Assignment #4

Above is my Lesson Plan. I originally planned to create a link to my lesson plan in this post but got confused during the publishing process using google docs. For some reason it published the whole lesson to my blog. I changed the font to blue in the areas of my lesson that were added/changed for assignment #4.

In order to execute this lesson efficiently I would need 20-30 computers for each student to use. I also would need typed out sample limericks for the students to read.

Using technology in my Limericks lesson plan will simply make the lesson more fun. Instead of using direct instruction to jog the students memories on rhyming words and syllables, I will allow the students to play computer games designed to teach how to count syllables and pick out ryming words. As a former 2nd grade student, I personally would rather prefer to play these computer games to learn about the elements of a limerick instead of sitting in my desk and listening to the teacher lecture on the subject. Lets face it: computer games are more fun than lectures. Using this technology makes the environment more learner-centered because the students each play their own game and move at their own speed. They will not feel pressured or hustled to come up with the right answer as fast as their neighbor does. Individually playing a computer game eliminates the pressure, anxiety, and tension that many students face during lecture time. Playing a fun computer game will allow them to relax and actually enjoy what they are learning.

The challenges of adding this technology to the lesson are that there would need to be 20-30 computers on and ready for the students to use. I would overcome this by communicating with the head of the school computer lab. I would request that he/she have all of the computers in the lab ready with the online games already pulled up onto the screen before my students and I arrive to the lab. This way I can walk my students to the lab and immediatly get to work on the game when we get there instead of having to pull up the game on each students individual computer.

Another challenge that I may face is making sure that the SmartBoard is working and ready to be used. I may pull up the SmartBoard lesson while the students are out to recess so that it is ready to be utilized right when they come back in from recess. To summarize, the main challenge I face with this lesson is being fully prepared and not wasting time booting everything up.

NETS Standards for this lesson include:
I.A, I.B, & V.B.