Assessment
PowerPoint presentations will be assessed with a rubric.
Learning Context/ Introduction
After completing a unit on ecosystems, the students will complete a PowerPoint as a culminating experience.
Duration
Five to Eight 45-minute classes.
Essential Question
1. How do organisms interact in an ecosystem?
2. How does energy flow in an ecosystem?
Instructional/Environment Modifications
The consultant teacher will supply support for identified students.
The Reading Specialist will supply support for Title 1 students.
Computer Lab with PowerPoint and Internet connection.
Computer with PowerPoint and video projector in classroom.
Procedure
Day One: Use LCD projector to show teacher created example PowerPoint (linked below in Related Resource section). Pass out and discuss PowerPoint rubric that will be used to assess the PowerPoint.
Day Two: Bring students to the lab. Introduce PowerPoint to the students. Demonstrate how to create a picture and text slide. Demonstrate how to search for images on Google. Demonstrate how to create a bibliography page. Guide students through creating title page, first slide, and bibliography page. Repeatedly remind students to save after each step.
Day Three: Have students set up one slide each for ecosystem, producer, consumer, herbivore, omnivore, carnivore, scavenger, decomposer, food web. I have the students type the text on each slide prior to searching for pictures.
Day Four-Seven: Students continue to create PowerPoint in lab. Backgrounds, transitions and extras can be added if time allows. Students present PowerPoints to classmates using the LCD projectors in classroom.
Reflections and Feedback
Students with special needs excelled. Children could not wait to get to the lab each day.
Student Work
Students will create a PowerPoint demonstrating the knowledge gleaned throughout the unit.
Students will be required to research definitions prior to beginning PowerPoint.
Students will search Google for images to support definitions.
The students PowerPoint projects were done on the Mac platform and they did not show well on the PC. These samples were converted to pdf format so that they could be viewed by all.
Related Resource
Science text- Scott Foresman grade 4, dictionary, encyclopedia
Ecosystem Powerpoint
