. King were still alive today…….”

TSW compose a properly written paragraph.

Writing 4.1 spi: 24 Locate information to support opinions, predictions, and conclusions

Writing 4.2 spi: 3 Identify the purpose for writing

Writing 4.2 spi: 4 Rearrange events in a sequential or chronological order in a writing selection

Writing 4.2 spi: 5 Select the best title for a text

 

 

 

 

 

 

Materials Needed

Quiz

Classroom computers

 

Rubric

Construction paper

 

Crayons

Paper and pencil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Computer Activities

(List computer function(s) that will be used, the related computer program or software and describe what will be manipulated (pictures, data, sorting, drawing etc…)

 

 Computer Function                         Program/Software               Data Manipulation

Open Kidspiration program

 

Kidspiration

Complete a timeline based on notable points of MLK Jr.’s life using pictures.

Each group will access the internet.

 

Internet Explorer

Answer the questions on the  provided quiz.

Each student will access Microsoft Word and save his or her work on the I Drive (network).

 

Microsoft Word

I Drive (network

Save Microsoft Word document on the I Drive (network) in his or her folder

 

 

 

 

 

Specify Problem

Today we are going to research Dr. MLK Jr. He was a very brave and important man. We are also going to use Kid Pix to create a timeline that represents the significant events of his life. After completing the timeline, you will write an opinionated paragraph on the prompt “What if Martin were alive today……….”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Activities and Procedures:

 

 

Activity or Group ONE           Activity or Group TWO     Activity or Group THREE

Before Computers

The teacher will introduce MLK

 using a Power Point presentation

 

 

 

 

Before Computers

The teacher will make a sample timeline using Kidspiration.

Before Computers

The teacher will discuss the effects Martin Luther King Jr. had in the real world, and ask for opinions on the effects he would continue to have if he were still alive.

At Computers

Each group will access www2.lhric.org/pocantico/

taverna/98/king.htm

and research facts about MLK.

The groups will complete the quiz using the information obtained.

 

 

At Computers

Each group will create a timeline of the important events of Martin Luther King Jr. life.

At Computers

Each member of the group will save his or her story in his or her personal folder on the I Drive.

After Computers

The students will turn in their quiz.

 

 

 

 

 

After Computers

The teacher will access each student’s folder on the I Drive. She will also have the groups print out their timeline and display them in  the hallway.

After Computers

The teacher will complete a rubric on each child, and a grade will be assigned according to the results of the rubric.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How will your students demonstrate achievement of the stated objectives?

 The students will complete a quiz, a timeline, and write a paragraph. The students will be assessed using the attached rubric.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is the timeline for implementing this lesson?

Power Point presentation: 10 minutes

Research and Quiz:           30 minutes

Sample timeline:               10 minutes

Student timeline:               30 minutes

Class discussion:               10 minutes

Typed paragraph:              30 minutes

Total:                                 2 Hours

 

 

 

 

 


 

Dr. King Word Search

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BLACKS AND WHITES

BOYCOTT

CORETTA SCOTT

DOCTOR

I HAVE A DREAM

LINCOLN MEMORIAL

LOYAL

MINISTER

NOBEL PRIZE

SMART

SPEECHES

WASHINGTON

 

 

Dr. King Word Search 2

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