Technology Integration Activity

Portia Keith
CAT 531
Activity Title: A Digital Christmas around the World
Grade Level Range: 2nd Grade
Purpose/Objectives:
Students will:
- Utilize different forms of technology to create a digital story.
- Collaborate with their peers to create a Christmas story for a different country.
- Utilize the internet to research the Christmas traditions of other countries.
- Present their finished projects to their peers.
Alabama Course of Study Standards (www.alex.al.us)
Technology:
- 5. Practice responsible use of technology systems and applications.
- 7. Use digital tools to access and retrieve information.
- 8. Use digital environments to exchange ideas with individuals or groups.
- 10. Design original works using digital tools.
Other:
-

ELA2013(2)

ELA2013(2)

8. Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g.,
Cinderella stories) by different authors or from different cultures.
[RL.2.9]

24. Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or

short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts,
and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a
sense of closure. [W.2.3]
ELA2013(2) 26. With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools
to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
[W.2.6]
ELA2013(2)
27.) Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a
number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record science
observations). [W.2.7]
ELA2013(2)
29.) Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
about Grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger
groups. [SL.2.1]
SS2004 (2) Exploring Our Nation
4. Discuss celebrations in the United States and
And World: People and Places
around the world.

National Education Technology Standards for Students (NETS) Standards (www.iste.org)

- 1. Creativity and innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct
knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
o Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
o Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
- 2. Communication and collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to
communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual
learning and contribute to the learning of others.
o Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a
variety of digital environments and media.
o Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a
variety of media and formats.
o Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners
of other cultures.
o Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
- 3. Research and information fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and
use information.
o Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information
from a variety of sources and media.
o Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the
appropriateness to specific tasks.
- 5. Digital citizenship: Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to
technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
o Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and
technology.
o Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration,
learning, and productivity.
Description: As a whole class assignment, students will watch a digital story of Twas the Night
Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore. They will then use various websites to research the
Christmas traditions of other countries (Germany, Mexico, Australia, Italy, and England).
Students will then collaborate in small groups and create a digital Christmas story for their
assigned country.
Activity Preparation:
- The teacher will locate a digital version of Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement
Clarke Moore.
- The teacher has previously visited the digital story maker website and has prepared a new
book for students.
- The teacher has previously printed copies of the graphic organizer that the students will
use to organize their information.

Students have prior knowledge of participating in collaborative projects.

Students have previously completed graphic organizers and understand how they work.

Activity Procedure:
The following activities should take place
Lesson One - Introduction:
- The teacher will present the digital version of Twas the Night Before Christmas by
Clement Clarke Moore using an interactive whiteboard.
(http://www.tumblebooks.com/syndication/excite/twas_full.swf)
- After the story, the class will discuss the different events that occurred in the story.
- The class will then discuss the importance of details.
- Students will then receive their group assignments and their assigned countries.
Lesson Two Research:
- Students will be reminded of their assigned groups and countries.
- Students will then get into their groups and receive a graphic organizer.
- As a class, the graphic organizer will be reviewed and questions that arise will be
answered at this time.
- The components of the graphic organizer will be as follows:
o Setting
o Characters
o Traditions of the country
o Plot
- When everyone has an understanding of the assignment, they will be allowed to use the
internet to conduct research on their assigned countries. Below are sample websites that
may be used:
o http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm
o http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas/
o http://www.christmas.com/
Lesson Three Story Creation:
- Before students are allowed to create their own stories, the class will review the website
that will be used.
(http://www.storyjumper.com/ )
- The teacher will model what the students will need to do in order to create their own
digital stories.
- Students will then be allowed to break up into groups and create their digital stories.
Lesson Four Presentation Day
- Student will get into their groups to make go over their presentations and make sure that
their presentations are in order before presenting.
- Students will then present their digital stories to their peers and teacher.

Tools and Resources:

- Computers with an internet connection
- Graphic organizers
- Websites:
o http://www.tumblebooks.com/syndication/excite/twas_full.swf
o http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm
o http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas/
o http://www.christmas.com/
o http://www.storyjumper.com/
o Additional websites that the students locate one their own
Assessment:
- Did students use the internet in an appropriate manner?
- Did students complete their graphic organizer correctly?
- Did students positively collaborate with group members?

Rubric: This rubric was created using http://rubistar.4teachers.org.

Web Site Design : A Digital Christmas around the World

Teacher Name: Ms. Keith
Student Name:

________________________________________

Cooperative
Work

Partners show
respect for one
another\'s ideas,
divide the work fairly,
and show a
commitment to quality
work and support for
each other.

Partners show
respect for one
another\'s ideas and
divide the work fairly.
There is commitment
by some members
toward quality work
and support of one
another.

Partners show
respect for one
another\'s ideas and
divide the work fairly.
There is little
evidence of a
commitment toward
quality work in the
group.

Partners argue or are

disrepectful of
other\'s ideas and
input. Criticism is not
constructive nor is
support offered. The
work is mostly done
by one or two people.

Spelling and
Grammar

There are no errors in

spelling, punctuation
or grammar in the
final draft of the Web
site.

There are 1-3 errors

in spelling,
punctuation or
grammar in the final
draft of the Web site.

There are 4-5 errors

in spelling,
punctuation or
grammar in the final
draft of the Web site.

There are more than

5 errors in spelling,
punctuation or
grammar in the final
draft of the Web site.

Content

The site has a wellstated clear purpose

and theme that is
carried out throughout
the site.

The site has a clearly

stated purpose and
theme, but may have
one or two elements
that do not seem to
be related to it.

The purpose and

theme of the site is
somewhat muddy or
vague.

The site lacks a

purpose and theme.

Graphics

Graphics are related

to the theme/purpose
of the site, are
thoughtfully cropped,
are of high quality
and enhance reader
interest or
understanding.

Graphics are related

to the theme/purpose
of the site, are of
good quality and
enhance reader
interest or
understanding.

Graphics are related

to the theme/purpose
of the site, and are of
good quality.

Graphics seem
randomly chosen,
are of low quality, OR
distract the reader.

Content
Accuracy

All information
provided by the
student on the Web
site is accurate and
all the requirements
of the assignment
have been met.

Almost all the

information provided
by the student on the
Web site is accurate
and all requirements
of the assignment
have been met.

Almost all of the

information provided
by the student on the
Web site is accurate
and almost all of the
requirements have
been met.

There are several

inaccuracies in the
content provided by
the students OR
many of the
requirements were
not met.

CATEGORY

Date Created: Nov 07, 2014 01:25 pm (CST)

Comments: This assignment will be a great way to give students experience in creating their
own digital stories. By completing these projects in groups, it will give them practice with
working with others. It will also allow students to explore the Christmas traditions of other
countries through their own research and the presentations of their peers.