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Lesson Title: Conservation is Key Related Lessons: What is a natural resource? Where are natural resources located? Why are they important? Grade Level: 3rd Grade Unit: Science – Earth’s Resources GOALS Content Standards: Colorado Science Content Standard 4: Earth and Space Science: Students know and understand the processes and interactions of Earth's systems and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space. (Focus: Geology, Meteorology, Astronomy, Oceanography)
 * Daily Lesson GAME Plan - Problem-Based Learning Activity-Week 5**

Benchmark 3: Many of the Earth’s resources can be conserved, recycled and depleted

. ISTE NETS-S: 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity 2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

Instructional Objectives: Students will become aware of the importance of Earth’s natural resources. Students will create a plan that describes ways in which natural resources can be conserved.

ACTION Before-Class Preparation: To prepare, I will find a number of websites and resources that students can use to research Earth’s natural resources. I will also group students before beginning the activity. The problem I will pose to the students is, “How can we best conserve Earth’s resources?” This is a great question to pose to third graders. They are familiar with recycling and some water conservation, so it works to take this to the next level. I’ll encourage the students to become creative in their ideas of conservation. They also have to justify why their ideas are helpful and easy to implement.

Technology Use: Students will use the computers to research information and to complete their final projects. Computers will be used throughout the activity.

During Class Time: 3-5 days Instructional Activities: 1. To begin, I will show the students some examples of public service announcements. We will talk their purpose. This will help get the students engaged and will give them an example of a final project. 2. Students will begin to work on creating ways to conserve Earth’s natural resources. We will have spent a week learning about the resources; where they can be found, what they are, and why they need to be conserved. Students will have to state the resource, the way it can be conserved, how the conservation idea works and how people can implement their ideas. 3. While working to develop their ideas, they can use the computers to find additional information about the resources and conservation. 4. Students will work to create a final project that shows their ideas for conservation. They will also have to write-up a reason explaining why their ideas would work and why they would be easy for people to implement. 5. Students can choose how they wish to share their final project. They can create a PowerPoint presentation, a brochure or pamphlet, a podcast, a skit, or an essay. Students will then present their ideas to the class and the class will be aloud to ask questions. The students will have to be prepared to answer the questions. Materials and Resources Science books Computers
 * Students can bring materials in to try their conservation method. (This will not work for every idea.)

Note student groupings, environmental modifications needed, etc: Students will work in groups of 3 students. I will make the groups before the activity begins. I will monitor students during the first day to be sure that I have made fair groups. I will also have students work alone if I feel that this is necessary. I will provide templates for students to take notes, or to use for their conservation plan, if needed. I will also provide a list of beneficial websites for students who may struggle with research or reading.

MONITOR Assessment: The final project will serve as the assessment for this lesson.

Accommodations and Extensions: More time will be provided, if needed. I will have a list of resources and templates for students to use. I will monitor groups closely.

Back-Up Plan: If students are struggling to generate ideas, then I will have them focus on only one natural resource. If I am having problems with technology, then the students can create their final project using paper and pencils.

EVALUATE AND EXTEND Be specific and include the evaluation that you will use for this lesson at the end of the plan: I will use a rubric to assess the students’ final projects. The rubric will provide valuable information about the depth of understanding. I will also take daily notes to use as part of their grade and to inform me of who is working well and who may need more help.

Lesson Title: Conservation is Key Related Lessons: What is a natural resource? Where are natural resources located? Why are they important?
 * Daily Lesson GAME Plan - Social Networking and Online Collaboration Tools-Week 6**

Grade Level: 3rd Grade Unit: Science – Earth’s Resources GOALS Content Standards: Colorado Science Content Standard 4: Earth and Space Science: Students know and understand the processes and interactions of Earth's systems and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space. (Focus: Geology, Meteorology, Astronomy, Oceanography)

Benchmark 3: Many of the Earth’s resources can be conserved, recycled and depleted

ISTE NETS-S: : 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity 2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

Instructional Objectives: Students will have a clear understanding of what natural resources are and how they can be conserved. Students will reflect on the problems creating the depletion of natural resources and ways in which they can be conserved.

ACTION Before-Class Preparation: I need to preview a variety of websites that discuss natural resources and ways that they are being depleted. I need to create a blog for the class. I need to create explicit instructions for use of the blog. I also need to create a letter for families so they can follow the blog.

During Class Time: This is the introduction to a project that will continue throughout the entire unit. Instructional Activities 1. I will begin by showing the students a short video about Earth’s natural resources. We will discuss the resource, where it is found, and why it is so important to us. We will then discuss what it would be like if this resource ran out. 2. Next, I will have the students complete a quick write about the ways in which this natural resource can be conserved. They should be specific in making a list of ideas, or explaining one idea for conservation. I will allow time for students to share their thoughts and ideas. 3. Then, I will introduce the blog to the students. I will talk about how this another way to communicate our ideas. I will show them how the blog works and I will go over the explicit instructions for use of the blog. 4. Next, I will allow time for the students to practice using the blog. I will post a question about the natural resources we learned about and will ask them to post an answer to this question, “Which natural resource do you think is most important and why?” 5. Once they have completed their posts, I will explain that they will be posting their thoughts about conserving natural resources. This will be a place for the students to post their questions, ideas and thoughts about conservation. I will tell them that I will be posting facts about the depletion of natural resources and they will post a response about what can be done to save the resource. This will help with their final project of creating a public service announcement for resource conservation. Materials and Resources
 * Science Books
 * Natural Resource Books
 * Computers
 * Class Blog

Note student groupings, environmental modifications needed, etc: Students will work individually to complete their blog posts. If I feel that there are a few students who would benefit from working in pairs to complete a post, then I will allow partners. I will provide the blog address so that students can complete posts from home.

MONITOR Ongoing Assessment(s): Students’ responses on the blog will serve as the assessment for this project.

Accommodations and Extensions: Students will be required to make at least five posts to the blog. If needed, some students will be required to make three posts.

Back-Up Plan: If the blog is not working properly, then I can have students record their responses onto paper. Also, students can type their posts onto a word document to turn in.

EVALUATE AND EXTEND Be specific and include the evaluation that you will use for this lesson at the end of the plan: I will evaluate the blog and the depth of student responses. I will also evaluate how well the students followed the expectations for completing the blog.

LESSON REFLECTIONS AND NOTES: This lesson has not been taught yet. School starts on August 22.

Lesson Title: Conservation is Key Related Lessons: What is a natural resource? Where are natural resources located? Why are they important?
 * Daily Lesson GAME Plan – Digital Storytelling Week 7**

Grade Level: 3rd Grade Unit: Science – Earth’s Resources GOALS Content Standards: Colorado Science Content Standard 4: Earth and Space Science: Students know and understand the processes and interactions of Earth's systems and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space. (Focus: Geology, Meteorology, Astronomy, Oceanography)

Benchmark 3: Many of the Earth’s resources can be conserved, recycled and depleted

. ISTE NETS-S: 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity 2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

Instructional Objectives: Students will become aware of the importance of Earth’s natural resources. Students will have a clear understanding of what natural resources are and how they can be conserved. Students will create a digital story explaining the what natural resources are, where they are found, what is happening to them, and how they can be conserved.

ACTION Before-Class Preparation: Before this lesson, I will put students into groups of two. I will also create an example digital story for the students to watch.

During Class Time 10-15 mins

30-40 mins

The rest of this project will take about a week to complete. Instructional Activities 1. I will begin by showing the students my example digital story. We will discuss the components of the story. I will tell them that they will be creating their own digital story about natural resources and conservation. 2. Students will work in pairs to complete a digital story. They will spend time collecting all the notes they took with their other group to complete the public service announcement. They will decide which natural resource(s) they want to include in their story. They will begin a script by stating the name of the natural resource and where they are found. 3. Next, they will begin to write about the ways the resources can be conserved. They can include their ideas for the public service announcements, or they can collaborate to come up with new ideas. They will put these into the script. 4. Next, they will talk about the importance of the natural resources and why it is necessary to conserve them. This will be the last part of their story. 5. Once their script has been approved, they will begin to find images to put into their story. This can be pictures they take or pictures they draw. 6. The last part of this project is putting the story together by importing images and recording their voices. 7. Once all students are finished, they will share their stories with the class. I will also send a link home for the parents to watch the stories, too. Materials and Resources Notes taken during unit
 * Computers
 * PowerPoint
 * Science book
 * Natural Resources books
 * Websites used for research
 * Microphones
 * Images and drawings

Note student groupings, environmental modifications needed, etc: Students will work in pairs to complete the digital story. I will monitor the pairs closely to be sure I have made good matches. Also, I will try to have student work with someone that was not in their group to complete the public service announcement. I may have some of the students work on laptops in the additional lab so that they have as much silence as possible. Modifications may include extended time and fewer page requirements in the final book.

MONITOR Ongoing Assessment(s): The assessment for this lesson is the digital story that students create.

Accommodations and Extensions: I will extend the time to complete the stories, if needed. I will have a template for a script available for students, if needed.

Back-Up Plan: If students are having trouble with PowerPoint, then they will be able to complete a podcast or iMovie for their story.

EVALUATE AND EXTEND Be specific and include the evaluation that you will use for this lesson at the end of the plan: To assess the digital story, I will create a rubric. This will be shared with the students and parents. I will also evaluate how well students worked in pairs to complete their digital stories.

LESSON REFLECTIONS AND NOTES: This lesson has not been taught yet. School starts on August 22.