Independent Technology

Project Plan
1 PLANNING SHEET
Description of project: " Create three or more classroom activities using
Inspiration or Kidspiration appropriate for a specific grade level and
standard."
For this lesson, groups of junior high level students will be responsible for
three worksheets throughout one week as we learn about events leading
up to the Civil War. The students will be put into groups and asked to
animate their worksheet activities on a PowerPoint or Prezi presentation
they will give to the class. For this portion of the assignment, grey area is
established. The students may use their creativity along with technology to
create a video, animated short, Tellagami, Voki, or any other software they
see fit as long as the content pertains to the topic. A bibliography is
required on the presentation. The worksheets are pulled from the
Kidspiration software. The first worksheet I chose was the "Cartoon
Creator." I thought this worked well the with idea of illustrating the events
leading up to the Civil War. It would also serve as a plan sheet for the
future presentation to the class. The second worksheet I chose was
"Chronology." This was chosen for obvious reasons like making sure the
students have the events concrete in their mind before they move on to
the presentation stage. The final worksheet I chose was "Culture
Comparison." This worksheet is vital because it helps the students to think
about why the events leading up to the Civil War happened. The North and
the South were part of one United States of America, but they were two
very different cultures. Students need to understand this to fully grasp the
content of the project.
What is the purpose of the end product you will create?
The purpose of this lesson is to solidify the students' knowledge what who,
what, when, where, and why the Civil War happened in the United States.
The end product of my lesson idea is to have given the students the
opportunity to work with new web-based or app-based technology to
prepare them for the future. It serves to open their eyes to different useful,
productive software.
What technology will you use?

I will have Kidspiration concept maps printed out for the students and they
will fill them out with research from a computer or device. Then they will
create a presentation from for the class to demonstrate their knowledge of
the Civil War and the technology that they employed.
Intended audience:
The students' intended audience will be their peers and myself, the
teacher.
Information, materials and resources required: What do you need
to know to complete this project and where can you find the
information? (You must document all sources consulted and
used.)
For this project, students will need access to textbooks and primarily the
Internet. Students will also need access to a computer or compatible
device.
Academic and /or NETS-S and NETS-T standards this project would
address:
This project will address NETS-T Standard 1/A Facilitate and inspire
student learning and creativity by promoting the use of technology to
make creative projects. This project will also address NETS-T Standard
2/A/C by incorporating digital tools to promote creativity and progress and
exhibit new ways to convey a topic. This project will address NETS-T
Standard 3/A by demonstrating fluency in current technology. This project
will address NETS-T Standard 4/A as it will model respect for copyrights
and use appropriate documentation. This project will address NETS-S
Standard 3 as students would gather research information through digital
tools. This project will address NETS-S Standard 4 as students have to
identify which articles are valid to the topic and factual. This project will
address NETS-S Standard 6 as students will have to understand how to
navigate the I-Pad technology.
The project addresses the 1st standard for eighth grade Social Studies,
"Students examine the relationship and significance of themes, concepts,
and movements in the development of United States history, including
review of key ideas related to the colonization of America and the
revolution and Founding Era. This will be followed by emphasis on social
reform, national development and westward expansion, and the Civil War
and Reconstruction period."
The project addresses the more in depth standard 8.1.24, "Analyze the
causes and effects of events leading to the Civil War, and evaluate the

impact issues such as states rights and slavery had in developing

Americas sectional conflict."
Project timeline and learning sequence:
Students will begin with the worksheets. Three worksheets/concept maps
assigned per group of three. So each student is responsible for at least one
third of the work. The research and worksheet stage should take no longer
than two class periods as students will be encouraged to continue their
work at home. Students will have two full class periods (or as decided
suitable by teacher according to student progress) to make a PowerPoint
presentation fit with animations of graphics. The fifth (tentative) day of
class work should be the presentation stage. Students will be asked to take
five "notes" during each presentation. The notes will be turned in as an
assignment at the end of all presentations to prove attentiveness. By the
end of the week and project, students should have learned new skills on
PowerPoint that would've been demonstrated by the teacher, and of
course a good knowledge of the who, what, when, where, and why of the
Civil War. The next day would be test review and then a test to assess what
was learned and if the lesson was successful.