Angela Siplin

amazingkidsclassroom.weebly.com
EDU-225
December 20, 2014

Raft Card 1: Global Warming

ROLE (student)
Row 1

Objective:

Student scientist

AUDIENCE
Parents, Teachers
and School
Administrators at
school's Open
House

FORMAT
Informative
PowerPoint
presentation

TOPIC
What's the big deal
about "Global
Warming"

Students will be able to explain the causes and effects of climate change (Global Warming) and
how it negatively affects the earth's ecosystem. Students will also discuss what they can do to
help.
Student Role:
Scientist and the Global Warming Affect
Audience:
Parents, Teachers and Administrators
Format:
An informative PowerPoint presentation
Topic:
What's the big deal about "Global Warming"

Directions:

Students will be working in groups to present and explain Global Warming

Visit the Student's Guide to Global Climate Change

http://www.epa.gov/climatestudents/ to learn more about Global Warming

Create a 6-slide powerpoint presentation https://www.pinterest.com/seogoogle/freepowerpoint-templates/

Your six slides should include: what is Global Warming; the Greenhouse Effect; how
climate change negatively affect the earth's ecosystem; what you can do to help

Practice within your group to present your part of the presentation

Resources:
Understanding Global Warming
http://www.kidzworld.com/article/4858-understanding-global-warming
Center for climate and energy solutions
http://www.c2es.org/science-impacts/basics/kids
Kids Corner, Global Warming Videos
http://www.neok12.com/Global-Warming.htm

Assessment:
Each group will present a 4-minute presentation explaining what is Global Warming, how it
affects the ecosystem and what you can do to help.
You will receive 50 points for group participation and 25 points for each of the two slides you
contribute to the group project.

Raft Card 2: Pollution and Air Quality

ROLE (student)
Row 2

Objective:

Journalist

AUDIENCE
Listeners of the
local TV Channel 12

FORMAT
Podcast report

TOPIC
What can humans
do to help the
environment in
which we live and
depend upon?

Students will learn how pollution affects air quality. Students will also discover ways in which
they can help the environment from pollution.
Student Role:
Journalist
Audience:
Listeners of the local TV Channel 12
Format:
Podcast report
Topic:
What can humans do to help the environment in which we live and depend upon?

Directions:

Watch the video What is Air Pollution? Causes & Effects | Mocomi Kids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9YDMsehsMQ

Students will research what is pollution and how it affects the air and human health.

Students will create a http://www.podcasts.com explaining how air pollution affects air
and human health.

Student will broadcast the podcast on Channel 12.

Resources:
What's All The Fuss About Air Pollution?

http://www.hcdoes.org/airquality/kids/pollution.htm
All About Pollution
http://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-pollution/
What is Air Pollution for Children?
http://eschooltoday.com/pollution/air-pollution/what-is-air-pollution.html
Environment for Kids: Air Pollution
http://www.ducksters.com/science/environment/air_pollution.php

Assessment:
Students will present a 2-minute podcasts report explaining what is air pollution and how it
affects the air we breathe and our health to their classmates.
Students will receive up to 100 points on their broadcast report.

Raft Card 3: Endangered Species

ROLE (student)
Row 3

Cheetah

AUDIENCE
Humans

FORMAT
Voki presentation

TOPIC
Why do people
hunt animals? Do
you know we are
near extinction?

Objective:
Students will learn the number one cause of animal extinction is because of human activity.
Student Role:

Endangered Cheetahs
Audience:
Humans
Format:
An informative voki presentation
Topic:
Why do people hunt animals? Do you know we are near extinction?

Directions:

Watch the endangered species video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0W4SZkyXqs

Students will research material on the endangered cheetah and human impact of their
near extinction

Students will write a brief storyboard about the endangered cheetah from their research

Students will create a http://www.voki.com to present to class

Resources:
Animal Extinction and Endangerment, Main Causes
http://www.tropical-rainforest-animals.com/Animal-Extinction.html
Rescuing Cheetahs

http://www.timeforkids.com/news/rescuing-cheetahs/86681
What's The Problem: Endangered Animals for Kids
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/endangered_animals/whats
_the_problem.htm

Assessment:
Students will present a 2-minute voki presentation explaining endangered species and why
people hunt animals for pleasure or trading.
Students will receive 50 points on research material and 50 points on presentation.

Entry 3: Differentiating Instruction through Technology

Teaching in the classroom is more than creating lesson plans, quizzes and tests,
assessments, organizing the classroom, etc. Teaching is also about building teacher/student
relationships. Within the classroom, there will be a diverse group of students, each with different
personalities and a variety of ways they learn. To understand how students learn you must first
recognize your student's learning style, their interests and their academic skills level in order to
meet their individual needs. Differentiating instruction through technology is a method to
include and engage all students into the learning process with respect to their individual learning
style, what level they are academically, and their specific interests.

Technology to Differentiate Instruction

(Pinterest.com)
Pinterest is a visual discovery, collection and storage tool that you can use to find all of
your projects and interests. Students can create a pinboard (bookmark) by selecting an item,
page, website, etc. and pinning it to an existing or newly created board. Pinterest acts as a
personalized media platform where you can manage its content. Students can personalize their
experiences by pinning items, creating boards and interacting with other members. Students can
link their boards to Facebook and Twitter profile and access Pinterest through the iPhone
application. Pinterest can be an organizational tool for students to manage important media
assignments or projects.
(Camtasia Studio.org):
Camtasia Studio is a video program that allow you to record your PowerPoint
presentations, screencasts, audio tracks, and instructional videos. The video delivery content of
this tool is high quality in which you have the ability to record and edit. This tool allows you to
share videos with viewers on the Web or nearly any mobile device, such as smartphones and
iPads. By using Camtasia Studio, you can significantly increase student learning and retention.
Camtasia Studio provide teachers the technology that would fully engage students and bring out
their creative skills by combining visual, audio and text material to produce high quality videos.
(edublogs.org):
Most students already use services like social media networks, presentation builders,
video creations, audio clips and other media devices. Edublogs provide a central location for
teachers and students to publish their work. It is an online hub for teachers keeping parents and

students informed by publishing assignments, calendars, resources, and important news. For
students, it provides and safe and engaging platform to publish their work from any device such
as tablets or phones. Students can collaborate with other students within the classroom, outside
the classroom or connect with other students globally. This tool can motivate learning through
interacting socially; whereas, some students have a difficult time face-to-face.
Pros and Cons
Teachers should use the power of technology to differentiate instruction to provide
choices and tools for student learning. In order to effectively differentiating instruction through
technology, there must be at least one computer with internet access in the classroom. Not
having internet access hinders this method. Many teachers realize the potential technology has
in addressing the needs of helping students learn and who would not learn without the use of
technology based differentiated instruction (Kara-Soleriou, 2009). Some teachers feel students
between K-3 are too young to comprehend technology, as in music, therefore, technology would
be deliberately not included (Burns, 2006). After giving it serious thought, she felt it would be a
disadvantage to not differentiate instruction to reach every child (her musically gifted students
and the students who felt musically challenged) in her music class. Overall, differentiating
instruction requires considerable effort and efficient time management skills to implement this
idea. Therefore, teachers who use differentiated instruction should be flexible in ways they
organize curriculum to teach their students by addressing their learning styles, interests and
ability (Tomlinson, 2001).
In conclusion, methods in which the teacher plans instruction should encourage students
to explore, think, learn, and improve. By knowing your students interests, academic level and

learning styles, you are able to provide each of them with experiences to improve learning by
using knowledge to plan instruction that gives students options for taking in information. It is
important for the teacher to recognize the differences and similarities amongst their students.
Differentiating instruction through technology can help teachers meet the needs of each
individual student in the classroom.

References:
Burns, A.M. (2006). Integrating Technology into your Elementary Music Classroom. General
Music Today, 20(1), 6-10.
Kara-Soleriou, J. (2009). Using Technology to Differentiate Instruction across Grade Levels.
New England Reading Association Journal, 44(2), 86-90.
Tomlinson, C.A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability
classrooms (2n" ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.