Online Projects, Collaboration Sites, and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Template

Name: Michael Seymour
Grade Level: 9th
Content Area: Biology
Standards Addressed: SB4f
Title of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: Bugscope
URL of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity:
http://bugscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/
Describe how you would Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity
in your classroom: I would the children collect bugs on the school grounds to look
at the way they are adapted for their ecological niches. A sample insect from each
class would be selected and the students would have complete a research project
on the bugs life cycle and environmental role. Specimens would then be sent to
Bugscope and an online session scheduled to look at the specimen at high
resolution. Students would then publish both the images from the session and
their analysis of what they saw on the Bugscope website.
What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity
in a classroom? An online connection, computer, and a projector
Describe how the following features are addressed in this learning experience
(note: all of them may not be addressed in the project, but most should be if you
are reaching a high LoTi Level.):
a. Collaboration with peers, near-peers, mentors outside their classroom
and often beyond their school: The students will collaborate will all of
the above. This is a group project so peers will be involved, previously
published sessions give students access to the work of their neerpeers from different grade groups, and experts at the microscope
facility serve as mentors and outside experts.
b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (collecting original
data and or producing original products as a result of engaging in the
project): The students will be controlling the selection of the
specimens and the microscope as it generates images and will then
analyze the images and publish them on the web.
c. Higher-order thinking: This project should reach LoTi level 5
d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care
about their product: The website logs each session and publishes a
session web page with all images and interactions between the
students and experts, and makes this available to the public and
other student groups.
Blooms Level of Critical Thinking Required (check all that apply):
See http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
Remembering
Understanding
Applying
Analyzing
Evaluating
Creating
What Level of Technology Implementation best describes this learning activity and
1

Why? LoTi level 5 as the students are creating and publishing their work.
How could you implement this proposed learning experience and still comply with
your districts Internet Safety and Student Privacy policies? The students will not
be mentioned by name, and the session itself will be conducted with trained
scientific staff at an educational institution. Control of the live session will remain
in the hands of the Teacher during its entire course.