Learner Experience (cont)
During (cont): Group Activity for Preparation of Voice Thread on Chinese Zodiac (cont) Screenwriter teams will create storyboards, using Kidspiration, for their section of the Voice Thread to help them develop a script of what they will record. Teacher will demonstrate how to access VoiceThread.
Differentiation: Teacher will allow those students who had trouble with the story to watch the story in a PowerPoint presentation.
The Great Race
Teacher will show video titled “Happy Year of the (Hardworking) Ox!”
Lessons will be experiential and diverse, building student competencies in math, language arts, and social studies
Learner Experience
Overview: Students will be engaged in project to develop a Voice Thread presentation to share with their classmates, other students in the school and other schools, and their family on the subject of the Chinese Zodiac. Some of the work will be individually completed and some will be completed collaboratively in teams. Students will investigate the characteristics of each animal and draw conclusions about the folklore that people reflect the personality of their birth year animal. Prerequisites: Basic understanding of China. Students will interview family member to find out birth year and to get a list of adjectives of how that individual describes himself/herself.
Learner Experience (cont)
During (cont): Group Activity for Preparation of Voice Thread on Chinese Zodiac (cont) The next three sections are what they learned. 2. The Legend of the Zodiac and how calendar works (from Story Maps) 3. Animals of the Zodiac, and how their family member resembles or does not resemble the traits of their birth year animal (from Character maps) 4. Conclusions: this group will survey rest of class to find out which famous person most resembles animal of its birth year and report their findings. Group will research web for celebrities birth year animals.
Learner Experience (cont)
During (cont)
Students will show at least four years for each animal (e.g., dog 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006), after teacher provides first cycle (e.g., dog 2006) Students will identify the animal of their birth year from map and write three sentence paragraph on why they agree or disagree that they have the traits of that animal. Students will identify animal of their person’s birth year from map and write three sentence paragraph on why they agree or disagree that they have the traits of that animal. (Template to be provided).
Chinese Zodiac
Sarah Margaret Lindsay
EDUC 536 : Learning Sciences & Instructional Design Saturday, June 6, 2009
Table of Contents
Learning Context/Environment Learner Experience Learning Model/Pedagogical Theories


Learner Experience (cont) Nhomakorabeaefore:
Students are asked to write down adjectives that describe their own strengths and weaknesses
Using overhead projector and Kidspiration, Teacher conducts KWL with students on what they know about the Chinese Zodiac and what they want to know. Teacher will read “The Great Race” The Story of the Chinese Zodiac by Dawn Casey.
Students will create a character map using Kidspiration of all 12 Zodiac animals, providing information they have learned from the Great Race on the animals’ traits. Teacher will provide scanned animal pictures. Students will visit web for more traits. /factscny.htm
Third grade class Lesson is part of a thematic unit on China. Class has already been introduced to basic information on China including its geography, people, industry and history
Students will create a account on .
Students will upload their storyboards and record their speeches.
Students will study the Chinese Zodiac Calendar to develop an appreciation for Chinese culture and customs
Philadelphia School District
Aligned with mandated curriculum.
Learning Goals
Learning Standards Learning Technology Technology Learning/media matrix Student Evaluation Rubric
User Feedback
Learning Context/ Environment
Learner Experience (cont)
During (cont):
Group Activity for Preparation of Voice Thread on Chinese Zodiac
Teacher will explain what VoiceThread is and show example of one created about Dinosaurs. Dinosaur VoiceThread She/he will explain that they are almost done the planning and ready to create their production! Students will be broken up into four groups, aka “screenwriters,” to complete four sections of Voice Thread production, as follows: 1. Introduction to China unit, what we know, what we want to know about Zodiac (from KWL).