The document outlines a four-week unit for first grade students on the life cycle of butterflies. Students will learn the parts of a butterfly, the four stages of the life cycle, and the term "metamorphosis." They will raise butterflies from eggs to adult butterflies and document daily observations. Students will conduct research in small groups using educational websites and videos, taking notes in MaxWrite to create a final MaxShow presentation to share with the class using a SMART Board.

2. Using technology as the foundation, the first grade students will be able to identify the major parts of a butterfly (head, thorax, abdomen, six legs, and two antennae. Most butterflies have four wings.). The students will also be able to detail the four major stages in the life cycle of a butterfly (eggs, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly). Finally, the first grade students will be introduced to the term metamorphosis. At the end of this unit, the students will be able to define metamorphosis in their own language.

3. The learners are first grade students with average to below average ability levels. Two students are full time learning support but are part of this class for Science and Social Studies. There is one child with ADHD and one child with Asperger’s that are fully mainstreamed.

4. This is a four week long unit that the first grade students will be involved in. The teacher will introduce the lifecycle of butterflies and the students will get a butterfly kit where they actually watch the eggs turn into the butterfly, chrysalis, and then finally the butterfly. Students will be involved in helping the teacher create a classroom webpage where parents and other. school/community members can view pictures and read the daily observations from the teacher and students. The classroom teacher will utilize a SMART Board and document camera to show and detail changes in the eggs, the major body parts of a butterfly, and to “journal” the daily observations.

5. The students will conduct basic research with a partner or small groups (with classroom aides, parent volunteers, the Learning Support Teacher, and the classroom teacher) using a variety of websites, and education video clip from Discovery Education, Learn360, Brain Pop, etc…. The students will document their data in MaxWrite in preparation for their final project. The students will input all of their research, pictures, drawings, etc… into their final presentation, a MaxShow document. The students will present their MaxShow presentation to the class using the SMART Board.

6. The students will be introduced to the following technologies/computer based programs: SMART Board Document Camera Classroom Website MaxWrite MaxShow Websites www.thebutterflysite.com www.kidsbutterfly.org www.kidzone.ws/animals/monarch_butterfly.htm http://www.billybear4kids.com/butterfly/flutter-fun.html and many more Educational Video Clips Online www.streaming.discoveryeducation.com www.learn360.com www.brainpop.com www.brainpopjr.com www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/butterfly/activities/lifecycle.shtml

7. I looked for research that supported the use of technology with primary students. The research that I found supported teaching young students a variety of technologies and enhancing their “view” of the world. In my personal experience and based on the research that I found, first grade students are more than capable of handling a variety of technological experiences with teacher guidance.

8. Students will be assessed based upon the following: Rubric – their culminating project Anecdotal records taken by the teacher through-out the lesson Teacher observations based on partner/group work