Technology Integration Lesson Plan

This lesson will be the culmination of a unit on World War I and its effects on the United States. I plan to use Google Drive, Socrative Teacher, and Powtoon; as well as a flipped lesson as the base of the lesson. I remember participating in a mock Treaty of Paris during my junior year of High School that has stuck with me. I was given the task of negotiating the Russian stance during the treaty; I failed miserably. The United States moved the iron curtain 500 miles further west than the real negotiations dictated. I still recieved an A for the lesson even though I totally missed the mark on my negotiations. I remember this lesson because of my mistakes; because we were encouraged to make mistakes. I was looking for something similar during this lesson on World War I.
     I have no real classroom or lesson building experience, so I searched for something similar to my Treaty of Paris experience but with the Treaty of Versailles. This is a crucial lesson to me due to its implications on the next 100 years and beyond. This lesson based on Paul J. Verstraete's lesson, linked below, is a great base for me to develop the same experience using some technological advancements. I will present a flipped lesson for homework the night before. The lesson will review the end of the war along with the situation heading into the treaty of Versailles.  When the class meets, they will be split into three groups, each representing a major allied power after World War I; there is emphasis on a total lack of German power.
     After a short review of the flipped lesson, the class will meet in their groups to read about their country's motivations and leaders on Google Drive. During the actual negotiations, I will moderate by presenting each debated question (a whole worksheet in Google Drive) on Socrative Teacher. Each question will be voted on until a majority (2/3 groups) agrees; the votes can be visually seen on the smartboard. Each question should take about 7 minutes or so (ideally a 90 minute period or two 45 minute periods).
     The lesson is wrapped up by displaying what the class negotiations resulted in and what the actual negotiations resulted in. The goal is to show the distraught state Germany was left in, as well as the all around destruction of the European powers. This is the first time the U.S. was given a seat at the adult table and it is very important to understand how that happened.
     Below is the link to my Common Curriculum outline. I found this source extremely useful. It is simple, free, and accessible (the tool to insert NJCCCS standards is amazing). I can say that I will definitely use Common Curriculum and Socrative Teacher in the future; both to hopefully facilitate this lesson.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8jY-Ww6dYCHZW1fYUxoTHJmS1E

Using Critical Thinking to Find Trustworthy Websites

This video lesson follows Emily Koch as she teaches her middle school class about the trustworthiness of websites. She first reviews some new vocabulary that will act as scaffolding for the lesson - such as, trustworthiness, evaluate and biased. The lesson requires the class to search for articles discussing the pros and cons of all-year-around schooling. Ms. Koch provided a worksheet/checklist for the students to fill out for some websites they find. The worksheet gives the basis for what may or what may not be a trustworthy, unbiased website. Ms. Koch chooses a topic that is controversial and engaging for the students; many of them do not like the idea upon first exposure. She closes the class with a quick questionnaire about what could be red flags for a non-trustworthy website and why its important to exercise these skills while conducting research.

This is a vital skill for any student or adult to be a valuable member within a democratic society. People need to be able to recognize a relatively unbiased source from a very biased source. Within the realm of social studies, this skill is always important given the often divisive nature of some topics. Using this teaching technique will be helpful as a refresher for high school students, but also as scaffolding to further shape students research skills. I would pair this lesson with a class teaching about vetting a source, author or publisher. Students must be able to uncover these details in order to fully understand where a view or stance is coming from. I will ask my students to present evidence of a valid source of information cited in an article, where the information came from and whether they trust it.

This lesson is important for all students in all grades; I will feel responsible as a social studies teacher to constantly improve this skill in my students.    




https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/analyzing-websites-with-students

Improving Research Skills with Effective Keywords

This short video displays a lesson about improving student research skills online. The teacher, Olga Ramos, first introduces the goal of the lesson and some previeous and new vocabulary. The lesson is aimed to show kids how to refine their research techniques using key words. Ms. Ramos uses a great introduction that requires students to describe something without saying it, using synonyms and descriptions. She asks her students to discuss amongst themselves what they did to describe the objects. The main lesson is called "Fetch" and it requires the students to find out what foods are toxic to dogs, what dogs are smartest, what jobs can dogs do for people, and what are some of the smallest and largest types of dogs? The students will only be able to use one key word to search for the first answer and must document whether or not they think the sites they found are useful. For each subsequent question, the students may add one more keyword to search with. This exercise shows the students how using multiple key words while researching is crucial, while also showing them that the keyewords they choose is equally important.

The lesson seems very successful and effective. Students need to learn that their research techiniques, use of synonyms and precision are very important while finding new or supporting information. These skills are crucially important in any social studies class, which will inevitably require individual research. I plan to use similar techniques in high school to teach students how to use key words and phrases to search within an academic database like EBSCOhost  to find primary and secondary sources. Students could do the same initial exercise using google search and limited keywords as scafolding before asking them to search on an academic database. This skill is key for any student who is interested in a college education. At the same time, being able to research any topic is a key skill for any adult in our modern society.



https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teaching-strategies-internet-research

Practical Application - Wikispaces

Wikispaces is a useful way for teachers and students to share information they have researched or compiled for a class or lesson. Teachers can create a Wikispace for a class that includes a schedule, syllabus, projects and general class information. Students could be required to, in groups or alone, create a Wikispace regarding a topic or lesson in which they compile information in a succinct format for their fellow students to read. This app could be used to create a digital Jigsaw activity for the class to collectively gather information on a broad and complex topic.

Wikispaces provides free access for teachers and students, with a $1,000 yearly fee to connect a school, district or campus all in one space. Wikispaces is designed for educators and is easily edited, adjusted and promotes an active atmosphere within the classroom, the free version is plenty for any single teacher.

Below are a few images of Wikispaces in action...


Wikispaces is a helpful tool for teachers to keep students involved, including the ability to monitor student progress.
  

Users can customize their pages with ease, including uploading photos, videos or any sources from the web.



Projects and homework can be added with a description, instructions and due date. Teachers can set an automatic reminder when an assignment is due.

Practical Application - Powtoon

Powtoon is a Powerpoint or Prezi style presentation application that is very useful for the classroom. Powtoon uses animations, characters and voice or music to liven up a lecture or lesson. A teacher can introduce a topic or provide a review that keeps the student's attention and enthusiasm. The app can be used in a flipped classroom situation to provide students with the information needed to expand their thoughts in the classroom. Presentations are easily sharable via social media, email or youtube. Powtoon can be used by students for projects and presentations, but the learning curve is a bit steep. The tutorial is very thorough and helpful, but the application can still prove to be complicated.  

Powtoon is a free application with a premium package that allows access to more animations and features. Powtoon Pro is $89 per month if subscribed one month at a time, or $228 a year ($19 per month) if subscribing a year at a time. It is a hefty price for a presentation app, but if used correctly it could be worth it.

The biggest complaint with the app is if a user chooses the free version, Powtoon Pro only options still show up while building the slides. This can create confusion while compiling animations or transitions for a presentation.

Below are a few images of Powtoon in action...

There are many animation options and actions to live up a lesson. Every slide, down to the second of each action, is customizable.


Users can choose to record their voice and speak as the slides provide images and information.


There are a wide array of sharing options, most are free to use without the Pro version.



Users can customize everything in the presentation, including uploading images, music and recordings.

Practical Application - Padlet

Padlet is a very useful presentation and organization tool; my personal favorite teaching application. Padlet allows a teacher to compile videos, pictures, videos articles and other forms of media on a creative web page for students to access. A teacher can create a Padlet for every unit that can includes lessons and further sources of information for students to access. The app can also be used by students to create a presentation or to collectively compile information and sources on a topic or theme.

Padlet is free to use, but offers a teacher package for $45 a year and a school package for $1499 a year. The teacher package allows for unlimited student accounts with the flexibility to keep students records year to year. The school package allows for unlimited teacher and student accounts.

The creative flexibility and simple features allows for quick learning and easy use. If a school does not provide laptops or tablets, Padlet offers both apple and android apps for smartphone use. I have no doubt that I will use Padlet in all of my future classrooms; the $45 will be money well spent.

Below are a few images of Padlet features...    

Users can easily add videos and play them within the window.


Padlets are easily edited and customizable, although some backgrounds and setups require a paid package.



Adding sources and links is as easy as copy and pasting a link, drag and drop a file or picture, or take a picture or video with the computer itself.

Practical Application - Lucidchart

Lucidchart is a great way to help students visualize and organize new information. Teachers can provide a template or structure for the students to fill out during the lesson or as a review. Lucidchart can be shared and collaborated between students and teachers online to help ensure everyone understands a topic or lesson.

There is a free subscription that limits access and templates. For $60 a year, customers receive all templates and documents as well as increased storage. The free subscription should prove to be plenty for a classroom situation.

This app can be very helpful to any social studies lesson. Topics and themes can often be dense and complicated. A sharable, collaborative visual representation of different lessons could prove to be hugely helpful to both the students and teacher.
Below are a few images of the features on Lucidchart...

The base or example template on Lucidchart.


There is an array of shape, format and text options to incorporate into the chart; including the ability to add photos.


Teachers and students can comment on different charts and live chat with each other.

Teens, Social Media and Technology

The Pew Survey - linked below - was conducted in 2015 and observed the forms of social media being used by teenagers. Much of the results are what I expected; boys use their smartphones for games more often than girls do, while girls use their smartphones for visual-oriented platforms like Instagram more often than boys. These results are not surprising considering boys and girls general likes and dislikes in high school.

There are definitely some eyebrow raising statistics in the study. There are 14% more African American teens with smartphones than white and Hispanic teens. I assumed the numbers would be much closer, if there was a difference at all. However, the most surprising statistic is how income effects which social media platform teens tend to use. As income increases, Facebook use steadily decreases. Similarly, as income increases, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram use steadily increase. Pew does not speculate as to the reason for this trend. I theorize that most high schools have a range of wealth within their student's families. Most high schools will have the bulk of their students within a certain income range, with very few schools modeling the exact nationwide wealth distribution. Perhaps the increased use of Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram among more wealthy teens simply shows a trend that has started in the wealthy schools first.

There are a few lessons to be learned in this survey as a teacher. The first is that cultural trends are not just drawn from race and ethnicity, but income and socioeconomics can have a huge effect as well and should be taken into account while teaching. I also think this survey shows that nearly all teens have a smartphone with access to unlimited distractions. As a teacher, I should aim to incorporate lessons and information using their smartphones to combat these distractions. If the students are occupied with an application for class, it will automatically prevent them from wandering to Facebook. Technology can be a friend of the classroom if it is used properly.   

Teens, Social Media and Technology Overview 2015 -

http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/

Practical Application - Socrative

Socrative Teacher is a wonderful application that allows a teacher to create entry and exit tickets that can be compiled as data on individual students and the class as a whole. The entry and exit tickets are posted by the teacher and students submit their answers on their computer or tablets. The app tracks each student's progress in the form of graphs and charts. There is also a "Space Race" feature that allows the teacher to split the class into teams who compete in a quiz show style competition. This allows the teacher to track their students progress in a fun and creative way. This application is free for one class setup - but if a teacher has multiple classes it requires yearly payment. The application is also reliant on wifi inside the classroom; if tablets with wifi are not readily available, the application is obviously useless. Below are a few images of the application...

The Home Page for the teacher.




This is the creation of a quiz or Space Race.


In the background is a view of a Space Race - In the foreground you can see options to view the data.



Socrative Teacher also allows teachers to share and reuse quizzes online.

Flipped Lesson

     I had a lot of trouble finding topics that fit my unit on World War I and the rise of the United States globally. I found this video, "World War I in 6 Minutes" could be very useful in quickly explaining a mostly European historical view of the war. For my lesson, the video will show the devastation and destruction felt by all in Europe and why it opened the door for the United States to gain power. The video lesson will give the students a detailed overview of World War I without consuming classroom time. The class will use the new information to discuss and debate the role of the United States, the effects of the war in the United States, and the importance of specific events. The students will debate and discuss in groups what forced Woodrow Wilson's hand - the Lusitania, the Mexican telegraph, or economic motivations. The goal of the actual class period will be to use the time to think critically about motivations, situations and related events. Instead of lecturing or teaching the events and countries involved in the war during class, they can learn outside and use the knowledge for active discussion.
     I think the idea of a flipped lesson is fantastic and TED Ed can be a huge help for a lesson. I think that the options for already made videos in social studies were lacking, but learning how to actually make a flipped lesson video will be necessary anyway. As a social studies teacher I will definitely be using a flipped lesson model for many lessons and topics. This tool can help stop me from continually giving mundane historical lectures class after class. Instead, the students can come to class and discuss, debate and explore the information they have acquired. This would promote more critical thinking and questioning, a main goal while teaching social studies.

Below is a link to the TEDEd lesson about World War I.

http://ed.ted.com/on/xhc9uVq7



   

Using Padlet to Plan a Unit About World War One and the U.S. as a World Power

Below is my Padlet previewing a unit plan for a U.S. History II class in High School. I chose World War One and the development of the United States as a world power because I feel it can often be overshadowed by World War Two. The entire philosophy of U.S. foreign policy was shaken at its core in 1917. The idea of the U.S. being "the world police" was born in this moment, leading us to the present day where intervention is not so much debated as it is expected. But the trade off is just as important. This decision to enter the war solidified the United States as a world power, second to no one. It is a complex and hugely important topic for U.S. citizens to fully understand. I gathered my unit goals and essential questions by looking at the NJCCCS for U.S. History and the goals that must be met while teaching this area of history. I also asked a few friends and family members who are currently teaching how to determine what questions are appropriate when constructing a unit plan. I think Lucidchart could be a fantastic tool for students to visualize the web of alliances and enemies that snowballed into WWI. It can also help to visualize the U.S. social debate over intervening or remaining isolated. Powtoon could be used in groups for the students to each research and summarize a country and their tumble into the war. Each group would display their summary for the class.

Teaching Social Studies Using Technology

My first reaction to this assignment is that I did not realize how many classroom specific or classroom capable apps are now available. My second reaction was how entertaining and helpful some of these apps could be for students and teachers. Social Studies is often non-interactive, lecture based lessons that can become repetitive and unapologetically dull to students. I hoped to find ways to use technology to facilitate group learning and to promote techniques like Jigsaw using the apps. All of the apps I chose promote sharing and group activities along with their defined technique. The goal of these apps is not to replace the teacher or diminish their role, but to make the lessons more attainable and enjoyable for the students. Wikispaces, GoConqr, WordPress and LucidChart are all ways to creatively restructure information, share information and visualize information for the students and as students. Quizizz is great for live opinion polls, entry quizzes and friendly competition between students during lessons. While Socrative is an amazing app for keeping data on student progress and comprehension. All of the apps are interchangeable in their uses and often overlap, but can all be used during classroom lessons, review and out of classroom activities. 

As a side note, Venngage is a great tool for easy info-graphs and presentations. It is easy to use, easily customizable and very useful when compiling thoughts and information. The free parts of the app are still very useful and it is not inhibiting to just use the free aspects.   


Venngage -
https://infograph.venngage.com/p/160100/social-studies-and-technology

The History of Technology: The Internet

     PowToon is a very useful tool for unique presentations for all ages and subjects. The website advertises to both the educational setting and the business setting with a huge variety of different backgrounds, transitions and text bubbles. There is definitely a learning curve to the program. I feel as though multiple uses of the application are needed in order to get the best production. Upgrading to a "Premium" package would also allow for more creativity.

     I think PowToon lends itself more towards story telling or a background presentation. In the classroom it could be used to set the stage for a new lesson. But it could also be used as a more entertaining way to present facts or slide shows. As a prospective high school Social Studies teacher, PowToon could be used to present a historical timeline of an event or as a tool to avoid the typical long winded history lecture.

     I tried to focus on the impact of the Internet or "The Web" in the classroom. The first thing I noticed was the delay of the implementation of computers into the classroom. Part of that is their long development from the 1940's to the present. But I believe that computers were most useful in the business and science industry where their memory and simulation could be exploited. The classroom - apart from possibly engineering or science intensive schools - had no need to computers. The development and streamlining of the world wide web changed the equation. In the 1990's computers became a necessity for schools and eventually all classrooms due to the importance of the internet. I also wanted to highlight the struggle that teachers can have with the still somewhat new (relative to other technologies in the classroom) world wide web in the classroom. I hope that my PowToon presentation covers these topics. Although, I do feel with some more practice I could have created a clearer and more creative presentation.

Here is where you can watch my PowToon:
https://www.powtoon.com/online-presentation/fcV8M1sy174/?mode=movie#/