Hands-on Helping ELA teachers practice new literacies in their classrooms

-      Grade Level:  Third Grade

-      Topic: The environment

Standards addressed: (The Common Core State Standards Initiative)

W.3.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

• Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.
• Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.
• Use linking words and phrases (e.g., also, another, and, more, but) to connect ideas within categories of information.

Learning outcomes:

After completing the lesson, the student will be able to record his or her understanding/knowledge by creating a digital story about their environment topic.

Technologies needed: 

Digital Camera and/or Flip Camera, Internet Access, Microphone, access to a Slideshare, Qwiki or another digital storytelling platform and a smart-board or projector for their presentations.

Timeline for implementation:  8, 45 minute classes.

How can it be integrated and implemented in the lessons?

Students will use the digital camera and/or flip camera in school and use their own at home to capture pictures to support their stories.  Students will work on the Internet research in school but create the bulk of the narrative as homework.  Students will put the presentation together during the last three, 45 minute, lesson blocks.

Assessment (on writing skills and technology):

Students writing skills will be graded on a teacher created rubric.

Students technology skilled will be graded on students/teacher created rubric.