I watched the voicethreads of Katie, Trisha, and Heather.

Overall, I think using this science activity in a first grade classroom would be good. It is interactive and includes many different modes,so it helps students to remember what they learn and to enjoy learning it. Also, it allows students to utilize their natural curiosity and to explore.

One downside of using this activity in an elementary classroom is it could get messy! (But there are lots of things much messier than water!!! :)) Also, the kids would have to be prepared beforehand to do this activity without needing the teacher to walk them through the whole thing individually.

Voicethread - "Sink or Float"

Week 7 - Science Challenge PLANNING

(Krysta and Rebekah)

1.Describe the technology-enhanced science activity that you will be doing.
· Teacher will present a deep bowl with water, and hold up a rock and a feather.
· Students will be asked if which object they think will sink, and which object they think will float.
· Then, teacher will put each object in the bowl, one at a time, and test the student’s predictions.
· Now, students will be put in groups. Each group will have a 100 ml cylinder (filled to 75 ml of water). They will also be provided with seven items-some which float and some which sink.
· Students will make predictions for which items they think will float and which items they think will sink. The teacher will listen to the students’ predictions. Then, the teacher will ask the students to come up with a hypothesis of why they think certain items will sink, and why other items will float.
· Next, students will experiment their predictions and hypotheses by placing each object in the cylinder, one at a time. (Meanwhile, teacher will walk around and help groups, if needed).
· Students will record their findings on kidspiration, in the sink or float activity.
· Teacher and students will discuss the predictions/hypotheses, and then say what actually happened when they experimented, based on the data (measurements they have).

2.After your description include in your answers to these three TPACK questions:

i. What is the content you will be focusing on in your science activity?
Standard 3 Students will develop an understanding of their environment.
Objective 2 Investigate water and interactions with water.
b. Compare objects that float and sink in water.

ii. What is the pedagogy you will be using and why is it a good fit with the content?
Pedagogy: Observing , Predicting, describing relationships, Hypotheses, Analyzing data. This fits with the content because we are trying to compare objects that sink or float in water, and to do so we need to set up a science experiment using the pedagogy listed above. The kids will learn more like this, rather than just hearing the teacher lecture because it becomes more engaging and interactive.

iii. What is the technology you'll be using and why is it a good fit with the content and pedagogy?
Kidsperation- it makes it easy to record data. It also has the sink and float lists side by side, making it visually easier to compare sink/float items and results.

iv. How would you describe the representation of the content produced by the technology you use in your science activity and in what way would it help students better understand the objective you are aiming to teach?
The representation is multi-modal because it is visual, dynamic, and textual.
This helps students better understand our objective because first, they can work on a hands-on activity that visually proves their predictions and observations of objects either sinking or floating in water. Then, they have further experience with the concept when they record data on kidsparation- working with technology visually, dynamically, and textually.

Ecosystem Virtual Tour

Week 6 (please also see previous post)

I took a look at Andrea's, Katie's, and Rachel's tours. I'm not sure if I'm doing it right, but what I saw was cool.

I think the biggest upside for using a virtual tour in an elementary classroom is that it allows students to experience on some level what it would be like to be at locations that they cannot really go to. It's also a great way to incorporate technology into the curriculum.

The main downsides I see are that it takes a lot of time to prepare and technology can be very frustrating for some teachers and students.

Important Note - Week 6

I've been spending a long time on this, and I simply cannot seem to be able to figure out how to upload a kmz file online. The links for that at http://ipt287f09s3.pbworks.com/Virtual-Tour-Challenge do not work and I have failed to find directions anywhere. My tour is done, but perhaps you can help me upload it in class tomorrow? Thanks.

Week 5

Social Studies, Third Grade - Standard 1, Objective 2a:

Describe the major world ecosystems (i.e. desert, plain, tropic, tundra, grassland, mountain, forest, wetland).

I chose to do this topic because I thought it would be cool for students to actual see such vastly different types of landscape. In giving them this assignment, I am assuming that we already discussed in class what an ecosystem is and some of the types that I figure they are more likely to already know/be able to easily figure out (i.e. grassland, mountain, forest, and wetland.) I tried to pick mainly ecosystems that I thought would be less familiar to them (i.e. desert, plain, tropic, and tundra.)

My representation of this content will help my students to better understand because it connects actual visual images with the ecosystem names and allows students to figure out for themselves the characteristics that are typical of each type of ecosystem.

(Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to embed my table without cutting part of it off :( I'm sorry!)

Location	Activity Description	Google Earth Content
1. Sahara (desert)	Watch video found here: Sahara Desert Video Based on this, what do you think makes a desert a desert? Would you want to live in a desert? Why/Why not?
2. Arctic (tundra)	There are actually two types of tundra. One is arctic tundra and the other alpine tundra. Look at the picture and describe what an arctic tundra looks like.	picture
3. Amazon, Brazil (tropic)	Watch video about rain in the rainforest. How do you think the ecosystem "rainforest" got its name? (Hint: think about both parts of the word.)	rain in rainforest video
4. Serengeti, Tanzania (plain)	Look at the pictures called "Serengeti landscape," "Serengeti - Elephants in the sunset," and "Wildebeest migration - Serengeti." What does the elevation of land in these pictures have to do with each other that is different from much of Utah's land elevation?	pictures