#2365. Inventors

Science, level: Elementary
Posted Fri Jan 11 20:40:12 PST 2002 by Melanie Natal-Lewis (lewis73@bellsouth.net).
St. Tammany Parish Schools, Slidell, LA USA
Materials Required: Computers with Internet and Word Processing Program
Activity Time: 3 class periods
Concepts Taught: Word Processing

SOFTWARE NAME: Word Processing
NAME: Melanie Natal-Lewis
GRADE: 5
CURRICULUM AREAS: Science and Language Arts
LENGTH OF LESSON: Approximately three hours
OVERVIEW: "Inventions reached their limit long ago, and I see no hope for further development." Julius Frontinus, 1st century A.D.
Inventors have taken the world from the wheel to space and beyond. The steam engine is one of the greatest advancements of the 19th Century, which jump-started the Industrial Revolution. Inventors have played a large part in the modernization of the world. The world has doubled its advancements since the 1950's and there is no limit
NETS STANDARDS AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
1. Basic operations and concepts
o Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
o Students are proficient in the use of technology.
2. Social, ethical, and human issues
o Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
o Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.
3. Technology productivity tools
o Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
o Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.
4. Technology communications tools
o Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

5. Technology research tools
o Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
o Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
o Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.
6. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools
o Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
o Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.

LOUISIANA STANDARDS AND BENCHMARKS:
LANGUAGE ARTS:
Standard One:
Students read, comprehend, and respond to a range of materials, using a variety of strategies for different purposes.
ELA-1-M1 using knowledge of word meaning and developing basic and technical vocabulary using various strategies (e.g., context clues, affixes, etymology, dictionary);
ELA-1-M4 interpreting texts with supportive explanations to generate connections to real-life situations and other texts (e.g., business, technical, scientific);
ELA-1-M5 using purposes for reading (e.g., enjoying, learning, researching, problem solving) to achieve a variety of objectives.
ELA-1-H1 using knowledge of word meaning and extending basic and technical vocabulary, employing a variety of strategies (e.g., context clues, affixes, etymology, dictionary, thesaurus);


Standard Two:
Students write competently for a variety of purposes and audiences.
ELA-2-M1 writing a composition that clearly implies a central idea with supporting details in a logical, sequential order;
ELA-2-M2 using language, concepts, and ideas that show an awareness of the intended audience and/or purpose (e.g., classroom, real-life, workplace) in developing complex compositions;
ELA-2-M6 writing as a response to texts and life experiences (e.g., letters, journals, lists).

Standard Three:
Students communicate using standard English grammar, usage, sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and handwriting
ELA-3-M2 demonstrating use of punctuation (e.g., comma, apostrophe, colon, semicolon, quotation marks, dashes, parentheses), capitalization, and abbreviations
ELA-3-M3 demonstrating standard English structure and usage;
ELA-3-M4 demonstrating understanding of the parts of speech to make choices for writing;
ELA-3-M5 spelling accurately using strategies and resources (e.g., glossary, dictionary, thesaurus, spell check) when necessary

Standard Four:
Students demonstrate competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning and communication
ELA-4-M1 speaking intelligibly, using standard English pronunciation and diction;
ELA-4-M4 speaking and listening for a variety of audiences (e.g., classroom, real-life, workplace) and purposes (e.g., awareness, concentration, enjoyment, information, problem solving);

Standard Five:
Students locate, select, and synthesize information from a variety of texts, media, references, and technological sources to acquire and communicate knowledge
ELA-5-M1 recognizing and using organizational features of printed text, other media, and electronic information (e.g., parts of a text, alphabetizing, captions, legends, microprint, laser discs, hypertext, CD-ROM, pull-down menus, keyword searches, icons, passwords, entry menu features);
ELA-5-M2 locating and evaluating information sources (e.g., print materials, databases, CD-ROM references, Internet information, electronic reference works, community and government data, television and radio resources, audio and visual materials);
ELA-5-M3 locating, gathering, and selecting information using graphic organizers, outlining, note taking, summarizing, interviewing, and surveying to produce documented texts and graphics;
ELA-5-M4 using available technology to produce, revise, and publish a variety of works
ELA-5-M5 citing references using various formats (e.g., endnotes, bibliography);
ELA-5-M6 interpreting graphic organizers (e.g., charts/graphs, tables/schedules, diagrams/maps, flowcharts).

Standard Six
None of these apply to this lesson.

Standard Seven:
Students apply reasoning and problem solving skills to reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and visually representing.
ELA-7-M1 using comprehension strategies (e.g., sequencing, predicting, drawing conclusions, comparing and contrasting, making inferences, determining main ideas, summarizing, recognizing literary devices, paraphrasing) in contexts
ELA-7-M2 problem solving by using reasoning skills, life experiences, accumulated knowledge, and relevant available information;
ELA-7-M4 distinguishing fact from opinion and probability, skimming and scanning for facts, determining cause and effect, inductive and deductive reasoning, generating inquiry, and making connections with real-life situations across texts.

SCIENCE
The students will do science by engaging in partial and full inquiries that are within their developmental capabilities
SI-M-B2 communicating that current scientific knowledge guides scientific investigations;

LESSON GOAL:
· The students will research on the internet for information.
· The students will produce a one page flier for their inventor.

LESSON OBJECTIVE:
· The students will apply their knowledge and gather information from two different sites on the Internet to locate information on their particular inventor.
· The students will acquire information and take notes.
· The students will demonstrate his ability to construct 2 five-sentence paragraphs.
· The students will relate the invention to their life in Louisiana in 2001 in the second paragraph.
ASSESSMENT: A rubric will be used for assessment.

TECHNOLOGY CONNECTION:
· There will be one computer per student.
· The students will use AppleWorks word processing for their product.

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
· The students will be proficient in word processing, cutting and pasting a picture, and using the Internet to gather information.
· The students will apply their knowledge of researching on the Internet.
· The students will be proficient in constructing a paragraph. of five sentences.

PROCEDURE:
1. The overview of the lesson will be discussed.
2. A completed project example will be shown, read and discussed by the students and the teacher.
3. The students will be given the instruction sheet for this lesson. The teacher will answer any questions from the students.
4. The students will choose their inventor and invention from the appropriate list using the student number to define order.
5. The student will move to the computer lab and select a computer.
6. The student will research their particular inventor and take notes.
7. The students will make note of the URL as their citation.
8. The students will construct two paragraphs. The first paragraph is to be on the life of the inventor and the second paragraph is to tell how this invention has affected their life in 2001.

MATERIALS:
· Student Instruction Sheet
· Computer
· Internet Connection
· AppleWorks

EXTENSIONS:
This lesson
· Students could construct a database on the inventors and use Timeliner to create a timeline.
· Students could construct a database of authors and inventions in order to categorize them by time period, nationality, etc.
· Students could research other inventions by their inventor.
Future lessons
· The lesson could be more specific by African-American inventors, inventors of a particular century, women inventors, American inventors, etc.
· Students could bring an invention from home, i.e. Lever cork screw, sewing machine, computer mouse, model of an airplane, light bulb, etc. so that the class could analyze the construction.

REFLECTION:
In this lesson the students synthesized specific information from the Internet. They used information to analyze how this invention affects them in 2001. They then demonstrated the ability to construct two paragraphs using their notes.
I was very pleased with the final products. When doing this lesson again, I would suggest fonts, sizes and format. Some of the products were hard to read because of the font chosen and format.

EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT:
This lesson met its goals. Out of 18 students only one did not have a final product at the end of the time period. Most students received grades in the 90-100 range, and only two received an unsatisfactory score. I would certainly use this lesson again.