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Final Project: ABC Community School

Annie J. Christensen
July 29, 2016
EDU 214

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Annie Christensen
July 29, 2016
EDU 214
Position Paper

Dear School Board Members;

I, Annie Christensen would like to discuss with you the information recently
reported to remove technology from ABC Community School. In this proposal, I hope
you will see how much technology an asset is in the power of learning and
preparing the students for the real world. I understand the lack of funding causes
the shortage in budget for this expensive classroom addition but the rewards from
having such technology in place helps the students learn more than solely lecturing.
A study was just released with the results of each student having their own laptop
issued by the school. The analysis finds statistically significant performance
improvements in English language arts (ELA), writing and middle school science.
Also, Laptop programs sometimes helped improve teacher-student relationships;
often because the students help the teachers understand the technology. The
programs also suggest a positive impact on parent involvement in homework.
(Zheng, 2016) ABC Community School needs to be able to help all students make
their way through this education system so they can compete with their peers
either in career or college. The lack of technology will only make this impossible to
do. If we change the curriculum to teaching only to the common core standards
without any technology this will do not only our students a disadvantage but our
teachers as well. Technology helps teachers teach subjects in different ways that
can reach all of their students. Enclosed are some examples of common core
standards and lesson plan that may help show how positive technology is in our
class.

Thank you,
Annie Christensen

Reference:
Zheng, Binbin; Warschauer, Mark; Lin, Chin-His; Chang, Chi. Learning in One-toOne Laptop Environments: A Meta-Analysis and Research Synthesis, Review of
Educational Research, February 2016. doi: 10.3102/0034654316628645.

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Annie Christensen
July 29, 2016
EDU 214
Identification of Standards

CCSD Technology Education Standards

Here are two examples of the CCSD technology standards that I think not
only support the enclosed lesson plan but also the National Standards
examples as well.

Content Standard 3.0 Research Tools: Students use various technology

tools to research information and evaluate its accuracy and
appropriateness in order to solve problems and make decisions.
Content Standard 2.0 Productivity Tools: Students use appropriate
productivity tools including but not limited to word processing,
spreadsheet, database, multimedia and telecommunications.

Performance Indicators
The Nevada performance indicators explain the testing process of how these
standards are assessed. How the scores determine how the students are
learning the standards and also where it could use improvements.

Status Measure of Achievement: Status is a measure of student

performance based on a single administration of the State assessment.

Cut scores are set that determine the achievement level needed to be
proficient on the assessments.

National Educational Technology Standards

The National Standards go together with the CCSD standards so all students
can have a level playing field on what that are expected to know.

1. The Empowered Learner: Students leverage technology to take an

active role in choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in
their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.

3. Knowledge Constructor: Students critically curate a variety of

resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative
artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves
and others.

Nevada Common Core Standards for Social Studies

I would like to teach Social Studies or History in Secondary Education. These
two standards are a guide along with the other standards in this document to
help my students learn the topics in my enclosed lesson plan.

H1. [6-8] 19. Locate ancient, classical and regional civilizations and describe
and political systems
H1. [6-8] 18. Describe the achievements of ancient and classical civilizations.

Annie Christensen
July 29, 2016
EDU 214
Lesson Plan

Name of Lesson: Ancient Egypt, the Caste System

Grade Level Appropriateness: 6th-9th
Technology Content Standard Addressed:

ISTE Standards for Students:

1. Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and
develop innovative products and processes using technology.
a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products or
processes
b. Create original works as a means of personal or group
expression
c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and
issues
d. Identify trends and forecast possibilities.
3. 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 info 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.

Other Content Standard Addressed: Nevada Social Studies Standards

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H1. [6-8] 19. Locate ancient, classical and regional civilizations and
describe and political systems
H1. [6-8] 18. Describe the achievements of ancient and classical
civilizations.

Objective: To use a software program to create a pyramid model of the Ancient

Egyptian Caste system. Using a word processor define the different classes of the

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system and state one fact about each. Include the same symbols used in the model
in the document. Students will have hands on approach of visually explaining the
caste system and also use research skills to obtain the information needed.
Materials needed:

One computer for each group

Word Processing and other software that allows student to use shapes for
each computer.
Internet to research material

Suggested group size: Pair students in groups of two. One student will do part
one and the other will do part two. The two students must work together on the
overall content of the project.
Procedures: Split students into groups of 2 and assign each of the students in that
group either part 1 or part 2.

Part 1: Direct student to use the draw tools in any software program they
choose (such as power point or word).
1. Draw a large triangle and section it horizontal into seven parts
2. In each of the seven parts use a different shape and put each shape
in one of the sections
3. Make a key with the shapes used and write the name the shape
represents
4. Put your name, your partners name and the date in a small area of
the same document.
5. Save as a pdf and insert in your partners word document.

Part 2: Direct student to use the word processor program.

1. List the name of each section of the Ancient Egypt caste systems.
2. Type the definition of each section
3. Find an interesting fact of each group and type under each
definition
4. Insert your partners pyramid drawing
5. Use the same shapes as the key in the drawing as a bullet for its
corresponding name and definition on your document.
6. Make sure your name, your partners name, and date are on the
page.

Assessment: Discuss with the class the facts they found for each system. A rubric
could also be used to grade the assignment as well.

Ask students what was the most interesting fact they learned and why?
What was hardest/easiest part in drawing the pyramid?
Do we live in a caste system today?

If so, where do you feel you and your parents would belong on the pyramid?
Why?
If you lived in Ancient Egypt, where would you like to be? Where would you
not want to be?

Annie Christensen
July 29, 2016
EDU 214
Student Sample

Group Students Names: John Snow and Peter Wolf

Part 1:

Part 2:
Pharaoh: a ruler in Ancient Egypt

Fun Fact: King Tut was the youngest pharaoh. He was 9 years old.

Priests/Nobles: The priests role was to care for the needs of the god/goddess

Fun Fact: They did NOT try to educate the people on the religion or look
after their morals.

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Soldiers: Men and boys that would fight for the pharaoh

Fun Fact: During long periods of peace, soldiers also supervised the
peasants, farmers, and slaves who were involved in building such
structures as pyramids and palaces.

Scribes: people in ancient Egypt (usually men) who learned to read and write.

Fun Fact: It took as long as twelve years to train as a scribe.

Merchants: skilled laborers and included sculptors, carpenters, painters, jewelers,

and pottery makers.

Fun Facts: There special talents elevated their social status just above
the lowest level of peasants.

Farmers: Grew and supplied the food for the kingdom.

Fun Facts: They also grew flax which was made into linen.

Slaves and Servants: unskilled laborers

Fun Facts: Slaves built the great pyramids and temples that this
ancient civilization is best known for.