1. + STEM Innovations through Blended Learning: Awesome Animals Clermont County Gifted Program Heather Frost-Hauck, Gifted Intervention Specialist Bethel-Tate and Williamsburg Local School District in Partnership with the Clermont Co. ESC E. Renee King, Gifted Intervention Specialist “Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self- confidence..” -Robert Frost

2. + How our program evolved…

3. + Our Mission To develop a program that blended virtual learning with face-to-face lessons

4. + 2008-2010 Jumping in! Moodle – It’s free! Discussion threads, blogs, WIKIs, on-line assignments Piloted a course with students from two districts and then expanded to other districts Began with what we knew worked ESC received two grants to purchase computers and materials

5. + 2010-2013 Building our Program! Moodle plus It’s Learning for online courses Establishment of STEM Center for face-to-face interaction Multiple districts participating, and currently expanding Grades 3-8 Field trips and culminating events help enrich our students’ learning experiences

6. + Two halves to our program: STEM Center – Face-to-Face Lessons Moodle and It’s Learning – Our Virtual Platforms

7. + What the research says…

8. + Lander Center for Educational Research (Touro College) Online Learning… Is personalized and adaptive to meet individual needs. Supports high levels of cognitive engagement in meeting learning objectives. Balances computer- or teacher-led guidance with learner control. “The distinctive advantage of online learning is that it gives control of time, place, and pace to the learner. Online instruction holds great promise for achieving high-level learning outcomes when it is designed according to research-based principles and utilizes adaptive technologies to meet individual learning needs.” - Marcella Bullmaster-Day, Ed. D., study author

9. + iLearn Project: Highlights benefits of blended learning that are in addition to those normally found in on-line courses: Differentiated Learning Multiple Learning Modalities Student Ownership Physical Location Data-Driven Teacher Attention 21 st Century Preparation Potential Cost Savings Student-Focused

10. + U.S. Department of Education’s Meta-Analysis: Results lean in favor of blended and online learning producing greater student gains than traditional methods alone. Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, regarding this study: “This new report reinforces that effective teachers need to incorporate digital content into everyday classes…” “Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning”

11. + What components make up a blended learning unit?

12. + Engaging and Challenging Face- to-Face Lessons

13. + Course Home Page

14. + Online Lessons

15. + Online Resources and Uploaded Files

16. + Online Assignments

17. + Quizzes and Tests

18. + Discussion Forums

19. + WIKIs

20. + Glossaries

21. + Blogs

22. + Online Messaging

23. + A Sample Blended Learning Unit…

24. + Chemistry 101 – 5 th and 6 th Grade

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28. + Online Informational Text

29. + Background Information on Mixtures

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33. + Discussion Thread

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35. IS IT A MIXTURE :) by Brooke - Thursday, 19 February 2009, 11:10 AMBrooke A tossed salad is a mixture because you mix all the vegtables together. A chocolate cake is not a mixture it is chemical change, you have to cook it. A pitcher of kool aid is not a mixture because the powder disolves and becomes as water. salt water is mixure because when you boil the water you get back salt!! An omlet is not a mixture because the egg was once liguid and then when you cook it it is now a solid

36. + Student Responses Re: IS IT A MIXTURE By Katie, Friday, 20 Feb. 20, 2009 12:54 pm That’s a really good answer Brooke. I think you got a 100%. Well, I’m not grading it BUT, if I was you would get a 100% definitly. P.S. I need a review if you would please respond that would be great. Thanks, Katie Go Brooke! Great Job! I agree, if you cook it, it’s probably a chemical change. Excellent job! Awesome work!

37. + Teacher Reply Let's look at the pitcher of Kool-Aid again. Yes, the powder dissolves, but doesn't that happen in a mixture/solution? Could the same process work with Kool-Aid as it did with salt water (evaporate the water)? Is there any indication of a chemical change present in mixing Kool-Aid and water? Re: IS IT A MIXTURE :) by Renee King - Friday, 20 February 2009, 2:17 PMRenee King

38. + That’s a really good point. Thanks sorry. Brooke

39. + Don’t be sorry! This is a great time to talk about misconceptions in science. Many students think that since Kool-aid changes color of the water, it is automatically a chemical change. Think about it on a molecular level and the particles. Do you still just have Kool-aid and water? Or is a new substance formed? Teacher

40. + Im not sure when you boil it if you get the powder. Can I try it? Brooke

41. + I think it would be worth trying. Just put a small amount of Kool-Aid and water in a saucer and let it set out for a couple of days. Let us know what you discover. Teacher

42. + Ok I will get back to you. Brooke

43. + Mrs. King? What would happen if you boil powder? I don’t need to know now because Brooke hasn’t done it yet and I don’t want to runie the surprise. I know I spelled ruine wrong and I don’t know how to spell it, but I tried. Katie

44. + Well…lets think about it…can you boil a powder? No, most likely the heat will eventually burn the powder on the bottom of the pan. However, if you put water and powder together you could boil off some of the water, until all that is left is the powder. Of course, you would want to do all of this with adult supervision. Teacher

45. + So you said the powder would stay at the bottom of the pan if you boiled water and powder, so would the powder by dry like the beginning or would it be clumped together? Like it got wet? Katie

46. + Mrs. King, if you boiled plain powder would the powder become hard like a cookie? Matthew

47. + That’s a good question… The act of boiling requires a liquid. My guess would be that the powder would burn or melt. It would depend on the chemical properties of the powder you are working with. Why don’t we explore what happens when we heat substances at our next face-to-face meeting? Teacher

48. + Oh, Rats! 5 th and 6 th Grades Author Info.

49. + Research

50. + Discussion

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52. + My Kind of Research

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54. + Poetry and Art III

55. + Creating a Blended Unit…

56. + Creating a Blended Learning Unit: Select an existing unit you have developed. Decide which activities could be transitioned to the virtual platform, keeping the unit standards in mind. Coordinate the timeline for face-to-face and virtual activities. If possible, give more time than you think you will need to allow for flexibility. Build the virtual portion of the unit, keeping activities as interactive as possible. You are ready to teach your blended unit, stepping into the role of facilitator with the online activities!

57. + Unit Template

58. + Unit Skeleton

59. + Other ways to use blended learning…

60. The One-Day Lab

61. Ongoing Anchor Activities

62. Online Activities with a Face to Face Culmination

63. Communicating with Parents

64. Improving with Age First Generation - Just the Basics - Web-sites - Discussions - Assignments Second Generation - Bells and Whistles - Better Higher Level Activities - More Types of Activities Third Generation - Integration of Content

65. + Immigration Example “ This week we have been learning why different groups of immigrants came to America. Today we are investigating why the Chinese came.”

66. + Generation One: Traditional Read pages 134 - 137 in your textbook. In your journal, record the “pushes and pulls” for that group. Be ready to discuss your findings in class.

67. + Generation Two: Transitioning From Traditional to Interactive Here are three web-sites to explore today. After completing your research, post your findings on the forums focusing on the “pushes and pulls”. Be ready to debate whether or not the “Chinese Exclusion Act” was needed.

68. + Generation Generation Three: Utilizing the Virtual Environment to Build 21 st Century Skills We have received a copy of a letter written around 1852 from an immigrant named Yong Chang sent to his family back in his village in China. Utilize your detective skills and the clues in the letter to investigate the conditions of that time period. Analyze the letter to find the “pushes and pulls” for the Chinese immigrants. Using the provided websites, find evidence to support your ideas and post your findings. Be ready to debate whether or not the “Chinese Exclusion Act” was needed.

69. A Generation Three Unit… Stranded!

70. + Benefits of Blended Learning: Students are engaged in meaningful activities Makes appropriate use of rich online resources now available Improves students’ technology and keyboarding skills Prepares students for the online testing environment Collaboration between schools and districts becomes possible Increased quality of student performance Challenging activities geared to the learning styles and needs of diverse learners Tasks can be differentiated to match passions, talents, and ability levels As the years progress, so to does the curriculum we will be able to offer because units can be reused Parents can view any and all assignments 24/7 availability and support Affordable and Sustainable

71. + Potential Challenges: Ensuring that time and technology are available to students for online tasks Allocating teacher time for unit development and facilitation Educating students about online etiquette Remember… Baby steps are necessary at first!

72. + “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” -John Dewey

73. + Thank you for your time! Contact Information for Teachers: Heather Frost-Hauck, Gifted Intervention Specialist: heatherfrost1@aol.com E. Renee King, Gifted Intervention Specialist: renee.king2911@gmail.com Contact Information for Administrators or Professional Development Requests: Curriculum Engineers, Inc. 4688 State Route 132 Batavia, OH 45130 www.curriculumengineers.com Developing Units for Virtual Learning Environments For Gifted and Talented Students through Pieces of Learning