Famous Scientists: An Integrated Approach Using the Internet
Rita Vaughn
rjvaugh@ilstu.edu
6th Grade
Metcalf Laboratory School
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois 61790-7000
(309) 438-8533
SUBJECT
Science and Language Arts
GRADE
Sixth grade
ABSTRACT
Through the use of a unit integrating science and language arts, teams of students researched famous scientists through the Internet and prepared a report about one of the scientists. They then prepared a multimedia presentation to persuade their classmates to enter their scientist into the "Sixth Grade Hall of Fame." This unit provided students with the opportunity to work in teams, to learn to research a topic through the Internet using a Web page and Search Engine, to create a PowerPoint presentation, and to make a persuasive talk to their classmates.
PROCEDURE
Each team of three students looked up famous scientists through the Internet and explored a minimum of three to decide together which scientist they wanted to study further. Each team had to select a different scientist so there were no duplicates.
Teams then conducted research through the Internet to find additional information about their scientist. For this research the students could use the sites on the Web Page, Famous Scientists 6th Grade Project. In addition, they had to find at least one additional site about the scientist through their own search using one of the Search Engines listed on that Web page.
As the students looked at sites about their scientist, they recorded key points that they learned. Using that information they prepared as a team a three page report about their famous scientist. The focus of the report was "How did this scientist contribute to the good of society?"
From the information in the report, the students prepared five slides for a PowerPoint computer presentation to take to the "Convention." The students made a draft of their slides on paper before going to the computer lab to create their PowerPoint slides. Click here to see sample student drafts for their slides: Sample 1, Sample 2, Sample 3 p. 1, Sample 3 p.2.)
Each student prepared one slide and participated in the presentation in which they were to persuade the participants at the convention (their class) to enter their scientist into the "6th Grade Hall of Fame."
Here are some of the students from both classes as they give their PowerPoint resentations to the class. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger version of each picture.
Class 6A
Class 6B
(To see some of the students' entire PowerPoint presentations click here.)
As the students listened to others' presentations, they completed a ballot worksheet in which they were asked, "Should this person be entered into the Sixth Grade Hall of Fame?". They had to write at least two reasons why they answered "Yes" or "No."
INTEGRATION OF SCIENCE AND LANGUAGE ARTS
The new Block Scheduling enabled me to integrate the teaching of science and language arts for this unit.
For Science the students learned about three scientists, researched more in depth about one scientist, and wrote a report about the contributions of that scientist for the betterment of society. In addition, the students learned more about the use of the computer and the Internet, including the use of a Web page and a Search Engine for their research. They also learned how to use the PowerPoint program to prepare a multimedia presentation.
For Language Arts the students wrote a three-page report from their research and gave a persuasive oral presentation to the class.
SCHEDULE
This unit was conducted over a period of three weeks using the following schedule of one-hour class periods:
Week I
Three days: Work in the computer lab using the Web page "Famous Scientists Project" and Search Engine for their research
One-two days: Prepare a rough draft of the report from the key points, and prepare an outline for each slide for PowerPoint
Week II
Two-three days: Work in the computer lab to prepare PowerPoint presentation, including typing facts and inserting pictures for each slide, then adding transitions and builds, and preparing for the oral presentation
Week III
Two days: Classroom PowerPoint presentations
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Computer Lab
A computer lab with Internet access is needed for this unit. Because there is no lab with Internet access for students at Metcalf School, the students went as a class to use the computer lab at the ISU College of Education.
Computer Knowledge
The teacher needs to be familiar with the use of the Internet, including Web pages and Search Engines, and about the use of a presentation graphics program such as PowerPoint. If the teacher does not have the computer knowledge, access to someone with that knowledge is necessary.
In this case, Dr. Patricia H. Klass, Professor in the Department of Educational Administration, who helped create the Web page "Famous Scientists Project", was available to help the students in the computer lab. She taught the students how to access the Web page "Famous Scientists Project" and how to use the Search Engines linked to that page. She also taught the students how to save pages from the Internet as text files and how to save pictures they found as graphics and download them to a diskette. Finally, she taught them how to create their PowerPoint presentations.
OTHER UNITS ON THE INTERNET
In addition to the Famous Scientist Project, the sixth grade science and/or language arts classes have used the following units on the Internet:
Genetics and Heredity Links Teachers may be interested in using the following sources to help them develop their own genetics lesson.
- Genetics Education Center
- Resources and ideas for educators with an interest in human genetics and the human genome project...
- Lesson Plans Genetics
- Lesson Plans and Sites for teachers who want to implement a genetics unit.
- Natural Science
- This site lists lesson plans and ideas for grades K through 12.
- Genetics Project
- Here is a project teachers can have their students participate in with other schools.
Click on the links to view these Web pages.
