ITEC 7400 Engaged Learning Project Matthew Hall, Fall 2013

Title of Project: Changing of the Seasons

Subject(s): Science, Math
Grade Level(s): 1st Grade
Abstract:
Students will be conducting a yearlong study of seasonal changes. Once each month, they will collect and chart data from
these changes. The main changes they will focus on will be temperature and visual differences per month. During the last
grading period of the year, students will work in a combination of small groups and whole-group with the teacher to create a
presentation of their findings that will be shared with other classes and be used as an introduction to this project with the next
years class.
Learner Description/Context:
Learners will be an ethnically mixed class of 1st grade Special Education students. Within the class of 17 students, there are
14 males and 3 females. All students are significantly below level and considered emerging readers. Learning experiences
will take place in the classroom as well as outside on the lawn of the school.
Time Frame:
This will be an ongoing task that will last the entire school year. Students will complete their information during their
science class on the first school day of each month. (30 minutes during one day a month for 10 months)
Standards Assessed:
-S1E1. Students will observe, measure, and communicate weather data to see patterns in weather and climate.
b. Investigate weather by observing, measuring with simple weather instruments (thermometer), and recording weather data
(temperature, sky conditions, and weather events) in a periodic journal or on a calendar seasonally.
c. Correlate weather data (temperature, sky conditions, and weather events) to seasonal changes.
-MCC.1.MD.4 Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories; ask and answer
questions about the total number of data points, how many in each category, and how many more or
less are in one category than in another.
-VA1MC.2 Formulates personal responses.
a. Makes connections between visual images and personal experiences.
b. Expresses individual ideas, thoughts, and feelings through drawing.
-VA1PR.1 Creates artworks based on personal experience and selected themes.
a. Creates artworks to express individual ideas, thoughts, and feelings from memory, imagination, and observation.
NETS-S
-1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using
technology.
d. Identify trends and forecast possibilities
-3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
d. Process data and report results
Learner Objectives:
During this project students will become familiar with:
measuring temperature using a thermometer
making predictions of weather patterns related to the seasons
recording and charting data
creating presentations
This project will be an enrichment activity to correlate with science standards being taught and assessment will be scored on
participation throughout the entire project.

ITEC 7400 Engaged Learning Project Matthew Hall, Fall 2013

The hook or Introduction:
During the first year of completing this project, students will be introduced to it by viewing a YouTube video created by
Harry Kindergarten Music. Students will listen and participate to this video once each month, on the day we collect data. The
4 Seasons in a Year video can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTXtSGf1VdY
After you have completed this project with one class, you will also be able to include their end-of-year presentation as part of
the initial introduction.
Process:
Students in a 1st Grade Science class will conduct a yearlong experiment on the changing of the seasons. Each student will
keep a journal to document their predictions, measurements, and reflections. On the first school day of each month, students
will study difference in the seasonal weather from the previous month. Students will reflect on those differences as a group
and individually. Students will predict the outside temperature and document their prediction in their journal. Due to the
students being on such a low literacy level, most journaling will be teacher led and may include more drawings that words.
Journals will be a set of 10 teacher created data sheets (copy attached) in a folder that each student will keep at his or her
desk. After everyone has their predictions, the class will go outside and use a thermometer to measure the actual
temperature. That temperature will be documented in the journals as well as in a graph on a bulletin board in the classroom.
The teacher will keep a graph saved in a word processor such as Microsoft Word to be completed each month as a whole
group on the SmartBoard. These computer graphs will be printed out to be displayed with the big bulletin board graph.
Along with the temperature changes, students will also select a tree of their choice from the play ground. On the same day as
the temperature measurement, the class will take a picture with the tree to post on the bulletin board as well. Students will
write a reflection in their journal of changes they saw in the tree from the previous month and include predictions for the
upcoming month. They may also make notes of changes they may see in students in the picture (seasonal clothing, heights,
new student/withdrawn students, etc).
Product:
At the end of the year, students will have multiple products. They will have their personal journals of each months data and
they will also have the class data board that will include a graph of each months temperatures and the monthly picture of the
class selected tree. The students will individually create their journals, but will create the data board as a whole group. This
information will help the students to see changes in the world around them over a specific time span.
During the last grading period of the year, students will be divided into 10 groups. Each group will be assigned a month
(Aug-May) and told to work together to come up with some seasonal information they relate with their assigned month.
Students will be given a Xerox copy of their months class tree picture to use as a basis for their information page (if they
have the November picture, around it they could draw a turkey, a pilgrim, fall leaves, etc anything they associate with the
season of Fall during November.) These 10 pages (1 for each school month) will be scanned by the teacher and added to a
Prezi with copies of the other data the students have collected throughout the year. This presentation will be teacher created,
but should be done whole-group and on the SmartBoard as much as possible to allow student input during the creation
process. When completed, the class will view the presentation and each group will explain the page for their assigned month.
This presentation will be saved and presented next year as part of The Hook to start this project again with a new class.
Technology will be integrated with thermometers to measure temperature and a camera to document visual changes.
Students will also have much exposure to using a computer, a SmartBoard, and software such as Word and PowerPoint or
Prezi. (If end presentation is created through Prezi, the link can be shared with other classes and/or parents.) This project
will be an enrichment activity to correlate with science standards being taught and assessment will be participation
throughout the entire project.
Technology Use:
SmartBoard to display teacher led graph creation during whole group
computer with word processor capable of creating tables/graphs (Microsoft Word, Excel) for teacher to chart data
collected
computer with presentation software such as PowerPoint, or internet capabilities to use Prezi
digital camera to take pictures of class tree
digital thermometer to measure outside temperature
The technology used supports the indicators of engaged learning of standards-based, challenging, multi-disciplinary, explorer,
guide, and ongoing. The students use the technology to research information for the state standards, analyze and evaluate the
information and data, explore ideas then produce displays for teaching and assessment.

ITEC 7400 Engaged Learning Project Matthew Hall, Fall 2013

References and Supporting Material:
Copy of student data sheet attached (10 copies per student)

Some type of folder for each student to store their data sheets/journal

www.Prezi.com

www.georgiastandards.org

Harry, K. (Performer). (2010, March 27). 4 Seasons in a Year [Web Video]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTXtSGf1VdY

ITEC 7400 Engaged Learning Project Matthew Hall, Fall 2013

Name: _____________________________
Date: ______________________________
Estimated
Temperature

Todays Actual
Temperature

How did it feel outside? __________________________________

Do you think the temperature will be higher or lower next month?
_____________________________________________________
Estimate a temperature you think it could be next month:
_____________________________________________________
What did the class tree look like
today?

What do you think it will look like

next month?

Notes: ___________________________________________________

ITEC 7400 Engaged Learning Project Matthew Hall, Fall 2013

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