The following projects were created as homework during a Leadership Institute Integrating Internet, Curriculum, and Instruction course.
Elementary School Projects - Grades K-2 |
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Here A Bug, There A Bug: Elementary School
(Kindergarten), Science - Math - Language Arts
Students unearth insects on schoolgrounds; use various sources
including the Internet to research information about the
insects; record the information and share this with classmates.
The students also share information with students in other
geographical areas via e-mail. This learning model was designed
for kindergarten students but is appropriate for all elementary
students.
Student Pages
Montgomery County
to the Rescue!: Elementary (Grade 2), Investigating
Ethnic/Cultural Diversity in the Community
The hometown of the Power Rangers, popular TV and movie action
characters, has been destroyed by evil forces. The Rangers post
an Internet plea for help in locating a new home base that is
ethnically and culturally diverse. In order to convince the
Rangers to adopt Montgomery County as their new home base,
second-grade students must find out specific facts about
different ethnic and cultural groups in the community, and
present these facts in a persuasive case to the Rangers.
Students use the Internet and e-mail to obtain current facts
about Montgomery County, and send their invitation back to the
Rangers.
Student
Pages
The Seed Connection: Elementary (Grade 2), Math -
Science - Social Studies - MSTe
The purpose
of this three-month project is to find the best conditions for
growing plants. Students create a problem statement, develop a
study plan, test their ideas and use construction technology
and computer technology as tools for research, planning,
recording data and communicating. Students develop an
understanding of how math, science and technology are
interrelated and can be used to solve real-life problems. Note
that this Web site was professionally edited after the end of
the course.
Student Pages
Elementary School Projects - Grades 3-5 |
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Adopting
an Endangered Species in Our Area: Elementary (Grade 5),
Science - Mathematics - Language Arts - Technology
This project involves groups of students in an investigation of
endangered species at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
Students are asked to take a field trip (either virutal or
actual) to discover what species are in jeopardy and what
resources are in place to save the population. Students use
technology to communicate with experts and research the most
current statistics. The ultimate goal of the mission is to
adopt an endangered species and disseminate relevant
information about the species to the neighboring community. The
project can be used as a model to investigate any community's
endangered species and provide the community with
information.
Student
Pages
I Want to be an American Citizen: Elementary School
(Grades 4, 5 & 6), Social Studies - Language Arts
The bilingual students at Turner Elementary School are creating
Web pages to help their parents and friends study for the U.S.
Citizenship Test. These Web pages contain information about
immigrations issues that will help the users to become American
citizens.
Student Pages
Wetlands in Danger: Elementary School (Grade 5), Science
- Language Arts
Students gather information and write an essay to persuade the
park district not to sell a wetland area. Students will be able
to identify the characteristics of wetlands, as well as the
issues and problems surrounding them. The students will spend
much of their time researching using a variety of sources
including the Internet. The students will also be exposed to a
variety of teacher-instructed activities based on information
gained during a KWL process. The remainder of their time is
spent creating their final product (persuasive essay).
Student Pages
Middle School Projects |
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Children's Health on the Decline: Middle School, Health
- Science
Sixth-grade students study food and nutrition. Based on
information gathered through research and personal lifestyles,
the students will develop a realistic and obtainable one-week
health and fitness plan, which they will carry out and share
with other interested students.
Student Pages
EMO Weather Watchers: Middle School, Science
The sixth-grade class at East Moriches School learns
about weather and weather prediction in science class and how
to research information using the Internet in computer class.
They use charts and graphs to record and display their data.
The students set up a school weather station to collect data on
local weather conditions, disseminate local weather conditions
to the school and surrounding community, and do a research
study to see what they can learn by collecting weather data
over a period of time. This Web site could also serve as a
model for other regional school weather networks. Note that
this Web site was professionally edited after the end of the
course.
Student Pages
100%
Recyclable: Middle School, Social Studies - Science -
Healthy - Communications
Seventh-grade students will be challenged to develop a
school-wide recycling program. The challenge will be for
everyone; students, teachers, administrators and especially the
cafeteria and lunch program to recycle waste products. Students
will form teams to investigate waste and waste management. They
will also contact other schools throughout the country (via
e-mail) and collect data on school recycling programs. Do they
exist? How are they managed? What percentage of waste has to be
hauled away? What are the costs for running such a program? The
teams will be encouraged to develop a Total School Recycle
Program to either internally handle waste, or to find resources
that will productively utilize waste products. This will
involve investigating the means of disposing or recycling all
the waste generated from their school building. Can it be
done?
Student
Pages
High School Projects |
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Careers in Mathematics Project: High School, Math -
Careers
High-school students will use technology (Internet, e-mail) to
research mathematics in nonacademic careers in order to
increase their awareness and appreciation of mathematics in the
"real world." Students will use established criteria to create
a portfolio on a chosen career.
Student Pages
Global Symposium: High School, English - Biology -
Algebra - Geography
Ninth-grade students will improve their problem-solving and
communication skills using a scenario where they are part of a
group of concerned countries interested in exploring, studying,
and solving the many problems that face all world citizens.
Student Pages
Roller
Coaster Design: High School, Physics and Industrial
Technology
This is an interdisciplinary project that involves industrial
technology classes and physics classes in designing, building
and critiquing roller coasters and other amusement park rides.
The first-semester physics class will research the safety
standards and the components of a ride that make it "fun" via
Web sites and e-mailing experts and post these results on this
Web site. The CAD (computer-assisted drafting) classes will
research ride designs on the Internet, contact ride engineers
by e-mail, and design their own based on the safety and "fun"
criteria set up by the first physics class. The material
processing classes will build the design after researching
structural properties of materials on the Internet. The
second-semester physics class will critique these models by
comparing them to the standards determined by the first physics
class. The final designs will be posted on the Web.
Student
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