 Children from families on welfare or near the poverty line have limited vocabularies compared to peers from higher socioeconomic households.  Smitha Middle School is a Title I school with an enrollment of 914 students (total students served throughout the year was 1,333).  80%- free lunch, 8%- reduced lunch.

 Low maternal education level  Decreased access to literature materials  Lack of exposure to literacy and cultural experiences  Higher number of children in the home  Amount of talk within the home  Higher likelihood of being from a single parent home

 E motional and Social Challenges  A cute and Chronic Stressors  C ognitive Lags  H ealth and Safety Issues Combined, these factors present an extraordinary challenge to academic and social success. A better understanding of these challenges points to actions educators can take to help their less-advantaged students succeed…Capstone Integration?

 Strong, secure relationships help stabilize children's behavior and provide the core guidance needed to build lifelong social skills.  Children raised in poor households often fail to learn these responses, to the detriment of their school performance. For example, students with emotional dysregulation may get so easily frustrated and give up on a task when success was just moments away.  Social dysfunction may inhibit students' ability to work well in cooperative groups, leading to their exclusion by group members who believe they aren't "doing their part”.

Students should be provided with rich vocabulary instruction through: 1. Utilizing questioning, 2. Providing brief explanations, 3. Pointing, 4. Clarifying and repeating when teaching higher level vocabulary to promote vocabulary development.

Students should be provided with rich vocabulary instruction through: 1. Utilizing questioning, 2. Providing brief explanations, 3. Pointing, 4. Clarifying and repeating when teaching higher level vocabulary to promote vocabulary development.

 How can technology support student learning?  How can technology be used to change students’ academic attitudes?  How can technology help students own their vocabulary mastery?

 A supplementary online course designed for special needs students to help master 7 th grade life science standards and elements would be beneficial.  The overall goals of creating an online learning environment for the students will provide equitable access to the curriculum and empower self-advocacy which encompasses academics and intrapersonal growth.

Unpacking Standards Evolution Introduction (Anticipation Guide) Evolution Power Point Introduction Evolution Power Point Graphic Organizer Evolution KIM Essential Questions Evolution Lab Evolution Web Quest Graphic Organizer Evolution Mini Quiz Evolution Mini Quiz 2 Evolution Culminating Project

 3 curriculum units- Genetics/Heredity, Evolution, Classification/Taxonomy  Technology integration  Positive, motivated candidate

 3 curriculum units- Genetics/Heredity, Evolution, Classification/Taxonomy  Technology integration  Positive, motivated candidate

 Behavioral interventions (ISS,OSS)  Deep rooted negative academic attitudes  Learning Lags (MID, LD, OHI, VI, 504)

 3 curriculum units- Genetics/Heredity, Evolution, Classification/Taxonomy  Technology integration  Positive, motivated candidate  Behavioral interventions (ISS,OSS)  Deep rooted negative academic attitudes  Learning Lags (MID, LD, OHI, VI, 504)

 Students WANTED to come to class (attendance concern)  Students WANTED to collaborate with one another (appropriate social interactions)  Students WANTED to participate with technology (academic confidence)  Students WANTED to engage in learning (overcoming off task behavior and frustration)

 Students WANTED to come to class (attendance concern)  Students WANTED to collaborate with one another (appropriate social interactions)  Students WANTED to participate with technology (academic confidence)  Students were engaged in learning (overcoming off task behavior and frustration)

With FULL YEAR technology support integration 7 th grade life science students:  Will change their attitudes about HOW they can learn!  Will increase their vocabulary!  Will increase home-school communication via !  Will learn THEY CAN!

 Unit 1- Interdependence of Life  Unit 2- Energy Flow and Nutrient Cycling  Unit 3- Structure & Function of Cells  Unit 4- Human Body