Classroom Blog and Website Creation Tools

Lesson Idea Name: Geography of Mexico

Content Area: Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 6th Grade
Content Standard Addressed: SS6G1 Locate selected features of Latin America. a. Locate on a world and
regional political-physical map: Amazon River, Amazon Rainforest, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic
Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Panama Canal, Andes Mountains, Sierra Madre Mountains, and Atacama Desert.
Technology Standard Addressed:

Selected Technology Tool:

☒ Blog ☐ Wiki ☐ Other: Website Creation Tool (list):

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): https://swalla.edublogs.org

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☐ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☐ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level): (Level determined by the specific lesson idea)
☐ Level 1: Awareness ☒ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

Engagement: Students will be engaged because they are accessing the classroom blog and completing the
assignment from home. The assignment allows them to work at their own pace and add information that they
feel is most relevant.
Representation: All students will be represented for this lesson. For the students who do not have access to
the Internet at home, I plan on giving them the opportunity to complete this assignment during class where
they can use technology to complete, or letting them have an extended deadline of the assignment.
Action and Expression: Students will be able to take action and express themselves during this assignment
since they are accessing and completing it from home.

Lesson idea implementation: Before students leave for the extended weekend, students will be introduced to
the standard. We will spend some time as a class viewing a Map of Latin America. For their flipped classroom
assignment, they will access the information on the classroom blog. There are directions posted for the
assignment that ask students to complete their first map of Latin America (Mexico) after viewing the video.
Both the link to the YouTube video and the Microsoft Word document are posted on the page as well. When
students return from class, I will grade their maps for completion and allow students to create new maps as
needed if things have been mislabeled. This is because we will have a brief discussion over the video and talk
about the future maps they will create for Latin America.
Importance of technology: It is important to use technology for this assignment, however, it can be done
without technology. Students would be able to complete this assignment using their textbook or other
resources to find the answers to the graphic organizer. However, students will become more informed digital
citizens if they are asked to use the class blog for the flipped classroom assignment.

Inspiration (optional):
Internet Safety and Student Privacy: I plan on following the school district’s policies for Internet safety by
reading the handbooks on the guidelines. I will send home any needed permission forms to parents and
assess their feedback accordingly. I will also filter students’ posts so that they cannot post anything
inappropriate to the blog.
Summer 2017_SJB
 Classroom Blog and Website Creation Tools

Reflective Practice: This assignment might not be available for all students. This is due to the fact that not all
students have access to the Internet at home. For students who may be in this situation, I would be sure to
give them other options. One of the things I could do is to give students an extended amount of time to
complete the assignment at school. They could use the library or a computer in class to watch the video and
complete the graphic organizer. Another thing I could do for this assignment would be to print the transcript
of the video for these students who might need it.

Summer 2017_SJB