Final Project:Creating Cross-Discipline Lessons

Integrating Computer Science into another subject

Time Expectation

 

Helpful Links:

 

 

Instructions

In this project I would like you to think about how you can take what you have learned about computer science and integrate this into one of the other subjects that you might teach as an elementary classroom teacher.  I firmly believe that the BEST computer science is going to be that which is part of a big picture.

  1. Pick one of the four main school subjects - math, english, science, social studies.
  2. Think about a way that you could teach a lesson (or series of small lessons) in that discipline that will, at some point, include the use of Scratch. 
    • For sake of this activity we will assume that your students are not novices with Scratch and have some experience.  However, as appropriate you should include instruction with Scratch integrated into your instruction about the subject matter.
  3. Include in this lesson an activity where the students produce a scratch program as part of a deliverable for that discipline. 
    • For example, I told you that when I toured Loess Hills Elementary in Sioux City I witnessed a fifth grade classroom that had first gone out and done research into two different Native American Indian tribes. Using this research they were producing a Scratch program which "told" the viewer about their tribes including at least two things the tribes had in common and at least two things that were unique to each of the two tribes.  [In other words, at least six facts from their research]
  4. The deliverables for this activity should include at least three things:
    1. A formal lesson plan using the Lesson Plan Template provided above.  Make sure that you include the identification of the specific CS and subject matter standards you are addressing with this lesson.
    2. The handout that you would be giving to your students indicating the instructions for the Scratch activity/activities they will complete.  For this I would like you to use my assignments as a model. 
    3. A scratch program that you have created that would fit the assignment from part B.  In order to submit this you will need to share your scratch program and then include the URL in your deliverable for part B.
  5. You should produce two separate, well organized/formatted responses to 4A and 4B. You should make sure that the URL for part 4C is included in your deliverable for part 4B
    • You should word process your LESSON PLAN (#4A above) and your STUDENT ACTIVITY (#4B above) and produce a SINGLE PDF

 

NOTE: Please do NOT include your name anywhere in your final deliverable. I will know it is yours because Blackboard stores these in your personal, individual folder. However, I prefer to grade all finals anonymously so I am grading based on what is actually in your documentation and not your personal history in my class prior to the final.

Evaluation

Your deliverable should be submitted on Blackboard.  The official deadline is Wednesday, December 14 at noon.

It will be graded on a scale of 0 to 4 using the following principles:

Points Rough Description
4 Your responses are complete and show a strong level of detail and/or depth of thought.  It shows that you have taken the time to understand and really think about the question(s).
3 Your responses are complete and show acceptable thought, but are lacking in expected detail and/or depth of thought.
2 Your respones are lacking in one or more specific elements or indicate that you weren't spending an adequate amount of time thinking about the responses.
1 You turned something in but it indicates a complete lack of effort or understanding.
0 Nothing submitted.

 

Because this is the final project you will not be an opportunity to recieve feedback and update/fix anything that is missing. You should make every effort to ensure that this is complete PRIOR to submitting your work.