Classroom Blog and Website Creation Tools

Lesson Idea Name: Who is Martin Luther King Jr.

Content Area: Social Studies
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten
Content Standard Addressed: SSKH1: Identify the national holidays and describe the people and/or events
celebrated.

Technology Standard Addressed: #3- Knowledge Constructor

Selected Technology Tool:

☒ Blog ☐ Wiki ☐ Other: Website Creation Tool (list):

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/famoushistoricalfigures/martinlutherkingjr/

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☐ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☒ Level 2: Exploration ☒ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4: Integration
☒ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): ): The Universal Design for learning is a blueprint that addresses three
main principals to ensure that when teachers create lessons they include instructional goals, materials, and
assessments that work for all students. In this lesson I am using an Edublog which is a tool that ensures that I
am doing just that. An Edublog is ideal not only because it is standard based, but it is great for the ESOL
students as well as the visual and auditory learners in the class. The use of an educational blog is also ideal
because it extends communication beyond the classroom.

Lesson idea implementation:

During this lesson the students will be introduced to the historical figure “Martin Luther King Jr”. The
information will be posted to the classroom blog for students to access prior to class. The purpose of this
lesson is for students to learn why we have a special day to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. The standard
states that students are to identify the national holidays and describe the people and/or events celebrated.

The next day the lesson will begin with the teacher gathering the students to the large group meeting area
and direct their attention to today’s standard. After reviewing the standard, the teacher will explain to the
students that they will be learning about Martin Luther King Jr and why we celebrate him. The teacher will
assess students background knowledge by asking if they know who Martin Luther King Jr. is and allow
students to share out what they know. After the share out, students will direct their attention to the
smartboard as the teacher plays the Martin Luther King Jr. BrainPOP video. After the video has completed the
teacher will have students to turn and share with a partner on what they learned from the video. The teacher
will then walk around listening to the dialogues between the students assessing their ability to recall main
points from the video. The teacher will allow the students to talk for about 5 minutes then have them to focus
their attention back on the teacher. At this time students will be allowed to share some of their thoughts
from the video. The goal is for the students to understand why we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.

Summer 2017_SJB
 Classroom Blog and Website Creation Tools
For the final product of this lesson students will create a short answer response as to why we celebrate
Martin Luther King jr. I will use sentence frames to help students to organize their thoughts. (We celebrate
Martin Luther King Jr. because…). This sentence frame will help the ESOL students as well as those students
who are struggling writers. As an extension on the lesson I will have students to think of other people they
celebrate rather in their families or other famous people they may know about. Students will receive
feedback as I conference with them one on one to share their work. This lesson will conclude with the
students meeting back at the large group area and sharing what they learned and liked about the lesson.

Importance of technology:
A website-creation tool is critical to this project because it allows students to access new content outside of
the classroom prior to it being taught in the classroom. This approach is ideal for the “flipped classroom”
because it helps to make class discussions more student centered rather than the typical teacher lecturing
approach. This project could be done without the use of technology, but it is better to include the use of
technology so that students become familiar with using technology. By using technology in the classroom,
you are ensuring that your students are prepared to compete on a global level. The types of technology
that will be used in this lesson are tablets/laptops and the smart board.

Internet Safety and Student Privacy:

Although these web tools are great there are some internet safety issues that may arise while using them.
Such as their personal identities being reveled. To minimize these risks, I will be sure to not post any
identifying information about myself or my students. I will get parent consent to alleviate any fears by
parents and administrators. I will also be sure to be up to date with all district internet safety/acceptable
use policies.

Reflective Practice:
I believe that this lesson can impact students learning because it is having them to think critically about
how a person has been influential in the world. I believe that this lesson can have students begin to think how
they can be influential in the world. With that in mind I could have students to write or share how they feel
they could be influential in the world. I could implement the use of computers for students to create their
written pieces. I could further extend this lesson by publishing students work on the school website to
showcase their work.

Summer 2017_SJB