Name: Ashley PW

Directions:
During a unit on weather, students will create their own weather blog. Each blog
LESSON IDEA: WEBSITE-CREATION TOOLS
entry will describe the days weather using correct terminology. Students also will be
making weather predictions based on research, analyzing weather charts or maps,
and weather data.
Grade Level: 4
Content Area: Science
Technology Used (check all that apply): X Blog Wiki Other Website Creation Tool (list):
Content Area/Grade/Standards/Topics Addressed:
S4E4. Students will analyze weather charts/maps and collect weather data to predict
weather events and infer patterns and seasonal changes.
Brief Description of Learning Experience: What learning standards will be addressed? What will
students and teachers do? What products will students create? How will the project be introduced? How
long will it take to complete? What audience will use/care about the product(s) students are creating? How
broad is this audience?
The learning standard addressed is the 4th grade science standard on weather that is listed above. This is a
student directed activity, so the students will be responsible for researching, collecting and analyzing all
data. The product that created will be a week (or more) long weather blog from each student in the class.
The project will be introduced after the teacher has taught a lesson on weather and the students feel
comfortable about collecting data and research on their own. Since the blogs will be online, they will be
viewable by the teacher, parents/guardians, and other students. Students will use a screen name to protect
their identity.
Blooms Level of Critical Thinking Required (check all that apply):
See http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
X Remembering X Understanding X Applying X Analyzing X Evaluating X Creating
Student Engagement: Which indicators of Engaged Learning area strong and why? (See Engaged
Learning and Authenticity handouts distributed earlier this semester.) This activity is very challenging and
student-directed. It is mostly strong in the area of student roles. The student acts as an explorer and
producer while the teacher acts as a guide. The assessments for this project are performance based.
Level of Technology Implementation (LoTi): What LoTi would this lesson be and Why?
This activity is LoTi level 4 (integration) because it is a student-directed activity and the higher levels of
Blooms are addressed.
Importance of technology: Why is using a website-creation tool critical to the project? Could the project
be completed without this technology? What would be lost without using it? What other types of
technology, if any, are going to be used in the learning experience?
I feel that using technology really gets and keeps students engaged in the learning process. They will use
technology to research, collect data, and complete the project. This project could be completed without the
use of technology, but it would be a lot harder and less engaging. If technology was not used for this
project, students would be disinterested in the topic.

Internet Safety and Student Privacy: Briefly discuss some possible issues surrounding Internet safety and
student privacy that could arise while implementing this learning experience and explain how you would
(1) minimize risks to students/yourself; (2) alleviate any fears by parents/administrators, and (3) follow
common Internet Safety/Acceptable Use Policies.
There are always possible privacy issues when it comes to the use of the internet. It is important for the
teacher to monitor his/her students while they are exploring the World Wide Web. Also, there are laws
(CIPA and FERPA) in place that help protect the student. These laws require that students gain permission
from parents/guardians to use the internet and post original work. During this project, students will not be
allowed to use their name on the blog. Only a screen name created by the student will be used.
Describe your personal learning goal for this activity. What are you trying that you have not tried
before? What do you hope to learn from this activity? How do you hope it will help students learn?
I hope this activity will help students gain or sharpen their research, data collection, and writing skills.