B u t t e r f l i e s ! Abstract Proposal Standards
CA Content Standards
ISTE NET Standards
Comment 1- How to use Bloom’s six taxon
Comment 2- How to use Gardner’s eight MI’s
Comment 3- How do Bloom’s taxon and Gardner’s MI intersect in the Bloom/Gardner grid/matrix?
Comment 4- Give some examples of why IT is ideally situated to use MI
Bloom Gardner Grid
ACT Project
Work Cited
Thematic Unit Proposal Teacher: Rosalva Gamez Unit Title: Butterflies! Grade Level: First grade The purpose of this unit is to use butterflies to teach students different concepts in language arts, math, science and social sciences. Language Arts: Students will use fiction and non-fiction stories to respond to who, what, where, when, why questions, to identify the elements of a story, to summarize and to look for different uses of punctuation. Students will also be able to use butterflies as a topic for writing short narratives or expository texts. Students will listen to, write and critique poetry, music and other literature about butterflies. Math: Students will participate in standards based math related activities such as counting butterflies, adding and subtracting with butterflies, writing number sentences and word problems using butterflies and finding patterns and symmetry using butterflies. Science: Students will explore science standards with butterflies. They will learn about what butterflies need to survive and how they get it from their environment and they will draw and label diagrams to show different parts of the butterfly. Social Science: Students will learn about geography and use maps while learning about the migration of the Monarch butterfly. They will describe the differences in the weather in the two different locations.
CA Language Arts Content Standards Used
READING
1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
Concepts About Print 1.2 Identify the title and author of a reading selection. Phonemic Awareness 1.6 Create and state a series of rhyming words, including consonant blends.
2.0 Reading Comprehension
Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
2.2 Respond to who, what, when, where, and how questions.
2.3 Follow one-step written instructions.
2.6 Relate prior knowledge to textual information.
2.7 Retell the central ideas of simple expository or narrative passages.
3.0 Literary Response and Analysis Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text 3.1 Identify and describe the elements of plot, setting, and character(s) in a story, as well as the story’s beginning, middle, and ending. 3.3 Recollect, talk, and write about books read during the school year.
WRITING
1.0 Writing Strategies Organization and Focus 1.1 Select a focus when writing
1.2 Use descriptive words when writing
2.0 Writing applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
Using the writing strategies of grade one outlined in Writing Standards 1.0, Students:
2.2 Write brief expository descriptions of a real object, person, place or event, using sensory
details.
WRITTEN AND ORAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
1.0 Written and Oral English Language Conventions
Sentence Structure 1.1 Write and speak in complete sentences Punctuation 1.4 Distinguish between declarative, exclamatory, and interrogative sentences. 1.5 Use a period, exclamation point, or question mark at the end of sentences.
LISTENING AND SPEAKING
1.0 Listening and Speaking Strategies Comprehension 1.1 Listen attentively
1.2 Ask questions for clarification and understanding Organization and delivery of Oral Communication 1.4 Stay on topic when speaking. 1.5 Use descriptive words when speaking about people, places, things and events.
2.0 Speaking applications (Genres and Their Characteristics) Using the speaking strategies of grade one outlined in Listening and Speanking Standard 1.0, students: 2.1 Recite poems, rhymes, songs and stories
2.3 Relate an important life event or personal experience in a simple se
CA Math Content Standards Used
NUMBER SENSE
1.0 Students understand and use numbers up to 100: 1.1 Count, read and write whole numbers to 100. 1.4 Count and group numbers in ones and tens.
2.0 Students demonstrate the meaning of addition and subtraction and use these operations to solve problems:
2.1 Know the addition facts (sums to 20) and the corresponding subtraction facts and commit them to memory. 2.3 Identify one more than, one less than, 10 more than, 10 less than a given number. 2.5 Show the meaning of addition (putting together, increasing) and subtraction (taking away, comparing, finding the difference).
ALGEBRA AND FUNCTIONS
1.0 Students use number sentence with operational symbols and expressions to solve problems: 1.1 write and solve number sentences from problem situations that express relationships involving addition and subtraction 1.2 understand the meaning of the symbols +, -, =. 1.3 Create problem situations that might lead to given number sentences involving addition and subtraction.
STATISTICS, DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITY
1.0 Students organize, represent, and compare date by category on simple graphs and charts: 1.2 Represent and compare data (e.g., largest, smallest, most often, least often) by using pictures, bar graphs, tally charts, and picture graphs.
MATHEMATICAL REASONING
1.0 Students make decisions about how to set up a problem: 1.2 use tools, such as manupulatives or sketches, to model problems.
CA Science Content Standards Used
LIFE SCIENCES 2. Plants and animals meet their needs in different ways. As a basis for understanding this
concept: a. Students know different plants and animals inhabit different kinds of environments and
have external features that help them thrive in different kinds of places. b. Students know both plants and animals need water, animals need food, and plants need
light. c. Students know animals eat plants or other animals for food and may also use plants or
even other animals for shelter and nesting. d. Students know how to infer what animals eat from the shapes of their teeth (e.g., sharp
teeth: eats meat; flat teeth: eats plants).
EARTH SCIENCES 3. Weather can be observed, measured, and described. As a basis for understanding this
concept: b. Students know that the weather changes from day to day but that trends in
temperature or of rain (or snow) tend to be predictable during a season.
INVESTIGATION AND EXPERIMENTATION 4. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful
investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will: a. Draw pictures that portray some features of the thing being described. c. Record observations on a bar graph. e. Make new observations when discrepancies exist between two descriptions of the same
object or phenomenon.
CA History/Social Sciences Content Standards Used
A CHILD’S PLACE IN TIME AND SPACE 1.2. Students compare and contrast the absolute and relative locations of places and
people and describe the physical and/or human characteristics of places. 3. Construct a simple map, using cardinal directions and map symbols. 4. Describe how location, weather, and physical environment affect the way people live,
including the effects on their food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and recreation.
NET Standards Used Grades PK–2 (Ages 4–8)
The following experiences with technology and digital resources are examples of learning activities in which students might engage during PK-Grade 2 (Ages 4-8):
1. Illustrate and communicate original ideas and stories using digital tools and media-rich resources. (1,2)
2. Identify, research, and collect data on an environmental issue using digital resources and propose a developmentally appropriate solution. (1,3,4)
4. In a collaborative work group, use a variety of technologies to produce a digital presentation or product in a curriculum area. (1,2,6)
5. Find and evaluate information related to a current or historical person or event using digital resources. (3)
6. Use simulations and graphical organizers to explore and depict patterns of growth such as the life cycles of plants and animals. (1,3,4)
8. Independently apply digital tools and resources to address a variety of tasks and problems. (4,6)
10. Demonstrate the ability to navigate in virtual environments such as electronic books, simulation software, and Web sites. (6)
Comment 1:
Using Bloom’s Taxonomy
In 1956, Benjamin Bloom created a system for classifying the different levels of learning
(Overbaugh & Schultz, n.a.). Today this system of classification is known as Bloom’s Taxonomy
and is used in classrooms all over and though it has changed over the years the basic premise is
still the same. There are six different levels of learning; remembering or knowledge,
comprehension, application, analysis, evaluation and synthesis or creating.
The first and most basic taxon is knowledge. Knowledge is the most basic level of
learning. It is just a matter of recalling the information that was leaned. For example in a unit
on butterflies for a first grade class students might be asked to memorize and recite a poem
about butterflies. They might be asked how many legs a butterfly has or what the different
stages of a butterfly’s life cycle are. These activities only involve memory recall and check what
the student can remember.
The next level of learning is comprehension. At this level we can see if the child
understood what they learned at the first level. In a unit on butterflies activities at this level of
learning might include: grouping rhyming words in from a poem about butterflies, explain to a
classmate why they do or do not like butterflies, and explaining the differences between
butterflies and moths. These activities take the student beyond the basic knowledge level of
questions with simple answers to giving explanations.
The third taxon in Bloom’s Taxonomy is application. At this level we can see if the
student can use the information that they have learned. In a unit on butterflies we might ask
the student to chart the differences between a moth and a butterfly. A student might also be
asked to use the information they have learned about butterfly migration and research online
the path that the butterfly migration follows. In doing these activities they are using the
information that they have learned in a different way.
The forth level of learning is analysis. At this level of learning the student can take what
they have learned and break it into smaller chunks of information. They could be asked to
explain what happens in each stage of the butterfly’s lifecycle or to diagram the different parts
of a butterfly.
The fifth level of learning is evaluating. At this level of learning students are able to
evaluate and make judgments about what they have learned. An activity at this level of learning
might include critiquing a poem or story about a butterfly.
The sixth and highest level of learning is creating, also called synthesis. At this level of
learning students can be asked to use the information that they have learned to create
something new. In a unit on butterflies students might be asked to use their knowledge on the
needs of butterflies to create the perfect butterfly habitat or they could be asked to write a
story or a poem with the main character as a butterfly.
By using Bloom’s Taxonomy of learning teachers can go beyond basic rote memorization
and take students to a higher level of understanding. While some rote learning may be needed
to start the process out, students will have a much higher quality of education when all levels of
learning are used.
References
Bloom’s Taxonomy Action Verbs (n.d) Retrieved on December 28, 2009. From http://www.clemson.edu/assessment/assessmentpractices/referencematerials/documents/Blooms%20Taxonomy%20Action%20Verbs.pdf.
Cruz, Emily (2003). Bloom Revised. University of San Diego. Date accessed: October 22, 2008 http://edweb.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/BloomsLD/start.htm.
Overbaugh, R.C., Shultz, L. (n.d.) Bloom’s Taxonomy. Retrieved on December 28, 2009. From http://www.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy.htm.
Comment 2:
Using Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardener’s theory of multiple intelligences states that everyone learns in their
own way. He cites seven different types of learners: linguistic, mathematical/logical, musical,
visual, bodily/kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalist, which is the eighth kind of
intelligence that was added later on. In traditional classrooms only the linguistic and
mathematical learners are addressed (Fabio, D., 2008), but in a class with 25 students a teacher
cannot focus on these two learning styles alone. By taking into account the different learning
styles of the students in her class a teacher can be sure that her lesson plans will be more
effective.
In a unit on butterflies taught in a first grade class the linguistic learners would benefit
from activities such as reciting poems and summarizing stories. These activities are verbal in
nature and work well with a linguistic learner. Other activities that are appropriate for linguistic
learners are writing a poem about butterflies and reading a book on the differences between
moths and butterflies.
The mathematical/logical learners would better be served by activities that involve
numbers and patterns. One such activity would be creating a pair of symmetrical butterfly
wings or creating math problems that use butterflies. Another activity that would be well suited
for mathematical/logical learners would be sorting and charting butterflies by color.
For the musical learners activities such as listening to songs or singing songs about
butterflies would be effective. Other activities could include clapping out a rhythm with every
rhyming word in a poem or writing a song about butterflies.
Visual learners would be best served with charts and pictures of butterflies. Drawing,
painting or sketching a butterfly and diagramming the different parts would be an ideal activity
for visual learners. Visual learners do not do well with just a verbal explanation. They need
modeling and hands on instruction.
Appropriate activities for bodily/kinesthetic learners would be pantomiming the flight of
a butterfly or acting out the lifecycle of a butterfly. Anything that involves them “becoming” the
butterfly would be appropriate. Bodily/kinesthetic learners learn best when they are using
their bodies. Touching things and moving things work very well for them.
Interpersonal learners do well in group settings. Grouping students to do activities in
groups or presenting information to the whole class are good for interpersonal learners.
Conversely intrapersonal learners do well working on their own. They do well reflecting on
personal experiences and relating personal experiences to what they are learning.
The naturalist is the kind of learner that learns through and about nature (Fabio, D.,
2008). The naturalistic learner would learn best with activities that involve relating their
knowledge to nature. Asking them to think of other animals that can fly like a butterfly, asking
them what it would feel like to be in a cocoon and trying to think of a solution for pollution in a
butterfly habitat would be effective teaching strategies.
While it might not be possible to address every intelligence in all lessons, if a teacher
strives to address as many intelligences as she can, she will do her students a better service
than if she had just focused on linguistic and mathematical intelligences alone.
References
Fabio, Darlene (2008). Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. University of San Diego. Date
accessed September 15, 2008 http://edweb.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/multiintell/ index.htm.
Guignon, Anne (1998). Multiple Intelligences: A Theory for Everyone. Education World. Date accessed
January 3, 2010 http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr054.shtml
Comment 3:
How Do Boom’s Taxon and Gardner’s MI Intersect?
The Bloom/Gardner matrix is created by arranging Bloom’s six taxon of learning along
the x-axis of a table and Gardner’s eight MI along the y-axis. At each intersection of the table
you get a unique combination of criteria for planning an activity.
For example in the box where the taxon remembering intersects with intrapersonal
intelligence, you need to plan activities that are at the remembering level of learning. This
means that they only involve basic memory recall and ask the student to relate the knowledge
to themselves or something personal. In a unit on butterflies in a first grade class an activity for
this intersection of the matrix could be asking the students to describe a time that they have
seen a butterfly. In using this grid for planning a butterfly unit for a first grade class a teacher
can ensure that the activities that she is planning are going to address all of her student’s
learning needs.
One of the intelligences that can be hard to address is the naturalist learner. Using the
grid, activities for all levels of learning for naturalist learners can be incorporated into the
lesson. At the level of remembering students might be asked to name other animals beside a
butterfly that can also fly. At the level of understanding they can be asked describe what it
would feel like to be in a cocoon. The activity for the application level of learning could be to
determine how pollution hurts butterflies. At the analysis level of learning the naturalist could
be asked to take a walk and take pictures of the different butterflies that they can find. At the
evaluation level a good activity would be writing a letter to persuade people to stop polluting
for the butterflies. At the highest level of learning, creating, a good activity would be designing
and naming their own butterflies. All of these activities address the learning style of the
students with naturalist intelligence.
The great thing about the Bloom/Gardner grid is that every taxon of learning intersects
with every different MI. At each one of these intersections on the grid there is an opportunity
to create unique learning experiences for all students, no matter have their learning style is.
Comment 4:
Why IT is Ideally Suited for Use with MI
In a classroom with limited technology, the chances of being able to address all the different
types of intelligences are slim. When looking at testing and benchmark testing it is easy to understand
why. By using technology teachers can address all intelligences. Even simple technology such as an
overhead projector can really change a student’s learning experience.
Imagine a teacher trying to explain to students a butterfly’s proboscis. Students with
verbal/linguistic intelligence might be able to understand a description if the proboscis without any
difficulty, but a student who is stronger in the visual/spatial intelligence would need to see a picture of
the proboscis to understand it. And while a picture on the overhead would be nice, the effect of
watching a video of a butterfly eating with its proboscis would be even more effective.
When teaching a math lesson a teacher might write the numbers “4+3” on the white board and
ask students to solve the equation. Students that have a strong mathematical/logical intelligence will
not experience great difficulties in adding the two numbers together. However, student with
visual/spatial intelligence might have trouble adding two arbitrary numbers together. Using a special
butterfly font on Word the student can create a number sentence using pictures to represent the
objects being added together. This way instead of adding “4+3” now they are adding 4 butterflies to 3
butterflies. The students with the verbal/linguistic intelligence will benefit from this because they can
create a story to go along with the number sentence such as, “There were four butterflies sitting on a
leaf. Three more butterflies few over and landed on the same leaf. How many butterflies are there on
the leaf now?”
Technology such as CD players, or voice recorders would be good for the students with the
musical/rhythmic intelligence. Document cameras and projectors would be useful for the students with
the interpersonal intelligence so that they can work in groups and present their information to other
students. There are many different uses of technology in the classroom that would be suited for
addressing all types of intelligences.
Bloom → ↓Gardner
Remember Understand Apply Analyze Evaluate Create
Verbal/ Linguistic
Recite a butterfly poem
Use the computer to research and read about the diffs. b/w butterflies and moths
Chart the differences between butterflies and moths
Analyze a story about butterflies to find different punctuation
Summarize a story about butterflies (Story elem.)
Write a poem about butterflies. Type it out in Word and print it on butterfly paper
Interpersonal Using the document camera, as a class define the parts of a butterfly
Describe to a partner how a butterfly eats
Research online then use a map to show the class the course of Monarch migration
Explain to the class the diffs. b/w a butterfy and a moth
As a class critique a story about butterflies (likes/dislikes)
As a class create a butterfly habitat with everything a butterfly needs to survive
Bodily/ Kinesthetic
Match the movements of a butterfly as you “fly” around the room
Estimate how fast a butterfly can fly, then time, with a stopwatch, how fast you can run
Act out the life cycle of a butterfly
Build a picture diagram of the life cycle of a butterfly
Build and critique a butterfly puzzle.
Use geoblocks to design and build a butterfly
Intrapersonal Describe a butterfly that you have seen and where
Explain why you like/don’t like butterflies
Class disc. “If you were a butterfly where would you live?”
Compare and contrast how you are the same or different from butterfly
Explain why you would/would not like to be a butterfly
Write a journal entry “If I were a butterfly”
Naturalist Name other animals that can fly
Describe how it feels to be in a cocoon
Do research online to determine how pollution hurts butterflies
Take a walk and take pictures of all of the butterflies you see
Using word write a letter to persuade people to stop polluting for the butterflies and send to district office
Using “Paint” on computer design and name your own butterfly. Print and mount for display
Visual/ Spatial
Copy a picture of a butterfly out of a book/ or from an image search online
Distinguish between and arrange butterflies into different catagories
Illustrate a Monarch’s path on an online maze www.billybear4 kids.com
Draw a butterfly and diagram the different parts
Look at pictures of butterflies and pick out the ones that are different.
Draw and color a butterfly mask
Musical/ Rhythmic
Sing a song about a butterfly
Group the rhyming words in a poem about butterflies
Produce a show to go with a song or a poem to be performed in front of a camera and presented to the class
Compare and contrast a sad song and a happy song played on a CD player about a butterfly
Write and critique a butterfly song/poem
Collaborate as a class to write a butterfly rap then record on a voice recorder
Logical/ Mathetatical
Collect different color paper butterflies and sort on a chart
Using Word and a butterfly font use groups of butterflies to create number sentences
Use butterflies in addition and subtraction problems
Use words to explain a number sentence using butterflies
Play a butterfly memory game on www.billybear4 kids.com
Create a butterfly that is symmetrical
ACT Assessing Classroom Technology
The following is a list of things that are available in my classroom right now. 4 desktop computers
1 black and white printer
1 Document camera
1 LCD projector
1 CD/Cassette player
1 Television
The following is a list of the technologies available to me and my students at home. Home computers/laptops with internet access (not available to all students)
DVD players
PSP, DS, Xbox, Wii (not available to all students)
Cell phones/Smart phones
Also available at our school is a computer lab with 20 computer stations. In assessing the technology that I have available, both at home and at school, I can see that there are some things that I will need in order to be able to do all the activities that I have planned. In my classroom there is only one computer that is connected to the internet. To fix this problem I will need an Ethernet hub, and some Ethernet cables. The Ethernet hub can be found for $89.99 and the cables can be found for $12.99 on staples.com. I would need four cables, so the cost for connecting all of my computers to the internet would be $141.95.
Another problem that I found in assessing my classroom technology was that I did not have a computer connected to the LCD projector. Without a computer connected to the LCD projector I can’t show the students different websites up on the large screen. For this I would need to either use my personal laptop with an extra long Ethernet cable or have an extra long s-video cable to connect my teacher station to the document camera. A 50’ Ethernet or s-video cable costs $49.99 at staples.com. That would be the only expense for this technology upgrade. Some other technologies that I need for this unit are voice recorders, digital video recorders and digital cameras. An Olympus digital voice recorder can be found on Amazon.com for $21.77 plus shipping. Also on Amazon.com is the KODAK Easy Share camera for $84.00. Amazon also offers the Vivitar DVR 810HD for $76.98. For my classroom I would like to have 2 of each of these, so the total for this technology would be $687.46. The computer lab at the school is a valuable asset. It has Microsoft Word and internet on all the stations. The only problem is that there are only 20 stations and I have 24 students in my class. For this lab to be truly useful we would need to add 4 more computer stations. Overstock.com offers the Gateway DX-4300-11 computer tower keyboard and mouse for $665.99. They also have an LG 20’’ monitor for $106.49. For four complete computer stations it would cost $3,085.92. The total improvements to the technology available to me would cost $3,965.32.
Work Cited
Bloom’s Taxonomy Action Verbs (n.d) Retrieved on December 28, 2009. From
http://www.clemson.edu/assessment/assessmentpractices/referencematerials/docume
nts/Blooms%20Taxonomy%20Action%20Verbs.pdf.
CA Department of Education (1997) English Language Arts Standards. Retrieved December 19,
2009 from http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/
CA Department of Education (1997) History Social Science Standards. Retrieved December 19,
2009 from http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/
CA Department of Education (1997) Mathematics Standards. Retrieved December 19, 2009
from http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/
CA Department of Education (1997) Science Standards. Retrieved December 19, 2009 from
http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/
Cruz, Emily (2003). Bloom Revised. University of San Diego. Date accessed: October 22, 2008
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/BloomsLD/start.htm.
Fabio, Darlene (2008). Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. University of San Diego. Date
accessed September 15, 2008 http://edweb.sdsu.edu/eet/articles/multiintell/ index.htm.
Guignon, Anne (1998). Multiple Intelligences: A Theory for Everyone. Education World. Date
accessed January 3, 2010 http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr054.shtm
International Society For Technology Education (2007) NETS for students. Retrieved on
December 19, 2009 from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/For
Students/2007Standards/ NETS _for_Students_2 007.htm
Overbaugh, R.C., Shultz, L. (n.d.) Bloom’s Taxonomy. Retrieved on December 28, 2009. From
http://www.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy.htm