Lesson II: Phase 2 Implementation

IMPLEMENTATION

Procedures:

1. I will gather the students in a whole group and start a class discussion.  We will talk about different countries around the world and if anyone knows the different government systems that they use (i.e democracy for the United States).
2. I will then discuss that each student will need to pick a country to research their government system to then create a timeline.
3. I will show how to use the timeline creator and how to plot events on it.
4. Each student will need to find 10 main events to put on the timeline that leads up to today's date.
5. When I send the students back to their seats, I will have them start the research aspect of the project.
6. As they find different information that they might find useful, they will write them down in a Word Document.  They can also save pictures to use.
7. Once the students has found at least 10 items to put on the time line, they can then go into the timeline creator and start putting their information in.
8. Once all of the students have finished their timelines they will then share with the whole class.
9. The students will then evaluate each other and write what they liked and what the student could do to improve their project.

Technology Integration:

• Students will be using the Internet to research their topic and find pictures of different events.
• Students will use organize their information in a Word Document. 
• The timeline creator (an online tool) will be used to create their timeline.

Differentiated Instructional:

• Cognitive Delays: Students with cognitive delays can use pictures to represent their information and possibly write a couple of words to describe it if they can.  They do not need to present if they are not capable or comfortable doing so.
• Gifted: Gifted students can use more than 10 points to research and compare one government system to another.
• ELL: ELL students can use pictures to represent their information and possibly write a couple of words to describe it if they can.  They can also research the government system from their home country so it is something familiar.  They do not need to present if they are not capable or comfortable doing so.

Reflect on...

Designing Instruction:

• I am using the instructional method I described because I want my students to be very independent with this project.  This is their way to show me what they know and what they have learned.
• My instructional methods align with best practices because I think students should have project-based learning.  When students are creating something on what they know, the information stays with them longer.
• I am engaging the students with higher order thinking because they have to decide what to research and then have to conduct the research themselves.  They can also pick a country they know nothing about and research their government system.
• My integration of technology supports best practices because this activity is very individualized to the student.  The student can pick what to research and add whatever valuable information they want.  They will be using this activity to teach the other students about a particular government system.