Brief Description

As part of the final project planning and presentation, the students will create an Inspiration® web that details a major component of their poster presentation on Architecture. The students will be able to choose from either the description of their house, the mathematics used/learned, or the biography of group members to create this Inspiration® web. After creating this web, the students will use the information to begin developing their poster presentation sharing the information/process they worked through as they developed their three-dimensional houses.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

Standard : Technology Productivity Tools
3T-E4  Tech Tools

• PO1 Manipulate several variables to reach a desired outcome.

Standard 4: Technology Communications Tools
4T-E2  Use Tools

• PO 1 Plan, design, and present an academic product using tech tools.

Academic Standards

Concept 1: Prewriting (Prewriting includes using strategies to generate, plan, and organize ideas for specific purposes.

• PO 1.  Generate ideas through a variety of activities (e.g., prior knowledge, discussion with others, printed material, or other sources). 

• PO 5.  Use organizational strategies (e.g., outline, chart, table, graph, Venn Diagram, web, story map, plot pyramid) to plan writing.

Concepts and Generalizations

Every student will be able to prepare an Inspiration® web detailing a major component of their Architecture Poster Presentation. The ideas displayed on the students’ webs will be generated from group brainstorming/ reflecting activities.

Academic

• Through group brainstorming, the students will be able to generate ideas regarding their architecture projects. Ideas such as description of their house, the mathematics used/learned, or biography of group members will be made into web presentations and used later to design a poster presentation. 

• Using an organizational tool, in this case a web, the students will plan the development of their architecture poster presentations.

The students will be able to access the Inspiration® software in the computer lab and create webs detailing information based on their groups’ brainstorming.

• A basic understanding of accessing software in the computer lab.
• A basic understanding of Inspiration® (a web-making tool).

Materials

• Access to the computer lab.
• Inspiration® software
• Printer or disk space to save the webbing projects.
• TV monitor with Aver key
• Large butcher paper
• markers

Lesson Differentiation Strategies

Strategies

• Whole group

• Small group

• Individual

            This lesson differentiates What? (Content Process Product)

1. Inspiration is a webbing program that allows students to create very basic to extremely high level webs. This program will meet the needs of all students no matter their level of understanding of math concepts, familiarity with the program, and interest.

2. At the end of the lesson, students will be able to meet in topic groups to gather additional information regarding their specific topic on the poster presentation. This part of the lesson will ensure that all students, no matter their level of work, are able to achieve a quality product with sufficient detail.

This lesson differentiates How? (based on a student’s readiness, interest, learning profile: learning styles)

1. Students will be allowed to choose a particular section of the poster presentation. This level of differentiation will allow students to choose a topic based on interest.

2. Because there are many different groupings for the following lesson, such as whole group discussion, small group brainstorming, and individual work on Inspiration®, students will have some experience in working in a group that meets their learning style.

Day One: (This portion of the lesson will take place in the classroom.)

1. Discuss with the students the poster presentation expectations and how this information will be important in sharing all the work completed during the architecture unit. (see attached example poster presentation)
2. As a whole group, demonstrate the creation of a web using Inspiration® with the topic of “Step-by-step description of the activities participated in over the course of the architecture project”. Copy the web so that each student will have an example of an Inspiration® web. (see example attached)
3. Share with the students the Inspiration® rubric (see attached).

Day Two: (This portion of the lesson will take place in the classroom)

1. Review with the students the brainstorming and creation of an Inspiration® web create the previous day.
2. Because there are six section on the poster, each group member must be “in charge” of gathering information regarding one section on the poster presentation.
3. With butcher paper and markers, each student will conduct a brief brainstorming session with his/her group making sure to gather sufficient information regarding their particular topic.
4. In architecture groups, have the students begin brainstorming information regarding the topics to be presented on their posters. Topics such as description of their house, the mathematics used/learned, or biography of group members.
5. After each group has had time to complete the brainstorming session (approximately 35 minutes), collect the butcher paper to be brought to the computer lab for the next day’s work using the Inspiration® program.

Day Three: (This portion of the lesson will take place in the computer lab.)

1. As a whole group, discuss the day’s activity in which the students will create an Inspiration® web for one of the poster presentation’s main section (i.e. description of their house, the mathematics used/learned, or biography of group members).
2. Ask the students to “pull up” the Inspiration® program on their computer. Briefly review the main components of the program.
3. Have the students begin working on their Inspiration® webs. Monitor the class and help students when necessary.

 Day Four: (This portion of the lesson will take place in the computer lab.)

1. Briefly review yesterday’s work in the computer lab. Remind the students of the Inspiration rubric as this is how they will be measured in the assessment stage of this activity.
2. Have the students work for the rest of the period in designing and creating their Inspiration® webs.
3. Print the students Inspiration® webs for tomorrow’s activity.

Day Five: (This portion of the lesson will take place in the classroom.)

1. Briefly review yesterday’s work in the computer lab.
2. Discuss today’s activity in which the students will meet in topic (i.e. the description of their house, the mathematics used/learned, or the biography of group members) groups to discuss their Inspiration® webs. For instance, the students who working on the mathematics used/learned will all get together and discuss the details included in the web. This is an important step in the process of developing the poster presentation as students may be able to insert information other groups gathered into their presentation so that all groups have the necessary details of the project.
3. During these small group discussions, the teacher will roam the room and assist in facilitating any discussions as necessary.
4. Those students who need to add more details to their webs may do so at this time, however, this time using pencil.
5. Collect all original Inspiration® webs as an assessment.

Assessment (tied to the objectives)

Informal

1. As the students are working in the classroom and brainstorming information regarding their specific topic, the teacher will move from group to group and informally assess their cooperative, group leadership, information gathered, and behavior.
2. As the students are working in the computer, the teacher will informally assess their progress in using Inspiration®.

 Formal

The teacher will collect the students’ original Inspiration webs created in the computer lab and assess based on the information/detail included in the web. In addition, students’ webs will be assessed based on creativeness/design. See Inspiration® rubric attached.

Teacher Name: Polly Kimminau
Site:  La Cima Middle School
Date Submitted:  May, 2005