Evaluation

Evaluation

Did you find lots of resources that your teacher could use to enhance her lesson? We've matched the teacher's current strategies to technology enhanced strategies and included notes about requirements for implementation.

Current Activity	Technology Enhanced Activity	Hardware/Software Requirements
Teacher will begin class by showing pictures of different kinds of clouds and asking students to identify them.	Teacher will show students the website Cloud Gallery and ask students to idenitfy the clouds. Teacher and students will navigate to the classroom blog where they will record the days' weather including the types of clouds they observe, if any.	Projector, computer with Internet access
Students will read pages 45-47 of textbook and complete worksheet about different kinds of clouds.	The teacher will show students the Brainpop movie about clouds using the built in quiz to test their knowledge. Students will complete a worksheet as they watch the video and then review the answers in small groups.	Projector, computer with Internet access, Brainpop subscription (users may show the movies twice for free each day)
Students who finish will work on crossword puzzle that reviews types of clouds as well as other weather concepts covered in previous classes.	After each group finishes their review, they will use a computer to access a website about Luke Howard, the man who named the clouds. Students will view Howard's original sketches.	Between five and ten laptops or classroom computers depending on the size of the class, Internet access NOTE: Students could go to the media center or monitored computer lab to complete this activity.
Teacher will review worksheet with students.	Teacher will show students the Cloud Game website and use it to review the types of clouds.	Projector, computer with Internet access NOTE: This could also be done in small groups.

You can look at the additional resources we found by clicking here.

Integrating Project-Based Learning: Technology could be used to support the kinds of strategies with which the teacher is already comfortable as it is in the table above. Technology, however, can also be used to change the kinds of strategies teachers use. For instance, can the teacher create a project-based unit around the weather? This unit would incorporate the current lesson objective but also include other objectives. Below are several sites that can help you get started with project-based learning on the web.

Webquests are a popular way to incorporate project-based learning and the Internet. Bestwebquests.com is a new site developed by Tom March, one of the original webquest creators. It highlights the best of the best.
The web also brings together educators for online projects. The Global School Network is a clearinghouse for web projects. If you can't find one that matches your needs, they will help you develop your own project that pulls in other schools from around the world.
Judi Harris, author of Virtual Architecture, provides an in-depth look at designing telecollaborative activities.

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