Lesson Design: Twitter, Glogster, Video Conferencing

A lot of the Web 2.0 tools we have discussed in this class so far, I was already familiar with. Twitter is something I have been using for about two years now. However, I never thought I could actually incorporate it in the classroom. Learning how to integrate Twitter in the classroom got me thinking of ways I can use it on my technology-integration lesson. I have a few ideas on what I would want my technology-integration lesson to be on.

The Web 2.0 tools I will incorporate in my lesson are:

1.    Twitter,

2.    Video Conferencing, and

3.    Glogster.

The grade level for this lesson will be:

 3^rd grade, social studies, and focusing on historical figures

The reason I want to focus on this lesson is that I find it very difficult for me as a teacher to teach social studies, let alone make it fun. I personally have never really enjoyed social studies, but I feel that incorporating technology lets social studies take on a new meaning. I have already incorporated these type of lessons in my classes so far and I have seen the students very much engaged.

Lesson:

Each student will be assigned a specific historical figure (Benjamin Franklin, Daniel Boone, Benjamin Banneker). After we have read facts about these individuals and students have taken notes they will be required to create a Glogster for their assigned historical figure. This assignment will be a collaboration with another 3^rd grade class in Texas that is studying the same content. The students will be connected with the other students from another school via Twitter. Each student will create a Twitter account for their historical figure. They will compose tweets that give facts about their individual to help them gather more information on their figure. This will guide the students with their online interactive poster, Glog.The students will be given a rubric of the requirements (include 1 video, 1 audio, 3 content appropriate graphics, and 4 texts).  At the end of their project the students will connect with each other via Video Conference. They will present their Glog to the other classroom and provide questions and feedback. This is a great opportunity to collaborate with others across the country!