Niki

Thank you so much for re-working our concept map, it look great! I dont know if you noticed, but ive been working on our webpage...I actually spent two hours on a class calendar that apparently didnt save. I will redo it right now. I am also finishing up my 2 pages.

Inspiration 2

Change of Order

I rearranged some of the student pages and put them in the parent page area since the language on the page seemed to be talking more to parents than students. I moved the parent page up so that info would still be easy to find.

Web Content

Hi girls!

Many of the links that have been added have content that does not relate to our project. Do you plan to add applicable content into those areas? I looked at some of the posted examples (in the announcement section of our eLearning) and it is not necessary to make our site like a classroom site so we don't need all of the sections. Any that are not need can be deleted to make sure all areas of our site is related.

Also, ALL of our digital sories need to be included to get full points. Please do not delete mine again. I can add a page about our ePal project to make sure visitors to the site understand the relationship to the project.

Thanks!

Website

I have been working on the website and I think it is coming along great. Nikki, if you get a chance can you post the inspiration map? I think I am supposed to edit it and add concepts. I am going to take a break but will be back on in an hour or two.

Adding Users

Allison,

I didn't remember your gmail so I didn't add you as an owner of our website but I did figure out how to do it so we can all get credit for the things we're doing. Once you're logged on, if you go to the more actions button next to the edit site, click on share site. You can put in your gmail and add yourself as an owner. Once you log out you can use your regular gmail password to log in and begin editting under your own account:)

Water Terms

I started adding terms to the concept map but I'm not sure what all the ones we want to include are. I tried to look back at previous posts to see what words might reate to the things we have done. So far I have:

• filtration
• groundwater
• sludge
• composting
• aquifer
• water table
• zone of satuaration
• well

I know there are more but I would like to know what ones you think would be important. Just let me know!

Final Project Updates

Hi ladies!

I'm still waiting to hear back the answers to my questions but I wanted to let you know what I have done so far. In our revised concept map, our main topic has been adjusted to "Community Water System" this can easily incorporate our other categories, water being flushed down the toilet, water going into homes and, of course, water terms. Now, I'm just waiting to to see if there is anything that you two want me to add before I publish it.

Also, the starts of our website looks more like a classroom website and I am trying to determine how we can transform it into something that will work for our project. As of now I can't tell because the text is not readable and I want to make sure the information on it pertains directly to our topic. I really need to know what needs to stay and what was just an example. I would hate to change things and destroy someone else's work.

Please get back to me as soon as you can so we can finish this project.

Last Assignment

Hello Again Ladies!

We are winding down and I have a few questions for both of you as I work on our final project. I will start working on our new inspiration soon but hopefully you ladies can help me out with having all the right information.

Kate, thank you for starting on our website. Most of the text seems to be in a different langauge and I'm not sure if something has been corrupted or if it is from some sort of template. Also, just curious where the picture is from. I thought if it is a picture of you, we should each add our own picture to the site.

Allison, we all seem to have moved in some different directions for our final project and I was wondering if you have a related topic to the flushed down the toilet idea that needs to be incorporated into our final concept map.

Thanks again and I hope to hear from you soon!

assignment XI

Ladies, I am looking at the instructions for assignment xi, and as i created the first concept map it is time for one of you two to edit it with all of our updates. Also keep in mind my 30 day trail is up and i can not work on it any longer. (ps. I posted it to our blog, so look down at past posts and you will find it...remember it is due the 27th, and it would be great for all of us to take a look at it before it is submitted.)

I am looking at this assignment and am getting nervous. It is a compilation of all of our work regarding our topic: investigation of where water goes when flushed down a toilet, which i dont think either of you actually ever touched on. Also, keep in mind we EACH have to create 2 pages on our team website...with NEW ideas/lesson plans etc (maybe you can create them directly about our topic).

I created our team website, all you need to do is ADD ADD ADD! the URL is: https://sites.google.com/site/waterresourcesedt3470/
i was unsure how to add you two, so the username you will use to edit our website is: katelyn.l.nevins@wmich.edu
our password is: edt3470classmates

Lets not leave this till last minute!

Podcast Script 2

I thought it would be helpful to post my tentative script before I record it so we can make sure they all go well together.

Script: Hello and welcome again! I would like to tell you a little bit more about the communication project that was mentioned briefly before. As part of our study of where water goes as it is flushed down the toilet, we will have the opportunity to compare our sewer systems to the composting system being used by the students in Nangi, Nepal. We are going to become epals with the students at the Himanchal School in the village. An epal is an electronic pal; it is just like a pen pal but instead of using the traditional system of writing letters and mailing them, we are going to use the internet for our correspondence. Children in both classes will be able to ask and answer questions about where waste goes for them after using the bathroom. Our students will benefit from learning about a different sanitation practice as well as reinforce what they learn as they teach other children what they have learned about during the research they have done for our project. Parents, I encourage you as we begin sending and receiving our epal letters, to ask your children what types of questions their epals are asking and what they are learning about the composting system In Nepal.

There ya go! Good luck with the rest:)

Podcast

So for the podcast we have to basicly split our unit plan into 3 parts. I have written a script for the first part which I will do. I figured one of you could talk about our epals and one could talk about our final project on where water goes when it leave the toilet bowl. My two concepts from the text book are student lead inquiry followed by their own research (pg 107) and using a technology specialist (pg 110). My second lesson is based on the data collection of number of times each student flushes the toilet each day. Thanks and good luck!!

My Script:
Good afternoon parents and welcome to our classroom! This month as a part of our science curriculum we will be studying our local water resources. We have started our uint out by identifying different water sources that make up the water cycle, as well as sources of drinking water. The students have been making inquiries about water followed by their own research in the computer lab. With the assistance of our school's media director we have been practicing safe internet use as well. As we continue in our research we will collect data regarding the amount of of times each student flushes a toilet and how much water is used. This data collection will help us in our final project on where water goes after it spins around in the toilet bowl. As a class the students will collabratively analize the data as we prepare to communicate with another group of students that does not share our way of life. And Parents! Please remind your students that potty humor is not appropiate in the classroom.

GOOGLE MAP

View Assignment VII Part B in a larger map

I'm really glad you liked the map. It took a while but it was interesting research and I decided to include it in my movie. I made my movie as an introduction to the epals project. It shows pictures of Nepal and what it would look like to finish the last part of the trip, starting at the capital. My blogger went down last night so I couldn't paste our assignment here after I had completed it. I mentioned it in my reflection so I hope it will still be ok.

Anyway, here it is: Link to Google Maps

Allison, I am still interested in the topic where water goes after it is flushed down the toilet but would like to include how water gets into homes since the subject is still very much related. I think it will help to bridge the gap with students prior knowledge of the water cycle.

Next Week

Niki- I want to thank you again for helping me out with the map. it looks great, and i can tell you must have put alot of time into it.

Ladies, I am going on vacation tomorrow evening and will be gone without internet until next monday. I am going to work on our upcoming projects today and tomorrow before I leave.

I am looking at Module #5 and for assignment IX: and am wondering where we are with our project. I was under the impression that we were having an investigation of where water goes as that is what we discussed and I have been doing my assignments on. However, I am concerned how this project will turn out as no one else has been focusing on that topic, rather water resources in general. Please get back to me before tomorrow morning and let me know how I should go about my portion of this podcast, as I dont feel as though we are on the same page. And need your input before I can write down what I will say.

In the Works...

I am currently working on our map. I thought an interesting way to create it would be to map out a trip from our school here to the one in India as if we were taking a trip from one place to the other. The flight information is going great, the slightly more difficult part is figuring out the travel once in India but I will do my best to figure it out. I hope you like the idea!

Allison, make sure to relate your digital story to our topic:investigation of water being flushed down a toilet, so that we can use it for our final project.

Even though the instructions ask for a different group member to create the map, no one has done so. I sent everyone invitations to your gmail accounts. Please help me out!

here is the website to the school...
http://www.himanchal.org/school-projects.html

Ideas for Assignments this Week

As a group, we must decide what type of assignment we would do with our class that directly relates to our topic: investigation of water being flushed down a toilet, to demonstrate cultural understanding as well as global awareness. We also have to make sure it can some way relate to a ‘google map’ of our creation (for part b). An idea that would fit this criterion could be: having our class use epals to communicate with members of a classroom from an area that does not use conventional toilets and have them discuss how it is better/worse for the environment or how it impacts their lives differently. Then for the google map we could create a map from our classroom to theirs. What are your ideas?
As I am going on vacation again from June 8th until June 14th, I need to work ahead. You guys, however do not. Therefore, once we decide on an idea, I can create the folder and invite both of you to share the folder with the option to edit. I can also create a map and invite you both to join so that you can add to and edit the map.
Lastly, this week we have to create movies regarding our topic. Therefore, I think it would be a good idea to brainstorm ideas for movies and confirm what each of us will do so that our compliment each others. My ideas for movies include: a movie about how water gets from a toilet to the sewer, a movie about the filtration process at a sewer/water plant, a movie about how much water is wasted during this process or how as a school we can save water by only flushing once. What are your thoughts?


Please get back to me as soon as possible, thanks!

I just wanted you to know that I did my lesson plan on where water is found in our surroundings and how it gets there. I did my web evaluations on the following sites:
www.epa.gov/region7/kids/drnk_b.html
www.captainwater.com/where-does-water-go.html
ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/qahome.html

Here are the websites I plan to review.

Safewater's Groundwater for Kids

UGGS Water Science for Schools

ProjectWET

I realized I saved this message but didn't post it. These are the websites I review in case you are curious.

Katelyn,

I'm sure it sounds a little weird that I mentioned the water cycle to go with our topic but there was a chart on the website with the water cycle that related directly to getting groundwater in homes. I thought that maybe since we were talking about water leaving different places we could also incorporate water coming in. We can talk more about it later but here's the page so you can check it out.

Water Cycle

Web Evaluations

Group Members, as you know we have to evaluate three different websites that we will be using for our project. As we are each creating different lesson plans I think it will be simple to choose different ones pertaining to our topic. The three I evaluated are:
http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/se/Sewage_treatment

http://www.bcwater.org/waterfacts/wastewatertreatment.asp

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/4524/activated-sludge-method


Also, Note that my lesson plan was for third graders. As we havent discussed grade level or specific plans for each of us, let me know if you want me to switch by tonight so that i can change mine to fit yours before my flight tomorrow morning. I hope third grade works for you!
Lastly, some ideas for lesson plans for you: home/school plumbing, process of water moving underground to water treatment plant.

goodluck!

Completed Lesson Plan with: PowerPoint, Hotlist and Rubric

Sewer Investigation
Author: Katelyn Nevins based on lesson by: katelyn nevins 05/26/2010 11:31:00 AM EDT TaskStream - Advancing Educational Excellence

VITAL INFORMATION

Subject(s):
Elementary, Family and Consumer Science, Research

Topic or Unit of Study:

Water Resources: Investigation of where water goes once flushed down a toilet

Grade/Level:
3

Objective:

Students will research the "activated sludge process" using a hotlist.

Students will create a PowerPoint describing the "activated sludge process."

Students will present their PowerPoint to the rest of the class.

Summary:

Students will use a hotlist to research information and create a PowerPoint.

IMPLEMENTATION

Learning Context:

This is the third lesson in a unit investigation of water being flushed down a toilet. The first lesson would be about how plumbing works, the next would be about how water travels from home to a wastewater collection system. The next lesson will be more about the filtering process in a water treatment center.

Procedure:

Day One:

Discuss what we have learned so far about where water goes once flushed down a toilet.

Play the Wastewater Treatment Plant PowerPoint for the class.

Take students to the library or a computer lab, where the media specialist will reveiw Safe Surfing on the web, with the class.

The media specialist will also reveiw with the students how to use the hot list.

Take students back to our classroom where we will create a list on a large piece of paper, reveiwing Safe Surfing and using a hot list, to take to the library/computer lab next time.

Day Two:

Review with class the paper about Safe Surfing and using a Hot list.

Take the students to the library/computer lab to begin their research about "activated sludge process."and post the paper in a location where the kids could refer to it as needed.

Review with students how to cite internet sources.

Have students type a few sentences about what they learned so far on the internet about the "activated sludge process," and cite their sources.

Reveiw with students how to save Word Documents.

Have students save their work.

Take students back to the classroom for a class disscusion regarding what they learned.

Day Three:

Take students to the library/computer lab to begin their PowerPoints.

Review with students how to create PowerPoints.

Remind students to use work from the previous day.

Handout Flash Drives, and reveiw with students how to save work to them.

Take students back to classroom and reveiw our unit.

Day Four and Five:

Hand out Flash Drives.

Take students to the library/computer lab where they will present their slide shows.

Once they are completed the class will discuss where in the process of water going down the toliet the "activated sludge process," fits and why it is important.

Lastly, the class will add to a list of questions we will ask on a field trip to the Kalamazoo Water Reclamation Plant about the "activated sludge process."

Differentiated Instruction:

The PowerPoint helps students who are visual learners understand the wastewater process. Our class discussions and reveiws will help auditory learners. The library/computer lab would be set up for students with physical diabilities. Me, the teacher along with the classroom aid will be assiting students with learning disabilities.

Sample Student Products:

As this lesson has not been taught, there are no student samples.

Collaboration:
Students will work individually.

Time Allotment:
5 class periods. 45 Min. per class.

Author's Comments & Reflections:

As the teacher, I will need to make sure to reserve the library/computer lab for five days. I will also need to make an appointment with the media specialist for the first day of the lesson. I will need to make sure each student has a flash drive prior to this lesson. Lastly, I will have to make sure I have means to show the PowerPoint in our classroom on the first day of the lesson.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES

Instructional Materials:




Attachments

1. Hotlist
2. Waste Water Treatment Plant Slideshow


Resources:

* Materials and resources:
Large pieces of paper and markers to write down the information about Safe Surfing and a hot list from the media specialist as well as any remaining questions about the "activated sludge process."
* Technology resources:
Firefox, PowerPoint, One Flash Drive for each student.
* The number of computers required is 1 per student.
* Students Familiarity with Software Tool:
Students will need to know how to use PowerPoint.
Students will need to know how to type.
Students will need to know how to use Microsoft Word.
Students will need to be familiar with Safe Surfing and using a hot list.
Students will need to know how to use a Flash Drive.
* Reservation of the library/computer lab for five days


STANDARDS & ASSESSMENT

Standards:

MI- Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations
• Subject : ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
• Grade : THIRD GRADE
• Strand : SPEAKING
• Topic : Spoken Discourse

Expectation : S.DS.03.01 Engage in interactive extended discourse to socially construct meaning (e.g., book clubs, or literature circles, partnerships, or other conversation protocols).

Expectation : S.DS.03.03 Respond to multiple text types by reflecting, making connections, taking a position, and sharing understandings.

Expectation : S.DS.03.04 Plan and deliver presentations using an effective informational organizational pattern (e.g., descriptive, problem/solution, cause and effect), supportive facts, and details reflecting a variety of resources, and varying the pace for effect.

USA- ISTE: National Educational Technology Standards for Students: The Next Generation
• Standard : 1. Creativity and Innovation- Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

Indicator : Students: b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
• Standard : 2. Communication and Collaboration- Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

Indicator : Students: b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
• Standard : 3. Research and Information Fluency- Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

Indicator : Students: b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.

Indicator : Students: c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.

Indicator : Students: d. process data and report results.
• Standard : 6. Technology Operations and Concepts- Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations.

Indicator : Students: a. understand and use technology systems.

Assessment/Rubrics:
Rubrics

1. Rubric for Water Resources: Investigation of where water goes once flushed down a toilet

lesson plan

Nikki--I am not sure where the water cycle would fit into our investigation of where water goes once flushed down the toilet. Let me know what your thinking as I could incorporate it into the concept map.

Remember, I am going on vacation for the rest of the week starting tomorrow morning. I will check this blog once on Saturday afternoon, if you need anything let me know prior to that time so I will be able to get back to you. Otherwise, I can check this blog again around 10pm tonight.

I will be creating a lesson plan regarding the filtering process in a sewer system. Once I am finished I will post it up here. Remember group members, none of us are supposed to create the same lesson plan otherwise neither person receives any points, and each plan should relate to our topic: investigation of where water goes once flushed down a toilet.
thanks group members! I look forward to hearing about your lesson plans!
katelyn

The Water Cycle VFT

While I was browsing through information for the virtual field trip, I found information on the Water Cycle that we may be able to incorporated into our project. If not there are some links to great water related information that might help us in the upcoming weeks. http://www.uen.org/utahlink/tours/tourFames.cgi?tour_id=15160

concept map draft

I am glad you liked the idea. Please let me know if you need any help with the inspiration. I will check back around 8ish. Good Luck!!

Final Project II

Dear Alison, I LOVE your idea about our final project! How interesting, I bet kids would love to look into something like that. It would also be a topic that could be looked at through a scientific, mathematical and historical standpoint so would be great across the content areas. Well, I am going to get started on the inspiration assignment using your idea. I will post another blog and let you know how it goes! thanks for getting back to me!

Final Project

Hey,
Sorry I haven't been much help this past week, its been a busy one. I've done a little research and I haven't found any excellent ideas yet but I was kind of thinking of something along the lines of following the path of water. For example where water goes when you flush the toilet and having students investigate the path is takes and where it ends up. We could also incorporate a field trip to a water treatment plant. I would be happy to do the inspiration tonight if we can decide on a project, but I know that you are going to be gone a few days so if you wanted to do it and get it over with that would be fine too. Just let me know. Thanks.

brainstorming for assignment II in module II

Well it looks like we need to come up with an exact project, and soon!
I thought we could use the great lakes, as students in our future classrooms will mostly be familiar with them, and create some sort of project that could be used across the content areas. For instance, in history discussing how they have been used in the past...in science discussing how they could or are being used as a water resource...in math discuss how efficient or inefficient of a resource they are. etc.

As I have emailed you, and posted on the discussion board, I will not be available starting next week thursday until june 1. Also, it would be nice if we could start discussing our assignments that have to be collaborative with more time. As assignment II is due tomorrow, and today is saturday. thank you!