Final Project

Final Synthesis Project


Target Audience
The audiences for this lesson plan are students in 7th/8th grade special ed. classes at Navarre Middle School. The time of delivery of this lesson would be in the beginning of the school year when students are getting back to school and need some refreshers on Navarre Pride and School Spirit, which tend to go hand-in-hand with classroom behavior. Teachers spend the first few days of class going over classroom expectations and rules, so this lesson would tie in perfectly with the early back to school days. I chose to create this lesson for students in 7th/8th grade special ed. class, because I plan to use this lesson in the fall as an introduction to our subjects. It also helps students make a connection to home and school. Not only does this lesson provide a sense of school spirit, but it also incorporates some of the Indiana Curriculum Content Standard through math integration.

Context
This lesson is designed for a co-ed 7th/8th grade special ed. class of a public school, particularly Navarre View Middle School. Navarre View has a population of approximately 100,000 residents. It represents both rural and urban living. South Bend View School District is a Class B district which serves over 10,000 students in K-12th grade. The curriculum is aligned with the Indiana Curriculum Frameworks and Grade Level Content Standards. AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) has been made for all qualifying buildings. For this lesson a computer lab is necessary with enough computers for each student. Computers must have internet access and students must have availability to Google accounts.

Learning Objectives
From this lesson, students will be able to use Google Maps to create a map of a particular location desired based on the directions of the instructor. Students will be able to use placemarks, lines, and shapes to indicate the details of their map. Cartography is the science of mapmaking. Students in 7th/8th grade special ed. class should be able to read and design maps as cartography is an important part of subjects and education. After completion of this lesson, students should be able to create a map using Google Maps and use the tools of this application. The lesson specifically asks students to map the route from their home to school. Students must use markers to indicate the start and end points as well as high the roadways taken.
Mathematical Integration—Indiana Grade Level Content Standards
D.RE.07.01 Represent and interpret data using graphs.
A.PA.07.01 Recognize when information given in a table, graph, or formula suggests a directly proportional or linear relationship.

Detailed Description of Lesson

Explanation-The online tools that will be incorporated into this lesson plan are screencasting through Camtasia with video posts to YouTube and map making through Google Maps. Screencasting is a way to create a video from your computer screen to show students step by step what it is you want them to do (demonstration). Google Mapmaking is a way to create any map you like with a bit of personal design. There are various tools provided by Google to make your map standout and easy to interpret.

Description-As an instructor I will create a video using screencasting to lead my students into the training for this course. I will have created a webquest that would include students watching my screencasting video of mapmaking through Google Maps. The video will be a demonstration of how to use Google Maps. Students would then be expected to use Google Maps to map the route from their house to Navarre View Middle School. From here, students would print out their maps, look at the total distance from their home to school, and we would have an overall discussion as to who lives in the school district and who does not. We would relate this information to school pride.

Artifact
The artifact that I chose to use as an example for this lesson is a sample map of what a student may create for this lesson. I created a map using Google Maps that shows the route from my home to Navarre View Middle School. This is the type/quality of work that I would expect from my students.


View Larger Map

Justification
I feel as though these high-tech, technology based online tools are more effective and better options for my classroom because they are more appealing to students. For example, middle school students are always seeking ways of independence. By giving them a webquest assignment and allowing them to watch a screencast video of me, their instructor demonstrating the assignment, in a sense I am handing the reins off to them and putting them in charge of their own learning. This is more appealing to students as learners as opposed to me standing in front of a blackboard and asking students to take out their paper maps and markers to draw the route from home to school. With Google Maps, students are able to select terrain, satellite, and even traffic views. They are also able to calculate the distances from home to school and make relationships to math and science. It allows for many more choices/prospects and provides an outlet to information they may have never known existed about their world through mapmaking. Students are interested in learning more about technology and staying up to date. With these technologies, students are just a click away from a vast majority of resources. It takes less time, is neat and clear to interpret, and students also have many opportunities to personalize their work using these types of technologies.