1. Karla Kiper, Magnolia Woods Elementary

2. Question: Concept and Content Formation Lessons Inquiry – Based Lessons and Activities Assessment What are some challenges faced when teaching the Science and Social Studies Units?

3. Project Based Learning (PBL) Our society highly values people who solve problems creatively and using multiple intelligences!

4. Project Based Learning (PBL) Why use PBL? Students gain a deeper understanding of Science and Social Studies concepts and standards. Classroom Projects also build vital workplace skills and lifelong habits of learning. Projects can allow students to address community issues, explore careers, interact with adult mentors, use technology, and present their work to audiences in and beyond the classroom. PBL can motivate students who might otherwise find school boring or even meaningless.

5. Project Based Learning (PBL) and Technology Students present their work to others in person or online. Students give and receive feedback from classmates and teachers on a class project. Students are presented with a choice of technology tool or list of web sites. Students can apply knowledge learned in a unit or begin learning tasks with a project in mind first. Online resources are often best suited to allow students to explore open- ended questions. Technology can widen the resources available to ask questions, share resources, and examine conclusions from others sources.

6. Project Based Learning (PBL) Works best when incorporating Marzano’s Effective Classroom Strategies! Indentifying Similarities and Differences.45 Average Percentile Point Gains on Student Achievement Tests: Summarizing and Note Taking.34 Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition.29 Increasing the Value of Homework and Practice.28 Use of Non-Linguistic Representations.27 Incorporation of Cooperative Learning.27 Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback.23 Generating and Testing Hypotheses.23 Use of Questions, Cues, and Advance Organizers.22

7. Project Based Learning (PBL) - Review An approach to teaching and learning in which students complete and create tasks which: Examine or Solve real-world problems Involves greater student engagement vs. the textbook. “Minds on vs. Hands on” The Common Core 3 C’s : Communication Critical Thinking Collaboration

8. Which Resources to Use???? Kidspiration ActivBoards Microsoft MovieMaker or PhotoStory PowerPoint Google Earth

9. Project Based Learning and Technology: Do’s Things to Do: Establish expectations. Let students know that when logging into the school network, rules and standards of conduct apply at all times. http://technology.ebrschools.org/eduWEB2/1000179 /docs/pol_internetsafety.pdf http://technology.ebrschools.org/eduWEB2/1000179 /docs/pol_internetsafety.pdf Be Prepared with a Plan B when using online or EBR network resources… Provide a list of Approved Websites and Programs

10. Project Based Learning and Technology: Some Don’ts… Use technology for its own sake. Allow students to log in anywhere without some standards for their work or conduct. Allow unlimited access to search engines or websites. Allow abuse of Technology Resources. Have paper and pencil (printed articles or library books) ready for any student unwilling (or unable) use classroom computers for educational purposes only.

11. Motivating Tech Tool #1 PowerPoint: Social Studies Student-Created PowerPoint presentation projects can be used to make any topic in Social Studies more powerful and meaningful. Student PowerPoint projects represent a wonderful culminating activity for a Social Studies Unit or could be introduced at the beginning. The PowerPoint Project begins with student notes, a Thinking Map, or Graphic Organizer.*

12. PowerPoint: Other Uses and Alternatives to PowerPoint Use a PowerPoint slide to create a profile page for a famous person that “looks like” a social media page. Have students include pictures, text, video, or audio. What would we put on Rosa Parks’ Facebook or MySpace Page if we were allowed to create one? What facts would you include about her? What would be her motto or theme song? Who would her friends list include? Visit www.history.com Which picture of her should be her profile picture? Which picture communicates the most information About her importance to us?

14. Other Presentation Resources Glogster.edu Slideshare.net Google Documents

15. Motivating Tech Tool #2 Microsoft PhotoStory: Science Can be used to create presentations/projects on almost any topic. Resources Needed: (a few images) Example – The Solar System Example - States of Matter Sites with Great Examples –The West Baton Rouge Parish Technology Database. http://www.wbrschools.net/technology2/vocabularyps.html

16. Example: What’s The Matter? Objectives: Have students work in cooperative groups to demonstrate knowledge of the 3 states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and or physical changes. Students can use Photo Story to import photos downloaded from a digital camera, manipulate these photos, and create a multimedia presentation to demonstrate their knowledge of matter.

17. What’s the Matter? Using the projector, demonstrate to students how to locate the program, "Photo Story," and how to upload the pictures to the program. After uploading pictures, demonstrate to students how to click and drag pictures to rearrange the order until they are satisfied. 4. Click "next" and have students create the title page (again, demonstrating each step beforehand with the projector/screen), typing in the window and using the font key to change size, color, and font of the title. Students chose the title (i.e. "3 States of Matter"), and type "by" and their first name.

18. What’s the Matter? At this point, show students how to save their Photo Story. Remind students that after each step, they should save their work. 6. Students continue with the next step, which is typing in the text to record. Have students type in what they want to say for each picture. Then, hand out headsets with microphones (if available) and students can begin to record for each picture. Save after each recording. 7. The next step is to work on transitions, from one photo to the next. Demonstrate this to the students using the projector. Give students an allotted amount of time to work on transitions (or they will let it consume the rest of the time!). Save the project. 8. Students are ready to choose the background music of their movie. Model with the projector. Save the project. 9. At this point, students will be ready to publish their Photo Story project into a multimedia presentation. Demonstrate with the projector.

19. Motivating Tech Tool# 3 Academic Vocabulary www.quizlet.com Quizlet is a useful tool for teaching Academic Vocabulary. Quizlet is a free website that allows anyone to create flashcards. There are quizlet apps for phone, and Android.

20. Quizlet.com You can search vocabulary lists posted by others. You can create your own academic vocabulary lists and share them with your students or grade level. You can e-mail vocabulary lists to students or their parents. Includes Language support. If you upgrade, you can add pictures/graphics. An alternative site is called spellingcity.com.

21. Motivating Tech Tool#4 Create An Easy, Easy, Web Page or Online Poster www.glogster.edu www.weebly.com www.teacherweb.com

22. Tech Tool #4 Weebly www.weebly.com Weebly is a free drag and drop based website creator. Weebly allows you to take pictures*, text, hyperlinks (websites), and even some video links (pay version) and put them together into a web page. This can be useful for placing everything in one place for students. *Use www.openclipartlibrary.org for free images!

23. Why Create A Web Site? Teachers: 1. You can control what they are doing. Images Music Files Layout 2. Great way to recognize student effort! Students: 1. They love it! 2. They love to share and look at others’ work. 3. They can start with the pictures/graphics first or the text.

24. Project Based Learning (PBL) Can be extremely motivating to students when: Students see that projects are interdisciplinary and connected to the real world. Students select their own topics or subtopics. Are allowed ownership and control. Example: students help in the creation of the assignment rubric or checklist. Set standards of excellence. Students are allowed to work cooperatively. Students are aware they are learning valuable skills.

25. Final Thoughts and Questions Karla Kiper, Computer Lab Teacher at Magnolia Woods Elementary kkiper11#@ebrschools.org