Lesson Idea Name: Life Cycle Digital Story

Grade Level/Content Area: 2nd / Science

Content Standard Addressed: S2L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about
the life cycles of different living organisms.
a. Ask questions to determine the sequence of the life cycle of common animals in your area:
a mammal such as a cat, dog or classroom pet, a bird such as a chicken, an amphibian such as
a frog, and an insect such as a butterfly.
ISTE Technology Standard Addressed: ( What would you like students to know and
ISTE Student Standards Website) be able to do by the end of this lesson:
I would like my students to understand the
1.6 Creative Communicator stages of the life cycle for various organisms
1.6.a Students choose the appropriate platforms
and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their in our community.
creation or communication.

What is the student learning goal for this lesson idea?

I can explain the life cycle stages of organisms in my community.
Selected Instructional Software Tool:
URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): Office 365

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Level(s):

☐ Remembering ☐ Understanding ☐ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☐ Creating

How will this lesson be implemented? Check all that apply.

☐ Teacher-directed: There is no student voice and choice in the activities. Students are guided by the
teacher's direction and expectations.

☐ Student-Led: Students are given voice and choice in the activities. They may select the topic for
presentation and/or determine the tool they will use to meet the learning goal. Products of
learning will be uniquely designed. Teacher simply facilitates the learning in a lesson like this.

☐ Project-based and/or Publishable: Students are completing projects to demonstrate their learning
and the projects can be shared outside of the classroom. This objective could be reached by
displaying the project on the school’s morning newscast, posting the project to the classroom
blog, presenting it to another class, or publishing it via an outside source.
Lesson idea implementation: To begin the digital story activity, I will explain to my students
that we will be making a digital story about the life cycle of an organism of their choosing.
Next, I will present my digital story as an example. After my students understand what a
digital story is and what it looks like, I will allow students to decide if they want to work in
pairs or individually. Once everyone is set with who they will work with, I will give out the
story board template to everyone. I will tell students to use their computer to research
information about their organism. The students will have 30 minutes in total to choose an
organism and brainstorm their story. I will implement a break halfway through the 30
minutes for the students to use the bathroom, have a brain break, and ask whole group
questions. I will conference each pair or individual to make sure everyone is on the correct
track. Next, I will give the students detailed instructional notes with pictures and videos to
guide them through making their stories. These notes will have text, video, and picture
references. I will once again give students 30 minutes with another break at the 15-minute
mark to discuss and give the students a break. I will allocate more time to finish their stories,
if necessary, in the following days. Once everyone has completed their Office 365 digital
story, I will post them to our classroom’s page, and we will watch everyone’s presentation
over the course of a week as a part of our morning meeting.

Managing the technology/engagement: Describe a way to use this technology in a way that
gets students actively involved in authentic tasks and contexts? How will you manage the
classroom behaviors on the technology:
I will manage classroom behaviors on technology by setting time limits of 30 minutes, with
built in breaks at the 15-minute mark, offering collaborative pairs, and giving the students a
storyboard to complete prior to making their story board.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

This technology tool represents the UDL framework by allowing audio voice overs to speak
the same words that are on the page and subtitles are offered which can be programed in
different languages. This falls under the representation principle because it gives students
with various learning styles to still be able to enjoy the digital story. I have implemented the
representation principle in the activity also by providing both texts and videos on the
instructional notes page for the children to choose from. As well as action & engagement by
giving the students voice and choice in who they work with, and the organism they wish to
research.

Reflecting on enhanced learning:

I think this activity will impact student learning because it exposes students to tools, they can
use in future classes as well as gets them engaged with the lesson by allowing choice as to
what organism they choose to study. I look forward to watching each of the presentations
together because I think it will build upon class community, which is a big aspect for myself as
an educator.