Concept Mapping

The following lesson introduces students to the concept of Spring and is part of a larger unit plan. Students are able to connect the lesson to their lives as well as participate in hands-on activities to reach a variety of learning styles and reinforce the material.

                            The Four Seasons - Spring

Name: Nichole Matthews

Date: 9/29/10
Curriculum Content: Social Studies - Geography

Grade/Level: K
TN State Learning Accomplishments: http://www.state.tn.us/education/curriculum.shtml
K.3.02 b. Describe how weather impacts every daily life.
c. Describe seasons.

NETS-S Performance Indicators:  http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007.htm
  • 1a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
  • 2a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
  • 6a. understand and use technology systems.
NETS-T Performance Indicators:  http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NES/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_for_Teachers_2008.htm
  • 1a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
  • 1c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
  • 2a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.
  • 2d. provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.

TN State Computer Technology Learning Accomplishments: http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/computer/index.shtml
K.1.1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
     a. Identify the computer as a machine that helps people work and play.

Essential Question: What are the characteristics of the Spring season and how do those characteristics affect the way we live?

Concept Map Integration Plan: A concept map will be generated from a brainstorming session in Text2MindMap. [http://www.text2mindmap.com] and subsequent instructional periods which visually outlines the key concepts to answer the essential question. Each day I will print off a copy of our mind map and send it home with the students to further discuss the seasonal concepts they have learned that day with their parents for added reinforcement and to engage the parents in the learning experience.

Brief description of the Instruction Plan: On Monday, the students will brainstorm about the things that they think of for the following prompts about the Spring season: What do I see?, What do I wear? What do I do? The students will manipulate images from a PPT to place them into the Spring categories to form a concept map using the SmartBoard. I will then read them a story that depicts information related to the Spring season. The students will then create a windsock to further enforce the concept of Spring. Each student will receive a copy of the concept map created for the Spring season in their homework folder, which they will take home. Instructions will be included letting the parents know that I would like them to talk about the concepts on the page. Reading and activities related to the season are encouraged. Tuesday will be a similar lesson on Summer, Wednesday will be Fall, and Thursday will be Winter. On Friday the students will watch a BrainPop Jr. video about the seasons as a review and they will participate in centers that will assess their understanding of the material covered during the week. One center will be to dress paper dolls according to the appropriate season, another will be to dress up in clothing and role play, the third will be to sort objects according the seasons they are associated with, and the fourth will be to utilize the computer to participate in seasonal activities at http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/scienceforkids/seasons/seasons.htm
Additional Technology Integration to be Used: During the unit lesson students will be making use of a concept map using PPT and the SmartBoard, an online educational video, and individual online educational activities.
Description of the ‘relative advantage’ of all technology being used in this lesson: The brainstorming session will be conducted online using Text2MindMap in a classroom setting.  The teacher will guide creation of a concept map at the beginning of the instructional period on the individual seasons.  Each day the students take home a copy of that days concept map to share and discuss with their parents. The online video and activities are engaging and informational for the students. Each of these technology tools are easy to use, fun for the students, and allow the teacher to present a lesson that lends itself to diverse learning styles while modeling the use and importance of technology to the students. The technology that I have decided to use in this lesson will aid my Kindergarten students learning by showing them how technology can be used to express their thoughts and knowledge and to learn new information.








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