LL4 - Lesson Plans

Effects of Earthquakes on Buildings

• http://www.microsoft.com/education/earthquakes.mspx
• Subject area: Earth sciences
  
• Grade level: 7-12
  
• Students will learn hands-on the effects of earthquakes on buildings. They will talk about architectural plans and then model the earthquakes on a program. This lesson will focus on simulating earthquakes of different magnitudes and types and seeing how this affects buildings.
  
• Educational goals: Study and learn in-depth about earthquakes.
  
• Assessment: Grade students' answers to questions in the main activity section, as well as how accurately they present their data.
• I really liked that this lesson included a program for simulating the earthquakes. I think it makes it that much more real and stimulating.
• I did not like that the focus was mixed between the building structure and the earthquakes; it seemed like too much information to take in at once.
• I would like to know how the program works more in-depth so if there are any technical problems they can be addressed.
  

The Ultimate Guide: Human Body

• http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/ultimate_humanbody/
• Subject area: Science/anatomy
  
• Grade level: 9-12
  
• Students will see segments of the video The Ultimate Guide: Human Body and discuss them. Then they will use online resources to go into more detail on what the purposes of the specific systems of the body are.
  
• Educational goals: Learn about the human body and how its segments relate to each other, while also using and developing research skills.
  
• Assessment: Based on how much the student participated in class discussion, as well as the writing he/she did on the in-class research.
• I really liked that this lesson plan used video, the computer and discussion.
• I did not like that it was so broad, as there are so many systems in the body it would be better to split this up.
• I would like to know if there are more materials made by The Ultimate Guide, such as a workbook, to go with the video.
  

Castle Builder

• http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/castle_builder/
• Subject area: History/Art
  
• Grade level: 7
• Students will research the Welsh daily life in this time period, including aspects of castle construction from this time period. Use a variety of online resources for information on castle aspects. Students will then make a blueprint of their castle, and a model. To make this more technologically enhanced, the model could be made on a computer program.
  
• Educational goals: Develop research skills, learn about Welsh life in the time period specified.
  
• Assessment: Make sure the student has done their research, included all of the castle specifications, and creativity.
• I liked that this used students' creativity and research skills all in one.
• I did not like that it didn't seem realistic in that the normal Welsh people probably would not have lived in a castle.
• Could this project be done with other cultures as well? I.e. Chinese homes/castles?