Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Name: What’s Under the Dirt?

Content Area: Science
Grade Level(s): 2nd grade
Content Standard Addressed:
S1L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the basic needs of plants and animals.
A. Ask questions to compare and contrast the basic needs of plants (air, water, light, and nutrients) and
animals (air, water, food, and shelter).

Technology Standard Addressed:

7- Global Collaborator: Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by
collaborating with others and working effectively in teams local and globally.
2- Digital Citizens: Students recognize the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of living, learning and
working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal, and ethical.

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity:

URL(s) to support the lesson: https://journeynorth.org/worm/index.html

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in your
classroom: Journey North is an online project website were students become the scientist and track animal
sightings, especially during seasonal changes. I would incorporate this website when discussing about
anything science. Students from all over the world are exposed to not only just their own data, but the data
from other students as well. It gives students the exposure of animal sightings seen from around the globe.
The opportunity for collaboration with scientist, students, and teachers in a safe communication environment
makes this website great for elementary school students.
I want to use Journey North as a way for students to learn about earthworm and their contribution to the
environment. We will discuss about the biology, anatomy, living environment, and the importance of
earthworms. In addition, we will try to find earthworms in our school garden and at our homes. With the help
of their parents, the students will place their sightings on Journey North (Note: Parents will be advised to just
input our city only and include a picture if possible). Afterwards, we will analyze the data for a compare and
comparison activity.

What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a classroom? A
smart board would be ideal for the learning activity, ipads, and internet access.

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: Journey North will be used in the classroom to for worm sightings. The students will
collaborate together about their sightings. As a class, we will work together to find worms in our school
garden.

b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (creating original data and or producing original
products as a result of engaging in a project): The student will be creating and noting where the
worms are found at their home with the help of their parents.

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 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
c. Higher-order thinking: The students will identify the environment of the worms and answers the
following questions: (1) Where did you find the earthworms? (2) Why do you think they’re living there?
and (3) What did you find in their environment?

d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product: The
students will publish their work on our class website and Journey North.

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

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Students with hearing impairments, will use iPads with closed caption
and headphone to look at video of earthworms. For visually and physically impaired students, I have
earthworms for students to touch and explore if they like. Also, students will use the iPads to watch video
about earthworms.

Engagement: The students will have earthworms at their desk to explore, learn the life cycle of an
earthworm, and watch a video about giant earthworms
Representation: Measure an earthworm, read about earthworms, watch videos about earthworms, sing a
song about an earthworm, earthworm math, make a class story about an earthworm, learn what what
earthworms eat. and make worms in dirt treat.
Actions and Expressions: Draw an earthworm, identify the parts of an earthworm, write descriptive words
about an earthworm, and earthworm observation.

Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies: Day one- The students will explore/ observe the
earthworms in groups of 4. For a little excitement, I will show a video about giant earthworms. We will also
learn about the lifecycle of an earthworm and measure the earthworms in the containers. Day two- The
students will look at videos about the importance of earthworms. I will read a book called, “The Diary of an
Earthworm”, and solve earthworm math problems. Day three- We will watch more clips of earthworms, make
a class story about an earthworm, and learn what earthworms eat, then make worms in dirt treats. We will
also draw an earthworm and identify their parts. One the last day, we will write descriptive words about
earthworms. The students will also observe the earthworm and write about their activity.
As for the learning experience, I will follow the school district’s policies on posting student’s work and
pictures. I will help the children to understand that they should never post a personal information or personal
photos on the internet, email, or any online communication device. I will get permission from my principal
and from the parents. In addition, I will send instruction and guidelines to follow to ensure the safety of
everyone involved. I will also note that input of information is voluntary, and picture can be sent from home
about the earthworms found in their yard.
Reflective Practice: I believe after design the lesson plan; I think the students will look at earthworms
different and realized how important they are to the environment. To continue this lesson, the students can
do experiments such as the behavior of earthworms in different temperatures and exposure to light of no
light. The technology used in the lesson plan plus the use of lamps will help extend the lesson plan.

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