Basic Productivity Presentation Tool

Lesson Idea

Lesson Idea Name: What is a Shadow?

Grade Level/Content Area: 2nd Grade/Science
Content Standard Addressed: S2E2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to develop an
understanding of the patterns of the sun and the moon and the sun’s effect on Earth. b. Design and
build a structure that demonstrates how shadows change throughout the day.
ISTE Technology Standard What would you like students to know and
Addressed: 1.4 Innovative Designer- 1.4a be able to do by the end of this lesson:
Students know and use a deliberate design Students will know how to create a digital
process for generating ideas, testing theories, story using the platform Sway to generate
creating innovative artifacts, or solving authentic their understanding of how a shadow occurs
problems. and providing personal artifacts of shadows
in their everyday life.

What is the student learning goal for this lesson idea?

Students will achieve their learning goal of using a digital design platform called Sway by
creating shadows and explaining how shadows occur using light from the sun and moon.

Selected Basic Productivity Tool:

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Level(s): (Which level(s) will this lesson meet using this technology
tool?)

X Remembering X Understanding X Applying X Analyzing X Evaluating X Creating

How will this lesson be implemented? Check all that apply. (Sometimes only one option will
apply.)

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

X 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.

X 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.
 Basic Productivity Presentation Tool
Lesson Idea

Lesson idea implementation: Write a paragraph describing how the lesson will be
implemented using the prompts as your guide:
This activity is for students to use their new and previous understanding of how the sun and
moon have an effect in their everyday life by creating unique shadows. To introduce this
lesson, I will start by showing students in a whole group setting a set of images that are
shadows of food items, cartoon characters, and objects. I will break down the standard into a
learning goal for students to introduce a new digital design tool to encourage creativity
within their learning. The technology in this lesson will be utilized by students by first
observing and evaluating a digital story on “What is a shadow?” Students will next think of
how they can create their own digital story that will assess their understanding of shadows
while presenting their creativity through a variety of shadows they discovered through
various forms of light. I will present the example of a digital story titled “What is a shadow?”
and start with directing students on how to create their first card in Sway. I will then allow my
students to take over and I will assist students with troubleshooting questions if needed on
how to develop their own digital story. Feedback will be provided to the students by their
peers after each student presents their digital story to the class. Students can provide
feedback to their peers by commenting on unique features each student used in their digital
story book such as I like how you used a Gif image to see how the shadow can move based on
the position of the sun and object, etc. Students will also share one fact they learned about
shadows. To conclude the lesson, I will have students present to their class their
understanding of how light from the sun and moon can affect their shadows they discover in
their everyday life.
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:
For this activity students will actively become involved in the context of how light from the
sun and moon affect their everyday lives by first brainstorming their top five favorite
shadows they have discovered before and what objects and light source created the shadow.
First students will begin brainstorming what they have learned about shadows and will create
a story board where they will begin designing their project by writing one to two sentences
explaining the object and how the shadow was created. Following the description students
will draw a picture on their storyboard showing the setting of where the item was placed and
what light source was creating the shadow.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL):
The technology tool I have selected for this lesson idea, Sway, supports all students and their
individual learning needs. Sway is a simple and easy digital design tool that allows students to
create an artifact through a storyline or design by inputting features like videos, images, text,
audio, and more. Students learning can be enhanced through this learning experience in the
 Basic Productivity Presentation Tool
Lesson Idea

classroom by allowing students to create a digital story that supports their type of learning to
help them reach the learning goal. Sway supports the multiple means of the UDL framework
by using representation. Students have the choice and a variety of how they would like to
present the information they are learning.
Reflecting on enhanced learning:
After designing this lesson idea, I feel the activities I created will impact my students learning
by introducing a new digital tool that will allow each student to express their creativity in a
way that is engaging to promote students thinking in a new unique way. I look forward to
presenting my example of a digital story “What is a shadow?” to my students. I am mostly
looking forward to teaching students about how to use Sway and seeing their creativity come
to life through a digital design tool they can use in all subject areas and continue to use as
they advance.