In this lesson, students create a digital product on a choice of software, such as Pixie (or the web-based version Wixie) or Toontastic (a sock puppet show app). The digital version allows students to record their voices stating the pattern. They are also able in Pixie to take pictures or part or all of their poster, or use stickers and photographs to recreate the pattern. Note: my students used one-on-one iPads for today's task.
At the end of the lesson, students share their digital products with classmates. I also hope to share the digital products with another class of first graders!
This final product meets NGSS standard ESS1-1 Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted. It also meets Common Core standards for Speaking and Listening, including these Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas standards:
To warm-up, I first set the purpose for the lesson:
Friends, today we will be making a digital version of our posters. I will model how to turn a poster into a Pixie slide, although you may choose another app if you would like.
Because some of my friends have used Toontastic and made sock puppet shows on previous occasions, many asked if that app was alright. Of course!
Next, I model explicitly looking at a poster and transferring the information to the slide. I pick the poster on top of my pile, hang it on the board, and have students sit close to me as I demonstrate on an iPad. This year it was funny because they had so many suggestions for me that at one point I had to remind them that this was my turn!
First, I want to make my illustration. Let me think about that. What pattern am I showing? I am showing the sun during the day, and all the other stars visible at night. I am going to divide my page and add a sticker of a sun on this side. I go to stickers and search the word "sun." Now I want to add a label. I will click on the "T" for Text and add the words "daytime, sun."
I continue modeling the process for recording, including recording the pattern first and then my details and WOW facts afterwards.
Once I have finished modeling the Pixie software, I call students by name to get their poster and then get their iPad from the charging cart. My students have assigned iPad numbers, and earlier in the year, I explicitly modeled how to remove iPads from the cart by unplugging them gently.
Once students get their materials, they find a cozy spot. While they work, I circulate and help troubleshoot problems. Most are technology related, "How do I turn up the volume? Get a sticker? Spell phases so I can find images?" I answer many questions, but I also always first ask, "Did you ask anyone at your table?" It is important that students learn to ask questions to peers as well as to me when they want to solve problems; this teaches them independence and collaboration.
Here is one check-in I had with a student working on a puppet show. And here are some of the ways I manage students while they work. I am also prepared to manage early finishers by providing activities for them like space books and puzzles.
At the end of the lesson, students showed their digital products to classmates. Students displayed their iPads on the whiteboard one at a time, while the audience was on the rug. This presentation was all about celebrating their hard work. We did not peer evaluate or reflect on how to improve the product. Rather, we gave each student a round of applause and I made sure to tell them each what a great job they did!
Here are some student samples:
Finally, as this is the end of our unit, my students decide where to hang our Space KLEWS chart. I let students decide whether they would like to hang it in the hallways with their posters, or to hang it in our room for continued reference.