Context:

I created this lesson in my CI 3750 Integrating Technology class during the Fall 2005 semester.  I worked with Caroline Seufert, Morgan Gill, and Amanda Burchum to come up with the idea for the story sequence and also to take the pictures.  

Impact:

In designing this lesson, I learned more about the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for third grade Language Arts and Computer Skills.  This will help my teaching because I learned how to design a lesson that centered around crucial points of both curriculums.  For Language Arts, I now have a resource of how I can teach elements of story, story comprehension, and writing. In regards to the Computer Skills curriculum, this lesson is one that will help me teach basic functions of formatting a document, as well as using word processing to publish stories.  The students' learning will be impacted because they will use their creativity to create a story, convey their story through writing and visuals, and learn basic computer functions.  This addresses several different learning styles such as visual learners, gifted learners, struggling learners, group learners, hands-on learners, etc. 

Alignment:

• NETS-T II-A: This standard is met in that I provided modifications for different learning styles such that all could use some form of technology in completing their assignment.  Gifted learners can create several different story sequences and word process all of them.  Group learners are sharing their ideas and creating a sequence with a team, as well as sharing the computer tasks required to complete the assignment. To address younger or slower learners, I have the option to print out the pictures and have the students manipulate them with their hands.

• NETS-T IV-A: Because students can e-mail their completed assignment to the instructor for evaluation and feedback that can be given in a reply to the original e-mail, this standard is met.  Students also have the option to turn print their work and turn it in for traditional assessment. Also, because students have to copy/paste pictures and word process their work, I can assess student learning by observing their knowledge of Computer Skills. 

• NETS-T IV-C: To evaluate this assignment, student work will be compared to a rubric that includes the students mastery of copying/pasting skills, as well formatting and word processing skills.

• NETS-T V-B: I have met this standard because I have written a reflection that gives thoughtful insight into how I can incorporate technology in my lesson plans.

• NETS-T VI-D: This standard is addressed in the lesson because I have students take a stretch break halfway through their assignment so that health issues are prevented.

• NETS-T VI-E: I have met this standard because students are made to take turns in processing their group work and students are also required to create an individual assignment  using word processing. 
  

      This lesson was taught to a class of fourth grade students at Blue Ridge Elementary school in the Fall 2005 semester.  Based on these students' limited computer skills and experience, I decided to do the activity without computers with these students.  To complete the activity, I had students work in groups of four to create their idea of what the story sequence should be.  The students then cut out the pictures and glued them to construction paper.  After completing the sequence of pictures as a group, the students wrote individual stories of what was happening in their story sequence.
       In completing this activity, I found that students really enjoy completing hands-on activities to help them write stories.  This activity seemingly gave the students motivation for writing, which is important when teaching writing.  Having a visual seemed to help the students begin the writing process much easier than normal. This was one of the aspects of this lesson that went particularly well.
      One of the things about this lesson that I would possibly change if I did this activity again would be to allow each student an chance to create their own story sequence.  While it initially seemed like a better idea to allow students to work in a group to come up with a sequence, it turned out to be a problem for several students.  These students had different ideas than their group of what the story sequence should be.  If I were to teach this lesson again, I would give each student a copy of the pictures to sequence so as not to stifle anyone's creativity and to prevent problems with students. 
      Another thing that I would change, based on my teaching this lesson with fourth graders, would be to have a more thorough discussion of plot and the elements of a story.  The students in my class had a loose understanding of what these elements were, which I think affected how well they wrote their stories.  Very few students took the time to embellish their stories with details or other elements of writing because they thought they could only write about the pictures.  To prevent this problem in the future, I would have a more in-depth discussion of these elements of writing and stories so the students understand that they are not limited in their writing to the pictures they see in front of them.
      Overall, this lesson seemed enjoyable for the students because it was a different approach to language arts and writing.  The students enjoyed the hands-on activity, even though they struggled somewhat with how to use the pictures to guide their writing.  If I had a choice, I would teach this lesson again and let the students come up with and shoot their own pictures.