Using Inspiration, Word, the Internet and PowerPoint to Put together a presentation on Space

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

1T-E2. Demonstrate increasingly sophisticated operation of technology components.

Academic Standards

6SC-E2. Describe common objects in the solar system and explain their relationships

Objectives

Academic

Students will use the Internet to answer questions they have about Space and create a presentation in PowerPoint to share with peers.

Technological

Students will learn the programs Inspiration and PowerPoint.

Students will learn to toggle between open programs (Netscape and Word).

Students will learn Internet search strategies.

Students will learn to save and import images.

Pre-Requisite Technology Skills
Use of mouse; correct use of right and left click
Familiarity with keyboarding, saving, and retrieving files

Materials
Computer with Internet access for each student (could be adapted to small groups of students)
Inspiration software
MS Word or other word processing software
Internet
PowerPoint software

Accommodations for Special Needs
NES and beginning ESL students allowed to work in Spanish
ESL and SpEd students may have modified criteria for PowerPoint Presentation.

Procedures
This lesson will take 8-10 class periods.
Day One:

Introduce topic and project to students.
Brainstorm “space” words and record on board. This will help set a mental frame for students as well as model correct spelling of space terms.
Demonstrate Inspiration software.

Explain criteria:

Students are to create a web with main category of “What I Know About Space”.
Include sub-categories and details for sub-categories.
Use appropriate symbols for web items.

Students open Inspiration software and begin their “space” webs.
Save webs.

Day Two:
Students open “Space” webs, finish and print.
Students “think/pair/share” about their webs, and begin to generate a list of questions they have.
Open Word. Create a document called “What I Want to Know About Space”.
Type questions they have about space.
Add a list of key words or search terms.
Save. (Do not print word document yet; students will be adding to it on Day three.

Day Three:
Demonstrate use of search engines.
Review search strategies:

Choose a good search engine.
Narrow the search terms.
Use Boolean operators.
Use Quotes around Phrases.
Use Wild Cards
Use correct spelling
Read the summaries of the hits.\
Evaluate sites (especially check URL since you are looking for science related material--.edu and nasa.gov sites are probably reliable)

Discuss search terms.
Have students open word document with space-related questions from Day two.
Demonstrate how to go between Netscape and Word.
Students search the Internet for information and take notes on Word document.

Day Four:
Students continue searching and taking notes.
Demonstrate how to save images for later use. Students may find images while searching or go to http://www.ditto.com or

http://www.dustbunny.com/afk/ for images.
Right click on image.
Go to Save Image As

Save (to server file)
Save notes. Print.
Show several models of PowerPoint slide shows on Space.
Assign homework:
Plan slide show using graphic organizer. (Organizer is made from printing a blank slide show w/notes pages.)

Day Five:
Explain criteria:

     Minimum of 8 slides.
     Must include Title slide (Title may be in form of a question).
     Each slide has title and appropriate supporting information.
     Information must be accurate.
     Information on slides must be summarized from notes and not copied.
     Show must include animations, transitions. images,
     Must be visually pleasing with good contrast between background and text colors.

Demonstrate how to create slide show in Outline view.
Students work on outline of presentation. (Having students do the Outline keeps their focus on the text and not on the visual parts of the program.)
Save.

Day Six:
Demonstrate backgrounds, fonts and word art in PowerPoint.
Students open saved outlines in PowerPoint.
Students finish outlines and begin backgrounds, fonts and word art.
Save.

Day Seven:
Demonstrate inserting images saved in a file.
Students open saved projects in PowerPoint.
Students finish backgrounds, fonts and word art.
Insert images.
Save.

Day Eight:
Demonstrate animations and transitions.
Students open saved projects in PowerPoint.
Students add animations and transitions. Finish projects.
Save.

Days Nine and Ten:
Students share presentations with the class. They must read/discuss the information on the slides and answer any questions from the class/teacher.
Students complete self-assessment.

Assessment
Successful completion and submission of all parts of project:
         1.      Inspiration web (What I Know)
         2.      Word Document (What I Want to Know)
         3.      PowerPoint Presentation (What I Learned)
Presentation to peers.
Self-assessment or PowerPoint Presentation form.

Teacher Name: Cynthia Rolewski
Site: La Cima Middle School
Date Submitted: October 2001