Context:
This unit was created for CI 3750, Integrating Media and Technology into Teaching, Spring 2007. It was created under the advisement of Jeff Goodman.

This assignment can be used in the subject areas of technology and language arts for third graders. Students will be using technology in showing their understanding of sequencing events and writing stories.

Impact:
This lesson helps students learn about sequencing events and writing creative stories. They also are using computer skills to place the events in order and to type a creative story.

The third graders will be sequencing pictures in the order they feel they go in. They will meet Competency Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts(4.02:Use oral and written language to: present information in a sequenced, logical manner). Students learn how to be able to pick out what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of a set of pictures.

Students will also be writing a story after they have placed the pictures in order. They will be using correct grammar skills in writing their stories.Competency Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively(5.01:Use correct capitalization and punctuation, 5.02: Use correct subject/verb agreement, 5.03: Demonstrate understanding by using a variety of complete sentences in writing and speaking, 5.06: Proofread own writing for spelling and correct most misspellings independently with reference to resources). Students will learn to remember to always practice correct skills when writing.

Students will be working on the computer for the language arts assignment. Competency Goal 2:The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of the computer and other technologies (2.01: Select and use appropriate features and functions of hardware and software for class assignments). Students will gain an understanding of what programs they should use for certain activities on the computer.

The students will be working on their assignment in a word processing software. Competency Goal 3: The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret, synthesize, and communicate information(3.03: Use word processing as a tool to write, edit, and publish sentences, paragraphs, and stories). Students will become more knowledgeable about using word processing.

In the word processing software, students will using a variety of tools that are located their. Competency Goal 1: The learner will understand important issues of a technology based society and will exhibit ethical behavior in the use of computer and other technologies(1.09: Identify and use formatting terms/concepts (e.g. font size/style, line spacing, margins, italic). Students will learn how to use all of these tool options in order to make a presentable typed story.

Alignment:
This unit met the following North Carolina NETS-T Technology Standards:

2. Planning and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences:Teachers plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology.
A. Design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology-enhances instructional strategies to support the diverse needs of learners. The story pictures assignment can be used for a wide range of grade levels. For younger students, the teacher can hand a hard copy of the assignment. An older group of students could take their own pictures and switch them up with other classmates.

4. Assessment and Evaluation: Teachers apply technology to facilitate a variety of effective assessment and evaluation strategies.
A. Apply technology in assessing student learning or subject matter using a variety of assessment techniques.
When working with a younger grade, if they use the computer to do their story pictures assignment than the teacher can print it off and grade in hard copy form. If there are older students working on the project they can e-mail a copy to the teacher, the teacher can either respond in e-mail back to them or in hard copy form.

C.Apply multiple methods of evaluation to determine students' appropriate use of technology resources for learning, communication, and productivity.
Teachers will be going around watching students, making sure that they are on task and are understanding their work. When the students turn in the work they will be evaluated on creativity,mechanics, organization, apperance, and cooperation.
The students are given a sample of what their story picture assignment should look like. They also have directions for them to read and adhere by. There is also a teacher document, in which the teacher is given directions about what the students should be doing and modifications for the assignment.

6. Social, Ethnical, Legal, And Human Issues
Teachers understand the social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding the use of technology in PK-12 schools and apply those principles in practice.
D. Promote safe and healthy use of technology resources.
Let students have a break after they have been writing their story for a while. Allow the students to stand up and stretch.

E. Facilitate equitable access to technology resources for all students.
Students will be sharing a computer with a classmate, but they will be taking turns using the computer for the assignment. The students will switch computers after every two questions on the worksheet. For example, after a student types in two numbers on the top part of the worksheet they will let their partner fill out the next two.

This Unit met the following North Carolina Standards for Elementary School Teachers:

Standard 1: Elementary teachers have a broad knowledge and understanding of the major concepts in English Language Arts and Literacy.
Indicator 4: Teachers know and understand the elementary school child's social, cultural, linguistic, cognitive, and affective backgrounds as they relate to the ability to develop effective communication processes (listening, speaking, reading, and writing).
Indicator 6: Teachers understand the importance of literacy for personal and social growth.
Indicator 8: Teachers know and understand written and oral composition processes. They understand:
The written language as a symbolic system.
The phonemic, morphemic, semantic, and pragmatic systems of language and their relation to the reading and writing process.
The importance of teaching grammar and usage in context.