Grade: 3-5

#4417. Inquiry using web 2.0 tools

Reading/Writing, level: 3-5
Posted Fri Jul 9 14:21:34 PDT 2010 by Ronda Deabler (Ronda Deabler).
Lincoln Public Schools, Lincoln, NE
Materials Required: computers with internet access
Activity Time: about 13 days (50 minutes each day)
Concepts Taught: Inquiry research

Inquiry Lesson Plan Using Web 2.0 Resources
5th Grade


Background (Introduction)
At the beginning of the school year, fifth grade students study natural disasters in their reading curriculum. This school year I’ll be in the plan time rotation schedule and thought this would be a great opportunity to implement 21st century learning skills, web 2.0 resources, and an inquiry based learning approach. Students will be using the Stripling model of inquiry to research natural disasters and then present their findings. Print and online resources will be used to create new understanding of natural disasters along with web 2.0 resources to organize and present new knowledge about natural disasters.


Content Standard(s) Addressed
Nebraska Language Arts Standards
LA 5.1.6 Comprehension: Students will extract and construct meaning using prior knowledge, applying text information, and monitoring comprehension while reading grade level text.
LA 5.2.1 Writing Process: Students will apply the writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit and publish writing using correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other standard conventions appropriate for grade level.
LA 5.4.1 Multiple Literacies: Students will research, synthesize, evaluate and communicate information in a variety of media and formats (textual, visual, and digital).


AASL 21st Century Learner Standard(s) Addressed
1.1.1 Follow an inquiry-based process in seeding knowledge in curricular subjects, and make the real-world connection for using this process in own life.
1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
1.1.3 Develop and reefing a range of questions to frame the search for new understanding.
1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
1.1.5 Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of accuracy, validity, appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context.
1.1.7 Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, and point of view or bias.
1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.
2.1.1 Continue an inquiry-based research process by applying critical-thinking skills to information and knowledge in order to construct new understandings, draw conclusions, and create new knowledge.
2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize information.
2.1.5 Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions, and solve problems.
2.1.6 Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create products that express new understandings.
3.1.1 Conclude an inquiry-based research process by sharing new understandings and reflecting on the learning.
3.1.3 Use writings and speaking skills to communicate new understandings effectively.
3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use and assess.
3.1.6 Use information and technology ethically and responsibly.
3.2.3 Demonstrate teamwork by working productively with others.
3.4.2 Assess the quality and effectiveness of the learning product.


Goal(s)
Students will construct new meaning about a specific natural disaster by gaining additional knowledge and understanding and present their new understanding.
Students will be using the Stripling Model of inquiry to acquire a new understanding of a specific natural disaster.
Students will use web 2.0 resources like Evernote.com and GlogsterEdu to organize, present, and share new knowledge.
Students will use collaboration skills to jointly gain a better understanding on the inquiry process and web 2.0 resources.


Specific Learning Objectives
Students will construct new understanding of a specific natural disaster by using the Stripling Model of Inquiry.
Students will present their new understanding of a natural disaster with web 2.0 resources.


Inquiry Strategies and Information Skills
The Stripling Model of Inquiry will be used throughout this lesson. This will give students an active role in the learning process, which will make learning more meaningful. Students will acquire new knowledge about natural disasters while also learning about web 2.0 resources. This inquiry-based learning model will also be integrated with the 21st century learner standards. Many of these standards are incorporated throughout this lesson.


Materials Used in Teaching the Lesson
Lined paper and pencils will be used at the beginning of this lesson. The goal is to use very little paper, since students usually have many worksheets throughout the school year. Lined paper is used because students will be creating their own knowledge so why spoil this with another worksheet.

These three web 2.0 sites will be used during this multiple day lesson. The teacher librarian will set up accounts for students to use on Evernote and GlogsterEdu. Students will be given information as to how to log in to these websites.

Wordle www.wordle.net/
Evernote www.evernote.com/
GlogsterEdu www.edu.glogster.com/


Classroom Teacher's Role
Since the Library will be part of the plan time rotation this year, the teachers will not be present during the project. With that in mind, the 5th grade teachers will still contribute to the learning process. Teachers will be asked to share information about their reading pacing schedule, important writing skills to cover, and any other language arts connections that can be made. This will help to ensure that this lesson occurs during the same time that firth grade teachers are reading about natural disasters in their classrooms. The timing of this project will help to deepen student’s knowledge about natural disasters. This is not an ideal collaboration set up, but my hope is to move to a flexible schedule and do these kinds of projects with classroom teachers.


School Librarian's Role
Since I’m part of the plan time rotation schedule, the teacher librarian will take the lead role in implementing this project. Important curriculum connections will be obtained from classroom teachers to help guide the pacing of this project. The teacher librarian will guide students through all the phases of the Stripling Model of inquiry and integrate 21st century learning with web 2.0 resources.


Technology Selection
Several web 2.0 resources will be introduced to students throughout the lesson. We will start our discussion of natural disasters with Wordle.net. We will be acquiring web based pictures and online resources about natural disasters. Evernote.com will be our online resource to store this information. Students will also use Evernote.com to create their notes about their project. When all the information is gathered, students will be creating a poster about their new knowledge with GlogsterEdu.com. Students will hopefully enjoy creating a digital poster.

Wordle www.wordle.net/
Evernote www.evernote.com/
GlogsterEdu www.edu.glogster.com/


Plan for Guided and Independent Practice (Schedule and Activities):
This is a multi day project that will incorporate the Striping model of inquiry along with several web 2.0 resources. This project will be an extension activity that connects to the 5th grade classroom reading/language arts curriculum about “Nature’s Fury”. This is a tentative pacing schedule. The exact pacing will be determined by student’s progress through each step of the inquiry model.


Day 1: Build background knowledge and make connections to self, using group discussion and Wordle.net.

Discuss as a class what students have learned in the classroom about natural disasters. Students will then help to generate a list of specific natural disasters using Wordle.net. When the list is complete, we will generate the Wordle creation. A list of natural disasters is listed below to help guide students in the discussion.

Natural Disasters:
Hurricane
Earthquakes
Tsunami
Volcanic Eruptions
Tornadoes
Blizzards
Floods
Avalanches
Droughts
Wildfires

Sample Wordle: http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/2212215/Natural_Disasters

After the Wordle creation is finished, pick several students to help write down the topics that were generated and put these papers into a small container for students to draw from.

Discuss red light and green light questions. Green light questions are more open ended and thought provoking. These will be the kind of questions that students will be generating after finding a print resource.

Group students into pairs. Each group will draw one piece of paper out of a box, which will be their research topic.

Students will then use the online catalog to locate books about their research topics. With the time remaining, students will look through their books to gain background information and to discuss what 2-3 questions they would like to concentrate on to guide their research. Students will write their questions on lined paper.

Day 2: Collaboration of “wonder” questions.

Students will have about 5-10 minutes to look over their information and to finish generating their research questions.

Each pair of students will be grouped with another pair of students to share their topics and wonder questions. Students will with gain feedback about their questions and adjust them as needed. The Teacher Librarian will monitor and guide students in completing wonder questions. It will be important for students to have a good foundation of questions to guide their research.

Students will use their library books

Day 3: Review keyword note taking.
Discuss the process of taking notes using keywords from informational text. Show students an example of informational text (2 paragraphs). Read the first paragraph out-loud and ask students to think about the words that best describe the paragraph. These will be our keywords. Students will write the key words on lined paper. Check for understanding and repeat the process with the second paragraph, as a whole group or small groups.

Each pair of students will work together to locate information within their non-fiction book that answers their first wonder question. When students locate the needed information, they will create a list of key words or phrases in their own words. Student will use lined paper and label the top of their page with their first wonder questions. The same process will be done with their second wonder question.

Day 4: Continue key word note taking.
Students will continue taking keyword notes about each of their questions.

Day 5: Introduction Evernote.com.
Share with students that they will be using Evernote.com to store all their information.
• Explain the log in Procedure. Accounts have already been set up for each class. Groups will be logging in today.
• Explain how to create a new notebook. Groups will create a new notebook using their first names with a / in between their names. Each group will have their own notebook to work in for this project.
• Explain how to capture Internet sites and to save them into Evernote.com. Students will need to make sure they select their name before they save the web page.
• Students will be making Evernote notebook pages to store the following information:
o Wonder questions. Students will use their wonder questions in the title and then create sentences from their previous keyword notes.
o Pictures. Students will locate at least 4 pictures that relate to their topic and inquiry questions.
o Internet resources. Students will locate at least 2 reliable Internet sources that help answer their questions (website endings: edu, net, org).
o Reference page. Where students will list all their resources.

Day 6: Reference Review and continue to work on project.
• Review how to create references using APA format. Students will have references for each picture, print resource and Internet source they use. Students will be encouraged to create references as they go and not wait until the end of the project.
• Students will create a reference page on Evernote.
• Students will use the rest of their time working on their project.

Day 7: Continue working on acquiring resources for project.
• Students will continue locating online pictures and Internet resources and storing them on Evernote.com.
• Teacher Librarian will monitor student’s progress and guide students.

Day 8: Introduction to GlogsterEdu.com
• Students will be using GlogsterEdu to create their final project.
• Students will use their information that is stored on Evernote.com to create a Glogster poster. Accounts have already been set up and students will be shown how to access this information.
• Students will be putting the following information onto their Glogster poster:
o Title
o Creators (student’s first names only)
o Pictures (at least 4)
o Wonder questions and what students discovered.
o References for all pictures, print resources and online resources.

• Continue working on acquiring resources for project.
• Teacher Librarian will monitor student’s progress and guide students.

Day 9: Continue working on project.
• Teacher Librarian will monitor student’s progress and guide students.

Day 10: Continue working on project.
• Teacher Librarian will monitor student’s progress and guide students.

Day 11: Present ½ of the Final Projects.
• This final presentation time will be based upon student’s progress and will be adjusted as needed.
• Students will locate their Glogster poster and present it to the class. Students will share their questions and information that they discovered.
• After all of today’s posters have been presented, students will then log in to Glogster and post a comment on each of the presented Glogster posters. Students will use the 1 Praise & 1 Wish format: (Praise=something that was well presented, Wish=something that could have been better.).

Day 12: Present the other ½ of the Final Projects.
• Students will locate their Glogster poster and present it to the class. Students will share their questions and information that they discovered.
• After all of today’s posters have been presented, students will then log in to Glogster and post a comment on each of the presented Glogster posters. Students will use the 1 Praise & 1 Wish format: (Praise=something that was well presented, Wish=something that could have been better.).

Day 13: Reflect on project.
• Students will reflect on their own Glogster poster and their progress through the inquiry progress using the 1 Praise & 1 Wish format: (Praise=something that was well presented, Wish=something that could have been better.).

• Introduce the class wiki to students.
The teacher librarian will set up the wiki on wikispaces.com, so that it is ready to go. Login information will be shared with students along with details about what the wiki will be used for.
• Students will log in to the wiki and post a refection comment about this project. Students will use the 1 Praise & 1 Wish format. (Praise=something that they enjoyed doing, Wish=something that we could have done differently.


Assessment Component
Students will be monitored throughout the inquiry process to ensure that they are understanding the inquiry process. This will be the first time through the inquiry process and it will be used again, so a firm understanding will be helpful for next time.

A rubric will be used to evaluate students on their Glogster poster. The following items will be evaluated:
• Appropriate quantity and selection of pictures.
• Appropriate selection of print resources.
• Appropriate and reliable online resources.
• References for all resources are documented.

Differentiation Plan
Students will work in groups of 2-3 where learning levels will be mixed. This arrangement will help all learners to achieve an understanding of the inquiry process and use of web 2.0 tools.

Student’s time in the library each day will be mixed with working on this project and also checking out library books. Students will be able to decide which task they would like to do first. Students will have the option to work on this project for a while and then take a break and look for their library books and then come back and work on this project some more. The reality is that some students need time to move around and the flexibility of this project will allow students a little movement time.