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Cyberlesson Project Description
Title: Sarah Morton, A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl
Author: Kate Waters
Cyberlesson by: JoAnn Truszkowski
Description of project:
My class of nineteen First Grade Students participated in the cyberlesson task and unit on Pilgrims and Colonial Life. We studied this topic for approximately six weeks. During this time the students were involved in many learning activities. The students completed activities such as, a KWL chart, math sorting, various writing assignments, and a Venn Diagram. The students worked with their art teacher, Mr. Klaneski, to make Native American vests. The entire First Grade performed a short play about Pilgrims, Native Americans, and the First Thanksgiving. The students listened to many books on Colonial Life, and also read books about Pilgrims during guided reading. We completed the cyberlesson together as a class. Some activities for the cyberlesson were whole class, individual, or working with a partner.
Reflections:
My class seemed to enjoy the cyberlesson. As part of the Before Reading Activity, the students were asked to make predictions about the story and notice all the various responsibilities Sarah Morton had. The During Reading Activity asked the students to monitor their predictions and see if some were correct. The After Reading activity involved the students viewing slides of all the chores Sarah Morton had to do in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Then the students completed a Venn Diagram to compare the daily chores in Sarah’s life in 1627, and the daily chores in their own life in 2005.
The class really liked the Beyond Reading Websites. They enjoyed viewing inside Pilgrims homes from long ago, and viewing more photos of Pilgrim clothing. The Beyond Reading Reflections were quite interesting. The students stated remarkable reasons of why they would like to live in the year 1627, or, why not.
Strengths:
The main strength of the cyberlesson was that it was used as an extension activity to a Social Studies unit that is part of the First Grade Curriculum. It was a new way of teaching with technology that my students thoroughly enjoyed.
Weaknesses and Recommendations:
If I were to do a cyberlesson again I would have more During Reading activities. I would try to include a video or a “virtual tour” website, if possible. I also would make modifications to the Venn Diagram. I noticed that my class struggled with this activity at first. Perhaps using two different colors would make it easier for students to follow and complete the diagram. I would like to use two different colored hula hoops as a large Venn Diagram model. The “writing” inside would be on sentence strips. Another recommendation is to have parent helpers or fifth graders available to provide support while the students are working on the cyberlesson.