Teacher Notes

Technology Standards	Language Arts Standards	Science Standards
Student Self Evaluation	Rationale: Why Technology?	Rubrics and Checksheet

Objectives:

• The students will create a brochure that describes the location, landforms, animal and plant life, climate, ecological concerns and conservation efforts of a biome, as well as presenting their perspective of the ecological problems and conservation efforts.
• The students will use technology tools, as well as printed materials to research a specific biome.
• The students will create a poster illustrating the ecosystem within a specific biome.
• The students will work cooperatively to research a specific biome and create a poster. 

Technology Foundation Standards for Students being addressed in this activity:

1.Basic operations and concepts

• Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
• Students are proficient in the use of technology.

2.Social, ethical, and human issues

• Students understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology.
• Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
• Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.

3.Technology productivity tools

• Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

5.Technology research tools

• Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
• Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
• Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.

Arizona Science Standards being addressed in this activity:

1. 4SC-E1. Construct classification systems based on the structure of organisms -

• PO 3. Identify organisms based on existing classification systems

2. 4SC-F4. Identify characteristics of plants and animals (including extinct organisms) that allow them to live in specific environments

• PO 1. Identify adaptations of plants that allow them to live in specific environments
• PO 2. Identify adaptations of animals that allow them to live in specific environment

3. 4SC-E5. Describe changes or constancy in groups of organisms over geologic time

• PO 2. Identify environmental factors that may determine adaptations and constancy of an organism over geologic time

4. 4SC-E7. Explain and model the interaction and interdependence of living and non-living components within ecosystems, including the adaptation of plants and animals to their environments

• PO 2. Create a model of the interaction of living/non-living components within an ecosystem

Arizona Language Arts Standards being addressed in this activity:

1. R-E2.Use reading strategies such as making inferences and predictions, summarizing, paraphrasing, differentiating fact from opinion, drawing conclusions, and determining the author's purpose and perspective to comprehend written selection

• PO 1. Identify the main ideas; critical and supporting details; and theauthor's purpose, feelings and point of view of the text
• PO 2. Distinguish fact from opinion
• PO 3. Summarize the text in own words (assessed at district level only)
• PO 4. Compare and contrast the text (e.g., characters, genre, cultural differences, fact, fiction)
• PO 5. Determine cause-and-effect relationships
• PO 6. Summarize the text in chronological, sequential or logical order

2. R-E4.Identify the author's purpose, position, bias and strategies in a persuasive selection

• PO 1. Identify the author's purpose and use of details to support the purpose
• PO 2. Describe the author's use of strategies to convince or persuade bandwagon peer pressure "loaded" words
• PO 3. Identify the author's bias

3. W-E1.Use correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar and usage, along with varied sentence structure and paragraph organization, to complete effectively avariety of writing tasks

• PO 1. Spell correctly
• PO 2. Punctuate correctly (e.g., sentence endings, commas in a series, commas in compound sentences, abbreviations, quotation marks, colon in a business letter greeting, apostrophes)
• PO 3. Apply rules of capitalization (e.g., sentence beginnings, titles, abbreviations, proper nouns, direct quotations)
• PO 4. Apply standard grammar and usage (e.g., subject-verb agreement; simple, compound and complex sentences; appropriate verb tense; plurals;prepositions;
• PO 5. Organize paragraphs with a variety of sentence structures (e.g., simple, compound, complex

4. W-E3.Write a summary that presents information clearly and accurately, contains the most significant details and preserves the position of the author

• PO 1. Use own words except for material quoted
• PO 2. Preserve the author's perspective and voice
• PO 3. Contain main ideas of event/article/story plus the most significant details
• PO 4. Present clearly written and organized information

5. W-E4.Write an expository essay that contains effective introductory and summary statements and fully develops the ideas with details, facts, examples and descriptions

• PO 2. Use own words (except for quoted material) to develop ideas accurately and clearly with supporting details, facts, examples or descriptions
• PO 3. Use personal interpretation, analysis, evaluation or reflection to evidence understanding of subject

6. W-E5.Write a report that conveys a point of view and develops a topic with appropriate facts, details, examples and descriptions from a variety of cited sources

• PO 3. Provide support through facts, details, examples or descriptions that are appropriate, directly related to the topic, and from a variety of cited sources
• PO 4. Use personal interpretation, analysis, evaluation or reflection to evidence understanding of subject

7. W-E8.Demonstrate research skills using reference materials such as a dictionary, encyclopedia and thesaurus to complete effectively a variety of writing task

• PO 1. Implement a research strategy that includes selecting best source for specific research purpose taking notes that summarize and paraphrase information relevant to the topic incorporating notes into a finished product

8. Listening and Speaking Essentials (4-8)

• Prepare and deliver an oral report in a content area and effectively convey the information through verbal and nonverbal communications with a specific audience