brief lesson description district/state content standard...
TRANSCRIPT
McREL Technology Solutions (MTS) Lesson Plan Template
Name: LeAnn Miller
Subject area: Language Arts/Library/
Grade level: 3rd
-4th
Lesson title: Simple Things are Beautiful
Brief lesson description After listening to Wabi Sabi, students will create Haiku poems and collage art to describe one of their
favorite things. Students will then add their pictures and read their Haikus to create a class Voicethread
called “Simple Things are Beautiful”, the theme of the book. The VoiceThread can then be embedded on the
blog to share with a wide audience and students can comment on others’ work.
District/State content standard/benchmark addressed EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
http://www.k12.wa.us/EdTech/techstandards.aspx
• 1.1.1 Generate ideas and create original works for personal and group expression using a variety of
digital tools.
• 1.2.1 Communicate and collaborate to learn with others.
READING
http://www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/Reading/default.aspx
• 1.3.2 Understand and apply new vocabulary.
• 2.3.3 Understand literary/narrative devices.
• 3.4.3 Understand/Analyze a variety of literature representing different cultures and traditions.
WRITING (All 4 EALR’s are met)
http://www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/Writing/default.aspx
• EALR 2. The student writes in a variety of forms for different audiences and purposes.
• EALR 4. The student analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of written work.
VISUAL ARTS
http://www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/Arts/GLEs.aspx
• 1.1.1 Understands, applies and creates the visual arts elements of line, shape, form, color, value,
texture and space in the production of a work of art. (texture, space, color)
• 1.1.2 Understands, applies and creates repetition/pattern, contrast, variety, balance,
movement/rhythm, and proportion in a work of art. (contrast)
COMMUNICATION
http://www.k12.wa.us/CurriculumInstruct/Communications/default.aspx
• EALR 3. The student uses communication skills and strategies to present ideas and one’s self in a
variety of situations.
• EALR 4. The student analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of communication.
ISTE/NETS for Students
http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/NETS_for_Students.htm
• Creativity and Innovation (creating their story)
• Technology Operations and Concepts
• Digital Citizenship
AASL
http://www.aasl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/standards.cfm
• 2.1.6 – use the writing process, media, visual literacy and technology skills to create products that
express new understanding.
Instructional Strategy (Marzano’s) • Reinforcing effort and providing recognition
• Nonlinguistic representation
• Setting objectives and providing feedback
Technology resources needed (hardware and software) Computer (s)
VoiceThread (start from the education site. http://ed.voicethread.com)
*Depending on what you decide, students can work with different identities under your login or you
can pay for an upgrade and create student accounts (no emails necessary).
*Example Wabi Sabi VoiceThread.
Camera to take pictures of student work
Microphone or telephone to record poems
Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein
Chart paper or way to record and display brainstorm list from computer.
Various patterned paper, 3D items (string), etc… available to create collage
Camera/Document Camera to take pictures of student art work
Procedure 1. Read aloud the book U, and talk about what it means. Discover the theme: “simple things are
beautiful”. How is this the same or different from what you believe? The next steps of Haiku or
Collage study could be swapped, so the picture is created first.
Haiku Study
2. Go back to the story and read the haikus separately, ask the students what they notice about these
parts of the book. How do the haikus add to the story? The back of the book gives a short definition
of Haikus and two famous writers of haiku verse. It also translates the Japanese haikus written on
various pages.
3. Discuss the form of Haiku. 5-7-5. If students have a hard time figuring out syllables, have them hum
the words as they count on their fingers the number of syllables. Sometimes this works better if they
are humming a poem they already know.
4. Have the students tell their neighbors 5 things that they love. (If doing this with younger students
could have them describe a season instead) It could be swimming, their dog, etc… Have them pick
one and brainstorm words that describe what they love. Record the brainstorms by number of
syllables in the words, so that the class will have a bank of words to choose from.
5. Have students prewrite by brainstorming more words about what they love on a piece of paper. Then
have them create a haiku in the 5,7,5 format on another piece of paper. Have them double-check the
syllables a couple times and practice reading it aloud for the VoiceThread.
Collage Study
6. Go back to the book, focus on pictures and discuss what they notice about the pictures. Does it
remind you of any other illustration or pictures you have seen before? (You could have an Eric Carle
or Lois Ehlert book handy also to compare them to.)
7. Discuss space, texture, and contrast. You could show the example VoiceThread so students can see
how the animal in the picture takes up the most space and is a different color than the background.
8. Have students begin creating a collage that describes what they love using various materials/paper
provided.
VoiceThread
9. Pictures of the collages should be taken, downloaded to the computer and put on the server where
students have access. (If using more than one computer)
• The following the directions will be as if you haven’t paid for a VoiceThread account that allows
for student accounts to be created. If you did do upgrade, login and in the upper right next to
your email address click the drop-down arrow. Then select Manage Class. Click the Add
Members link and start adding members. There is an option to upload a .csv file.
10. After creating an account and logging in to VoiceThread, in the upper right click the drop-down
arrow next to your email address and select My Identities. Click Add an Identity to add a student to
your account. You can select a different name, picture, etc… The biggest issue with identities (or
the non-paid VoiceThread account) instead of the paid version is that comments aren’t moderated.
No matter the identity, it is your account, and the comments will display automatically. Since all of
the identities are found by logging in as you, any student can pick any identity. i.e. Johnny can write
something negative about Sally, but it was actually Joe using Johnny’s identity.
11. After creating identities, click the create tab in the upper left. It should walk you through the steps of
uploading pictures. You can upload all of the students’ pictures at once to have them ready for them.
If you do that and they login as you and want to edit it, it can be found under the MyVoice tab. It
will start playing the VoiceThread, so in the upper left, click the gear and select Edit.
12. After uploading, arrange the pictures by dragging them. Select the picture you want to narrate, then
click number 2 Comment. There are many ways to comment, by phone (pretty nifty), webcam,
recording with a microphone, typing and uploading and audio file from the computer. You will see
these options in a menu with icons below the picture. To the left of that menu is one of your identity
pictures. You must select the correct identity before recording, so click on that picture to the left to
switch identities to the correct student. Then select the correct icon for how the student will narrate,
start speaking and click save. You can preview the narration by clicking on the identity picture that
appears around the collage picture. There is a trash can there if the recording needs to be deleted and
done again. You can click the right arrow in the lower right to get to the next picture and record for
that one also.
13. Once the VoiceThread is finished, you can share your project. You can also share just the link or
with others in your Contacts by clicking Share, number 3. If you click get a link and select Anyone
Can View this will make your VoiceThread public. Making it public is necessary for embedding and
the publishing viewing options mentioned next. Go through the various options in the lower left.
You will see Playback Options, Export (fee associated), Embed (must be public) to get code to put in
webpage, and Publishing Options (if make VoiceThread public).
14. Students can go back and add positive comments to others’ haikus or to reflect. Provide guidelines.
What do you enjoy about their picture? Can you identify with what they love? How does their haiku
make you feel?
15. Here are other resources to help with VoiceThread.
a. http://voicethread.pbworks.com
b. http://voicethread4education.wikispaces.com
c. http://voicethread-workshop.wikispaces.com
d. http://voicethread.ning.com (takes a little more searching on this site to find good content, at
least today)
Assessment Method
GLE (EALR) 4
Excellent
3
Proficient
2
Partial
1
Minimal
Score
Writing 2 : Student writes
in a variety of forms for
different audiences and
purposes.
Visual Arts: 1.1. applies
and creates contrast and
shape, texture and space.
Communication 3: Uses
communication skills and
strategies to present ideas
and oneself in a variety of
situations
Ed Tech 1.1: Generate
ideas and create original
works for personal and
group expression using a
variety of digital tools.
-Student
writes haiku
in 5-7-5 form
accurately
and creates
picture for
the reader.
-Student’s
collage
depicts haiku
vividly, object
fills up space,
various
textures are
used and
contrast is
evident.
-Student read
his/her haiku
accurately
with
expression
and
commented
positively and
appropriately
in the
VoiceThread.
Comments
related
others’
choices (what
they love) to
own life.
-Student
writes haiku
in 5-7-5 form
accurately.
-Student’s
collage
depicts haiku,
object fills up
space,
various
textures are
used and
contrast is
evident.
-Student read
his/her haiku
accurately
and
commented
positively and
appropriately
in the
VoiceThread.
-Student is
missing 2
syllables in 5-
7-5 form.
-Student’s
collage
depicts haiku
but is missing
one of the
following
elements:
object fills up
space,
various
textures are
used and
contrast is
evident.
-Student read
his/her haiku
with a one
mistake and
commented
positively and
appropriately
in the
VoiceThread
most of the
time.
-Student is
missing more
than 2
syllables in 5-
7-5 form.
-Student’s
collage
depicts haiku
but is missing
two or more
of the
following
elements:
object fills up
space,
various
textures are
used and
contrast is
evident.
-Student read
his/her haiku
with a few
mistakes
and/pr no
fluency and
commented
positively and
appropriately
in the
VoiceThread
sometimes.