Brief Description

The Real Time Data site that I plan to use is called “More Real Time Data Projects.”  In the link called, The Rainforest Connection, students will be able to browse actual photographs of the rainforest, and plant and animal life.  What a terrific way to discover this incredible habitat.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 2T-F2 Practice responsible use of software.

• 1SC-R6 Communicate observations and comparisons through various means such as pictographs, pictures, models and words.

Academic

• The students will read independently informational text regarding the rainforest.  This will include information about the habitat, animal life, scientific findings about animals and dangers of the rainforest.  The students will engage in a class discussion with the newly acquired knowledge about the rainforest.

• The students will know how to access a URL address and get into a website with informational text needed to complete this lesson.

The students will need to know:

• Basic keyboarding knowledge with some keyboarding skills
• How to locate and use the URL address bar
• How to access a teacher directed URL address
• How to browse a website

• A computer with Internet access
• The URL address to access the site http://www.csam.montclair.edu/ceterms/rainforest/
• Drawing paper and crayons or markers for illustrations
• teacher created rubric

Special Education students will be assigned a buddy to sit next to and work with through the lesson.  This buddy can be from the class, someone who is familiar with this type of lesson, an older buddy from a buddy class or a parent volunteer.  The older buddy or parent should have demonstrated prior knowledge and familiarity with working in the Internet and browsing a website.

SEI students (limited English proficient students) will be assigned a parent volunteer who is well versed in using the Internet.  This student will also be given additional time in the classroom to browse and have someone read the informational text with for understanding.

The gifted and talented (REACH) students will be given additional time to illustrate the rainforest animal life and environment.  These students will be given open-ended questions to find answers to on this website.

Procedures

Day 1

1. The students will go to the URL address: http://www.csam.montclair.edu.ceterms/rainforest/. The Rainforest Connection,  go to (the upper right corner and see 2002) Rainforest Connection Message Board number 1, click on, In The Night.   Once there, the children should browse to read for information about the rainforest habitat, to see animal life within the rainforest (click on see photo) as well as read informational text from biologists and scientists.
2. The students will then be given a block of 15-20 minutes to browse the website to read informational text on the rainforest habitat, animal life and research by scientists (this is very text-friendly for second graders).
3. The students will then be instructed to go to “2002 Rainforest Connection Message Board (this is located in the upper right hand corner of the website).
4. Once there, the students will go to number 1, entitled, In the Night.  This will show the students pictures and informational text.
5. The students will then read and view information, data by researchers, pictures of dangerous/deadly animals within the rainforest environment (click on see photo) and FAQ’s (frequently asked questions).  You should allow 5-15 minutes for this.

(these steps can be done on the same day as Day 1 if time allows)
1. Review (on the TV Converter) with your students the website listed above.
2. Go through the steps to find informational text revealing information and pictures about the rainforest habitat, animal life and research by scientists.
3. Allow your students time to find pictures (click on see photo) to see actual photographs of animals. Have discussions with your students on information acquired about deadly/dangerous animals.
4. The students will then conduct small group discussion about three facts they each learned about the rainforest.  The students will record (in writing) what they learned either individually or from someone within their small group.

Recap/review the previous lessons, especially if a few days have elapsed since your last visit to the computer lab setting.
1. The students will volunteer (in the regular classroom for review) about what was learned from visiting this website.
2. The students will illustrate a picture of his/her interpretation of the rainforest and some of the animal life (this was viewed while browsing the website).
3. The class will share picture work with each other and we will openly critique what can or what was learned from the student-created pictures of the rainforest.

• Student work will be assessed by a teacher created rubric consisting of the following criteria:
1. The picture is about the rainforest (the plants and animals etc.)
2. The animal life is portrayed in some way
3. Connections were made (pictorially) in the habitat, life and weather of the rainforest.