Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)

Lesson Idea Name: Seasons, Seasons, Seasons

Content Area: Science
Grade Level(s): 1st grade

Content Standard Addressed: S1E1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate weather data to identify weather
patterns.
d. Analyze data to identify seasonal patterns of change. Examples could include temperature,
rainfall/snowfall, and changes to the environment.

Technology Standard Addressed: 3 – Constructor of Knowledge

Selected Technology Tool: Microsoft PowerPoint

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

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):

I chose Microsoft PowerPoint because I believe it accommodates the most student’s needs. They can
read the words on the slides, listen to the narration, or try to comprehend the information from the pictures
and graphs they displayed on their slides. I utilized the UDL principle engagement by allowing the groups to
vote on their favorite season or on which one they wanted to explore. By giving the students a choice, they
were more engaged with the project. By allowing the students to express the information they found in 3
different ways, I utilized the principle action and expression.

I also allowed the students a choice on how they wanted to acquire the information about their season.
They could get a book or encyclopedia and read about it, they could watch YouTube or BrainPop videos on
their season, or research it online. This allowed me to utilize the principle: multiple means of representation. I
tried my best to give the students as many choices as possible, so that they could feel a little bit in charge. It is
so important to always try and accommodate as many of the student’s needs as possible.

Lesson idea implementation:

I am going to introduce the topic to the students by getting them to name the seasons of the year and
tell me everything they know about each season. I will have an anchor chart and add details that the students
give me for each season. When they give me all of the information I know, I will show them my Microsoft
PowerPoint on the seasons and play the narration for them. After watching, I will explain to them that I want
them to be experts on the seasons! I will split the students up into groups of 4 or 5. The group must decide on
which season they will become an expert on. After they decide, the students must research their season and
write down information about the season’s average temperature, rainfall/snowfall, the time of the year when
it starts and ends, etc.

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 Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)
After the students are finishing researching, they will begin creating their PowerPoint presentation on
their season. They must include all of the information they found about the weather and time of the year and
also lots of pictures that they find from the internet. They must also add narration to their slides and say what
they have written on their slides. After they have completed it, they will share it with the other groups and we
will join back together and add more specific information about the seasons to our anchor chart!

Reflective Practice:

I would use this activity as a final lesson for this unit. I feel like it is a good group project that could be
used as a review and really make them experts on the seasons. I feel like I utilized the student’s a good bit,
but I could always accommodate further. I could have accommodated further by allowing the narration to be
done in the student’s first language. This could help out many students whose first language in not English.
After the students finished, I could have them published them to our classroom blog, so that other students
studying the seasons could use their information. By allowing the students to publish their creations, I moved
this lesson to a Level 5.

Spring 2018_SJB