The following lessons from technology-enriched classrooms in the St. Louis area have been compiled to aid education majors and their professors at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. These lessons demonstrate different methods of incorporating technology into curricular areas. Student created examples are provided when possible. The lessons are categorized by subject area, and appropriate grade levels are given.

• Language Arts

• Social Studies

• Science/Health

• Math

Language Arts

Completing Literature-Based Reading Stories (All levels)

If your reading series uses literature-based stories that are not complete, have your students create an ending of their choice. They can do this as a Word document or in PowerPoint. Clip art and pictures can be downloaded to illustrate the story. They can also create buttons or hyperlinks that connect to another PowerPoint to provide a variety of endings. (view example)

Fairy Tales (3rd - 6th grade)

After studying fairy tales, have the students create their own fairy tale with two endings. This involves creating 3 separate PowerPoint presentations or HyperStudio stacks. The first presentation has the main story line. The last slide of the main story should contain two buttons that are linked to a happy ending slide or a sad ending slide. (view example)

Poetry Project (4th - 8th grade)

After studying various poem types and reading a book of poems, the students will prepare a poetry notebook using PowerPoint. Each students' project will contain 20 poems. They are to choose 5 of their poems from the poetry book they read. The students must create 10 poems from the types discussed in class. For example, cinquain, limmerick, and noun verse. The other 5 poems must come from their family or friends. They should include some illustrations (clip art or images) with their poems. They are to include the authors of all the poems they use or copy. They will have to include a preface that explains why they chose certain types of poems and who the project is dedicated to. They will also have to design and include a cover page, title page, and a table of contents. (view example)

KWL Charts and PowerPoint (4th - 8th grade)

Before starting a new reading unit, have the students use a KWL chart to write 5 things they already know about the upcoming reading topic. They then state what they want to learn about the topic and find the answer on the Internet. Once the KWL chart is completed, the students create a PowerPoint slide that contains the statement, " What I wanted to know is ……" then on the same slide they write, "What I learned was ……". This is done for each of the 5 questions. Pictures can be added where desired. (view example)

Children's Literature (4th - 5th grade)

Discuss how the students in your class have learned to read. Their assignment is to then create a children's book using what they have learned. The students create illustrated books with PowerPoint and then print them in the 2 slide per page mode. The books are then bound laminated. The books are taken and read to the kindergarten and first-grade classrooms. The books are kept in their classroom libraries.

Book Reports

All types of book reports can be completed using computers and different presentation software. The following is an example of an informational book report. (view example)

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Social Studies

20th Century Missouri Research Report (4th grade)

The students will select a particular event that took place in the 20th century and explain how Missouri's citizens were affected by it. They will display it using PowerPoint or HyperStudio. The presentation must include a title slide, a summary slide, 5 informational slides on the event, and a slide that discusses how Missourians were affected by the event.

Current Events and Technology (4th and 5th grade)

The students study a current event using an Internet web site and then create a PowerPoint or HyperStudio presentation that gives the following information.

- A brief description of the story.

- Who is affected in this story?

- Does this story have any effect on you or your family? If so, what is the effect?

- Is there a problem that needs to be resolved? How would you recommend it be resolved?

(view example)

Autobiographies (3rd - 5th grade)

This is an activity that can be used at the beginning of the year to introduce the students to each other and the software that they will be using. The students will create a 4 slide presentation about themselves. The first slide is a title slide. The second describes their personal information such as birthdate, pets, and interests. The third describes their family, and the fourth describes their future goals. While they are working on these presentations, they are introduced to the particular presentation software they are using. This provides them with practical hands on experience using different fonts, backgrounds, clip art, and animation. This is also a good time to set up any particular guidelines about the software usage. (view example)

Presidents' Day and Character Traits (4th - 8th grade)

If your school practices character education, you can have the students research a president and describe how that president displayed three character traits while they were in office. Some examples of character traits might be courage, responsibility, commitment, honesty, and reliability. (view example)

Calling All Settlers (5th - 8th grade)

The students should select one of the13 colonies and complete a PowerPoint or HyperStudio presentation that contains the following slides/cards:

- A news event from that might have occurred in that colony.

- An editorial for or against more settlement in the colony. A pro or con list works well.

- Use a graphic to create an editorial cartoon about a colonial topic.

- Quotes from people or workers who may have lived in the colony. They should express their feelings about colonial issues. (view example)

Famous American Revolutionaries (5th - 8th grade)

The students are to research and report on a famous American revolutionary. They may choose any person who helped to start or contributed to the American Revolution. It helps to give them a list of possible people. They must include the following information in their report. This is to be completed using PowerPoint or HyperStudio.

- Which colony did this person live in?

- What did they do for a living?

- What caused them to revolt against Britain?

- What actions did they take to help the American Revolution?

- Do you think they were right for revolting against their government?

- Do you think that a revolution could happen today in the United States? Why or why not?

Create A Colony (5th - 8th grade)

The students will create an imaginary colony. They will develop the colony as part of a HyperStudio presentation that contains five cards. Listed below are the requirements of each card.

Card one: Create a title slide with the colonies name on it.

Card two: Create a newspaper or poster advertisement that would appear in an English or European village that is trying to persuade people to leave their homeland and come to North America. What do you have to offer them?

Card three: You must develop a supply list of at least ten items that must be presented to the future colonists before they leave on their long journey. Make sure that the list keeps in mind they will be traveling for two months in a wooden ship.

Card four: Design and draw a site map of your colony based on one of the three regions in North America it was founded. Be sure to keep in mind the natural resources that are necessary for the colonies survival.

Card five: Create a flag that accurately represents your colony.

Graphic Aids (3rd - 5th grade)

After displaying and explaining the Powerpoint example on different types of graphic aids, have the students create graphic aids which an airline might use. Some suggestions might be a weather map, a map of a state, a schedule of flights, a line graph comparing the number of passengers flown in different months, or a diagram of an airplane. Use the Internet to assist you in your search for examples.

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Science/Health

Planetary Mission (4th - 8th grade)

The planet Earth is becoming polluted. You have been selected to go scout a planet as a possible site for a new colony. For your trip, you will need to:

1. Design a ship that will take you to your planet. Draw your team's ship on paper or with a paint program. Make sure it will survive the atmosphere. Tell how far it will travel and how long it will take to get there.

2. Agree on what your team will bring. Your group will be limited to 15 items and must justify why you are bringing these supplies.

3. Report to the class telling about your planet and include at least 10 facts about your planet.

4. Would it be a good planet to colonize? Give a report telling what you would need to build a colony there. Is your planet the best one to colonize?

Make sure you include all of the above facts when you present your report to the class using PowerPoint or HyperStudio. (view example)

Eating Healthy (4th - 8th grade)

After studying a unit on nutrition, have the students create a 5 day menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The students then count total calories and fat grams for each meal. They are to see how close their totals are to the recommended daily calorie and fat intake. The students obtain calorie and fat information by reading nutrition labels and visiting nutrition and fast food websites. (view example)

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Math

Vacation Project (4th - 8th grade)

The students must figure out gas mileage and keep a journal of their budget as they journey across the country on a vacation using the Internet. (view example)

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