Haley Hegarty

CEP800
Lesson Plan: Technology in Teaching
1. Content: For this activity, we are reviewing our eight-week unit on physical
science covering the rock cycle and weather. Not only will students be
demonstrating their knowledge of content vocabulary and main ideas through
answering questions, students will also be challenged to apply their knowledge to
real world scenarios. Students will be assessed on how they tie their science
knowledge to pictures, media and different types of questions. The big ideas
students have learned include the rock cycle, earths landforms, the water cycle,
weather, and climate. The concepts students struggle with is not only the real
world applications to the material, but also the connection science topics have
between each other. For instance, how much the unit on matter and energy affects
the rock cycle and weather, and how much weather affects the rock cycle.
2. Pedagogy: The strategies I am using in this activity include reviewing, discussion,
whole class interaction, and providing students a template to fill out throughout
the review session. I am using a review because this is the best way to cover a lot
of material in a short amount of time. This type of activity allows me to not only
highlight the main ideas of the unit, but also tie in the different topics of the unit.
This is an activity that tests students on all the material they have learned, rather
than just one specific idea, like most lessons do. The reason that the whole class
interaction is necessary for this activity is because it helps differentiate the
activity and helps engage each student. I read each question out loud before
giving students time to respond. This allows my students who are not strong
readers to participate and keep up with the whole class. Also, by allowing this
review to be a whole class discussion, it allows the students to learn from each
other. By discussing the questions students find difficult, it allows students to
find clarity from something other than a textbook or teacher, but from a peer that
can explain ideas in a way their peers can understand. By allowing discussion, it
allows more opportunities to learn from not only listening to the conversation but
by having the chance to teach their peers. Lastly, by having students use a
template, this helps students keep up and keep their answers organized. This
allows for students to focus more on the questions at hand, than keeping track of
their work, since it is already done for them. In this activity, I am considering
audio and visual learners of all different levels. The pictures, videos, discussions,
and reading the questions out loud help students with different academic levels
and learning styles. This activity is set up to allow each student the ability to
participate by adhering to different learning styles and leveling each questions
difficulty. I understand that a lot of my students learn best through social
constructivism, and by finding understanding through talking through ideas
amongst themselves, which this activity allows.
3. Content & Pedagogy: Each of these strategies help me cover the most material
most effectively. The strategies I used help me teach because I was able to keep

track of my students understanding of the material throughout the activity. Had it

been a packet of worksheets, I would not know how much my students were
struggling until I had graded it that night, and I would not be able to discuss their
misconceptions until the next day. By having my students provide me with verbal
answers throughout the game, when an answer is wrong, we can immediately
have a class discussion and students can come to the correct answer. This type of
review also always me to keep each student on schedule and cover all of the
material I need covered. I am able to keep the pace throughout the whole activity
so that attention is given to all science topics. The one constraint this activity
causes me is that not as much material can be covered as in a review packet, but
each students understandings is deeper through class discussion versus finding
answers in a book.
4. Technology: I am using PowerPoint, and different forms of media, pictures,
diagrams, and video clips. I decided to use this technology because it is a great
way to cover a lot of information in an interesting and an engaging way. The
more engagement and motivation I have from my students, the more of the
material and lesson they are focused on. While I could hand out a work packet
and a textbook, the students would not have the same learning experience and
would not retain the same information. Reading creates too many processing
demands for my students, about 80% of them read below grade level, which
prevents them from comprehending the text, making this type of review with this
technology most effective. PowerPoint and the format of the activity allow me to
clearly label, organize, and address all the ideas taught throughout the unit.
Motivation and self-esteem is low in my classroom, using this activity allows
learning to be fun and manageable for each student. My objective is for students
to review their knowledge on the rock cycle and weather while being engaged,
this is the best technology choice to achieve my objective. This type of forum
also allows students the opportunities to talk through their misconceptions, ask
questions, and demonstrate what they know and do not know. Also, by bringing
in different technologies that allow a real world application, students reach a
deeper understanding about physical science. This is the best technology to use to
allow me to assess each childs level of understanding, engage each of them,
cover eight weeks worth of information, and allow opportunities to create deeper
understandings and less misconceptions in a reasonable time frame.
5. Technology & Pedagogy: I believe students learn best when being interactive and
feeling included in the learning and teaching process and in control. I also believe
that most of our knowledge is socially constructed, the habits we pick up and
most of our opinions and ideas come from our parents teaching, the news,
society, what we hear and are told. This type of activity allows students to build
on their knowledge or change their ideas through a controlled discussion. This
technology allows for interaction and engagement. It allows me to do corrective
teaching as well throughout the review. Students learn best when they feel they
are learning in a safe environment and the activity is at their academic level. By
using PowerPoint to play Jeopardy, it allows students to share when they feel

comfortable in a fun and non-intimidating environment, unlike if they were given

a graded quiz or other graded assignment.
6. Technology & Content: By using this technology, I can easily include big ideas
and essential questions. My big ideas are the headings of each category while the
essential questions are the questions falling under each category. It is a nice
organized way to cover a wide range of concepts, not only for myself as the
teacher, but also for my students. My students can see what important ideas from
the unit I pulled, and then know that that is the material I expect them to become
experts on. It is a great way to review while also giving them an idea of what
they need to study, review, and learn on their own. If there was something from
Jeopardy that did not know, it was obviously important enough to ask and student
should therefore do more research if they still do not understand after the learning
activity. The themes of the unit are easily highlighted when using this technology.
7. Assessment: From this lesson I want my students to know how to use the
information they have learned to answer questions. A lot of students know the
information but struggle when asked for the information in different formats. I
want my students confident in their knowledge and to be able to answer questions
and explain their reasoning. I also want my students to show mastery over the
rock cycle and all things weather. I will not only be able to informally assess
them through their participation, answers, or lack there of, but also through their
ability to fill out the answer key template. If students were able to follow along
and fill in the correct answers in the correct spots, I can tell that they were
following along, engaged and that the task and information was not overwhelming
enough to prevent them from being able to keep notes. I know my students, and I
know that when they are unable to fill out a graphic organizer and keep up in a
mini lesson, that means that they were confused about what I was teaching. I
want my students to be able to fill out all the answers on the template, and for
those that they cannot, I know that that is an area that might need to be re-taught
to them. This technology allows me to administer a review that helps me evaluate
how much my students have learned from the science unit.

Rock Cycle and Weather Unit

Grade: Fourth
Content: Science
Focus of Lesson: Final Review of Unit
Standards:
12.E.1a Identify components and describe diverse features of the Earths land, water and
atmospheric systems.
12.E.1b Identify and describe patterns of weather and seasonal change.
12.E.2a Identify and explain natural cycles of the Earths land, water and atmospheric
systems (e.g., rock cycle, water cycle, weather patterns).
12.E.2b Describe and explain short-term and long-term interactions of the Earths
components (e.g., earthquakes, types of erosion).
12.E.3a Analyze and explain large-scale dynamic forces, events and processes that affect
the Earths land, water and atmospheric systems (e.g., jet stream, hurricanes, plate
tectonics).
12.E.3b Describe interactions between solid earth, oceans, atmosphere and organisms
that have resulted in ongoing changes of Earth (e.g., erosion, El Nino).
Objectives/Outcomes:
Students will be able to:
Demonstrate their knowledge on how the earths surface changes,
weather, and the rock cycle.
Answer questions from the science units we have covered.
Assess their own knowledge on the unit
Understand how rocks form and turn into different rocks in the rock
cycle.
Describe the processes that shape the earth into different landforms.
o Understand the part both weather and the rock cycle play shaping
Earth
Explain how tectonic plates affect the earths surface.
Understand the elements of weather
Describe the water cycle and relate this to the three states of matter.
Explain what factors create weather and climate.
Explain what determines climate.

Essential Questions:
Each lesson should only contain a select amount of essential questions, 2-4, yet since this
is a review, essential questions focus around the whole unit and therefore, students
should be able to answer each of these questions after completing the unit.
What factors cause weather and climate?
What makes weather and climate different?
What is the difference between climate and temperature?
How do air masses affect and cause weather?
What factors determine the climate of an area?
Why do climates differ depending on location?
What causes different forms of clouds to form?
How can scientists forecast weather?
What is the rock cycle?
What are the different types of rocks and how are they formed?
What factors create a chemical change and causes rocks to change into different types
of rocks?
What is the difference between physical and chemical weathering?
What are earths different land features and how are they formed?
What two things shape earths landforms?
How does Earths crust move?
Why do volcanoes often appear near the edges of plates rather than at the center of
plates?
How do faults affect the earths surface?
How does weather and natural disasters change the land?
Technology and Materials:
Laptop
Projector
PowerPoint
o Pictures
o Diagrams
o Video Clips
Answer Key Template print outs
Pencils
Prior Knowledge:
Students have just completed a unit covering the rock cycle and weather. Content related
vocabulary students have learned throughout the unit and should be able to use and
understand for this activity include:
Atmosphere
Temperature
Humidity
Air pressure

Thermometer
Barometer
Anemometer
Rain gauge

Evaporation
Water vapor
Condensation
Cloud

 Precipitation
Water cycle
Air mass
Front
Warm front
Cold front
Stationary front
Forecast
Current
Rock cycle
Igneous rock
Magma
Lava
Sedimentary rock
Sediment
Compaction
Cementation

Stalactites
Stalagmite
Metamorphic rock
Climate
Altitude
Weathering
Erosion
Deposition
Solid
Liquid
Gas
Matter
Energy
Force
Friction
Delta
Drainage

Basins
Continental shelf
Crust
Mantle
Outer core
Inner core
Plates
Faults
Folds
Earthquake
Tsunami
Seismic waves
Seismograph
Volcano

Lesson:

Jeopardy Review!

Demonstration
Teacher explicitly shows the
students what you want them
to do

Teacher will first discuss with the students that the following activity is a
review covering the topics learned throughout the eight-week unit. Teacher
will encourage students to challenge themselves and keep track of what
they do not understand throughout the activity since this is their review
before their Unit Exam. Teacher will then explain the rules of Jeopardy.
Teacher will explain what each category is and what it entails. Teacher
will then establish the expectations throughout the activity. Each student is
to be actively engaged and answering each question as it is asked, by filling
out the Answer Key Template, whether you are the one to answer the
question out loud or not. Once you have your answer, and it is written
down, raise your hand to share your answer. Student needs to be prepared
to explain why they got their answer. No student is to shout out or correct
someone who has shared an answer, unless asked by the teacher. The
Answer Key Template will be collected and graded at the end solely for
completion. Student is required to write down the answers to each question
even if they did not get the answer until it was discussed out loud. This
template can then be used as a study guide with the accompanied
PowerPoint to be sent home (PowerPoint will not include the answers,
therefore, encouraging each student to keep up and pay attention
throughout the game). Teacher will then demonstrate how the technology

works by showing how each question will appear and be asked by doing
the first question together as a class.
Guided Practice
Teacher and the students
work together

Teacher and students will discuss their answers throughout the game and
will do any re-teaching for misconceptions that come up. Students can also
ask clarifying questions to teacher and peers.

Independent Practice
Students work alone

Students will have time to answer each question independently and record
it on their template before it is discussed. This allows students to assess
their own knowledge.

Opportunities for Student

Discourse/Collaboration

Throughout the game, students will be asked to answer their classmates

questions, ask their own questions, and explain their volunteered answers.

Assessments
Teacher finds out what the
students know and dont
know

Answer Key Template

Participation throughout activity
Student answers

Differentiation/Accommodations
Made for struggling learners,
gifted learners, students with
disabilities, ELL students

Read each question out loud for struggling readers

Provide answer key template to help organize work
Bonus questions will be provided on random slides (much like double
jeopardy) to encourage extra thought, challenge, and work for those who
can solve each question quickly and must wait for others to finish.
Leveled questions throughout game to allow learners of all different
academic achievement to participate
Inclusion of pictures, diagrams, and videos for visual learners