Article 2 Review

Technology-Rich Projects
Connect with Tech!
By Sarah Marcotte

This article was from Heldref Publications, Vol. 43, No.2, Summer 2006. The ideas in this journal are especially helpful for a classroom teacher planning a field trip to a museum or a particular science-learning institute. The author gives step-by-step details on how to create a group project around a central theme or current exhibitions at the institute.
The article stresses the importance of preparing students before their visit to make it more meaningful. Because the purpose of most institutes is to instruct, their websites are usually geared with information correlating their exhibitions to content standards required by state curriculums.
Rather than preparing a scavenger hunt, the author suggests preparing activity sheets for student groups that require more thought-provoking questions. She also mentioned having the group bring a digital camera. I thought the author’s suggestion of bookmarking articles about the exhibition and other research information on classroom computers provided the scaffolding needed by many students working on group projects and reports.
When the students return from their outing, groups are required to put together a PowerPoint presentation that reviews and incorporates what they have learned in their research before, during and after their visit to a science-learning institute. The reports would address topics or questions posed to the group during the assignment. The PowerPoint would serve as an assessment tool. The presentations may include pictures from the visit as well as those found on the website. If the institute or the students had the equipment, then the author suggested incorporating Podcasts. This extension would allow the students to incorporate audio review.
I find that as sophisticated as this activity may be, it has some suggestions that I may be able to adapt to my grade level. I am taking my first-grade class to the Oregon Zoo on June 7th. After reviewing this article, I visited the Oregon Zoo website. I found that there are some items that I am able to share with my students before our field trip. I have shown a general zoo video in the past. Viewing exhibits on the computer that students will actually experience might make them focus on what they are viewing while they are at the zoo in a more thoughtful way rather than racing from one exhibit to the next. As a review, we could put together a classroom PowerPoint presentation.
I found the suggestions in this article helpful and useful. I think they are ideas that I would be able to adapt and incorporate into my program. If you would like to take a virtual tour behind the scenes of the Oregon Zoo, here is the link: http://www.oregonzoo.org/Animals/slideshow.htm

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