Online Projects, Collaboration Sites, and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Template

Name Alicia Estrada

Grade Level: Third grade
Content Area: Science
Standards Addressed: S3L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the similarities and differences
between plants, animals, and habitats found within geographic regions (

Title of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: The Square of

Life Project

URL of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity:

http://www.ciese.org/curriculum/squareproj/
Describe how you would use the Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in
your classroom:
The teacher would go the similarities and difference between plants and animals found within
geographic areas. Once the teacher feels that the students have mastered the content, the teacher
will present the class with the online project. The teacher and students will go outside to the
schoolyard. The students will note the living and non-living things they found on the yard. They
will head inside and discuss the things they saw. The teacher will write them on an anchor chart
paper. (The teacher could even let students go home and note the organism they found in their
yard.)The students will create a Word document identifying the things they found in the yard.
The teacher will have students share their findings on the online project site. Students will
collaborate their findings with other students in other geographic regions. Students will look for
similarities and differences in the data.
What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a
classroom? The classroom would need desktop computers with word to create their report.
Describe how the following features are addressed in this learning experience (note: all of them
may not be addressed in the project, but most should be if you are reaching a high LoTi Level.):
a. Collaboration with peers, near-peers, mentors outside their classroom and often
beyond their school: Students are given the opportunity to collaborate with other
classrooms in other geographic areas. The students will look at both set of data and
look for similarities and differences.
b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (collecting original data and or
producing original products as a result of engaging in the project): Each student
will create their own report on the organisms and non-living items they found in
the school yard. Each report will be their own product.
c. Higher-order thinking: Students are investigating their local environment. They
also must analyze the data and come up with similarities/differences between
their data and another schools data.
d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their
product: Each student will publish their report to the online project site. They will
collaborate with students in other areas and discuss differences and similarities.

1
Bloom’s Level of Critical Thinking Required (check all that apply):
See http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
Remembering Understanding x Applyingx Analyzing x
Evaluating Creating
What Level of Technology Implementation best describes this learning activity and Why?
Loti 4:Integration. Students have a two-way collaboration with peers outside of their classroom.
They share their product with an audience who finds their report meaningful.
How could you implement this proposed learning experience and still comply with your district’s
Internet Safety and Student Privacy policies? The teacher will seek parental permission from
each parent. If a parent refuses to allow a student to participate, the teacher will provide an
alternative solution. The teacher will also make sure students use pseudonyms when they
publish their work and make sure pictures are not uploaded with their report.