Lesson Plan for Implementing

NETSSTemplate I
(More Directed Learning Activities)
Template with guiding questions
Teacher(s)
Name Jessica Tamburro
Position Teacher
School/District Newton County School System
E-mail tamburro.jessica@newton.k12.ga.us
Phone
Grade Level(s) 6
Content Area Earth Science
Time line 6 Days (six 55 minute classes)

Standards (What do you want students to know and be able to do? What knowledge, skills, and
strategies do you expect students to gain? Are there connections to other curriculum areas and subject
area benchmarks? )
Content Standards
S6E1. Students will explore current scientific views of the universe and how those views
evolved.
c. Compare and contrast the planets in terms of
Size relative to the earth
Surface and atmospheric features
Relative distance from the sun
Ability to support life
NETS*S Standards:
1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct
knowledge, and develop innovative products and
processes using technology.
a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas,
p b. Create original works as a means of personal
or group expression
c. Use models and simulations to explore complex
systems and issues products, or processes

2. Communication and Collaboration
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.
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

3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate,
and use information.
a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry
b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize,
and ethically use information from a variety of
sources and media
c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital
tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks
d. Process data and report results

4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving,
and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and
conduct research, manage projects, solve problems,
and make informed decisions using appropriate
digital tools and resources.
a. Identify and define authentic problems and
significant questions for investigation
c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions
and/or make informed decisions

5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal
issues related to technology and practice legal and
ethical behavior.
a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible
use of information and technology
b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology
that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity
c. Demonstrate personal responsibility for
lifelong learning
d. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship

6. Technology Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding
of technology concepts, systems, and operations.
a. Understand and use technology systems
b. Select and use applications effectively
and productively
c. Troubleshoot systems and applications
d. Transfer current knowledge to learning
of new technologies

Overview (a short summary of the lesson or unit including assignment or expected or possible products)
Do you know the name of the 9 planets in the galaxy called the Milky Way? You will visit the various planets
using the internet in order to answer the question; "Why is Earth the Only Planet You Can Live On?" Students
visit all 9 planets on the internet in order to find specific information. You will learn the order of the planets
from the Sun. After gathering data on the individual planets, students will type a paper with conclusions they
have drawn to answer the question - Why is Earth the Only Planet You Can Live On? Further research will be
done on a specific planet of the student's choice. Students will then create a multimedia stack/slideshow or
Prezi with narration, a video with narration or a website on the planet students chose in order to present it to
their classmates. Along the way students will be able to enjoy some interactive games as a way to find
information and review facts they have learned. Students will upload all activities to their own wiki. Students
will subscribe to students' RSS who share their same planet and help each other with coming up with the best
information.

Essential Questions (What essential question or learning are you addressing? What would students
care or want to know about the topic? What are some questions to get students thinking about the topic
or generate interest about the topic? What questions can you ask students to help them focus on
important aspects of the topic? What background or prior knowledge will you expect students to bring to
this topic and build on?)
How does Earth compare and contrast to the 9 planets of our solar system in terms of life capabilities?


Assessment (What will students do or produce to illustrate their learning? What can students do to
generate new knowledge? How will you assess how students are progressing (formative assessment)?
How will you assess what they produce or do? How will you differentiate products?)
Students will be assessed throughout the web quest. They will be assessed on their posts to their class wikis
after each activity. They will have a summative/generative assessment based on their final product of a power
point or prezi with narration, a video with narration or a website. Students will be assessed with the following
rubric:
4 POINTS 3 POINTS 2 POINTS 1 POINT
Use time and
your skills
wisely to
complete the
task in an
outstanding
way.
Use time and
your skills
wisely to
complete your
task.
Use most of the
time and some
of your skills to
complete the
task.
Use some of the
time and some
of your skills to
complete part of
the task.
Read from at
least two
Read from at
least two
Read from at
least two
Read to find
some facts about
sources to find
facts about your
project.
sources to find
facts about your
project.
sources to find
facts about your
project.
your project.
Take useful
notes.
Take notes.
Take some
notes.
Take a few
notes.
Create a well-
designed project
to demonstrate
your research.
Design a project
to demonstrate
your work.
Design a
project.
Partially design
your project.
Present your
information in a
way that is
engaging to
classmates.
Present your
information to
your classmates.
Present your
information to
your classmates.
Present your
information to
your classmates.


Resources (How does technology support student learning? What digital tools, and resourcesonline
student tools, research sites, student handouts, tools, tutorials, templates, assessment rubrics, etchelp
elucidate or explain the content or allow students to interact with the content? What previous technology
skills should students have to complete this project?)
-The web quest can be found at the following link:
http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/planets/planets.htm
(Some information has been changed or added to make the lesson better)
-Students will use wikispaces.com to create their wiki.
-Students will use links within the web quest to do research as well as use the documents embedded within the
web quest to use to record data.
-Students must know how to use voice thread for their comments on what their chosen planet is for their
project and why.
-Students must know how to operate a wiki appropriately and know to set it to private
-Students previous knowledge on the use of technology is the use of a keyboard and mouse. They must know
how to log onto the internet. They must also know how to search for information on websites and know what
information is meaningful. Students must also know how to use Microsoft Word and Power Point. If they
choose to do a Prezi, they must know how to operate that. If students choose to do a video, they must
understand how to use the schools video equipment. If the students choose to do a website, they must be
familiar with Weebly.
-Rubric for final assessment was given above.

Instructional Plan
Preparation (What student needs, interests, and prior learning provide a foundation for this lesson? How
can you find out if students have this foundation? What difficulties might students have?)
Before students start on this web quest, students will take a pre-assessment on the planets. Students will
receive a either a planet name or its definition. Students will have 3 minutes to pick their match based on prior
knowledge. Students may not talk but can write or act out information. Students will view a timer from the
white board to see how much time is remaining. Once they feel they have a match, they will ask the teacher for
confirmation. If it is not correct, they may go back to find their match. The teacher will keep a record of correct
matches the first time and/or how many times it does take students to find matches to see how much prior
knowledge they know. If students do not remember or know information on the planets or the exact phrase on
the card, they may have more difficulty finding a match which will affect the classes overall impression of their
prior knowledge.

Management Describe the classroom management strategies will you use to manage your students and
the use of digital tools and resources. How and where will your students work? (small groups, whole
group, individuals, classroom, lab, etc.) What strategies will you use to achieve equitable access to the
Internet while completing this lesson? Describe what technical issues might arise during the Internet
lesson and explain how you will resolve or troubleshoot them?
Students will have individual laptops in which they will use their county log ins to access. There are filters on the
laptops for students protection. The students will work together on the pre-assessment. For the beginning of
the web quest, students will work individually. Once they have chosen their planet to make a project on, they
will work with other students who have also chosen the same planet to collaborate information with. Students
know the rules of the classroom as well as internet and laptop usage. The teacher can use class dojo to reward
or give consequences while monitoring laptop usage. Rewards for hard work, participation and following
directions throughout the project can be given at the end of the week. Students and parents must have signed
the contract for internet and computer usage in order to use the laptops for this project. If there is a student
who has failed to do this, the teacher may contact the parents through phone or email to make sure that the
contract is signed while explaining why it is important and how the school protects students when they use the
internet within the building. Technical issues that may arise are that a laptop may not have enough battery life,
the internet may be slow or not working, a website may not work, a filter may not completely block certain sites.
In this case, students can plug their laptop in, the teacher may have to restart or trouble shoot to get the
internet working or contact the technology person, teachers may have to alter the website they use if for some
reason it does not work so having good back up websites is necessary. Teachers may also need to teach
students more in depth features of power point, prezi and word.

Instructional Strategies and Learning Activities Describe the research-based instructional strategies
you will use with this lesson. How will your learning environment support these activities? What is your
role? What are the students' roles in the lesson? How can you ensure higher order thinking at the
analysis, evaluation, or creativity levels of Blooms Taxonomy? How can the technology support your
teaching? What authentic, relevant, and meaningful learning activities and tasks will your students
complete? How will they build knowledge and skills? How will students use digital tools and resources to
communicate and collaborate with each other and others? How will you facilitate the collaboration?

The teacher will act as the facilitator within the project, helping students when needed.

The students will assume the role of a professional astronomer as well as the explorer and producer.

The learning environment will support these activities by having the necessary technologies for the students to
use.

Higher order thinking will come into play by having the students analyze, evaluate and synthesize information in
order to complete the data sheets. They also will have to compare and contrast the information they find with
the information of that of the Earth and make logical explanations of why life can or cannot happen on the
chosen planet. They will then produce a final product to exhibit their explanations.

Technology is an integral part of this web quest and cannot happen with technology.

The authentic, meaningful activities the students will complete are listed below, but understanding they will be
taking on the role of an astronomer and uploading information to a class wiki so that their classmates can
collaborate with them.
Students will use the information from the internet to build knowledge on each of the planets and become an
informational person on the planet they chose.

The students will use a class wiki as well as voice thread to share information and collaborate with classmates

At the computer:

Read all directions for each part before you click.

Open up Microsoft Word and copy and paste the data sheet you will need to complete while you are collecting
data.
(make sure you change the Page Setup to Landscape and change the scale to 90%)
Print out the instructions
(make sure you change the Page Setup to Landscape and change the scale to 90%)
(after print instructions, click on Back )

Instructions
Day 1

Click on Planets.
The speaker is there to hear any pages at this site read to you.
You should begin with Mercury.
Record the necessary information on the data sheet for each planet. You will only fill in the first five columns for
each planet at this time.
Scroll down to the bottom of each page. Read the question and try to answer it. Click The Answer to check your
own answer.
When you have finished gathering data on a planet, click the back button to choose another planet.
Continue until you have found the information on all nine planets.
Upload your final data sheet to your class wiki and reflect on the new things you learned about the planets in
your post.

Instructions
Day 2

Click on Where, Or Where Does That Little Planet Go?
Put the correct number of the orbit pattern that belongs to each planet in the box under the planet's name.
Click on Check Me to check your answers after you have completed all 9 planets.
Take a screen shot of your page and upload to your wiki.

Next,
Find out your age on another planet.

Click on How Old Would I Be?
Open up your data sheet you used for Day 1
Fill in your birth date and age information.
Click on each planet to find out what your age would be on that planet.
Record the information on your planet data survey and upload your new information to your wiki.
Create a response on your wiki to the question, Which planets would you be youngest and oldest and why do
you think this is?

Instructions
Day 3

How much would you weigh on another planet? The gravity on other planets differs from here on earth.

Copy and paste How To Calculate Your Weight On Another Planet into a new Microsoft Word document.
Click on the Back button.
Complete your Planet Data Survey using the math formula given on how to calculate your weight on another
planet in your classroom.

When you have completed this, please upload your new document to the class wiki

Before starting your final product, you must log on to voice thread and record the chosen planet and why you
have chosen this planet. Listen to your classmates voice threads too!

Instructions
Day 4

Choose a planet or the Sun that you wish to do further research on.
Copy and paste the questions, you will need to answer on your planet research into a new Word Document
Click on Back.
Use a notable search engine to conduct research for find answers to your questions.
After completion, upload your document to your class wiki

Instructions
Day 5 and 6

Create a multimedia presentation on the planet of your choice.
Students will spend the next 2 days creating their presentation of their choice.
Once students receive their graded rubric back, they will write a reflection on their wikis about the process and
grade.

Differentiation (How will you differentiate content and process to accommodate various learning styles
and abilities? How will you help students learn independently and with others? How will you provide
extensions and opportunities for enrichment? What assistive technologies will you need to provide?)
For SpEd students, all data sheets will also be printed out for them. They will have a para pro to pull them into
small groups to help and monitor them more closely. There is a speaker button on the web pages so that the
pages are read aloud to these students if needed. Students will be given specific websites to use when looking
for answer on their planet rather than having to find their own websites.
Assistive Technologies:
-website reader for those that are on a lower reading level
-learning centers with audio and video for those who need more information or have trouble understanding or
reading information from the websites
-large text on screen for eye site impaired
-head phones for hard of hearing

For gifted students, they will be given extra information to find to incorporate in their comparing and
contrasting their planet to Earth. Students will have to find the rotation period, the distance from the sun and
calculate it into Astronomical Units, they will have to find the history of how that planet was made, what year
the planet was found and who found it.
Assistive Technologies:
-learning centers with audio and movies for extra information
-The use of iPads and apps for extra information

For ELL leaners, students will have notecards around the room with vocabulary words in English and their native
language to remind them of how to write the word in English. When doing the pre-assessment, all cards will be
in English and the native languages of the ELL students. A translated document will be sent home to the parents
in their native language to have the parents understand what is happening in class and how they can help at
home.
Assistive Technologies:
-Brain Pops ELL site for students who need extra information/games/activities/quizzes in their native language
-Solar System simulation with word translation for the part of the project where they will take a screen shot.
Students will need to understand the planet names and may need to view in native language as well in order to
properly place the planets in order.
-word translator device for any word students need translated during the project
-learning centers with audio and movies for extra help or information or remediation.
-Use words or phrases in native language when producing their product



Reflection (Will there be a closing event? Will students be asked to reflect upon their work? Will students
be asked to provide feedback on the assignment itself? What will be your process for answering the
following questions?
Did students find the lesson meaningful and worth completing?
In what ways was this lesson effective?
What went well and why?
What did not go well and why?
How would you teach this lesson differently?)
Students will use their class wiki to reflect upon their work after their graded rubric is handed back. Students
may answer the questions above to write on.

Closure: Anything else you would like to reflect upon regarding lessons learned and/or your experience
with implementing this lesson. What advice would you give others if they were to implement the lesson?
The advice I would give to other teachers when implementing is to make sure that they understand all
technologies before starting this project. The teacher should make an example of each product: power point,
prezi, movie and website so that the students may have an example to work off of. I would encourage that all
science teachers do this web quest at the same time so that they can reflect and help each other.