Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Name: Ben’s Guide

Content Area: Branches of the Government
Grade Level(s): 3rd
Content Standard Addressed:
SS3CG1 Describe the elements of representative democracy/republic in the United States.
a. Describe the three branches of national government: executive (president), legislative
(Congress), and judicial (Supreme Court of the United States).

Technology Standard Addressed:

Standard 3- Knowledge Constructor

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: Ben’s Guide to the US Government

URL(s) to support the lesson: https://bensguide.gpo.gov/

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in your
classroom: Location of activity is under apprentice age 4-8 and branches of the government. I will have the
students get into groups of 3 (preferably if not possible could go up to 4). But idly they would be in 3 for each
branch of government. What they’ll do is each student will be a branch of government and they’ll do research
from Ben’s Guide on what that branch does and write down notes and information to help them.

After they do their research, they will play the branches of government game on the games section and play
their designated branch of government once the game is over, they will print their results for me to see and
turn inn their notes as well (to make sure they participate but they will be given back for study purposes).
Before they turn everything in, I will give the students a challenge. In their groups they’re going to trade notes
with the other branches and then try and play the game with the notes provided by the other students. (this
will happen twice since there are a total of 3 branches). This will help the students now learn/ teach the other
branches of government. And now that they have access to the cite, they can go back and study whenever
they want.

What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a classroom?
Desktop or Laptop
Printer

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 second part of the project when they switch paper and work with their peers to
understand the other branches of government.

b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (creating original data and or producing original
products as a result of engaging in a project): They will be submitting the result of the branches game.

c. Higher-order thinking: The students need to make sure they write notes that are good enough to help
themselves AND their group study and understand the information.

d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product: There is no
publish but students will be sharing their original notes with the other students to help them learn
about the other branches of government.

Spring 2018_SJB
 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):
☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☐ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☒ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): many students don’t enjoy working in groups and with this activity it will
help them out a bit because the work they do is not just for the group it’s also for themselves. If some
students are strong with technology while others are weaker, I will be sure to put the 2 in groups together so
that the ones who struggle can get an extra hand form the ones who are really good.

Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies: This project requires no publishing to any public
websites the only sharing will be in the classroom physically with other students. Ben’s Guide does not
require a log- in (so when the students turn-in their activity sheet they will have to write their name on it).

Reflective Practice: This is an introductory activity to branches of government in 3rd grade. This activity could
be further drawn out with more technology by having the groups create a presentation on what they learned
and present it to their classmates by the end of the week. This activity could also be done at home for
homework (if the technology is available at home) for a blended learning assignment.

Spring 2018_SJB