Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Name: Who is YOUR HERO?

Content Area: READING/ WRITING
Grade Level(s): 4th Grade

Content Standard Addressed: ELAGSE4W1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of
view with reasons.

Technology Standard Addressed: 2-Digital Citizen 7-Global Collaborator

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: MY HERO

URL(s) to support the lesson: https://myhero.com/teachersroom-resources

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in your
classroom:

MY HERO is a great online publishing site. They provide teachers with packets of information of what they are
all about. There are also options to collaborate with other people around the Globe. Students can collaborate
with others and share their work! Students can write, paint, draw, video, or send pictures again on who their
hero is, and why that person is their hero!

I will incorporate this online publishing site by allowing them to do some research on writing, brainstorm,
create an outline for their opinion pieces. Once they are all ready, I will be able to send them off to MY HERO
and then a few of my students may receive some money, or their work will be published onto the site.
Students will also be invited to share their work with other people or classrooms around the globe. There will
be permission granted from parent permission first before publishing. This could be a way to reach multiple
Georgia Standards for writing and get them engaged.

What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a classroom?
Microsoft word on a computer. Secure internet connection.

Describe how the following features are addressed in this learning experience (note: all of them may not be
addressed in the project, but most should be if you are reaching a high LoTi Level).
a. Collaboration with peers, near-peers, mentors outside their classroom and often beyond their
school: students are able to collaborate or share their work with other people around the globe who
use MY HERO

b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (creating original data and or producing original
products as a result of engaging in a project): Students are writing their own opinion piece on who
their hero is and why.

c. Higher-order thinking: Students need to give ATLEAST 3 reasons and will need to provide a
brainstorming map before writing their piece.

d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product: my hero will
publish student work on website for others to see.

Spring 2018_SJB
 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):
☐ Remembering ☐ Understanding ☐ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level): (Select the best level)

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☒ Level 4: Integration

☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

• Ease of use
• Collaboration
• Can be used for all students (including disabilities)
• Multiple styles of learning

Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies: My lesson allows the students to first pick
the hero of their choice to write about. They will then brainstorm and show me their brainstorm map and I
will collaborate with them to produce their best piece of writing. Then the students will start writing their
papers. There will be multiple points of discussion and peer editing/review. When the students are ready,
they will publish their work to me. My students will also be educated on online safety. I will be sending home
permission forms approved by the school to allow me to send their students work to My Hero. Students will
then be excited about collaborating with others around the globe on My hero. We will spend a couple of days
after submissions, exploring and connecting with others on the secure My Hero Website. These tools are
amazing opportunities for the students to use technology and learn about resources.

Reflective Practice: This lesson impacts student learning by working with others outside the classroom,
using technology, and using resources to edit, review, and publish their original work. To further extend this
lesson, the students will continually work on it throughout the year, will other types of writing and create
their own books. Another option would be to introduce to the principal, a grade wide collaboration to create
their own writing and on My Hero, the school and grade will be posted on the website, for other schools to
view!

Spring 2018_SJB