Marguerite Ferguson

11163161
ECUR 325
Dr. Jay Wilson
April 2, 2018
Technological Integration

The lesson I have created and revised in from the unit, Canadian poetry and Creating a National
Identity (Moving Forward: Establishing and Realizing). The purpose of this lesson is for students to
understand how they can improve their thesis statements into stronger thesis statements for their
interview presentations. This lesson will incorporate different technological resources in order to help
students understand how to improve thesis statements in order to create stronger thesis statements. This
lesson encourages students to use technology in a way that helps students develop deeper thinking skills.
Students will be able to analyze thesis statements, evaluate and critique different thesis statements, and
create a visual representation of their learning by using the technology incorporated into the lesson. This
lesson will also explore the way in which students must portray themselves online. Students will gain an
awareness that their actions online may result in negative consequences not only for themselves, but for
others as well. This awareness will help students find ways to conduct themselves professionally and
appropriately online.
This lesson implements technology at the modification level of the SAMR model. Students were
originally given a worksheet with three different thesis statements that students were expected to read
and analyze before fixing the thesis statements to make them stronger on a worksheet. Students would
then be asked to hand in the worksheet to the teacher. This activity was changed so that students could
access a Survey Monkey that allowed students to analyze and improve three different thesis statements
online. Students would be able to submit their answers, which would then be projected on the board.
Students would then be able to quickly receive feedback on the thesis statements they improved not only
from the teacher, but also by their peers through a class discussion regarding the improved thesis
statements. This activity therefore follows the modification level of the SAMR model since the
technology incorporated into this activity modifies the original task by showing students the benefits of
peer and teacher feedback.
Originally, students were going to be given time to independently work on their thesis statements
in order to improve them. However, Google Docs is a technological resource added to the activity to
allow students to share their improved thesis statement with their peers on a class Google Doc. Other
students will be able to view, analyze, evaluate, and critique the thesis statements shared on the Doc by
their peers. This technology provides the opportunity for students to receive real-time feedback from
their peers. Students could then take their received feedback and apply it to their thesis statement in
order to further improve their thesis statement. Adding Google Doc to this activity follows the
modification level of the SAMR model since the technology used during this activity significantly
modifies the original task by introducing the benefits of student collaboration.
This lesson plan also incorporates technology at the redefinition level of the SAMR model.
Initially, a written exit slip was going to be an activity used at the end of the lesson to help students
make the connection between good thesis statements and the results it creates. The paper exit slip was
replaced with Stoodle, which acts as a virtual whiteboard that provides real-time collaboration and
communication. Students will collaboratively work together in order to create a mind map that lays out
the benefits of a strong thesis statement. This activity was redefined in order to help student develop and
practice skills like creating, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. This redefined activity
allows students to practice their critical thinking skills because the technology used in the activity allows
students to analyze and evaluate their peers’ thoughts and ideas. The mind mapping activity on Stoodle
also lets students develop their communication skills because they will be able to interact and respond to
their peers’ thoughts and ideas online. Students will come to understand that there are different ways of
communicating with others. The redefined activity also helps students practice their collaboration skills
because students will be working together to create one end product. This means students have to build
upon one another’s ideas and thoughts in order to further develop the end product of the mind map.
Lastly, the closing activity will help students focus on their creating skills because Stoodle allows
students to add images, drawings, text, music, and voice clips to the whiteboard. The technology used
during this activity encourages student creativity since students will be able to transform their learning
through any given medium.
There has been a couple changes made to the unit plan. I have highlighted the sections that use
strategically use technology to help student develop deeper thinking skills. The poetic device quiz was
changed to include an option to complete an online version of the quiz. This online version of the quiz
will also give students the option to use sound, which will be extremely helpful for EAL students or
students with visual impairments since they can have the questions read out loud to them.
One of the peer-assessment activities was changed following the modification level of the
SAMR model. The technology, WeVideo, was used in the activity so that students could video tape their
interview presentation using WeVideo and share the link to the WeVideo on a class Google Doc where
another partner group could access it and assess it online using the marking rubric as reference. This
simple change follows the modification level of the SAMR model since the original task was modified
to introduce the benefits of videotaping yourself doing something since students could watch themselves
perform and notice things they may have not noticed before (i.e. low voice volume or weird positioning
of set).
Another change was added to the unit plan following the modification level of the SAMR.
Originally, a class discussion was going to take place in order to discuss the things that contribute to
Canadian identity (foods, landscapes, sayings, sports, etc.) along with the moments in history that have
also contributed to Canadian identity. This was changed to a class brainstorming activity that was held
on a Google Doc. This way students could provide real-time feedback and respond to their peers’
contributions. Integrating Google Doc as a technology in this class discussion activity follows the
modification level of the SAMR model since the original task was modified in order to help students see
the advantages of student collaboration and communication.
There needs to be special considerations made for implementing technology throughout the unit
plan. One of the biggest concerns that circulates the implementation of technology is the access to
technology in the classroom. For instance, students may not have laptops that they can work on in class.
It is the teacher’s responsibility to not only be prepared with all the materials needed for a given lesson,
but also responsible for back up plans just in case any issue arises. If students have no personal access to
a laptop, then the teacher can reserve a laptop cart for the class so that students without laptops can use
the school laptops. Schools may not have lap top carts that teachers can reserve for their classroom
during a period, and if this occurs then the teacher can reserve time in the computer room so that
students can participate in online activities in the computer room. The students can also be encouraged
to use their cell phones, tablets, IPads, etc. during online activities if they don’t have access to a personal
laptop as well.
Using technology in the classroom can be super beneficial for student engagement, interest, and
motivation; however, there needs to be a few guidelines regarding digital citizenship established with
the students prior to any online activities. It is essential to introduce and explain the nine elements of
digital citizenship because it helps to educate students about how to conduct themselves online in a safe
and professional manner, where and how to gather information, and the consequences behind their
actions online. There would be special considerations for educating students on the three elements of
respect, especially because the unit plan I created uses technology that asks students to collaborate and
communicate with one another. Students need to be able to recognize the appropriate and inappropriate
times to use cellphones in class (using for an exit slip on Survey Monkey vs. using for social media).
Students also need to be able to respond and comment on their peers’ work in a respectful and
professional manner, and if students choose to be disrespectful and unprofessional then they would learn
that their actions have negative consequences.
We currently live in a technology dominant era, and even classrooms today rely heavily on
technology in order to engage, motivate, and interest students. As a future teacher, I must ensure that my
students are constantly engaged during lessons and interested to learn more. One of my goals for further
technological skill development is to constantly update myself with technologies I can use in my
classroom that can help students increase their level of engagement. I can accomplish this goal by
finding peer-reviewed articles that discuss the benefits of using certain technologies in the classroom on
students. I can also remain updated on recent technologies by using other teachers as valuable resources.
Having a conversation with teachers, especially more experienced teachers, about technologies they use
in the classroom can be extremely useful because I can add technological resources to my repertoire of
teaching strategies. I believe it is really important to incorporate technology and encourage technology
use in the classroom, especially because we are living in such a technology dominant culture. Students
need to be equipped with the skills to understand and effectively use technology, especially as they exit
high school and enter university or the job force. One of my goals to help further technological skill
development in students is to ensure that I am always incorporating some aspect of technology into my
lesson or unit plans.
Lesson Plan Title: Creating a Strong Thesis_________________________________________
Date: April 2, 2018
Subject: English Language Arts
Grade: 11
Topic: Creating a message/meaning through a thesis statement
Essential Question: What is a thesis? How can thesis statements be improved in order to make them
stronger? What are the benefits of having a strong thesis statement?

Materials:
 Talking stick
 Thesis Statements PowerPoint presentation
 Link to YouTube clip
 Link to “Fix the Thesis Statement” Survey Monkey
 Link to class Google Doc
 Link to class Stoodle

Stage 1- Desired Results – you may use student friendly language

What do they need to understand, know, and/or able to do?

Students will know how to define a thesis statement by the end of this lesson. Students will take the formula
of creating a strong thesis provided by a YouTube clip so that they will know how to create a strong thesis
statement. Students will also know how to differentiate between poor, mediocre, and strong thesis
statements. Students will know what changes need to be made in order to change poor and mediocre thesis
statements into strong thesis statements.

By the end of this lesson, students will understand that there are different ways to communicate with their
peers and show their understanding by using different literacies, specifically by using technological resources.
Students will understand that using technology to learn and show their understanding is just as effective as
learning and showing their understanding through writing and speaking. Students will also understand that
one must conduct themselves professionally in online communities. Students will also understand that their
actions online, especially if those actions are unprofessional, will have negative consequences. Students will
come to understand that their unprofessional actions online may be considered as harassment or
cyberbullying and may have negative effects on others, as well as themselves.

Students will be able to analyze thesis statements and discuss their thoughts and ideas regarding thesis
statements and what makes thesis statements strong with their peers. Students will also be able to
successfully improve poor thesis statements in order to create a stronger thesis statement by the end of this
lesson. Students will also be able to evaluate their peers’ thesis statements on a Google Doc and
appropriately and respectfully provide peers with helpful feedback on their thesis statements in order to help
their peers develop and improve their thesis statements further. Lastly, students will be able to create a visual
representation of their understanding on thesis statements by the end of this lesson. Students will be able to
demonstrate their learning and understanding through several different ways (i.e. pictures, words, voice clips,
drawings, etc.)

Broad Areas of Learning:

Sense of Self, Community, and Place: This lesson will allow students to interact with one another in person
and through different technological resources. Students will not only be able to provide helpful feedback
about their peers’ thesis statement on a Google Doc, but they will also be able to build on their peers’ ideas
on Stoodle. The interactions between students that will be generated through this lesson will help students
nurture meaningful relationships with their peers while also helping students appreciate their peers’ diverse
thoughts and ideas made apparent through class discussions and online activities.

Lifelong Learners: Students will be expected to use technology throughout the lesson, which will ultimately
help students understand technology and how to use technology appropriately and effectively. This lesson
will also help students develop higher order thinking skills (creating, evaluating, and analyzing), which are
skills that can be applied in other subject and beyond the walls of a classroom. Students will be able to
develop their analyzing skill by analyzing and improving the thesis statements on Survey Monkey. Students
will improve their evaluating skills by evaluating the thesis statements their peers have shared on the class
Google Doc. Lastly, students will be able to showcase their creativity during the class brainstorm activity on
Stoodle. Students will be able to use a visual representation of their understanding and opinions in order to
demonstrate their learning.

Engaged Citizens: This lesson will help students be able to organize and display their knowledge in a concise
manner in order to quickly engage an audience in their interview presentation. These skills can help with
students’ conversation skills and debate skills, which students can use to create change in their communities
in a larger political setting since they will be able to portray their ideas and their stance on a topic quickly and
accurately. This lesson will also help students recognize and understand elements of digital citizenship.
Students will learn about respect online, specifically about the elements of digital etiquette and digital law.
This lesson will help students understand the appropriate ways to communicate online and the appropriate
times to use technology in class. Students will become engaged citizens by understanding the professional
role they play in an online community.

Cross-Curricular Competencies:

Developing Thinking: This lesson will help students think and learn critically since students will be instructed
to analyze poor thesis statements on Survey Monkey and show their critiques for the poor thesis statements
by completely changing the thesis statements to make them stronger. The class Google Doc will also help
student develop their critical thinking since they will be asked to analyze their peers’ thesis statements for
their interview presentations and provide real-time feedback that their peers can use to improve their thesis
statements even more. Students will also be able to think and learn creatively since they will be able re-design
provided thesis statements from the teacher in order to make them stronger. Students will also work
together in order to create a visual representation of their learning and understanding of thesis statements
and the benefits of creating a strong thesis.

Developing Identity and Interdependence: This lesson will help students take an interest in their peers’
learning, especially during the class Google doc activity. Students will develop care for one another and their
learning progress regarding creating strong thesis statements. Students will understand that the comments
they provide to their peers about their thesis statements will ultimately help their peers improve as learners.
The teacher will show the thesis statements students improved and submitted on Survey Monkey to the class.
Some thesis statements may not be as strong as others, but students will come to respect and value the effort
and the varied abilities their peers have regarding improving thesis statements made apparent during this
activity.
Developing Literacies: Students will be able to acknowledge the different ways that they can communicate
and demonstrate their understanding with their peers. This lesson requires students to use technology in
order to investigate new ideas and deepen their understanding of thesis statements. Students will also be
able to use technology in this lesson to help show their understanding and learning not only to the teacher,
but to their peers as well. This will help students understand that there can be multiple ways to demonstrate
their learning and understanding, and this will specifically be made apparent during the class brainstorm
activity since students will be able to use voice clips, images, writing, etc. to showcase their understanding.
Students will also be given the opportunity to respond to their peers’ thesis statements by providing helpful
feedback to their peers. Students will have to be responsible and appropriate when it comes to responding
and commenting on their peers’ statements.

Developing Social Responsibility: A class discussion in this lesson will go over the possible consequences of
students choosing to be disrespectful, rude, and inconsiderate when providing feedback and comments on
their peers’ thesis statements. Students will then come to understand that there will always be consequences
for their actions on themselves and others. This lesson includes several class discussions, and these class
discussions will encourage students to be respectful and sensitive of the different ways thoughts and ideas
are expressed in the class. The Google Doc activity will help students provide support to their peers since they
are required to provide helpful feedback on their peers’ thesis statements in order to help their peers develop
and improve their thesis statements further.

Outcome(s):

CC 20.2 – Speak to present ideas and information appropriately in informal (including discussions and
collaborative work) and formal (including an interview, a dramatic reading, and introducing and thanking a
speaker) situations.

PGP Goals:

2.4 – Ability to use technologies readily, strategically, and appropriately

 This goal has been accomplished since this lesson has been modified by strategically incorporating
different technological resources into the lesson’s activities not only to increase student involvement
and interest regarding thesis statements, but also to help students engage in higher order thinking
skills (analyzing, evaluating, and creating). Survey Monkey has been added to the lesson to help
students analyze poor thesis statements in order to improve them. A class Google Doc will help
students evaluate the thesis statements of their peers in order to provide them with real-time
feedback. Lastly, the Stoodle allows students to share and create a visual representation of their
thoughts and ideas. All the technologies used in the lesson are used strategically to ensure all
students achieve all areas of higher order thinking skills.

Stage 2- Assessment
Assessment FOR Learning (formative) Assess the students during the learning to help determine next steps.

The students’ responses gathered during the talking circle will be used to determine what the students
already know and what they do not know. The information collected during the talking circle will help the
teacher determine what needs to be reviewed and focused on regarding thesis statements. The students will
submit their improved thesis statements on Survey Monkey. The teacher will know who submitted what
thesis statements before thesis statements are anomalously projected onto the board. Using Survey Monkey
will help the teacher determine which students understand how to create a strong thesis and which students
struggling. The teacher will now know to what students need a little extra help, and the teacher can provide
this extra help while circulating the classroom and spending one-on-one time with the student in order to
help the student work through any struggles they may have. The teacher can also use the fixed thesis
statements submitted on Survey Monkey to see if there are any reoccurring issues students seem to be
having. The teacher can then address the class and work through any reoccurring issues together as a class.

Assessment OF Learning (summative) Assess the students after learning to evaluate what they have learned.

This lesson does not include summative assessment. Students’ final thesis statements will be assessed the day
of their interview presentation.

Stage 3- Learning Plan

Motivational/Anticipatory Set (introducing topic while engaging the students)

Activity 12.1 – Talking Circle: What is a thesis and what makes a thesis good?

A teacher will ask the students to arrange their chairs in a circle in order to create a talking circle. The teacher
will explain that talking circles originated with First Nations leaders and the process was used to ensure that
all leaders in the tribal council were heard and that those who were speaking were not interrupted to the
students. The teacher will also introduce the talking stick to the students and explain that the person holding
the talking sick has the only right to speak and that the talking circle will be passed to the left. The teacher will
also discuss how if a person does not wish to speak then they can pass the stick to the next person. The
teacher must ensure to discuss the importance of listening and learning from others during this discussion.
The teacher will start off the talking circle by asking the students if they can define a thesis and what some
characteristics of a good thesis are and why the students believe the characteristics of a thesis they came up
with are good and make a thesis strong. Each student will have the have the opportunity to speak if they
choose to.

Duration: 10 minutes

Main Procedures/Strategies:

Activity 12.2 – Thesis Examples

Students will be shown a PowerPoint Presentation consisting of three slides. First, a poor thesis will be
projected on the board following a strong thesis and then a mediocre thesis. The students will engage in a
think-pair-share activity for each thesis shown to the class. The students will be asked to think about what
makes the thesis strong or weak. The students will also be asked to think about where the thesis could
improve on too. Students will then turn to an “elbow partner” to discuss the projected thesis and share their
ideas and thoughts. Then the class will come together to discuss the thesis and the students’ findings.

Duration: 20 minutes

Activity 12.3 – Fix the Thesis

The students will watch “Writing Ninjas: How to write A Strong Thesis Statement” on YouTube. The students
use the information provided in the clip in order to help them work through this activity. Students will be
provided with a Survey Monkey link. The link will bring the students to a page where they will be asked to fill
their name into a blank box before pressing next. Students will then come to a new page after clicking next,
and this page will showcase 3 different poorly written thesis statements. Students will have to improve the
thesis statements by re-writing a new thesis statement in the box below the original thesis statement.
Students will be instructed to press submit when they have completed the Survey Monkey. The teacher will
bring up the improved thesis that the students created in the Survey Monkey once all students are completed
filling in the survey. The teacher will be sure to explain how the names behind student answers will appear
anonymous on the board. The teacher will go over the improved thesis statements that the students came up
with and have a class-discussion about the strengths and weaknesses found in improved thesis statements.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n0f_bR5aoc

Duration: 15 minutes

Activity 12.4 – Work on Your Own Thesis Statement

Students will be given the rest of class time to construct, develop, or improve the thesis statement of their
interview presentations and share their improved thesis on a class Google document. Students will be able to
provide real time feedback on their peers’ thesis. This will help all students apply their received feedback from
peers to help improve the quality of their thesis statements. However, it is essential that the teacher discuss
with the class the guidelines when it comes to providing feedback to their peers online. Cyberbullying and
harassment will have to be discussed prior to this activity so that students understand the respectful and
appropriate ways to communicate online.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IETySlTqYTVZmOnZHbSGfJwY-gMwqRD4rKkH80hfmKs/edit

Duration: 10 minutes

Adaptations/Differentiation:

 Students will be given a paper copy of the PowerPoint presentation. This will help students will visual
impairments since they will be able to look and analyze the thesis statements closer to their eyes
 Students will also be given headphones to plug into their computers. These headphones give students
the option to use sound during the class activities. This provides an opportunity for students to
highlight words on Survey Monkey and click the option to have those highlighted words read out
loud. This will benefit EAL students who have troubles reading in English or students with visual
impairments
 The subtitles will be turned on in the settings of YouTube so that students with hearing impairments
can read along as the video is being played
  The Stoodle activities offers students the option to add in clips of voice recordings. EAL students who
feel more comfortable speaking in English than writing in English will be able to show their
understanding through voice clips

Closing of lesson:

Activity 12.5 – Class Brainstorm

Students will be provided to a link to Stoodle, which acts as a virtual whiteboard that provides real-time
collaboration and communication. The teacher will explain Stoodle and how it allows students to add
drawings, text, voice clips, and images from the internet in order to express their thoughts and ideas. The
students will open the link to find the starting of a mind map being created. There will only be one box in the
center of the blank page which will read “results of a good thesis.” Students will be instructed to add to the
mind map whichever way they choose. Students have discussed good thesis statements and worked through
improving thesis statements throughout the lesson, and this closing activity will help students make the
connection between good thesis statements and the result it creates through an interactive way.

https://stoodle.ck12.org/

Duration: 5 minutes