Lesson Plan Template

Lesson Plan Template

Project title : The Taxonomy File as a Digital Legacy

Educator’s name: Garry Fletcher

Educator’s title: Educational Director of racerocks.com

School name: Lester B. Pearson College

School address: 650 Pearson College Drive

Curriculum area(s): Biology. Environmental Studies

Grade level(s) - High School or College Undergraduate Biology and Environmental Science.

iLife application(s) used: __X__ iMovie _X___ iPhoto ____ iTunes

Introduction

Please provide the purpose of the lesson. What are the intended outcomes of the project? How does the use of technology enrich the experience of the project? How does this lesson address different learning styles?

This lesson allows students to learn to use various software and hardware applications as tools to achieve the goals of a project which can have a lasting value as a digital legacy on a website devoted to Stewardship of a local Environmental Resource.

Students who have scientific ability as well as those with artistic ability can collaborate to create a useful learning resource that can be shared with others on the internet.

They will use the tools of Apple technology to produce content for a website concerned with Stewardship of a local Environment.

Project Description

Please provide a general description of the process the class must follow to complete this project. Will the students work individually or in groups (how many in each group)? What is the project assignment? What is the intended result?

The class will take this on as a class project involving more than a week duration. They should work in resource groups of at least 4 students, sharing knowledge about the software applications and the techniques used to do the assignment. The final product will be an individual student's work, and will consist of a "Taxonomy File" which is a profile of an organism and all the aspects of its ecological niche as illustrated with a variety of types of media content,

Project Steps

In a step-by-step format, outline the steps required to complete the project.

1.The taxonomy project is part of a larger project that a class may decide to undertake. This project, called "Adopt an Ecosystem", should be viewed first at http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/adopt/adopteco.htm This lesson plan addresses one component of the Adopt an Ecosystem Project, the "Taxonomy File " assignment.

2. The teacher will work with the students to establish a priority list of organisms that are representative of a local ecosystem. The students will each choose one species on which they will focus for this assignment.

2. Open the template for the Taxonomy File assignment at: http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/newecosystem/genusfolder/studentemplate.html

After opening this blank template download it from the website and save it as yourgenusandspeciesinitial.htm substituting your filenames as appropriate: You could save it in the nested folders on the Desktop you may call: yourroot/eco/newecosystem/genusfolder/ .
Example biology/eco/prairie/amelanchier/amelanchiera.html ( for the Saskatoon berry- Amelanchier alnifolia)

(For genus and species substitute the name of the organism on which you have chosen to work.- amelanchiiera.html )

3. An important part of making this taxonomy distinct from other taxonomies is that you make a commitment to include at least one iMovie that you have taken involving the organism. A short clip showing, a behavior, the surrounding habitat , associated species or human interaction with the organism .

4. Be sure to include links on your page to other information on your organisms ecological niche such as data on population measurements, nest records, medicinal or agricultural applications, and lab procedures using the organism or other research papers. If there are seasonal implications, you may use iMovie to document the organism in its habitat throughout the year.

5. If the species you are working with has some particular behavior, use iMovie to make a QuickTime movie portraying the behavior. See examples at http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/taxalab/juanpabloh.htm

6. When all the research has been done and the content has been linked, submit it to your teacher for mounting on the Internet and linking to a Taxonomy Index for your ecosystem.

Outcomes

List the intended learning outcomes of the project.

1. The ability to use iMovie to create a QuickTime movie of a single concept.

2. The ability to make a web page that will form part of a digital legacy.

3. Collaboration with others for the completion of the Taxonomy File pages.

4. The production of well-researched content which can serve as a valuable reference source on an educational website.

Technology Skills:

List the technology skills students will learn from completing the project.

1. The ability to make a web page

2. Experience in using iMovie and iPhoto to create QuickTime movies and picture content for the website.

4. The ability to use digital cameras and camcorders.

Assessment Suggestions:

List methods for assessing the outcomes of the project.

1.Provide specific time limits for the various components of the assignment and assign marks to be awarded on the completion of each.

Making the core html page.
Making the iMovie
Making the QuickTime Movie
Producing digital pictures and linking them into the core page.

2. Award marks for the completion of each of the criteria of the assignment

The correct taxonomy of the species
Accurate information about the local context and ecological niche of the species
Links to other resources
Proper acknowledgement of reference sources.

3. Peer evaluation: encourage students to be open with each other on how they could improve the taxonomy page.

4. Award marks for working in a group on the project. Consider the collaborative nature of the project as a valued objective.

Preparation and Duration:

Provide suggestions for the teacher and/or the students to help prepare them for the project. List how many class periods the project might take to complete.

1.The HTML page: The procedure is dependent on the student having had some prior instruction in the use of a web editor to make html pages. If this is not the case at least one full class period should be added for this once the student has generated a text file of content. The template provided may be the starting point. It is not necessary to know how to do html in detail, as one can substitute in the html code offered.

2. Field Work to acquire the photos with a digital camera and video clips : 2 Field periods and an additional period that students may have to complete on their own. If there are several digital cameras and camcorders, this may be done in a short time. It can be an option to add other content later after the initial project is completed.

3. In class time to research the organism and it's biological classification: 2 periods.

4. In class time use iMovie and produce QuickTime movies: 2 periods.

5. Reserve class time of several periods for peer presentations of the taxonomy page. ( 1and a half periods)

Tools and Resources

List the tools and resources necessary to complete the project. Also list any optional materials. Whenever possible, list books or Internet sites that might be helpful to complete this project.

For each group of 4 students:

1.MacIntosh computers running OSX with an upgraded version of iMovie.

2.Each computer having a web editor such as Dreamweaver or Go-Live installed

3. An inexpensive digital Camera is adequate for the photos and although older camcorders may be adequate to do the fieldwork, producing video clips, a camcorder with a firewire attachment is necessary to work with iMovie.

4. Access to a website with a good amount of file space is necessary.

5. The Internet site of http://www.racerocks.com for an example of ecosystem stewardship of a local area.

6. The internet site of http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/newecosystem/genusfolder/studentemplate.html for directions for the project.

Prerequisite Skills

List the skills that must be mastered before attempting this project.

It is important to emphasize that the project incorporates the development of a number of the software and hardware skills. High school students may start this project with very little expertise, but the intention is to acquire that expertise through doing the project. It makes an ideal way to teach digital camera and camcorder skills, manipulation of media using iMovie and iPhoto, web authoring skills, as well as biology classification skills

Facilitation Tips (optional)

List any tips to help teachers implement the project in their classroom, such as how to group students, how to share equipment, questions to ask to spur class discussions, and useful background information.

High School students should work together, but it is reasonable to expect a separate taxonomy file as a product from each student, and evidence that each student has learned the basics of each form of technology encountered. It is also important to realize that students will vary considerably in the level of skill they bring to this project. Attempt to set up a larger grouping with up to four students in each as a resource group, and attempt to include in each group students who know at least one of the following: Html authoring, iMovie creation, Digital camera operation and/or camcorder operation.

Technology Tips (optional)

List any helpful technology tips for completing the project.

1.To produce QuickTime video clips from iMovies that are of a small size for putting on a website, other Compression software such as Live Stage Pro or Sorenson Squeeze may be used.

2. Involve the students in the planning of the project. This will encourage them to "take ownership " of the idea.