Wendy
Johnson
10th grade
Kuna School District
Content Area Objectives
Addressed:
Students will become aware of their options for choosing a
book to read.
Students will facilitate effective book discussions.
Students will write a book review to post to the class
website.
Students will draft, revise, peer edit and finalize an
editorial for submission to the
school paper.
Technology Objectives
Addressed:
Students will use a database to determine their free read
choice.
Students will use the web to
consult book reviews from classroom site and commercial sites.
Students will use the
SmartBoard.
Students will use email to
conduct effective on-line discussions.
What was the process that
your students went through to complete this lesson?
Students worked in groups of three to four and searched the database in partners in order to help them choose a book. Once the students had determined the answer to their search of which book is most like and least like To Kill a Mockingbird, students chose either the book that is most like or the one that is least like To Kill a Mockingbird to read as their book of choice. (I encouraged them to choose a book similar to To Kill a Mockingbird if they enjoyed reading TKAM and one that is completely different if they did not enjoy it.)
The students answered a series of questions using the Free Read Selection Sheet as well as brainstormed three additional questions they wanted to know the answer to in order to determine their choice. (See handout.)
Students also used websites that, along with the database, helped them to make a final decision of what book they read. The websites they consulted were:
www.kunaschools.org/khsla/Johnson/JE/book.htm
www.barnesandnoble.com
www.amazon.com
www.ala.org
Once they had chosen a book, students agreed upon and created a reading deadline calendar for their group and participate in on-line discussions. (See handout for on-line discussion parameters.)
Students also wrote a book review of their selection to post to the Journalistic English website.
Description of student
activities:
Day One:
Focus Question: Students brainstormed a list of books they have
read during their high school career, what type of reading they most enjoy and
how they currently choose a book to read or resources they consult to help them
make a decision.
Instruction: Using the SmartBoard, I instructed students on the basic
uses of databases, giving them enough information so they can ask questions of
the database. I demonstrated how to filter by form, filter by selection
and use operators such as "not equal to," ect.
Working in groups of three to
four through five different centers, students completed two of the following
tasks.
25 min. per center
Center 1: Database
Center at SmartBoard
Students will work with a partner at the computer to answer questions from the
free read selection list.
Center 2: Database at Center at front 2 computers
Because querying the database will take more time than the other centers,
students will have additional time to finish questioning the database at this
center.
Center 3: Website at back two computers
Students will read previous students reviews of available books for free read on
the classroom website and consult some commercial bookmarked sites.
Center 4: Writing at desks and on any open computers
Student will be drafting and editing the second draft of their editorials for
the school newspaper.
Center 5: Reading at desks
Students will read some sample editorials. They will identify the thesis,
supporting reasons and offer their opinions to the topic of each article that
the will record in a journal entry.
Day Two:
Student finished traveling through the centers.
Day Three:
Students wrapped up centers: turned in journal and free-read database sheet.
Students turned in their top five book choices and described how they came to
their conclusions.
Reviewed editorial rubric and finalize editorial by completing a self and
peer-edit.
Day Four: Students checked out books, met in book groups and decided reading calendar. Assignment: on-line discussion.
How did you monitor student
progress?
While students were working in the various centers, I walked around to each
group to make sure they were on task and to help them answer questions if they
hit roadblocks.
Was there a template or an
example that students were expected to follow?
Students were using a handout to guide them through answering questions in the
database.
How much time did you
dedicate to this project?
Four days to complete the lesson
About three weeks for students to finish reading
A week and a half for students to write their reviews after reading
Daily (approximate) 90 minute periods
How was the final product
presented?
Students posted a book review of their book of choice to my classroom website
(one of the sites they consulted at the beginning of the lesson.)
www.kunaschools.org/khsla/Johnson/JE/book.htm
Who was the audience for the
final product?
Their peers and future students.
Learning Issues
What prior knowledge was
required on the part of the students in order for them to be successful in this
project? (include curriculum and technology knowledge)
Students needed to have read To Kill a Mockingbird to have made the comparison
during the database.
Students will need to know
how to defend and support an opinion to write a review. They were learning this
by writing an editorial first.
It helped that most students were familiar with the web.
Students already knew how to use their email accounts and login to the network
from previous class activities.
Resource Management
What was the student to computer
ratio?
20 students to 7 computers
How did you schedule your
students’ computer time?
Structured in centers (see above). I made three technology centers so that
students would have more time on the computers. If they finished a center
early—they could also go to any open computer to begin the next task.
What was the location of the
computers and other technology equipment used by students?
I have five computers on counters at the back of the room, one computer on a
table at the front and a laptop attached to the SmartBoard at the front of the
room.
How would you suggest
beginning teachers obtain computer resources for their students? (Knowing some
of your strategies would be valuable for our pre-service teachers.)
Grants!
Participating in projects like this one (we received a laptop in this program).
Take classes and educate yourself on what’s available
Rate the level of access for
students to use computers/other technologies as they needed
--high, medium, low
High if teachers structure class time appropriately so every student can use the
technology. Plus, they can come in before and after school.
Rate the level of
supervision required for students during the project, specifically for computer
and other technology use –high, medium, low
High—the teacher’s job is to supervise, ensuring that students are using the
equipment appropriately and effectively
Materials
What hardware was required
for your project?
I used all 7 of my computers, but could modify the lesson for fewer if necessary
(it would just take more time).
SmartBoard—this helped me to show the class
how to ask questions of a database very effectively.
Projection device
What software was required for your
project?
Microsoft Access
Internet access
Pegasus Mail
Anything else?
Newspaper editorials
It is SO helpful for each student to have his/her own school account!
What kind of assessment did
you use for this project? (Include a copy if you can.)
I gave the students full credit for completing the free read datasheet as long
as they identified some patterns. I used a rubric
to assess the reviews.
What categories did you assess? (I.e.:
content, screen design, depth/breadth, etc.)
For the reviews, I assessed the basic components of a review (content), grammar,
mechanics and usage, understanding of audience and design of the page
Other
How does the product that
you submitted compare with other students’ products for this same project?
All of their reviews are posted to my website.
The copies of the free read database sheet were all
very comparable to what most students wrote down. They all seemed to identify
the same patterns. Every student
completed this assignment.
What did you like best about
this project?
Students learned how to more effectively choose a book to read instead of
relying on the same old same old. Students also learned a new tool by using the
database as well as learned a real-world skill.
What did the students like
best about this project?
They really liked reading the
reviews--they wanted to know what their previous peers had written about the
books. They also liked sorting the database--it was a new tool for them.
Rank the level of student involvement in this project –high, medium, low High
Rank the level of student
interest in this project –high, medium, low
High
Would you teach this lesson
again?
Absolutely.
Click
here to view the database
Click
here to view text file of data contained in the database
Link to
student reviews:
www.kunaschools.org/khsla/Johnson/JE/book.htm