How to Work With Google Docs in Science; Animal Categorization
Grade
2-5
This template supports STEM teachers and librarians in working collaboratively to create lessons that build science practice and STEM inquiry skills in alignment with state and national science standards, and that address the Common Core literacy shifts around close reading and building textual evidence.
1. Lesson Abstract
This lesson demonstrates integration of technology concepts into an upper elementary to middle school science lesson plan. This lesson demonstrates the use of digital cloud tools such as Google documents to work collaboratively on student group projects and how to use these tools to classify animals in a manner to better understand and learn about them.
2. Lesson Themes
To Do
Animal Classification
Collaboration and Communication through technology
3. Essential Questions
To Do
Why do we classify things?
What can cloud-based digital tools allow us to do that fosters collaboration in group projects?
What is a way to integrate teaching about technology tools into a science content area classroom?
4. Standards Addressed
Choose Your STEM Inquiry Standards
To Do
- NGSS.5.LS2.1
Next Generation Science Standards
- Grades 5-5
- Standard: Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment. [Clarifcation Statement: Emphasis is on the idea that matter that is not food (air, water, decomposed materials in soil) is changed by plants into matter that is food. Examples of systems could include organisms, ecosystems, and the Earth.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include molecular explanations.]
Related Resources
New Hampshire K-12 Science Literacy Framework
Next Generation Science Standards
Standards for the 21st Century Learner (AASL)
National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)
Common Core State Standards for Mathematics
Choose Your Common Core Anchor Standards
To Do
Citing textual evidence
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts
Determining central ideas or conclusions
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
Related Resources
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
5. Learning Objectives
To Do
The Learner will understand how to work with Google Documents in collaborative class projects., The Learner will explore why its important to categorize things such as animals to understand more about them, The Learner will explore how to integrate technology into a content area lesson plan
6. Text Set
Use the following sites for students to explore information in classification of animals related to this lesson
- Fact Monster Site on Classification of Animals
- Brain Pop: Classifying animals
- Sheppard Software’s Kids Corner
7. Student Tasks
Unit 1 5 Classes of Animals Through Google Docs Lesson
http://bit.ly/5classeslesson
Materials: access to class set of laptops, computers or Chromebooks preferably with the chrome or Firefox web browsers, the 5 Classes of Animals Google Doc listed below and Student Google Accounts.
1. Students go to Google.com
2. Students log in with their usernames and passwords for their school Google Accounts
3. Direct the Students to Google Drive and explain what it is and how you can create documents to do work and you can upload files created on computers with Word, PowerPoint, etc.
4. (Optional) Show them the upload button to add files to their drive and explain limitations on size and files types
5. Show the create button and show them how to create a Google doc and the difference between the different colored symbols for Docs, Folders and Presentations
6. Share the link bit.ly/mansd5classes or if you make a copy of the original, share that link and put the students into groups of 2-3 students.
7. Show them how this document has only given them the rights to view and then direct 1 person in each group to choose “File- Make a copy” and change the name to have that student’s last name in the title and the names of the others in the group (ex “Smith Jones Hernandez 5 Classes of Animal”)
8. Show the Share button and direct them to Invite and type in the username of their teacher, add a comma, and type the usernames of the 1-2 other peers in their group that they will co-edit this doc with.
9. Have the students close their Docs (tabs at the top) and go back to google.com and find their usernames at the top right and Drive again (to reinforce where to go or what to do if they knock themselves out). Tell them to click in the search box and type in “5 classes” to either find the doc they created or that was shared with them by the person in their group and open it.
10. Determine if you want them to come up with additional animals besides the examples given and how many they should have in each category then tell them to assign 1-2 categories to each person in the group.
(Optional: have students use the Research tools in Google Docs Insert menu to look for pictures of their animals to drag in. Show how pulling in pictures from the Research Tools, cites the sources for them and/or show how you can filter to use only images that give permission and discuss why this is important.)
11. Remind them they have to be sure they have shared out the doc with their teacher, put the last name of all 3 students into the title before finishing .
12. Have them close out all tabs but one, click on their username at the top right and click “Sign Out”.
8. Culminating Learning Experience
To Do
Groups will prepare a finished classification diagram on a group collaborative Google Document with each student assigned its category and submit to the teacher digitally to through Google Drive.
A Rubric will be used to assess each diagram using the Google Doc add- on “OrangeSlice: Teacher Rubric”.
Related Resources
Graphic Organizer Assessment Rubric