Brief Description

In this lesson, the teacher will explain to the students that they will have an opportunity to complete a Venn Diagram comparing two animals on the Smart Board.  The students will have the opportunity to use Smart Notebook to create a Venn diagram including 4-5 comparisons of each animal.  The students will compose their comparisons on the Smart Board and then print a copy of their work. This lesson should be done after the teacher has taught animal groups (birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish and arthropods) to the class and the class has begun the research process for writing the required Research Paper Project.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 4T-E2. Use technology tools for individual and collaborative writing, communication and publishing activities to create curricular related products for audiences inside and outside the classroom

Standard 2     Writing-Language Arts:  W-F1. Use the writing process, including generating topics, editing, to complete effectively a variety of writing tasks. 
PO 1. Generate topics through prewriting activities (e.g., brainstorming, webbing, mapping, drawing, writer’s notebook, K-W-L charts, scaffolds, group discussion) 
PO 7. Present final copy according to purpose (e.g., read aloud, display, publish, mail, send, or perform.

Academic

After the students have conducted research on one animal as a topic for the Research Paper Project, the students will summarize information about their topic of research.  The students will write 4-5 comparisons of each animal on their Venn diagram. The students will organize information about their topic for research and will compare it on a Venn diagram. 

Using a computer and Smart Board, the students will create a Venn diagram on the Smart Board using Smart Notebook and will include four to five related facts about their researched animal topic.  The students will find similarities and differences between two animals.  The students will write their comparisons on the Venn diagram.  The students will print a copy of their completed Venn diagram on the classroom printer.

The students will have knowledge of keyboarding skills.
The students will have knowledge of initiating the Smart Notebook software.
The students will have knowledge of using Smart Board basic commands.

The students will have knowledge of using Smart Board tools (pens and eraser).

• The students will have knowledge of printing documents on a printer 

Literature for research (books, Encyclopedia articles) for conducting research
A hard copy of a Venn diagram for a rough-draft http://www.2learn.ca/construct/graphicorg/venn/venn2.html
Pencils

Tables and chairs for small group work (for special needs students)

Computer

Computer with Smart Board hook-up

Smart Notebook software (installed on the computer)

Printer (for printing student work that will be included in their Research Paper Project)

Note cards for Special Needs student’s note-taking

Vocabulary bulletin board/word cards

Books with detailed diagrams of animals

Poster paper

Markers or colored pencils

Prior knowledge in writing Acrostic Poetry

Assessment of completed Venn diagram (see last page of this document)

Research Paper Project (almost to completion)

Differentiation for this lesson, as with all lessons, should be emphasized prior to this lesson.  Students should be reminded that all students learn in different ways.  All students have the right to accomplish the same task through different mediums.  Some different mediums will be used in this lesson for students. 

Special Needs Students- Students with an Individualized Educational Plan (a pre-written IEP) should be included in a small group discussion/work group to discuss and compose their Venn diagram.  These students should have access to a visual board with the necessary vocabulary words to accompany this unit of study.  Special Needs Students with an IEP in reading or writing should be given additional time to complete their comparisons as well as a language-rich environment in which to learn how to compare their thoughts in reading and writing.

ADD/ADHD Students- Students who are ADD/ADHD identified should be given one-on-one tutoring/work time or small group time with the teacher, a parent volunteer or with an older “buddy” student to keep the student on task through completion.  Students who are ADD/ADHD identified should be given the opportunity to see other students model the writing Venn diagram on a hard copy and then see other students create the Venn diagram on the Smart Board.  These students should also be given additional time, if needed to complete the finished product.  Hula hoops can also be used to create a “real” Venn diagram on the floor.  Students who have difficulty following through with a task should be allowed to create note cards to be placed in the hula hoops on the floor.  These students can then take notes on their hard copy Venn diagram from the note cards on the floor in the “real” Venn diagram. This information can then be transferred from the students’ hard copy to the Smart Board.

Sheltered English Immersion Students- (SEI Students) and students qualified for Speech Services- These students should be given the opportunity to be included in a group (of students) that will have the opportunity to express verbally their comparisons prior to writing.  SEI students could benefit from being with a small group that will be working together. Once the thoughts are completed aloud, the SEI  and Speech Qualified student(s) should be able to use note cards (on which the students will draw kid pictures and write words on them) for vocabulary that will be needed to complete their Venn diagram.  The note cards can then be placed in the hula hoops on the floor.  These students can take notes on their hard copy Venn diagram from the note cards on the floor in the “real” Venn diagram.  Ideas created for the “real” Venn diagram can then be taken and transferred on to the Smart Board.  Vocabulary words should be posted in a prominent place (throughout the entire unit) for students to refer to during this lesson. 
REACH or Gifted Identified Students- These students should be asked to recall the lesson taught prior to this in creating animal diagrams.  This will be included in their animal comparisons.  REACH or Gifted Students should have the opportunity to create their comparisons on the Venn diagram.  They should then be given time to create a diagrams (with labels) of the two animals they compared.  These diagrams can be incorporated into their final Research Paper Project.  REACH or Gifted Identified students can also create a “Scranimal”.  This is combining two animals, creating a new name and drawing one half of each animal to make one.  (See the book by Jack Prelutsky called Scranimals.)  These students can then write an Acrostic poem to accompany their Scranimal. 

Procedures

1.After the unit of study of animals and after the teacher has introduced all animal groups (birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, mammals, and arthropods), students will have opportunities to read, discuss and further investigate animals for making comparisons.

2.The teacher will provide on-going class discussions comparing attributes/characteristics of animals.

3.Following class discussions (this can be on the same day), the teacher will post a blank Venn diagram on the Smart Board for the class to see.  In this same time period, the teacher will choose, randomly, two animals belonging to different animal groups to compare on the class Venn diagram.  (This portion of the lesson can be done on the Smart Board for the class to see and learn.)  The teacher will complete the Venn diagram through student responses.  The teacher will lead the comparisons beginning with comparing outer body features of each animal and leading to internal or harder to distinguish features (vertebrates, invertebrates, cold-blooded or warm-blooded etc.) of each animal.  If adequate knowledge in not evidenced in student responses at this time, the teacher should provide additional time for student discovery/learning about animal groups to use in their comparing.

4.After the class Venn diagram is completed, the teacher will explain to the class that each person will be completing their own Venn diagram, comparing two different animals.  One of the animals being compared should be their topic of research (for the required second grade Research Paper Project) and the other animal from a different animal group that was covered in class.

5.The teacher should pass out a copy of a Venn diagram to all students.

6.At this time, students with Special Needs should work together in small groups to provide additional assistance or be given the opportunity to extend knowledge in ways/methods that are most appropriate for learning.

7.As students begin to finish their initial writing on their hard copy of the Venn diagram, all students will rotate, throughout the day (or days), to go to the Smart Board to complete a Venn diagram (using Smart Notebook).  Students with an IEP should be allowed to take their completed Venn diagram up to the Smart Board for reference. 

8.As each student completes their Venn diagram, a copy will be printed of their work.  This will be presented to the class and included in their Research Paper Project.  All students will complete a Venn diagram on the Smart Board.

 Assessment

To assess each student on this assignment, the teacher will see that each student completes a rough draft of the Venn diagram on the Smart Board using Smart Notebook.  Each student will fill in their comparisons on the Smart Board.  Each student will print a copy of their Venn diagram.  This copy will be presented to the class and incorporated into their final copy of the Research Paper Project.  The teacher can also utilize their printed copy for additional assessment, separate of the Research Paper Project.

Upon completion of each student’s Venn diagram, the teacher will look for the following in evaluation of their individual Venn diagrams.

The teacher should make one copy per student for his/her evaluation. (To print this form, click here).
 
 

Evaluation of:                                                 Date:

5 points                      The student included 4 or more related                  _____
comparisons of both animals.  Ideas
                                    are clear and comparisons are well-written.

4 points                      The student included 3 related com-                       _____
                                    parisons of both animals.  Ideas
                                    are clear with few errors. 

3 points                      The student included 2 related com-                       _____
                                    parisons.  There are errors however, they
                                    do not impede the comparisons. 

1 point                        The student attempted 1 related                             _____
                                    comparison. (Ideas are vague in content, not
                                    connected in wording or comparison.)

Writing:
5 points                      The student made highly relevant                            _____
                                    comparisons between both animals.  Very
                                    few, if any errors in spelling.

4 points                      The student included 3 relevant com-                     _____
                                    parisons between both animals.  A few
                                    errors in spelling, but not many.

3 points                      The student made 2 comparisons between           _____
                                    both animals.  There are errors in spelling
                                    but it does not impede the comparisons.

1 point                        The student made 1 attempt at comparing            _____
                                    both animals.  Spelling impedes the com-
                                    parisons made and it is difficult to read.

Presentation:
5 points                      The student completed the Venn diagram             _____
                                    with 4 or more related comparisons.  The
                                    student’s work is very clear (neat in app-
                                    ance) and is well-presented.

4 points                      The student completed the Venn diagram             _____
                                    using 3-2 related comparisons.  The student’s
                                    work is clear (with a few errors)
                                    and is presented with moderate confidence.

2 points                      The student completed one-half of the  _____
                                    Venn diagram (2 or fewer comparisons).
                                    Presentation is vague.

1 point                        The student incorporated 1-2 unrelated com-        _____
                                    parisons.  The student was unable to pre-
sent the Venn diagram.
 
 

Teacher Name:  Carole Celaya
Email:  ccelaya@amphi.com
Site:  Wilson K-8 School
Grade Level:  2
Time Requirement:  30-40 minutes
Date Submitted:  March 2005