Brooke Rothwell Virtual Field Trip Lesson

Grade Level Targeted:

1^st Grade

Integration of Other Content Areas:

This virtual field trip integrates science, language arts, and technology by showing students how simple and compound machines are an important part of their life. The students will gather background information, make predictions, develop content vocabulary, investigate simple and compound machines, examine the different types of farms, and discuss what they have learned.

NC Common Core Standards/Objectives:

Science:

1.P.1 Understand how forces (pushes or pulls) affect the motion of an object.

Language Arts:

RL.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

RL.1.2 Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

Technology:

Grade 1:

1.SI.1 Recall useful sources of information.

1.IN.1 Understand the difference between text read for enjoyment and text read for information.

1.TT.1 Use technology tools and skills to reinforce classroom concepts and activities.

1.SE.1 Understand safety and ethical issues related to the responsible use of information and technology resources.

Website Used (URL):

http://www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/

Purpose for Using the Internet:

The virtual field trip will allow students to explore and understand the different types of simple machines. A robot will guide the students through a house and shed explaining the concepts of simple machines and compound machines. This virtual field trip will give students an opportunity to listen and learn at their own pace. Students will have the opportunity to see and hear about simple machines at their own pace and in repetition if necessary. This virtual field trip will be used as an interactive tool for showing different types of simple and compound machines, along with fun games that will help with assessing the understanding of the concept for the teacher. Activities and information meet state and national standards.

Step-By-Step Activities:

Day 1

Objective: To introduce unit and stimulate interest in simple machines.

Materials: playground equipment, chart paper and markers, cards for Win, Lose, or Draw
Large group activity:

Introduce terms on board to provide vocabulary base: gravity, friction, and force.
Briefly discuss as large group the meaning of each term.

Playground activity

Take entire class outside for whole group activity.
Select a few students to demonstrate gravity on the monkey bars.
Ask them to climb halfway across bars. Then, ask them to hang and let go of bars.
Discuss what caused the students to drop to the ground.
Take the students to the slide for a demonstration of friction.
Have students predict if students would travel faster down the slide with or without a towel.
Allow several students to go down the slide with and without the use of a towel.
Note the difference and briefly discuss the use of friction.
Reinforce the utility of gravity to enable the students to go down the slide.
Take the students to the swings to demonstrate the concepts of force, work, and inertia.
Discuss the terms as the students demonstrate as they swing.
Go back to class for a wrap up.

Language arts connection:

Discuss as a large group what transpired on the playground. A shared writing experience would be excellent to summarize the experience as well as provide a written format for students to read.
Brainstorm as a group and write the group responses on chart paper.
Circle conceptual terms for a word bank. Include gravity, inertia, force, and friction.
You may wish to wrap up this lesson with a game of Win, Lose, or Draw. To play this game, hand a student a card stating a situation that demonstrates gravity, force, or friction. Using a chalk board the student will draw a picture that illustrates the force described on the card. A team scores points by explaining what force is at work and what effect it is having on the item in the picture.

To reinforce science:

Divide students into cooperative groups.
Ask them to list other examples of demonstrating gravity, inertia, force, and friction.

Spelling activity:

Introduce spelling list: gravity, inertia, force, work, friction, lever, inclined plane, wheel and axle, wedge, screw, load, fulcrum, simple machine, roller coaster, merry-go-round, catapult, resistance, momentum

Language arts activity:

The book, The Littles and the Trash Tinies by John Peterson uses many of the simple machines.

Introduce the book and read the first chapter. In the first chapter, the Littles made a fruitcake using kitchen utensils.
Review the simple machines demonstrated in these kitchen utensils.

Day 2

Objective: for Day 2 (introduce website: www.edheads.org) – To reinforce and expand concepts of simple and compound machines.

Materials: Computer lab (easier for observation and students to work at same time, unless partners are needed to help with reading comprehension), student trip guide, pencil

Large group activity:

· Teacher directs students to go the website, www.edheads.org.

· Click on the simple machines tab in the left hand column under featured activities.

· Then under the Simple Machines Activities, click on the speech bubble that says “Click Here to Start!”

· Students will see 2 activity places to visit. Teacher will instruct students to go the “House Icon” first to explore simple machines and then go to the “Shed Icon” to explore compound machines.

· Students will be instructed to go the rooms in the house and in the shed only one time.

· Students will quiz on each room and print results for teacher.

· After all rooms, have been visited, students will be told to complete the student trip guide.

· After completing the guide, students will then return to class to discuss answers and exciting information about the website.

Day 3-4

Objective: for Days 3 and 4 (or as long as need and interest dictates) - To reinforce and expand concepts of friction using centers. These centers will provide science, math, and language arts connections.

Materials: toy car, carpet, sand paper, wax paper, bare wood, tape measure, marble, containers with lids, hand lotion, variety of shoes with different treads, gripper, paper, lotion, wax paper, foil, Saran Wrap, paint can, marbles, World Book CD
Large group activity:

The teacher demonstrates and explains to the large group about each center.
After the group explanation, allow the students to divide into small groups and rotate to provide adequate time to explore each "hands on" center.

Small group activity:

Center 1: Don't get too wound up. Explain to the students that they will observe a toy up car travel down different surfaces such as carpet, sand paper, waxed paper, and bare wood with the same incline of plane. Ask the students to make predictions of the distance that each car will travel. Measure and record differences to allow comparisons.
Center 2: The Difference is Plane to See. Use different heights of inclined planes and a marble. Ask students to make predictions of distances the marble will travel on the different planes. Ask students to make estimations and to make actual measurements of distances traveled. Discuss potential and kinetic energy that will be utilized.
Center 3: Quick Lube. Explain to the students that different items will be used to open lids of different containers including waxed paper, plastic wrap, etc. Ask students to use hand lotion to try to open different lids and ask students to predict the difference as they try to open the jars. Ask students to record observations.
Center 4: Put Your Best Foot Forward. Provide lots of shoes with different tread patterns. Ask the students to try on the shoes and try on different surfaces such as tile and carpet. Ask them to predict and record which surfaces are the easiest or hardest to walk with and which had the best or least traction. Ask them to be able to justify answers.
Center 5: Keep Your Bearings in Mind. Demonstrate paint can with marbles on the lid. Use book on top to rotate the book around the paint can. Use different amounts of marbles to experiment which moves easier. Ask students to predict and discuss results.
Center 6: Go Web Walking. Look up on Internet, World Book on computer, or other reference sources information on friction.

Language arts connection:

After the student center time each day, allow time for large and/or small group reflection discussion. To connect with language arts, allow students to write experiences in a journal or some other form of written communication.
Read and discuss The Real McCoy by Towle. Discuss figures of speech. Have students use figures of speech in their writing.

Language arts activity:

Read and discuss chapter two of The Littles and the Trash Tinies. This chapter involves momentum. This chapter describes a dangerous experiment in which two opposing forces collide. The cat and mouse chase demonstrates momentum, potential and kinetic energy.
After reading this chapter, you may wish to have students create a talk show skit in which one person plays the cat while another plays the mouse. The talk show host will attempt to help these opposing parties work out their differences.
After reading chapter 3, ask the students to write a friendly letter to Mrs. Little explaining why she must allow her husband, son, and daughter to go on such a dangerous mission.

Social studies connection:

Have students read about archeological digs (chapter three).
Ask the students to research the role community landfills can play in allowing archeologists to study past civilizations.
You may wish to create a dig site for your students to excavate. Have the students record what they found and how deep it was buried. Looking at another culture's trash can tell you a lot about them.
When they are finished with their dig, your students may wish to help to set up a site for the following year.

Day 5

Objective: To provide activities to expand concepts about force and work.

Materials: nonfiction books, broom, assorted items such as empty cans, milk cartons, magnets, string, cardboard, rubber bands, cans, straws, ruler, crayons, and recording sheets
Large group science activity:

Discuss the terms force and work.
Ask students to tell what happened when they were swinging on the playground.

Language arts connections:

Provide varied nonfiction books to conduct research and write reports on force and work.
Read and discuss chapter four of the novel. This chapter used an inclined plane to climb a garbage can.
Review uses of the inclined plane.
Ask the students to create a ladder for someone who is three inches tall (two popsicle sticks and a few toothpicks).
When Jack climbed the magic beanstalk, he found a singing harp. Have students describe what will happen when they climb the Littles' ladder.
Push Me, Pull Me

Challenge students to use the materials they have been given to move an empty can from one end of a ruler to the other end without touching the can.
Provide ample time for students to formulate a hypothesis, develop a plan, and execute it.
Provide time for students to share their ideas and record them on the class chart.
Explain that in order to move their can they had to exert some kind of force. Ask students what they think a force is (any push or pull).

Skits

Ask students to work in cooperative groups to create skits demonstrating the principles of force and work.
Enact the skits for the class.

Physical education activity:

Have relay races to demonstrate force and work. Suggestions for varied relay races are three-legged races and potato sack races.
Using a broom to push and pull an item in a relay race could be named, "The Clean Sweep."
Discuss the concepts of force and work as they relate to the relay races.

Name__________________________ Date_______________________

Use the website below to answer the questions.

http://www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/frame_loader.htm

1. What is a simple machine?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. State how many types of simple machines. Name them.

3. What is a compound machine? Give an example of one.

______________________________________________________________________________

4. Draw 10 examples of simple machines that are used in everyday life.

5. If you could be any type of simple machine, what would you be? Why? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Which place on the website did you enjoy the most? (The House or the Shed) Why?

7. In the house, there are several examples of simple machines. Give 2 examples and how they are used?

8. Name some simple machines that you used today and how you used them.

Student Assessment Plan

Pre-Assessment: Students will do a KWL chart on simple machines.

During Independent Work on Website: As students visit the website and go through the rooms they will be asked a series of questions. After finishing each room a score sheet will be printed to giver teacher an idea of how students are performing within the site and what their knowledge levels are. The teacher will ask students to only go through each room one time in order to get an accurate score.

Post Website Experience: The teacher will assist students with their writing, if needed, on student trip guide. Teacher will be able to tell if students understand what they are doing by watching them browse the site. Teacher will also be able to identify who needs help by observing them and assisting them as they complete the questions on the guide. The teacher is continually circulating and monitoring the students as they work. All of the questions that the students answer will give the teacher a chance to see if they understand the concept of what they are studying on this virtual field trip. Some students may need assistance writing their sentences. Differentiated instruction would be provided for them while they complete the tasks. Students will also do a Simple Machine Post-Test. Test includes labeling pictures of simple machines and writing names of simple machines that match the descriptions.

Final Reflection on the Value of Virtual Field Trips

In today's age, virtual field trips can take a student to locations too far away to travel to or too expensive to visit. Virtual field trips can take a student back in time, into outer space, or into the microscopic world. Many students come to school with very limited experiences. They may never have left the town or county where they live. Schools help children reach beyond their small world. The learning environments that we create impact the careers students choose and their paths later in life. Scientifically-based evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach that combines: authentic learning, real-world writing and audiences, inquiry-based learning, varied learning modalities, and flexible learning. When it is possible, an entirely new world of experiences will be opened to all students regardless of the school field trip budget, as they can all experience firsthand the potential of the Internet as a valid curricular device. I am excited to start using virtual field trips in my classroom! After completing this unit with my class, I plan to do a teacher journal that tells the pros and cons for using this virtual field trip and share it with other colleagues. Hopefully this will encourage others to try the idea of virtual field trips and do the teacher journal afterwards so teachers, like myself can experience all that is available and new to the curriculum at the same time still teaching the same standards that I have always taught.

Is Technology Really Necessary in Education??

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Virtual Field Trip & Trip Guide