Abstract

With technology rapidly changing the minds of the students we teach, it only makes sense to use technology to enhance our school programs. Technology proves to bring a higher level of engagement and discussion among students. It is important that teachers integrate technology into their classroom as much as they can to create a positive learning environment, and achieve academic success with their students. Teachers need to plan lessons, create units, and assess students using technology-related tools to improve their school program’s needs. 

Rationale

The purpose of this paper is to create a unit plan that integrates technology in a specific area identify as a school improvement need. This new technology-integrated unit plan will be used to help students become successful in the area of need. The goal is to develop, implement, and assess the unit plan with students, who will then perform successfully and meet the expectations of the standards and indicators. In addition, the goal is to examine the results of the implementation, and implications for improving the plan and using it in the future. Within the unit plan these standards will be addressed:

200.60.10.02 Identify specific words and phrases that contribute to the meaning of a text

200.60.10.d Identify specific language that appeals to the senses and feelings (mood). 200.60.10.03 Using specific words and punctuation that create tone when reading 

200.70.14 Editing for conventions to refine presentations when writing for all purposes in order to communicate ideas effectively

1. School Improvement Needs

Using the data from my schools recording grid, I found that word choice in poetry writing was a struggle for students in second grade. Overall, students were successful in the areas of ideas, organization, and conventions. However, having and using appropriate word choice seemed to be the weakness. This technology based unit plan was designed to focus on this particular area with the students.

Writing-Poem

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1. Instructional Unit Plan

The lesson plans in this unit utilize the 5E model, and include formative and summative assessments. During the first lesson, students engage in a short formative assessment using an Activ Inspire flipchart and Activ expressions to show background knowledge on word choice. The students also engage in discussion, and create their own acrostic name poems. During lesson two, students explore a poetry website and draft their own seasonal poem focusing on word choice that creates mood and tone. Finally, in lesson three, students work in pairs to revise and edit each other’s poems. They complete a final paper copy, while also using the Pixie program to illustrate an image and record their voice reading their poem. At the end of the unit, a rubric from Frederick County Public Schools is used as a summative assessment tool to show student achievement.