Water's Edge Service Project

 Lesson Plan Process

    My partner Aleksandra and I created a scavenger hunt following TEKS 3.9B; to identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain; predict how changes in a food chain affect the ecosystem, such as the removal of frogs from a pound or bees from a field. With a scavenger hunt, we created a hero's journey story following the plot of a hawk and how the removal of its prey affected himself and other characters around him. Using adobe sparks we were able to create a story structure that includes a setting, characters, problem, resolution, and plot. After reading the story students will gain a better understanding of food chains. In the story there is a problem, the hawk needs to save the ecosystem with help from the students. Following the clues (QR codes) students will connect the flow of a food chain using the Leo AR app. With the app, they can create their own virtual ecosystem, similar to the story, and share it with us or others about what they've learned. 

Water's Edge Presentation

    On the day of the presentation, my partner and I got there early to set up our QR codes around the park. It was a bit rainy so not many people from the public came to participate. We had students from other classes and programs during this time as well and luckily we were able to present to each other. During our presentation time, we were able to gather a group of around four girls to participate in our project. Most of them seemed to be engaged at first but if a problem like a QR wouldn't scan or the app wouldn't work they would just give up. Our lesson was targeted towards children so it was frustrating to put in hours of hard work just so a few college kids not pay any attention to us. We followed the students around as they completed the scavenger hunt with not much guidance from us. We asked them if this was a good lesson plan for children, or if they enjoyed it themselves, and they all agreed. Overall I am satisfied with the outcome of our project, yes we didn't get to share it with children but it was still a cool experience. 

If you would like to read and experience the story yourself go ahead and click this link!

Clue 1 - Clue 2 - Clue 3 - Clue 4 - Clue 5 - Final 

ISTE Standards

5d. Establish criteria for evaluating CT practices and content learning that use a variety of formative and alternative assessments to enable students to demonstrate their understanding of age-appropriate CS and CT vocabulary, practices, and concepts.  

4a. Design CT activities where data can be obtained, analyzed, and represented to support problem-solving and learning in other content areas.

3c. Plan collaboratively with other educators to create learning activities that cross disciplines to strengthen student understanding of CT and CS concepts and transfer application of knowledge in new contexts.

2c. Choose teaching approaches that help to foster an inclusive computing culture, avoid stereotype threat and equitably engage all students.