project description overview

Lesson Plans

Language Arts and Technology

C&I 490 EIT

By: Janeen McCarthy

Kindergarten Teacher

Springfield, IL

Through this program all of the resources that are available to me in the area of technology will be pulled together to enhance the Language Arts curriculum in my Kindergarten classroom. This program will enable me to give my students the most up to date and the highest level of instruction.
I am planning on using technology to help meet the educational needs of my students, no matter what level they are at. There are huge differences in the background experiences and skills of my Kindergarten students. Some of my students come to school reading, while others need to develop basic readiness skills.

It is my goal through this project to recognize and meet the individual needs of all of my students using all the resources and means that I can make available. In order to meet these needs, it is important to me to identify the students areas of strengths as well as their areas of weaknesses and to build on these.

The instructional unit that I have planned will begin to meet the standards and benchmarks that have been set by Springfield Public School District 186 for Kindergarten. These standards and benchmarks will be noted through out the lesson plans. In the lesson plans you will see something like this (K.1.A.) this means that this is a Kindergarden benchmark and it is Goal number 1, learning standard A.

In my kindergarten classroom, I will be using the Houghton Mifflin Language Arts program. I have pulled together many technological resources. The following guide and lesson plans have been enhanced with a variety of multimedia tools. I feel that the additions to this program will enable the teacher to give each student the most individualized and up-to- date level of instruction possible. The technology being used will help meet the educational needs of the students. There are significant differences in the background experiences and skills of kindergarten students; some of the students come to school reading, while others need to develop basic readiness skills. It is the goal of this project to recognize and meet the individual needs of all students using the resources and means that are available. In order to meet these needs, it is important to identify the students' areas of strengths as well as their areas of weaknesses and to build on these.

The use of technology also facilitates the ability of the classroom teachers to collaborate and have projects across the curriculum as well as grade levels. This collaboration gives both the teachers and the students the opportunity to work together. My class will work with their 4th grade friends each Friday for about an hour, and with their 1st grade friends once a week for thirty minutes. This time will be used for incorporating different technology into different projects. In the first unit, the activities will enable the students to learn how to open and close programs as well as work in the programs and become familiar with different things that they will be using throughout the year.

As can be seen through these lesson plans, technology will be used on a regular basis in our kindergarten classroom. We will have a computer and a printer that will be used daily. We will also have a 45 minute computer lab time four times a week. It can be used to work on both individual and cooperative learning activities.

Assessment:

Each student would have an individual ePortfolio that will be used for assessment and at Parent Teacher's Conferences. These would contain things like samples of work, checklists, and any important things that needed to be noted. The teacher will have several different checklists that would be kept track of in a database. The results as well as letters to the parents about this information would be placed here to help keep track of the skills they need to work on as well as the skills they have mastered. From this database it will be easy for the teacher to pull the children that need work in certain areas and allow the rest of the class to work on other things. Those who already had skills mastered could also be pulled easily for enrichment activities.

(The projects and activities that follow will be used to make a class video and added to throughout the year. This will be use to show parents at Conferences and to the incoming kindergartners on K-Night.)

Unit Activities for Language Arts

(Reading Series - Houghton Mifflin)

Unit 1: All About Me

This is a three week unit that will help the students get to know who they are. It deals with things they might like or dislike, their feelings about things, and how all of the students are the same in some ways, and different in other ways. This unit will teach the students that being different is okay and that each one of them is special! Each lesson takes about 90 minutes; this includes time for small group work and learning centers.

Lesson Plan #1 - Thursday, August 27, 1998
This activity will be good to help the children to get to know each other as well as their self. My First Day Of School -The students will do their first writing assignment for the year. It will consist of writing their name and drawing a picture of him/herself on this first day of school. While the students are working on this, the Quick Cam will be used to take a picture of each of them to be added to their page later. The whole page will be scanned after the photo has been added. This will be the first item placed in the students portfolio. A copy will be used to make a tape. Then using the L-TV Portable Pro and the classroom tv and computer the teacher and the students will use this to see all of the students' work.

Lesson Plan #1
Thursday, August 27, 1998

Language Arts & Technology 
Integrated Lesson Plans 
Kindergarten

Introductory Activity
Concept
Objective
Ideas for thematic integration
Technology focus
Materials
Procedures
Evaluation
Extension
Notes

Introductory Activity:
Play the song, "I Am Special, I Am Me".
Concept:
Getting to know each other and self. Print - Begins to understand the concept of the letters in their names. (K.1.A.)

Objective:

Part I--Students will say their name.

Students will share something about him/herself.

Students will listen quietly as the teacher reads.
Part II--Students will write their name and draw a self portrait.

Ideas for thematic integration:
All About Me "I Am Special" - These activities are all set up as Weekly Learning Centers:

Math Center: Measurement (height), student's height, building block towers for measuring. (K.23.C.)
Social Studies Center: Graphing "How I Get to School" and "Birthday Graph". (K.10.B.)
Science Center: Body Tracing, color and cut out bodies. (K.23.A.)
Language/Writing Center: All About Me journals. (K.3.B.)
Reading/Listening Center: Computer Discis Books/books dealing with feelings. (K.4.A.)

Technology focus:
Computer Discis Books, books in small groups as a learning center activity.

Materials:
Song, "I Am Special, I Am Me"
Book First Day of School
Journal page for name and self portrait
Thematic Centers

Procedures:
1. Play the song tape for the children to listen to.
2.Teacher will introduce herself and tell a little about herself. The teacher's aide will then do the same.
3. The students will then take turns and do the same. (At the end, those who did not share will be helped by the teacher until everyone has had a turn.) This activity will be good to help the children to get to know each other as well as their self.
4. The teacher will read to the clas the story First Day of School.
5. My First Day Of School - The students will do their first writing assignment for the year. It will consist of writing their name and drawing a picture of him/herself on this first day of school. While the students are working on this,we will use our Quick Cam to take a picture of each of them to be added to their page. We will scan their whole page after the photo has been added. This will be the first item put into their portfolio. A copy will be used for our first computer/t.v. show. We will use the L-TV Portable Pro and show to the class all of the students' work.
Evaluation:
The teacher will evaluate on the basis of participation and good listening skills. Notes will be taken by teacher to be added later to the students' stack cards.
Extension:
After the students finish their name and self portrait, these will be scanned and placed into their eportfolios.

Note:
The last 15 minutes of Language Arts Class will always be used for Independent Reading, Writing (usually in Journals), and Sharing.
Lesson Plan #2 - Friday, August 28, 1998: Students Online At Ridgely
Soar into Cyberspace
The students will observe some of the things they will be using on the computers, both in the classroom and in the computer lab. In this lesson the students will listen to computer safety tips and will go over computer rules with the teacher and sign an AUP. (A copy of these will go home with all of the students along with an outline of our SOAR into Cyberspace Program.) SOAR into Cyberspace will be a school wide project at Ridgely School. Through this program classes will keep track of where they go when they go Online. The URLs and a brief description of each place visited will be posted in the computer lab so that other classes can go visit many new and interesting places!

Lesson Plan #2
Friday, August 28, 1998

Language Arts & Technology 
Integrated Lesson Plans 
Kindergarten

Introductory Activity
Concept
Objective
Ideas for thematic integration
Technology focus
Materials
Procedures
Evaluation
Extension
Notes

Introductory Activity:
Teacher Guided Computer Adventures - This will be a short introduction of some of the neat things that the class and school will be doing with the computer.
Concept:
Following the rules (K.18.A.), Listening Skills (K.4.A.)

Objective:

The students will observe some of the things they will be using on the computers.
The students will listen to computer safety tips.
The students will go over computer rules with the teacher and sign an AUP. (A copy of this will go home with all the students along with an outline of our SOAR into Cyberspace Program.)


Ideas for thematic integration:
The different programs that will be used will be shown to the students. Math, Science, Social Studies, Reading/Language, Writing.

Technology focus:
Technology is the focus of this whole lesson. The students' interests and excitement will be raised in the area of technology as they are introduced to the variety of software and the capabilities of the computer to take them to so many new places.

Materials:
Computer
software being used
Internet safety site
Ridgely's AUP
SOAR into Cyberspace Program page
4th Grade Friends
Kid Pix writing page

Procedures:
1. The teacher will amaze the students with some of the neat things that the computer can do.
2. The teacher will go over ways to stay safe on the computer.
3. The teacher will go voer the school computer rules and the AUP students will sign the AUP.
4. The students will then be taken to the computer lab where they will see the computers and the program SOAR into Cyberspace will be talked about.: Students Online At Ridgely
Soar into Cyberspace
The students will observe some of the things they will be using on the computers, both in the classroom and in the computer lab. In this lesson the students will listen to computer safety tips and will go over computer rules with the teacher and sign an AUP. (A copy of these will go home with all of the students along with an outline of our SOAR into Cyberspace Program.) SOAR into Cyberspace will be a school wide project at Ridgely School. Through this program classes will keep track of where they go when they go Online. The URLs and a brief description of each place visited will be posted in the computer lab so that other classes can go visit many new and interesting places!
5. 4th grade friends will help the Kindergarten students with KidPix.
After the teacher has shown the class some of the software then the 4th Grade friends will work with Kindergarten students showing them how they can get into KidPix. (We will work on one program at a time until the Kindergarten students become more experienced.)
Evaluation:
The teacher will evaluate on the basis of good listening skills and and cooperation with 4th grade friend.
Extension:
The students can draw or write what they liked best or looking forward to doing. While half the class is exploring KidPix the other half will be doing this activity in their Journal.

Note: Independent Reading, Writing, Sharing.
Lesson Plan #3 - Monday, August 31, 1998
The teacher will read the story On Monday When It Rained, by Cherryl Kachenmeister to the class. The class will discuss the different emotions the boy in the story felt and when they have some of those same feelings. They will also talk about which feeling they like to feel most and what makes them feel that way. This discussion will lead into things that they like and how they make them feel.
The first project with our 4th grade friends will be using the computer program Kid Pix Studio. Click for an example. The 4th graders will begin by helping their Kindergarten friend put their name on the screen. Then the 4th graders will then help their friend use the Kid Pix program to come up with some things that they like. The kindergartner will choose stamps of things that they like and their 4th grade friend will help them to put them on their page. The 4th graders can also show their kindergartner some different tricks that this computer program will do, such as how to make the stamps get bigger and how to make their pictures move around on the screen. The 4th graders will also make a page of their own and these pages will be used for Shared Reading time.

Lesson Plan #3
Monday, August 31, 1998

Language Arts & Technology 
Integrated Lesson Plans 
Kindergarten

Introductory Activity
Concept
Objective
Ideas for thematic integration
Technology focus
Materials
Procedures
Evaluation
Extension
Notes

Introductory Activity:
Play the song, "I Am Special, I Am Me"
Poster, "If You're Happy and You Know It"

Concept:
Expression of ideas and thoughts about self and sees differences in each other (K.23.C.)
Writing with the computer (K.3.A.)
Objective:
The students will discover that others in the class, as well as story characters, are like them in many ways. The Students will use computer technology to illustrate the things that they like.

Ideas for thematic integration:
Weekly Learning Centers - See Monday's Plan

Technology focus:
Paint/Draw using the computer
Make a slide show using all of the pictures. Show it to the class using the TV and the L-TV Portable Pro.
Materials:
Song Tape - "I Am Special, I Am Me"
Poster - If You're Happy and You Know It
Teacher Manual T14 - T25
tape player
Books to share for this theme
1st grade friends
Kid Pix Studio Deluxe
computer
TV and the L-TV Portable Pro
printer
printer paper
VHS tape

Procedures:
1. Play the song tape for the children to listen to, then play it again and encourage the students to sing along with it.
2. The teacher will read the story On Monday When It Rained, by Cherryl Kachenmeister to the class. Discuss the different emotions the boy in the story felt and when they have some of those same feelings. Talk about which feeling they like to feel most and what makes them feel that way. This discussion will lead into things that they like and how they make them feel.
3. Have Kid Pix and their 4th grade friend ready to create!
4. Have each student with the help of their 4th grade friend use either the letter stamps or the word processor in Kid Pix to write "I Like..." and their name on their page.
5. Have each student then choose stamps of things that they like.
6. Save a copy of the picture on the students disk and print a copy of the picture out for them to share with classmates.
7.The class will discuss the different emotions the boy in the story felt and when they have some of those same feelings. They will also talk about which feeling they like to feel most and what makes them feel that way. This discussion will lead into things that they like and how they make them feel.
Evaluation: Students will be evaluated on their effort and their, I Like... page.
Extension:

Read stories that explain how all children are alike in some ways and different in other ways. Tell them that the books are about children, and just like the children in the class, each child is special!
Look also at the differences in the children (height, weight ...)
The teacher will use the pictures to make a slide show for the class to enjoy! Kid Pix Slide Show. This will be shared with parents at Open House. The slide shows will also be transferred to video tape. This will also be used as part of our videoconferencing with another class online! (CU-SeeMe)

Note: Independent Reading, Writing, and Sharing.
Lesson Plan #4 - Tuesday, September 1, 1998
The students will listen for rhyme in the poem, "Rain, Rain Go Away". The students will put the days of the week in order starting with Thursday. The students will match a feeling with the day from the story. The students will tell about times they were feeling a particular way and create their own picture/story. The Discis books that will be used during center activities will all deal with this unit theme of feelings.

Lesson Plan #4
Tuesday, September 1, 1998

Language Arts & Technology 
Integrated Lesson Plans 
Kindergarten

Introductory Activity
Concept
Objective
Ideas for thematic integration
Technology focus
Materials
Procedures
Evaluation
Extension
Notes

Introductory Activity:
Songs - "I Am Special" and "If You're Happy and You Know It" - New Song, "Rain, Rain Go Away"

Concept:
Concept About Print, Phonemic Awareness, (K.1.A.)
Feelings (K.23.C.)

Objective:

The students will listen for rhyme in the poem, "Rain, Rain Go Away"
The students will put the days of the week in order.
The students will match a feeling with the day from the story.
The students will tell about times they were feeling this way and create their own picture/story.

Ideas for thematic integration:
Math - Calendar Wall will be used daily. Activities will consist of things introduced through this lesson--days of the week, weather words, etc. Weekly Learning Centers - See Monday's Plan

Technology focus:
Discis Books, Feelings

Materials:
TM 25-29
Tape "Rain, Rain, Go Away"
Tape recorder
Days of the week cards
Feeling cards
Discis Books
Glad or Sad Game
Rhyming picture cards
Procedures:
1. The students will listen for rhyme in the poem, "Rain, Rain Go Away".
2. The students will put the days of the week in order starting with Thursday.
3. The students will match a feeling with the day from the story.
4. The students will tell about times they were feeling a particular way and create their own picture/story.
5. The students will learn how to play the Glad or Sad game and the rhyming picture card game.
6. The Discis books that will be used during center activities will all deal with this unit theme of feelings.
Evaluation:
The students will be evaluated by the teacher on how well they participate in the class activities and on their listening skills.
Extension:
Games T29 Glad or Sad Game / Rhyming picture cards

Note:
Independent Reading, Writing, and Sharing
Lesson Plan #5 - Wednesday, September 2, 1998
After retelling and discussing the story On Monday When It Rained, the class will then make a class book, On Thursday When We Started School. The sequencing of the days of the week will be stressed starting with Thursday --

On Thursday when we started school we felt...
On Friday when we went to the computer lab we felt ...
On Saturday and Sunday when we stayed home we felt ...(Have the students draw a picture of something they did over the weekend and how they felt.)
On Monday when I saw my new friends, I felt ...
On Tuesday ...
On Wednesday ...

The teacher will guide the children helping them think of different feelings that they have felt since the first day of school, and what made them feel that way! The students will then read their new class book with their teacher (each student will read their own page).

Lesson Plan #5
Wednesday, September 2, 1998

Language Arts & Technology 
Integrated Lesson Plans 
Kindergarten

Introductory Activity
Concept
Objective
Ideas for thematic integration
Technology focus
Materials
Procedures
Evaluation
Extension
Notes

Introductory Activity: Songs - "I Am Special" and "If You're Happy and You Know It" / Poster - School Days / Game - Scramble Days of the Week
Concept:
Telling about events and expressing the feelings that were felt.
(K.4.A.&B.)

Objective:

The students will tell about something that happened and how the event made them feel and illustrate it.

Ideas for thematic integration: Weekly Learning Centers - See Monday's Plan

Technology focus: HyperStudio
Class story -- On Thursday when we started school we felt...
On Friday when we went to the computer lab we felt ...
On Saturday and Sunday when we stayed home we felt ...
(Have the students draw a picture of something they did over the weekend and how they felt.)
On Monday when I saw my new friends, I felt ...
On Tuesday ...
On Wednesday ...

Materials: Book: On Monday When It Rained, Days of the week cards, chart paper, Days of the week cut and paste paper,

Procedures:
1. After retelling and discussing the story On Monday When It Rained, the class will then make a class book, On Thursday When We Started School. 2. The students will practice sequencing the days of the week - the teacher will stress that a week is seven days and that no matter which day you start with you still have to stay in order. For this project the class will start with Thursday --

On Thursday when we started school we felt...

On Friday when we went to the computer lab we felt ...

On Saturday and Sunday when we stayed home we felt ...(Have the students draw a picture of something they did over the weekend and how they felt.)

On Monday when I saw my new friends, I felt ...

On Tuesday ...

On Wednesday ...
3. The students will have a cut and paste paper to help learn the days of the week and the order the days go.
Evaluation: The students will be evaluated on how well they do on their cut and paste paper.

Extension: Feeling Ball to take home.
Note: Independent Reading, Writing, and Sharing

Lesson Plan #6 - Thursday, September 3, 1998
The teacher will read the Big Book, ABC and You by: Eugenie Fernandes, and discuss the characters names and the words used to describe each of them. The teacher will then go through the story and discuss with the class the describing words to make sure that everyone knows the meanings. Taking turns, the students will then do the same with each of their names. The children in the class will each have a turn saying their own name. The teacher will help each student pick out a word that describes them (and begins with the same letter as their name does). The class will make a list of these so that they can be used in the next class activity.

Lesson Plan #6
Thursday, September 3, 1998

Language Arts & Technology 
Integrated Lesson Plans 
Kindergarten

Introductory Activity
Concept
Objective
Ideas for thematic integration
Technology focus
Materials
Procedures
Evaluation
Extension
Notes

Introductory Activity:
Songs, "I Am Special", "If You're Happy and You Know It" and "ABC" / Name Game--The students will each have a copy of their own name on a card. They will find the others in the class whose name begins with the same letter.

Concept:
Story Comprehension and Letter Recognition
Concept About Print, Phonemic Awareness, (K.1.A.)
Feelings (K.23.C.)
Objective:
The students will be introduced to the letters of the alphabet and begin to understand that letters make up words. The students will learn what letter their name begins with and will be able to match this letter with the same letter at the beginning of other students names.
Ideas for thematic integration:
Centers - see Monday's lesson plan.
Technology focus:
Reader Rabbit 1 - This software program will be introduced to the students and used to reinforce letter recognition.

Materials:
Big Book and tape
ABC and You , by: Eugenie Fernandes.
alphabet letters for -Letter Recognition
My Big Dictionary
Games
Reader Rabbit 1
Procedures:
1. The teacher will read the Big Book, ABC and You , by: Eugenie Fernandes and discuss the characters names and the words used to describe each of them.
2. The teacher will then go through the story and discuss with the class the describing words to make sure that everyone knows the meanings.
3. Taking turns, the students will then do the same with each of their names. The children in the class will each have a turn saying their own name. The teacher will help each student pick out a word that describes them (and begins with the same letter as their name does).
4. The teacher will introduce the My Big Dictionary to the class and show the students how a dictionary is set up (using the letter that begins each word).
5. Using My Big Dictionary, the teacher will ask, "What's a Letter?" She will show capital and small letters, explaining to the class that these are letters and that these letters make words.
6. The teacher will let the students count letters in words and show that different words have different numbers of letters.
7. Passing out name cards, the students will count the number of letters in their names.
8. The students will then try to find other students with the same number of letters.
9. The software program, Reader Rabbit 1, will be introduced to the students and used to reinforce letter recognition.
Extension:
The students that are able to name the letters can go on and put letters together to make words. The students will also spend time practicing writing their names.
Note:

This activity also helps the students learn the names of the other students.
Independent Reading, Writing, and Sharing.


Lesson Plan #7 - Friday, September 4, 1998
The class will reread the story, ABC and You by: Eugenie Fernandes, and review letters and sounds. The teacher will then have a Kid Pix , Claris Works, Writing Center, or any writing program already open with a new document. Each student will use either the letter stamps or the word processor in KidPix to write the title of the story and their name somewhere on the page. Each student will illustrate the story using either stamps, original art, or a combination of both depending on your students' ability levels with the help of their 4th grade friend. They will print the pictures out to share with classmates. They also make a great display in your room! This activity also helps the students learn the names of the other students. The students' pictures can be placed in Kid Pix Slide Show. This will be added to the tape and will be used again for presentation to share with parents at Open House or Parent Days.
*Name A ... Active Andrew

The 4th graders will help their kindergarten friend use The Writing Center (because in this program the size and color of the letters can be changed, and it is easy to make upper and lower case letters so that they could print their names correctly). The teachers will help each child come up with a describing word if their friend can't (the class list from the day before would be helpful. Pictures of each child will be added to their page using the Quick Cam. The pages will then be decorated and put together to make the class book, ABC and You by: Mrs. McCarthy's Kindergarten Class. This activity could also be played on the t.v. and recorded on the video tape.

Lesson Plan #7
Friday, September 4, 1998

Language Arts & Technology 
Integrated Lesson Plans 
Kindergarten

Introductory Activity
Concept
Objective
Ideas for thematic integration
Technology focus
Materials
Procedures
Evaluation
Extension
Notes

Introductory Activity:
Songs - "I Am Special" "Happy and You Know It" and "ABC" / Alphabet Soup - Uppercase letters will be placed in a pot. One at a time they will be pulled out. Student will stand when it is the letter that is at the beginning of their name.

Concept:
Matching spoken letter names to printed letters & understanding letter order in the alphabet (K.1.A.)
Writing with the computer (K.3.A.)
Objective:

The students will begin to understand the concept of print.
The students will begin matching spoken letter names to printed letters.
The students will begin understanding the letter order in the alphabet.

Ideas for thematic integration: Weekly Learning Centers - See Monday's Plan / Math - counting the number of letters in a person's name.

Technology focus: The 4th graders will help their kindergarten friend use The Writing Center (because in this program the size and color of the letters can be changed, and it is easy to make upper and lower case letters so that they could print their names correctly). The teachers will help each child come up with a describing word if their friend can't. Pictures of each child will be added to their page using the Quick Cam. The pages will then be decorated and put together to make the class book, ABC and You by: Mrs. McCarthy's Kindergarten Class. - Name A ... Active Andrew - This activity will also be played on the t.v. and recorded on the video tape.

Materials:
Teachers Manual
Big Book and tape for ABC and You
My Big Dictionary, games
Writing Center, Claris Works, Kid Pix or any other beginning paint/draw program,
computer; printer/printer paper (optional)
4th grade friends,
computer lab
TV, VCR and L-TV hookup
Procedures:
1. The teacher will read the Big Book, ABC and You , by: Eugenie Fernandes.
2. The class will again discuss the characters names and the words used to describe each of them.
3. The teacher will then go around students and do the same with each of the children in the class. They will each get to pick out a word that describes them (and begins with the same letter as their name does). This activity also helps the students learn the names of the other students.
4. Claris Works or Kid Pix open with a new document. Each student uses either the letter stamps or the word processor in KidPix to write the title of the story and their name somewhere on the page.
5. Each student illustrate their page using either stamps, original art, or a combination of both depending on your students' ability levels.
6. Print the pictures out to share with classmates. They also make a great display in your room!
5. Each student illustrate their page using either stamps, original art, or a combination of both depending on your students' ability levels.
6. Print the pictures out to share with classmates. They also make a great display in your room!
Students will be evaluated on their illustration and creative effort.
Extension:

During story time the teacher will read other stories that relate to the theme of feelings.
You can place your students' pictures in Kid Pix Slide Show. This makes a great presentation to share with parents at Open Houseor Parent Days.These slide shows are also wonderful when transferred to video tape, especially for sharing schoolwide in schools with closed circuit televsion systems.
Fun Friday--the class plays games such as Letter Find, Alphabet Soup, Rhyming Picture cards, etc...

Note:

I've found that if students are allowed to use the stamps in Kid Pix for this type of activity, they usually add too many. To prevent this, I either allow a certain number of stamps, or no stamps at all.

Independent Reading, Writing, and Sharing.

Lesson Plan #8 -Tuesday, September 8, 1998
The class will discuss the poem "Reflection". The teacher will have them look into a mirror and see their own reflection and talk about how a reflection is like a photograph. The class will then read the Big Book, Faces, by Shelley Rotner and Ken Kreisler. In a teacher guided discussion the class will look at the photographs in the story and tell how the children's faces are alike because they have the same features and express the same feelings, but different because each person is an individual. Looking at the facial features and the clothes that the children in the photographs have on, the class will talk about where the children in the photographs might live. The class can then check out the Internet to see how people in different places around the world look. The class will then review what a letter is and the fact that letters make up words. The students will then find letters and words in the story, Faces.

Language Arts & Technology 
Integrated Lesson Plans 
Kindergarten

Introductory Activity
Concept
Objective
Ideas for thematic integration
Technology focus
Materials
Procedures
Evaluation
Extension
Notes

Introductory Activity:
Songs, "I Am Special", "If You're Happy and You Know It" and the poem "Reflection".
Concept:
Story Comprehension and Letter Recognition
Concept About Print, Phonemic Awareness, (K.1.A.)
Feelings (K.23.C.)

Objective:
The students will be introduced to the letters of the alphabet and begin to understand that letters make up words. The students will learn what letter their name begins with and will be able to match this letter with the same letter at the beginning of other students names.
Ideas for thematic integration:
Centers - see Monday's lesson plan.
Technology focus:
Reader Rabbit 1 - This software program will be introduced to the students and used to reinforce letter recognition.

Materials:
Big Book and tape
Faces, by Shelley Rotner and Ken Kreisler
alphabet letters for -Letter Recognition
My Big Dictionary
Games
Reader Rabbit 1
Procedures:
1. The teacher will read the Big Book, Faces, by Shelley Rotner and Ken Kreisler.
2. The teacher will have the class look at the photographs in the story and tell how the children's faces are alike because they have the same features and express the same feelings, but different because each person is an individual.
3. Looking at the facial features and the clothes that the children in the photographs have on, the class will talk about where the children in the photographs might live.
4. The class can then check out the Internet to see how people in different places around the world look.
5.The class will then review what a letter is and the fact that letters make up words. The students will then find letters and words in the story, Faces. these are letters and that these letters make words.
6.Using My Big Dictionary, the teacher will ask, "What's a Letter?" She will show capital and small letters, explaining to the class that The teacher will let the students count letters in words and show that different words have different numbers of letters.
7. The software program, Reader Rabbit 1, will be used to reinforce letter recognition.
Extension:
The students that are able to name the letters can go on and put letters together to make words. The students will also spend time practicing writing their names.
Independent Reading, Writing, and Sharing.

Lesson Plan #9 - Wednesday, September 9, 1998
The students will take turns getting their faces painted, and the with the Color QuickCam have a photograph taken of them to put on the class book. While the students are waiting for their turn to get their face painted they will work on illustrating and filling in the blanks for the following sentences.
I was _________(feeling word) when I _______________________________________.

I like to ________________________________.

Language Arts & Technology 
Integrated Lesson Plans 
Kindergarten

Introductory Activity
Concept
Objective
Ideas for thematic integration
Technology focus
Materials
Procedures
Evaluation
Extension
Notes

Introductory Activity:
Songs - "I Am Special" "Happy and You Know It" and "ABC Song"

Concept:
Illustrating and filling in the blank to make a complete sentence. (K.3.B.)
Objective:

The students will begin matching spoken letter names to printed letters.
The students will begin understanding the letter order in the alphabet.
The students will begin to understand that they can put words together to make a sentence.

Ideas for thematic integration: Weekly Learning Centers - See Monday's Plan / Math - counting the number of letters in a person's name.

Technology focus: The teacher will also use a Discis Book on the computer to help the students to understand these concepts.

Materials:
Teachers Manual
Writing paper (with sentence on it)
Discis Book
Face paints
Color QuickCam
Procedures:
1. The students will take turns getting their faces painted.
2. The teacher will use the Color QuickCam to take a photograph of each child to put in a class book.
3. The students will work on illustrating and filling in the blanks for the sentence I was _________(feeling word) when I _______________________________________.

I like to ________________________________.
4. The teacher will also use a Discis Book on the computer to help the students to understand the concept of print.
5. The students will begin matching spoken letter names to printed letters as they see them on the computer.
Students will be evaluated on their picture and their writing paper to see if they were able to come up with a feeling and a reason for feeling the way they did.
Extension:

During story time the teacher will read other stories that relate to the theme of feelings.

Independent Reading, Writing, and Sharing.
Lesson Plan #10 - Thursday, September 10, 1998
The teacher will discuss with the class the concept of print and how print is used to write stories and books. They will discuss where a book begins and ends. Where a page begins and ends and the different parts of a book. The children will complete activities which include holding a book, turning pages in a book, and how to scan the print in a book. The teacher will also use a Discis Book on the computer to help the students to understand these concepts. The students after talking about the part of a face will make a mask of their face to hang in the hallway.

Language Arts & Technology 
Integrated Lesson Plans 
Kindergarten

Introductory Activity
Concept
Objective
Ideas for thematic integration
Technology focus
Materials
Procedures
Evaluation
Extension
Notes

Introductory Activity:
Songs - "I Am Special" "Happy and You Know It" and "ABC" / Alphabet Soup Game - Uppercase letters will be placed in a pot. One at a time a letter will be pulled out. Student will stand when it is the letter that is at the beginning of their name.

Concept:
Concept About Print, Phonemic Awareness, (K.1.A.)
Matching -spoken letter names to printed letters.
Understanding letter order in the alphabet.
Objective:

The students will begin to understand the concept of print.
The students will begin matching spoken letter names to printed letters.
The students will begin understanding the letter order in the alphabet.

Ideas for thematic integration: Weekly Learning Centers - See Monday's Plan / Math - counting the number of letters in a person's name.

Technology focus: The teacher will also use a Discis Book on the computer to help the students to understand these concepts.

Materials:
Teachers Manual, Big Book and tape for Faces ,My Big Dictionary, "ABC" / Alphabet Soup Game, and Discis Book. Supplies for masks (paper plates, paints, yarn, eyes, markers and material scraps).
Procedures:
1. The teacher will read the Big Book, Faces, by: Shelley Rotner and Ken Kreisler.
2. The class will again discuss the feelings that the faces in this story might be showing, and they will use feeling words to describe each of them.
3. The teacher will then go around and have the students make some of the same faces and any other facial expressions with each of the children in the class. This activity also helps the students review the feeling words that they have been learning in this unit.
4. The teacher will also use a Discis Book on the computer to help the students to understand the concept of print.
5. The students will begin matching spoken letter names to printed letters as they see them on the computer.
Students will be evaluated on their participation.
Extension:

During story time the teacher will read other stories that relate to the theme of feelings.
The students after talking about the part of a face will make a mask of their face to hang in the hallway.
The class plays games such as Letter Find, Alphabet Soup, Rhyming Picture cards, at centers through out the week.

Independent Reading, Writing, and Sharing.

FINAL PROJECT CU-SeeMe

The class will watch their video "I Like...". Viewing the video will help the students remember what they said on the slideshow and give them an idea of what they will say during the videoconferencing. Through CU-SeeMe videoconferencing - the class will be meeting and sharing things with another Kindergarten class that is somewhere else in the country. The students will use the videoconferencing technology to share two of their class projects ("I Like... slideshow and class book ABC and You) with them over the Internet. The students will take turns talking with their new Kindergarten friends.

Language Arts & Technology 
Integrated Lesson Plans 
Kindergarten

Introductory Activity
Concept
Objective
Ideas for thematic integration
Technology focus
Materials
Procedures
Evaluation

This lesson will take 45 to 60 minutes.
Introductory Activity:
The class will watch their video "I Like...". Viewing the video will help the students remember what they said on the slideshow and give them an idea of what they will say during the videoconferencing.
Concept:
CU-SeeMe videoconferencing - (K.4.A.&B.)
Meeting and sharing things with another Kindergarten class that is somewhere else in the country. (K.17.A.)

Objective:

The students will use the videoconferencing technology to meet with another kindergarten class on the Internet, they will share two of their class projects ("I Like... slideshow and class book ABC and You) with them.
The students will take turns talking with their new Kindergarten friends.
The students will be able to say their name and tell at least one thing that they like.

Ideas for thematic integration:
We will visit several Kindergarten site on the Internet and talk about the different places and things that are found. The class will locate these places on our classroom map, and they will also mark them on the school map in the computer lab. The following are sites that will be tried:
Birch Kindergarten http://www.nocs.leeca.esu.k12.oh.us/birch/index.htm
Kindergarten Connection http://www.kconnect.com/ A list of other Kindergarten classes that are online can be found at the following web site http://www.kconnect.com/kc-links.html.
The teacher will also put an email on the ListServ to find a class that has the needed materials to take part in the videoconferencing. The teacher will find the class that is being videoconferencing with well in advance, so that both classes are ready and know what they will share.
Technology focus:
Searching the Internet to find Kindergarten Classes that are online. Using the QuickCam and doing a CU-SeeMe videoconferencing with another Kindergarten somewhere!

Materials:
"I Like..." slideshow video
ABC and You class book
TV and the VCR Portable Pro
A Kindergarten Class somewhere that can do the videoconferencing
TV and a VCR
Both classes needs the following to receive video:

Macintosh platform with a 68020 processor or higher
System 7 or higher operating system
(it "may" run on system 6.0.7 and above)
Ability to display 16-level-grayscale (e.g. any color Mac)
an IP network connection
MacTCP or Open Transport
Current CU-SeeMe application
Apple's QuickTime, to receive slides with SlideWindow

Both classes need the following to send video:

The specifications to receive video mentioned above
Quicktime installed
A video digitizer (with vdig software) and Camera;

The only digitizer they've had a chance to test recently is IXMicro's excellent TurboTV card which is supported in the final Cornell release of the software.
Procedures:
1. The class will watch their slideshow on the TV in our classroom.
2. The students will take turns practicing what they will say for the videoconferencing. (Name and something he/she likes)
3. The class will go to several Kindergarten sites on the Internet - The class will locate these places on our classroom map, and they will also later mark them on the school map in the computer lab. This will help remind the students that they are going to be communicating with a class that is far away!
4. The class will then meet their new Kindergarten friends via CU-SeeMe. The teachers will do a whole group introduction and read their class book ABC and You (the class will help her read it and the QuickCam will be moved around so that the class viewing will be able to observe the class as a whole while listening to the story.
5. The students will each have a turn to talk. (It would be helpful to have used the QuickCam previously so that the students aren't surprised when they see their picture on the screen. The students will see who they are talking to on the screen and see their picture in a little window at the same time.) Both classes will be sharing projects and letting the students have individual time online.
6. Once all of the students have had a turn speaking, the QuickCam will then be positioned to show our class project - the "I Like..." slideshow video from our TV.
7. The students will then listen and watch the other class share their projects with us.
Evaluation:
The students will be evaluated on their effort during both the practice and the videoconferencing part of this lesson.
Extension:
The students will write in their journals about their new experience with videoconferencing. The student will also write an email thank you note to their new Kindergarten friends.
Note:
When doing these activities we must keep in mind that these are new experiences for the students. All of the students should be given the opportunity to participate, but will do so only when they feel comfortable with it - for some it may even take several times before they will actively participate. Practicing with the students before putting them online will help.

Software that will be in use:
Kid Pix and Kid Pix Studio: These will be two of the first programs that the students will be introduced to and they will be used regularly throughout the year.

The Writing Center: This program will be used for free play at first and letter exploration. It will help the students to become familiar with letters and for those who know some words (such as their name, mom, dad ect...) they can already begin writing.

Print Shop Deluxe: Creative writing for both the individual student as well as the whole class can be done with this program. Signs, banners and cards are just a few of the things that can be created using this.

Playroom: This program gives the students the freedom and the opportunity to explore with letters and words.

Reader Rabbit 1: This program makes reading fun for the students. It is an interactive reading journey that helps teach basic reading skills through games.

Living Books: Green Eggs and Ham by: Dr. Seuss This software package contains both the CD-ROM and the book Green Eggs and Ham. The CD-ROM reads through this popular story using animation on the computer.

Discis Books: Ridgely has many Discis Books that can be shared with the class. They can be used on the computer by individuals or put on the t.v. for the whole class to enjoy.

Accelerated Reading: As soon as we have children that can read on their own we will begin the Accelerated Reader Software (AR1). AR is an enrichment reading program in which the students read books at their own level and then take test on the computer to check for comprehension.