During this portion of the Habitat Unit, the students spent five weeks researching five biomes through use of online research using KidRex, viewing online videos about the biome, reading books on the biomes, and virtually experiencing the biome through using Google Cardboard. By using technology, the students were able to meet the learning goal of identifying plants, animals, climate and location of [each] biome as well as gain a deeper understanding on what it is like at the biome through the VR experience. Following the first five weeks, we spent an additional two days talking about the human impact on each biome, talking about how human impact the biome, and how it then impacts us. This discussion lead to the students brainstorming and looking for ways we can reduce our impact on the Earth.
My Triple E Framework score was 13 out of 18. These lessons engaged the students in the content by allowing them to take ownership of their learning. These lessons were all student lead, so they were able to rotate between 4 methods of acquiring knowledge to aid them in completing their graphic organizer. For some, this meant they could work with others, for others this allowed them to work independently at their own pace. The expectation was established that they were to complete their Graphic Organizer by the end of the two days for that biome. In most cases, the students felt the time constraint and spent their time wisely researching the biome and completing their graphic organizer. The students study of the biomes was enhanced by technology. Rather than reading small excerpts on each biome at their desk out of a text book (which is how this biome exploration is typically conducted), the students were able to experience and research each biome in multiple ways. Particularly through the use of virtual reality, the students were able to see, hear and move through the biome. This, in addition to some of the videos, allowed the students to experience the biome in a more authentic way, rather than reading about it. “It is just like I was dropped out of a plane into a rainforest”, said A, one of my third-grade students, “I feel like I am walking through the rainforest. It feels like I am really there. I want to reach out and touch it”. Providing my students four different methods for research, gave them the freedom to learn in ways that best suits them. Knowing that we would be talking about the human impact on the biomes at the end of this portion of the unit, I wanted to be sure the students knew what made each biome special and important. As part of each of our wrap-up discussion we would review the important aspects of the biome, the students would decide why they think this biome is important to our planet, then the students would have a chance to share an exciting fact they learned about that biome. To allow the learning and discussions to continue at home, as part of the weekly classroom blog, I would share all links with the families to the videos and VR videos (many of my students/families had access to or purchased Google Cardbaords).
I decided to allow my students to conduct their research using multiple modes because I wanted this experience to be student lead. I wanted to provide them the resources they would need, as well as expose them to new technology as a way of having new experiences to further understand something. I wanted to incorporate virtual reality to give my students a chance to experience each biome, beyond just watching a video.
Day one of this biome studies mini-unit within the Habitat Unit was focused on the students learning about what a biome is. Following a video on biomes, and a brief mini-lesson on what makes a biome different from an ecosystem, the students blogged on Seesaw their definition of what a biome is and posed a question they hoped to answer as they studied the different biomes. At the end of the biomes study, the students had a packet of each graphic organizer they completed on each of the five biomes. I graded this for completeness as a cumulative assessment of their work during this time.