Sylvia BrantnerSLM 508 Learning TechnologiesApril 12, 2015

Digital - Web Tool ProjectpiZap Screencast

Purpose

This group of Kindergarten students has been working on writing informational and “how-to” pieces during writer’s workshop. Some strategies they have learned are to introduce the topic, organize their writing by listing the steps, labeling, and to include an ending. Publishing their writing provides purpose and is a motivational tool. Using technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing is a curriculum standard. This web tool could also be used to meet the math standard to model math.

Curriculum Standards

Production and Distribution of Writing

W6CCR Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.           

With guidance and support from adults, explore a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing including collaboration with peers.

Standards for Mathematical Practices

SMP.4. Model with Mathematicsa. Construct visual models using concrete or virtual manipulatives, pictures, or drawings to

justify thinking and display the solution.

Preparation

piZap is a photo editor and collage maker program with many options that allow for creativity in a finished product. The teacher will introduce piZap to the whole class by projecting the program on the screen and modeling how to use the different tools. Instruction should also be given about a few of the keys on the keyboard such as the space bar, enter button, back button and how to hold the shift key to make a capital letter. Students will have the opportunity to use the program during arrival, indoor recess, and application centers prior to this lesson. Engagement

Students will think-pair-share about a favorite food their mother or grandmother makes. Each student can quickly “check-in” by naming the food. The teacher will explain students will be making a recipe card that we can combine into a collection of recipes for Mother’s Day gifts.

Group Mini-lessons

Day 1 – Discuss how recipes help the cook know what the ingredients are, how much to use, and directions on how to make the food. Using the Internet, display a few recipes from websites like; Food Network, All Recipes, or Betty Crocker. Note the list of ingredients with the amounts, directions for mixing, and any baking instructions.

Day 2 – Using the Internet, display a few recipes again, and take a closer look at the steps and words that tell how to make the food (add, pour, mix, bake etc…).

Day 3 – Review previously made charts about strategies for making our writing easier to read (spaces, punctuation, capital letters, neat handwriting, sounding out words, using the word wall).

Guided/Independent Practice

Day 1 – Students work on the title, list of ingredients, and the picture including labels. The teacher monitors and conferences with students about their writing.

Day 2 – Students work on writing the directions for their recipe. The teacher continues to monitor and conference with students.

Evaluate

Day 3 – Students will work with a partner reading their recipes and making suggestions about what they could do to make their writing better. They will work independently to edit and revise their recipes. The teacher continues to monitor and conference.

Culminating Activity

Day 4 - Students will take their writing to the computer lab where they will have the opportunity to publish their writing by creating a recipe card using piZap. The teacher will walk them through the first few steps using the document camera to choose what size “canvas” they want. They can choose between a plain colored background, which they can add a border to, or they may choose one of the many background images available. They may choose “stickers” to add to the picture and then the teacher will have them open the “text” box where they will type in what they have written. The teacher will assist students with changing the color or size of the font, and the “glow” color feature. Work can be saved to the computer, but once it is saved, it cannot be revised. Work saved to a piZap account could be edited.

Reflection

Depending on time limits and computer availability, I would probably have students type their recipes into a word document that could be saved and revised. Once revisions were complete, we could then copy and paste them into the text box of their piZap pictures.

Here are some of the finished products students created:

Here is an example I created of how the tool could be used to model math: