Turn flat activities into super learning missions nº1

Nice to see yo again in my blog!

I’m so happy to hear from you again! Today I bring you another challenge. This time I would like to show you how important is to adapt or transform flat activities (boring, passive and plain activities) into super learning missions (meaningful and unforgettable activities to develop in class).

In this case the challenge will be divided into two post; in each one of them I will share with you one flat activity turned into a super learning mission.

I came back to the prototype I created in March “Matter in our world”, and I chose 2 of the activities I developed then. Now, it is time to turn them into 2 different super learning missions specifying the original activity, the learning mission’s instructions, the goals to be achieved by accomplishing each of them, the digital artifact or artefacts to evidence the accomplishment, the online tools to use and the competencies involved, and finally how I am going to align the missions to ESL Times.

The distinction between activity, learning mission, artifact and tool allows us to place the relationship between the pedagogical side and the technological one within a project. So, let’s start describing the original flat task.

What was the original flat activity?

“Outline the three states of matter and explain the particle behavior in each them. Finally, write an example”

What is the learning mission?

My learning mission is called: “Solid, Liquid, Gas song”. What I want my students to do is to create a song related to the states of matter by searching on the internet the simple properties of each state. They can use the book and the explanation done in class in order to look for more information. Once they have got the song, they will have to create a poster with Picktochart with the lyrics.

The steps/instructions that students have to follow to carry out this activity are:

As you can see on my slide created with Emaze (which I recommend you to use) the activity is very simple, the students only have to follow 3 steps. Firstly, they have to look for information in order to classify the three stages of matter and their properties clearly; Secondly they have to write a song bearing in mind rhyme, rhythm and, melody; and finally, when they have the song they have to create a poster with Piktochart.

  

Goals:

-          To know the three states of matter and its simple properties.

-          To use ICT to learn new content.

-          To improve the four language skills

-          To do cross-curricular work with music (rhyme, rhythm and, melody)

-          To work cooperatively and improve social skills.

Target audience:

This super learning mission is for Fifth graders.

Timing:

This activity will be carried out in two lessons of 45 minutes.

Tools:

- To look for information: Google, books.

- To make the poster: Piktochart, Canva, Genial.ly.

How does this activity align with the collaborative project I am contributing to?

The activity can be aligned with the collaborative project The ESL Times because this super learning mission has similar goals as the education digital project:

- The four language skills

- Using ICT when teaching/learning

- Promoting collaborative work, team work and autonomous work.

- Valuing the socio cultural side of the English language

Competences involved:

1.      CC - Communication skills 

2.      DC - Digital skills 

3.      LL - Learning to learn 

4.      SCC - Social and civic skills 

5.      SIE - Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship.

6.      CAE - Cultural awareness and expression.

Below, you can see an example of the digital artifact that I want students to do. In order to do it, I have used Piktochart to create the poster with the lyrics of the song. This is an online tool quite simple to use for children at this age, with a great variety of resources to be able to create posters at your whim.

Self-reflection

We can agree about the importance of creating new and challenging missions for children, activities taht will requiere children to construct, step by step, their own knowledge working cooperatively toward the same goals. The teaching-learning process must be inspiring and motivating in order to get the best of our students. That the main and difficult task of a teacher, so now, fortunately we have got ICT to improve our teaching and their motivation.

Finally, I would like to say that I have really enjoyed doing this activity because it is a way of seeing how your work has results. I said this because I noticed myself more secure with the computer, with new apps and so on. It is true that you spend a lot of time producing something that probably will be used in just a couple of minutes, but the final digital artefact really worth it.

Don't forget to check out mu second super learning mission which is going to be related with this one!