Thoughts from a Woodland Caribou....

Monday, 18 June 2012

LESSON 3 – Introduction to Be my voice!
LESSON PLAN	Students are introduced to the social media project. Goals of the project and the question they will work on solving. Why would we want to save endangered animals? What animals are endangered in Alberta? Students will pick their partners and pick their endangered animal. Students will create a fact sheet with facts about their animal.
ACTIVITY	Read news article and watch the video about Rosie O’Donnell killing a shark in Florida. Discussion about Rosie killing a hammerhead shark. Is this ok? Should we be helping sharks? Look the article and watch the video about the boy in Kenya. Create a fact sheet about your endangered animal.
MATERIALS	Rosie killing a shark article: http://pop-ed.celebedge.ca/2012/01/heres-a-weird-one-actresscomediantalk-show-host-rosie-odonnell-has-come-under-fire-for-killing-an-endangered-species.html. Fox News: http://video.foxnews.com/v/1354065402001/new-law-against-shark-killing-in-fl Boy in Kenya saves lions: http://youtu.be/tnXbRO3CcTQ http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/kenyan-teen-invention-saves-lions-helps-farmers.html
SKILLS / LEARNER EXPECTATIONS	Identify impacts of human action on species survival and variations within species. Investigate human impact on diversity C.2 - Students will seek alternative viewpoints, using information technologies.

LESSON 4 – social media & the impact
LESSON PLAN	Students will learn more about social media and social networks. Discussion about impact that social media campaigns can have on brands. Students will work in pairs to create their profile on Facebook, Twitter, Blogger and YouTube.
ACTIVITY	Watch video about social media (2:48 mins) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOqRjNXxXBA Create your online presence for your animal.
MATERIALS	Video about blogs: http://www.commoncraft.com/video/blogs Video about social media: http://www.commoncraft.com/video/social-media
SKILLS / LEARNER EXPECTATIONS	Create a design with a message and display the message, ensuring that the: layout is suitable; image or audio is appropriate; message is clear. F.3 - Students will demonstrate a moral and ethical approach to the use of technology.

LESSON 5 – power of videos
LESSON PLAN	Students will watch videos from the point of view of an animal. Discussion about these videos and how effective they are. What can we learn from these videos? How can we use them?
ACTIVITY	Students will work on posting updates on their sites.
MATERIALS	Save the wolf: http://youtu.be/qE154GSgHwA Save the polar bear: http://youtu.be/ZJKcsdAe3Ig Save the salmon: http://youtu.be/SlE_wDq2Jxs
SKILLS / LEARNER EXPECTATIONS	Recognize that species are dependent on others and their environment C.5 - Students will use technology to aid collaboration during inquiry.

LESSON 6 – are zoos the answer?
LESSON PLAN	Students will learn about captive breeding programs at zoos.
ACTIVITY	Students will watch video and share their option about captive breeding. Is this a solution for their endangered animal? Students will use this discussion to create posting updates on their sites. Students can create a poll to ask their followers/friends for their option about this issue. Students will use wordle.com to create a word cloud with the definitions for community, population, habitat, niche and diversity.
MATERIALS	http://planetgreen.discovery.com/videos/focus-earth-captive-breeding.html
SKILLS / LEARNER EXPECTATIONS	Define community, population, habitat and niche and relate them to diversity within and among species. Examine local and global strategies for minimizing loss of species

LESSON 7 – what is your opinion
LESSON PLAN	Students will form an opinion on various topic and then design their own presentation of their opinion. Students will then publish their creation online.
ACTIVITY	Students will review this article about endangered African game being hunted in Texas. Discussion about this practise. Do you support this idea? Is this conservation? Students will form an opinion on one of this topics: Reflect on what they have learned about your endangered animal. Should zoos be allowed to continue with captive breeding programs? Should the Alberta Government be making private land owners hand over land to create protected lands to endangered animals’ habitat?
MATERIALS	African game can be hunted in Texas: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57448441/can-hunting-endangered-animals-save-the-species/ Video Clip of the big game ranches of Texas: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7411224n&tag=contentBody;storyMediaBox
SKILLS / LEARNER EXPECTATIONS	Examine ongoing changes in biological diversity through loss of habitat and the extinction of species. Examine local and global strategies for minimizing loss of species C.7 - Students will use electronic research techniques to construct personal knowledge and meaning.

LESSON 8 – Final presentations
LESSON PLAN	Students will create a presentation on their endangered animal.
ACTIVITY	Students will present to the class their work on their social media campaign. What worked, what failed, what neat facts did they learn about their animal? What elements make a successful social media campaign? What was your biggest success?
MATERIALS
SKILLS / LEARNER EXPECTATIONS	Prepare and deliver a presentation using media of choice. Critique and evaluate the work of others. F.1 - Students will demonstrate an understanding of the nature of technology. F.2 - Students will understand the role of technology as it applies to self, work and society. F.3 - Students will demonstrate a moral and ethical approach to the use of technology.

Assignment #1: Create a Fact Sheet about an Endangered Animal

Students will create a factual information sheet about their endangered animal. This sheet will include:

· Size of the animal;

· Habitat of the animal;

· What the animal eats;

· Behavior of the animal;

· Special adaptations this animal has;

· The estimated population numbers in Alberta;

· What issues are causing this animal to be endangered;

· Other facts;

· References.

Grading Guide: Weight 10%

Well organized and detailed information /6

No grammar or spelling mistakes /2

References /2

Total /10

Exemplar: http://raysweb.net/specialplaces/pages/caribou.html

Fact Sheet on Woodland Caribou

Assignment #2: Create a Facebook Profile & Wall Posts

Students will create a fictional Facebook page for their endangered animal.

The profile must include:

A photo of the animal
Details (facts) about the animal
Create your friend list by requesting to be friends with animals from our class.
Your first friend request must be with Carrie Woodlands – your teacher.
Update your status with information about your animal. Give the animal a personality. Decided on personal details such as favourite food, location.
Like as many groups that relate to this animal.
Create 3 wall posts (between 75-100 words long) that give information and a plea for help from the animal. 2 Friends must respond to these wall-posts (between 75-100 words long).

Grading Guide: Weight 20%

Creative Details used in INFO section /2

Detailed and Descriptive Status Updates /2

Wall-Post Conversation /6

Total /10

Exemplar:

Facebook Account for Carrie Woodlands

Assignment #3: Create a Blog & Blog Postings

Students will create a blog page for their endangered animal.

The blog must include:

· A photo of your animal.

· A profile about your animal. Give your animal a personality. Who is writing this blog & why? What are the issues this animal has to deal with?

· Regular blog posts. By the end of this unit you should have 6 or more blog entries on your blog.

· At least 3 followers.

· Link your blog to your Facebook account & your Twitter account.

Grading Guide: Weight 20%

Blog Posting Rubric: /10

RUBRIC	Excellent 3/3	Good 2/3	Fair 1/3
Blog Profile	xxxx	xxxx	A blog profile has been made with details about the blogger.
Regular Posts	Blog site includes 6 or more blog entries. Blog entry has a minimum of 100 words.	Blog site includes 3- 5 blog entries. Blog entry has a minimum of 50 to 100 words.	Blog site includes less than 2 blog entries. Blog entry has less than 50 words.
Organization	Text is well organized. Blog site is well laid out with excellent design. Entries offer vivid descriptions with extensive detail.	Text is somewhat organized. Blog site has an effective design. Entries offer limited descriptions.	Text is not organized. Blog has a poor design. The lay out is hard to follow. Entries offer lack detail.
Accuracy	No major errors. Writing has been checked for spelling and grammar.	No more than six errors. Errors do not cause significant reader confusion.	Many errors cause reader confusion and interfer with understanding. Several spelling and grammar errors.

Exemplar:

Blogger Account for Carrie Woodlands

Assignment #4: Create a Twitter Account & Tweets

Students will create a Twitter account for their endangered animal.

The Twitter account must include:

· A photo of your animal.

· A description of why you are tweeting.

· You must follow 10 other people/animals.

· You must have 10 followers.

· Regular tweets. By the end of this unit you must have a minimum of 5 tweets. This does not count “re-tweets”.

· You must re-tweet 3 tweets from someone you are following.

Grading Guide: Weight 20%

Creative Details used in profile along with image /2

Creative and Regular Tweets /2

10 or more followers of your account /1

You are following 10 or more accounts /1

5 or more tweets /4

Total /10

Exemplar:

Twitter Account for Carrie Woodlands