UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN

FINAL TECHNOLOGY PROJECT

By
Sandra Leiterman
Kansas State University
April 2015

Series and Parallel Circuits

8th Grade Science
FHSA, Little Rock, AR

Content

Technology

Stage1

DesiredResults

Standard(s)(Content):
AR: PS.7.8.2 Describe and diagram open
and closed series and parallel circuits

ISTETechnologyStudent
Standard(s):
1. Creativity and innovation
a. Create original works as a
means of personal or group
expression
b. Create original works as a
means of personal or group
expression
2. Communication and
collaboration
a. Interact, collaborate, and
publish with peers, experts,
or others employing a
variety of digital
environments and media
b. Communicate information
and ideas effectively to
multiple audiences using a
variety of media and
formats
3. Research and information
fluency

b. Locate, organize, analyze,

evaluate, synthesize, and
ethically use information
from a variety of sources
and media
4. Critical thinking, problem
solving, and decision making
b. Plan and manage
activities to develop a
solution or complete a
project
5. Digital citizenship
b. Exhibit a positive attitude
toward using technology
that supports collaboration,
learning, and productivity
6. Technology operations and
concepts
b. Select and use
applications effectively and
productively

NETSTechnologyTeacher
Standard(s):
2. Design and develop digital age
learning experiences and
assessments
d. Provide students with
multiple and varied
formative and summative
assessments aligned with
content and technology
standards, and use resulting
data to inform learning and
teaching
3. Model digital age work and
learning
d. Model and facilitate
effective use of current and
emerging digital tools to
locate, analyze, evaluate,
and use information

resources to support
research and learning
4. Promote and model digital
citizenship and responsibility
Teachers understand local
a. Advocate, model, and
teach safe, legal, and ethical
use of digital information
and technology, including
respect for copyright,
intellectual property, and
the appropriate
documentation of sources

Understanding(s)(Content):
Studentswillunderstand...
Howseriescircuitsdifferfromparallel
circuits

Studentswillknow...
The meaning of the vocabulary
used in creating both series and
parallel circuits.
Studentswillbeableto...
Communicate their knowledge of
what series and parallel circuits
are the appropriate uses for each.

Understanding(s)
(Technology):
Studentswillunderstand...
How to use technology to research
and relay information effectively
and productively.

Studentswillknow...
How to collaborate and publish the
information about series and
parallel circuits using variety of
digital environments and media
Studentswillbeableto...
Plan and manage their time to
complete the given assignment.
They will create a digital learning
tool, and post their final product to
their class blog page

EssentialQuestion(s)
(Content):

EssentialQuestion(s)
(Technology):

How do series circuits differ from

parallel circuits?

How is this digital tool able to

improve collaboration and
communication?
How can people use this software
to create original, innovative
works, ideas, and solutions?

Stage2

AssessmentEvidence

PerformanceTask(s
(Content):

PerformanceTask(s)
(Technology):

Students will
Choose to define series or
parallel circuit.
Define series or parallel circuit
Define both open and closed
series or parallel
Include vocab words:
o resistance (ohms)
o switch
o voltage (volts)
o current (amps)

Students will
Choose to present their information
using one of the following web 2.0
tools:
o Thinglink
o Glogster
o Animoto
Create a presentation which includes
the required information
Post a link to the presentation on their
bog sites

OtherEvidence(Content):

OtherEvidence(Technology):

Students will be given a 10

question quiz via Google Forms to
assess their knowledge on the
following words/concepts:
Parallel Circuit
Series Circuit
Open circuit
Closed Circuit
resistance (ohms)
switch
voltage (volts)
current (amps)

Stage3

Students will view at least 2 other

presentations and comment on
the blog sites

LearningPlan

LearningActivities(Content): LearningActivities
(Technology):
Studentswillwatchstudyjamsvideoon
electricityandcurrent
Studentswillconstructopenandclosed
electricalcircuits

Mini lessons will be presented to

students using all 3 technology
tools listed above, giving students
a visual of each before choosing.

Blooms Taxonomy
Students will start the chapter at the knowledge/comprehension level: reading the text

and answering worksheet type questions that go along with the reading. (This is a
requirement of the school for us to use the online textbooks they have purchased for us)
The project will end with both the synthesis and evaluation levels. As students choose
the program to use, and create their presentation using websites, pictures, and videos
they have collected. They will then create a presentation that appeals to the audience
while accomplishing the given task. Finally, students will utilize the evaluation level, as
they are required to make meaningful feedback comments about the presentation on the
blog pages of at least two other students.
Multiple Intelligence/UDL/Dales Cone of Knowledge
This project from start to finish covers all of Gardners Multiple Intelligences:
Visual-Spatial students their final project s will uses a variety of media including
video, text, and pictures.
Bodily-kinesthetic students will complete a number of hands on activities in
addition to their final project
Musical students that choose Animoto will get to use their own choice of music
Interpersonal / Intrapersonal students can choose to work with a partner or
individually
Linguistic students will use the vocabulary words effectively throughout their
presentations.
Logical Mathematical students need to learn and form concepts before they
can deal with details. In this project, they will learn the concepts first- through
reading and exploration labs, before they finalize the details of their presentations.
Edgar Dales Cone of Learning.
Students begin learning the information in the passive stage, which only allows them to
remember just 10% of the information. However, they will finish the project in the active
stage by presenting their personal creations. In theory, this should increase retention to
90%.
Handout to Students:

Scoring Rubric:

Final Assessment Via Google Forms: