Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Name: Check out Bugs!

Content Area: Science
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten
Content Standard Addressed: SKL2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to compare the
similarities and differences in groups of organisms.

Technology Standard Addressed: 3 – Knowledge Constructor

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: Bugscope

URL(s) to support the lesson: https://bugscope.beckman.illinois.edu/

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in your
classroom:
This lesson would be the first of many. We would collect different types of bugs to be sent to Bugscope. They
would schedule a time for the children to look at the animals under a microscope. They would also be there
to guide and answer the questions. They children would control the microscope. This would allow children a
close look at different insects. We would then be able to discuss the differences and similarities between the
different bugs.
I’d use this lesson during science. It gives the children a chance to look at a microscope and see what it is used
for. It also allows children to talk and collaborate with real scientists. The children get to control the
microscope and pick out the bugs, so it is very student centered.
What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a classroom?
This activity would need a projector so that the website session could be viewed by all students on a big
screen.
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: This is shown by the students using a microscope with each other and the scientists in Illinois.

b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (creating original data and or producing original
products as a result of engaging in a project): This is shown by the students writing down their
observations about the similarities and differences between the different bugs.

c. Higher-order thinking: This is shown by the students doing the experiment of looking at bugs under a
microscope.

d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product: This is
shown by the session being uploaded to the archives where anyone who has used Bugscope can see it.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

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

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4: Integration
☒ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Spring 2018_SJB
 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
Universal Design for Learning (UDL): I would give each child a chance to control the microscope. This way
none feels left out and every student gets the process of using a microscope.
Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies: I wouldn’t allow the students to say or show
anything that said their last name, address, school, age, grade, email, etc. I would also get parents permission
if the children were to appear in the session.
Reflective Practice: This would be the first of many discussions about different types of animals. This is a
great one because they actual get to see the animals that we are talking about in person. To extend this
lesson, I’d try to get a field trip to the zoo approved and planned so the children could see the differences
between those animals in person too. If the field trip could not be approved, there is technology that allows
children to see the animals on video. Some zoos have cameras on their animals available for viewing.

Spring 2018_SJB