Teacher: Julie Schare
Amount of Time: 50 minutes
Background:
Students have been working in an animal life unit in
science. In writing, students have been working in a
nonfiction unit. Also, in first grade, we have a big learning
exhibition on insects. Because of all this, students will be
writing nonfiction insect books as part of their exhibition.
Students have researched other animals for nonfiction
writing using paperback books, but not the internet.
Students have gone on the website PebbleGo.Com in the
computer lab, but never independently or on our classroom
iPads.
Standards and Benchmarks:
Writing Standards Addressed:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2 Write informative/explanatory
texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about
the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.6 With guidance and support
from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and
publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
Science Standards Addressed:
L.OL.01.13 Identify the needs of animals.
L.OL.01.21 Describe the life cycle of animals including the
following stages: egg, young, adult; egg, larva, pupa, adult.
Subject: Nonfiction Writing/Science
Lesson Topic: Insect Research
Lesson Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to
independently log onto PebbleGo.com and find
their insects.
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to
research information and take notes on their
insects for their nonfiction books.
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to
better understand the benefits of researching
online and using websites to find helpful
information.
Procedures/ Activities:
Introduction (5 minutes): I will begin the lesson by
having students take out their insect topic papers. I will
let them know that today, in order to begin researching
their insects, they will be using the iPads. This will really
engage the students because they love being able to
use our classroom iPads. I will ask students why they
think we will be researching using the internet today
instead of using books. I will explain the benefits of being
able to use the internet and how many resources it
provides for us. I will have all students come to the
carpet and then pass out iPads to students.
Guided Demonstration (5 minutes): Using the ELMO
projector, I will project my iPad onto the Promethean
NETS Standard Addressed: board. I will guide students through getting logged into
Knowledge Constructor- plan and employ effective research PebbleGo.com. (Click on Safari -> type in the URL
strategies to locate information and other resources for their
www.pebblego.com in the new window -> username:
intellectual or creative pursuits. eastover password: school. Once logged on, I will
remind students how we take notes (example: you dont
Michigan Educational Technology Standard Addressed: need to copy down every word from the website, you
PK- 2. CT. Use digital resources (e.g., dictionaries, should put it in your own words and in short phrases to
encyclopedias, search engines, web sites) to solve later spark your memory).
developmentally appropriate problems, with assistance from
teachers, parents, school media specialists, or student Student Research (30 minutes): Students will have the
partners next half hour to go through the various slides within
PebbleGo in order to gain information on their insect in
Materials: the following categories: What It Looks Like, What It
Eats, Where It Lives, and Life Cycle. Students will be
iPads allowed to work with others who are researching the
ELMO projector same insect. During this time, I will be walking around
Promethean Board the room helping any students that need extra support.
Insect note papers
Pencils Closing (10 minutes): After students have researched
on their own, I will regroup the class. I will have all
students rejoin me on the front carpet with their notes
and iPads. I will ask students how many of them need
more time for research. I will also ask if any students
want to share out one interesting fact they found by
researching their insects today. Then, we will discuss
how students felt using iPads and websites to research
compared to the books they are comfortable flipping
through. Finally, I will let students know that they will
have a bit more time to research tommorrow on a brand
new website: www.bugfacts.net. I will explain how
various websites may offer different pieces of
information so that students will have everything they
need once its finally time to write their books. I will have

Assessment and Homework:
In order to assess the students, I will do a few things
throughout and after the lesson:
Monitor students throughout the lesson while they are
researching and take notes on my observations
Use a fist-to-five at the end of the lesson to gauge
how comfortable students felt logging themselves into
PebbleGo and researching online
Check insect note papers at the end of the lesson to
see how many sections students were able to get
through
There will not be homework given at the end of this lesson
since students will need to continue researching in class
tomorrow.
Bibliography:
Capstone. (2017) Retrieved from http://www.Pebblego.com
all students plug iPads back in and put their notes back
into their writing folders before moving onto another
subject.
Accommodations:
In order to accommodate all students there are a few
things that I will be doing in this lesson:
Using the site PebbleGo.com will be beneficial for
my lower readers because the website reads all
of the pages aloud. PebbleGo also offers videos
and pictures which will be interesting for my visual
learners.
My student that has an IEP and is part of the ARP
program will be paired with a student at a higher
academic level that will be able to help assist him
in logging onto the iPad and taking notes on his
insect.
My student with ADHD will be allowed to get up
and take breaks throughout the research process
because it is really hard for him to sit still for long
periods of time.
All students will be able to work around the room
in a comfortable spot that best suits them for
focus.
All students are allowed to work by/with other
students researching the same insect so that they
could help each other if needed.
 Michigan Department of Education, (2009). Michigan
Educational Technology Standards for Students. Grades
PK-2. MI.
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices &
Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Common
Core State Standards for English language arts and literacy
in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects.
Washington, DC: Authors.