Online Projects, Collaboration Sites, and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Template

Name: Little Publishers

Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Content Area: English Language Arts
Standards Addressed:
ELAGSE3W1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.

a. Introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational
structure that lists reasons.
b. Provide reasons that support the opinion.
c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and
reasons.
d. Provide a concluding statement or section.
Title of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: KidPub
URL of Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: https://www.kidpub.com
Describe how you would use the Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing
Opportunity in your classroom:

KidPub will be used in the classroom as a publishing opportunity. Students will be writing a piece
in regards to the standard listed above after we complete and independent reading unit in class.
Students will be writing about the book/one of the books that they chose to read in class and
expressing their opinions about it. After the writing pieces are complete, students will post their
writing to KidPub, where students will be able to read and respond to their classmates work.
There will also be a sort of cyber café experience, where parents will be invited to view their
students work and leave positive feedback. Lastly, other classrooms in my grade level may do the
same thing, resulting in students interacting with students from other classes about opinion
writing.
What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a
classroom? Laptops, the internet, and access to KidPub and Microsoft Word (or something
similar) are the requirements for this activity.
Describe how the following features are addressed in this learning experience (note: all of
them may not be addressed in the project, but most should be if you are reaching a high
LoTi Level.):
a. Collaboration with peers, near-peers, mentors outside their classroom and
often beyond their school: By posting their work to KidPub, students will be
collaborating with students in their classroom, students in other classrooms in
their school, and their parents and family who view their work on the publishing
site. They will interact by reading other students’ work and both leaving comments
on others’ work and reading comments that are left on their own work.
b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (collecting original data
and or producing original products as a result of engaging in the project):
Students will be producing original products from their own experiences with the
texts that they are writing about. They will be creating their best work to display
for others to read and learn more about their own thoughts about a text.

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 c. Higher-order thinking: By having students create meaningful products with
technology, instead of simply writing down their thoughts on paper, students are
thinking at higher levels and using what they have learned to create authentic
experiences in the classroom that others are interested in.
d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about
their product: By publishing their work to KidPub, students are publishing their
original work to other students who are learning how to write similar pieces and
that have read the same books. They can discover who has similar or differing
opinions on a text. Also, parents care about the product, as they can see how their
students’ writing skills are progressing.

Bloom’s Level of Critical Thinking Required (check all that apply):

See http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating
What Level of Technology Implementation best describes this learning activity and Why?
This activity requires students to perform at a level of 4 and above. Students are engaging in
student-centered activities, as the teacher is the facilitator in this situation. They are applying
their learning to the real world, as they are learning how to publish their work, as adults do.
Level 5 would be reached because of the collaboration that students are participating in when
they comment and interact with those who are reading their work.

How could you implement this proposed learning experience and still comply with your
district’s Internet Safety and Student Privacy policies? Students privacy will be kept during
this activity, as they will be able to use pseudonyms when posting to KidPub, or only using their
first name. Parents and administrators approval will be needed before using this publishing
opportunity to further ensure the safety of students. Lastly, students will only be communicating
with other students or their families.