Jenni Keith

Teacher Name: Donna Rafferty
Lesson Title: Can You Dig It? -  Archaeological Project
Subject(s) and Grade Level: World History Pre-AP and On Level, 10th

Standards:

MTT Domain-Competencies
1-001 Demonstrates knowledge and application of technology-related terminology and concepts, hardware, software, data-input strategies, and ethical practices, and knows how to acquire, analyze, and evaluate digital information from the Internet and other sources.
2-005 Demonstrates knowledge of how to use task appropriate tools to synthesize knowledge, create and modify solutions, and evaluate results to support the work of individuals and groups in problem solving situations.
2-006 Demonstrates knowledge of how to communicate in different formats for diverse audiences.
2-007 Demonstrates knowledge of instructional design, development, and assessment in a technology-enhanced environment.
2-008 Knows how to implement and assess technology-enhanced instruction to meet the diverse needs and abilities of all students.
3-009 Knows how to collaborate with colleagues to facilitate the implementation of appropriate, research-based, technology enhanced instruction.
3-010 Knows how to provide professional development and support through mentoring, modeling, coaching, and consulting.

Content Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

12A. Locate places and regions of historical significance and describe their physical and human characteristics. Such as the Indus, Nile, Tigris and Euphrates, and Yellow (Huang He) river valleys; Middle East (and the concept of  “contested periphery”), choke points: the straits of Malacca, Hormuz, the ancient silk road.

13B. Explain economic, social, and geographic factors that led to the development of the first civilizations.

25A. Identify ways archaeologists, anthropologists, economists, historians, and geographers analyze limited evidence (epistemology).

25B. Locate and use primary and secondary sources to acquire information (TAKS Obj. 5) Such as computer software, databases, media and news services, biographies, interviews, monographs, essays, book reviews, and artifacts to acquire information and to create explanations of historical phenomena

25C. Analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships (or precipitating conditions), comparing, contrasting, finding correlations (TAKS Obj. 5).

Content and Cognitive Goals:

Student Learning Goals

1. Understand the impact that geography played on the four ancient river valley civilizations through investigations of archaeological sites.
2. Predict what an archaeological dig of Carroll High School 5000 years from now might lead future archaeologists to conclude about our civilization.

Teacher Learning Goals

1. Develop confidence in creating and implementing technology integrated lesson plans.
2. Use instructional strategies that support diverse learners and address classroom management strategies.

Mentor Learning Goals

1. Help teacher to develop confidence in troubleshooting technology issues that occur during student lessons.
2. Use questioning strategies to guide teacher in creating learner-centered lessons that maximize positive impact on students.

Learning Connections:

Not having prior knowledge about archaeology will need to be addressed at the beginning of the lesson. The higher level thinking involved in analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information may be difficult for some students. Multimedia sources will be used to demonstrate aspects of archaeology, the process of an archaeological dig, and the characteristics of an archaeologist's career. This connection to career exploration and development for students meets a building goal of providing resources to facilitate this process throughout their freshman and sophomore high school years. Questioning will be used to help students analyze and draw conclusions from the information they have gathered and compared. Partners will be chosen by using brain-based research. Identifying analytical, practical, and creative thinkers. Analytical and creative thinkers or practical and creative will be paired for the project and this will be important to ensuring success.

Procedures for Learning Activities/Tasks: (Please number each procedure.)

1. Teacher will open with short movie clip from The Mummy Returns, a popular, current movie to spark interest, prior knowledge, and introduce topic. Students will listen, participate in discussion, and ask questions when necessary.
2. Teacher will use www.careercruisin.com to define archaeology and hear video clip from two archaeologists speaking about their job likes and dislikes. Students will listen, participate in discussion, and ask questions when necessary.
3. Teacher will introduce interactive dig websites, outline tasks, provide statement worksheet, and tree chart. Students will listen, participate in discussion, and ask questions when necessary.
4. Teacher will be a facilitator to the learner; observing, asking probing questions, and providing feedback throughout the session. Students will use provided interactive dig websites to gather information on the four ancient civilizations. They will collect and record information on the tree chart regarding tools and technologies, architectural features, building materials, geographical location and features, etc. Partners will collaborate to compare and contrast features across the two civilizations. They will use all information and tools created to synthesize the information and write statements about each civilization analyzing the interaction between geography and aspects of the societal structure.
5. Teacher continues to act as a facilitator to the learner; observing, asking probing and guiding questions, and providing feedback. Partners will work together to brainstorm and create a report from an archaeologist perspective on the findings of an archaeological dig of CHS 5000 years in the future. They will use higher level evaluation thinking to predict conclusions archaeologists may have about our civilization.
6. The teacher will observe and score the project based on the project rubric. Partners will present scenario and conclusions to the class.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Students must analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the information researched and findings made on the two ancient civilizations in order to successfully complete the final report from the perspective of an archeologist 5000 years in the future..

Accessibility and Diverse Learners

1. Meet with the instructional technologist and the content mastery teacher and/or special education teacher of students who will be participating in the project.
2. Discuss and decide upon specific techniques and assistive technologies which will support the students.
3. Implement techniques and technologies.

Teaching/Instructional Strategy:
Problem-based learning is basis for this lesson, but it also includes a variety of instructional strategies to facilitate the higher-level thinking required for successful completion of the project. Direct instruction, dialogue, demonstration, brainstorming, cooperative learning, brain-based learning style groupings, inquiry, questioning, and collaboration are all used at various times to meet the needs of all students and create an overall student-centered, interactive lesson. In the beginning, the educator plays the role of guide as she activates prior knowledge and builds upon that to provide a solid foundation for the critical and creative thinking required as the students become active participants and producers of their own learning experience. Technology greatly enhances motivation and excitement during the introduction of the lesson and continues to support the student learning through research and productivity tools.

This lesson will include approximately 6 classes and 180 students and will most assuredly contain students with ADHD. Most of the strategies listed below will benefit all students and have been specifically included for those that may have ADHD.

• Assignments will be broken down into small, less complex parts including tasks required for each portion of the allotted time.
• Visual enhancement of instructions and electronic copies of documents will be provided by using Inspiration diagram/thinking maps and a MS Word document of the statement worksheet.
• Verbal instructions will be provided when needed for understanding.
• Having students work in pairs can aid attention to the task at hand.
• Knowing what to expect is important and the extensive introduction to the lesson will set the stage for successful completion of the project.
• Attempts will be made to avoid distractions and over-stimulation.

Student Work Samples:

Working in pairs, students will complete the statement worksheet and tree charts, complete a report, and present their findings. Students will use the statement worksheet and tree charts to guide them through the higher level thinking process and then apply, synthesize, and evaluate their findings to create an original report from an archaeologists perspective. Their final reports will be presented orally to the class and on a hallway display.

Technology Connection:
Several software packages will be used during this lesson including: MS Word, Inspiration, and MS Internet Explorer. In the classroom a computer, DVD player, and multimedia projector will be used for students to view a movie clip using also be used for emphasis of important information, large display of material, and presentation of a movie clip, audio and video clips of archaeologists (Career Crusing - www.careercruising.com), and introduction to the instructional materials and interactive websites. Students will access use interactive, ancient civilization archaeological dig websites (The British Museum: Mesopotamia Geography - http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/geography/home_set.html, The British Museum: Sumar, The Royal Tombs of Ur -http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/tombs/home_set.html, Harrapa: The Ancient Indus Valley - http://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html, Around the Indus in 90 Slides, Essay - http://www.harappa.com/indus/indus1.html, Around the Indus in 90 Slides 3, Slide Index -http://www.harappa.com/indus3/slideindex.html) linked on a word document to collect the information they will need to complete the assignment and then print their final products. Special needs students will benefit from modifications (detailed above under teaching/instructional strategies) in addition to any specific needs that will be addressed through conferences with the special education department chair and content mastery teachers.

Technology Management Strategy:
Students will view the movie clip, hear from the archaeologists, and be introduced to the project and websites in their classroom. This will allow students to be completely prepared upon entering the computer lab. They will work in pairs based on learning style assessment to complete the project. The teacher will secure equipment checkout and lab reservation in a timely manner. ADHD students will benefit from modifications (detailed above under teaching/instructional strategies) in addition to any specific needs that will be addressed through conferences with the special education department chair and content mastery teachers.

Materials:

Assessment:

Informal
Ongoing observation and discussion
Formal
Statement worksheets, project rubric, presentation of final report

Teacher Reflection:
Please rate the following indicators using a scale of 1-5.
(1=Poor, 5= Excellent, NA if not applicable)

Technology instruction was effective and students/educators achieved curricular goals.
Technology instruction was effective and students/educators or I achieved targeted goals.
Technology instruction was effective and I achieved my professional goals.
Students/educators were motivated by the use of technology.
Technology was critical to the success of this lesson.
Varying abilities of students/educators was supported through the use of the technology.
Equipment was sufficient for the number of students/educators completing the activity.
Equipment and software functioned properly.
Overall rating of lesson.

Use the following questions to reflect on your lesson.
Was this lesson worth doing? In what ways was the lesson effective? What evidence do you have for your conclusion?



How would you change this lesson for teaching it again?



Did your students/educator find the lesson meaningful? Did the lesson motivate your students/educator to “go beyond” what was required?



Did you achieve your goals met/in progress in the required criteria?

_____________________________________ Date: September 1, 2004
Participant Signature

_____________________________________ Date: September 1, 2004
Coach Signature