Molly Anderson EDMT 380-002

The purpose of this project was to create a interdisciplinary lesson with a group that utilized iMovie.  As a group, Dave Baloga, Amber Seidler, and I created a lesson plan in which students did research on a famous historical figure and then created a documentary about them using iMovie.  We made a sample project about Anne Frank.  The planning that went into this lesson can be seen in the following pages. On this page, you can read the reflection, written after the project was completed.

Description
In the spring of 2004, I created a lesson for EDMT 380 entitled "Researching a Historical Figure" in a group with Dave Baloga and Amber Seidler. In this lesson, students were to research a historical figure of their choice using primary resources such as books, diaries, or magazine articles, as well as a topic hotlist created by us. After researching this figure, the students were to create a documentary about their historical figure using iMovie. I believe I met Wisconsin Teaching Standard #7, Teachers are able to plan different kinds of lessons. In creating this lesson, I created a lesson that was different from most other lessons I have written in the past in that it integrated a considerable amount of technology on the part of both the teacher and the student. This lesson would not work without technology, and gave students a great deal of experience with technology.

Analysis
In creating this lesson, I learned a lot about creating a lesson plan different from what I am used to. Usually, the lessons I plan integrate a small amount of simple technology, such as using the internet to do research, or word-processing a story. This lesson, however, involved quite a bit of technology and was therefore a different type of lesson to write. I realized that the prerequisite teacher skills were more in depth than before. My strengths in creating this lesson lied in creating a lesson that is appropriate for a sixth grade level but also challenges their current abilities. I think that if I were to use this lesson in a real sixth grade class that the students would be able to master this lesson, but not without working a little bit for their success. My weaknesses in creating this lesson were that I didn't have an adequate understanding of the iMovie program when I wrote the initial lesson. I didn't realize how long it would actually take to create an adequate documentary. It would involve a lot more work time than I had originally planned for in my draft lesson plan. I added more work time and think this would make my lesson much more attainable for my students. As far as my competence level, I think I reached a management level - I am successful at creating different type of lesson plan, but a lesson is never perfect and can always be refined.

Reflecting on Growth
As are result of creating this lesson plan, I plan to use technology more. I discovered that the use of programs such as iMovie can really enhance a lesson on research. I never would have realized this if I hadn't branched out and created a lesson out of my comfort zone, I never would have realized this. In this way, creating this lesson plan has encouraged me to write more lesson plans that are different. In doing so, I am diversifying my teaching style and the lessons I teach, thus making teaching more exciting for me as well as my students.
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Project 2 Home | Draft Lesson Plan | Treatment | Storyboard/Script | Final Lesson Plan

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Page last updated on: 17-May-2004 8:39 PM