Digital Drafts
Incorporating Technology into the 5th grade Classroom
Chapter 14, Section 2
To introduce students to section 2 of the Solar System unit, each student will pick a planet to research. The teacher will model an example of the finished product using the planet Earth as an example. The teacher will provide a list of websites that students can use to complete their research. The students will be including the name of the planet, why is it an inner or outer planet, how far away it is from the sun, and three interesting facts about their planet. Advanced learners will also be calculating the astronomical units of the distance between the sun and their planet. The struggling learners will be looking up two facts instead of three and using a graphic organizer to organize their thoughts. Once students have created their research on their planet using ThingLink, students will have a gallery walk to model their finished products.
The chrome books are easy and accessible. The students will be able to log in with the account information that they are given at the beginning of the school year. The students will be able to work at their desks or another spot around the room where they feel comfortable to research. After completing their research, students can display their findings using the interactive tool called ThingLink. The student-based learning will allow the teacher to act as a facilitator as the students learn about the planets and teach their peers through ThingLink.
Create Your Own Planet
The students will have read a section in their textbook about the different characteristics that make up each planet in our solar system. This lesson will be geared towards using their knowledge to create their own planet. The students will work in mixed groups based on ability. The teacher will have made the groups before the lesson. The group members consist of advanced learners, grade level learners, and struggling learners. There should be three-four students in each group. Each group will be given a chromebook and a list of what needs to be included for their planet. Once students have an understanding about what makes a planet an inner or outer planet, they will be able to create their own. Based off of where they place their planet in the solar system, they will have to figure out many different characteristics of their planet like if it is a gas planet, how many moons, how many rings, is it solid, what will it look like, etc. First the students will collaborate with their group members and then collaborate with the rest of their peers.
The students will be collaborating showing their new planet findings using the technology tool called Padlet. Padlet is a nice collaborative tool where students can collaborate together and share their ideas on a word wall. This will allow the students to use their creativity to apply their knowledge of the planets and our solar system. Each student will have a role in the group. Each student in the group will be responsible for sharing certain information on Padlet. Once groups start sharing their new planets on Padlet, it will allow discussions to occur to see if the characteristics match where they are located in the solar system.