Black History Month Research with Scratch and Makey Makey!

2/15/2020

We brought history to life with our Makey Makey project on influential Black Americans from history and current events

Our 6th grade classes researched influential Black Americans using our Gale Biography database. Students were assigned the "Black History Month Biography Research" Google Doc template in Google Classroom so they could edit it directly. They also had the choice of working with partners or by themselves. We all love choice! Find the template below.

Lesson Plan

Lesson Title: Biographies Come Alive!

Grade/Age: 7th Grade Content area: Language Arts

Point in year when your lesson is taught (prior knowledge assumed):

February
Students have background knowledge in researching via Gale databases and in using Scratch from a graphic design connections class in 6th grade

Learning objectives/learning targets:

Students will develop information literacy skills using online databases.
Students will recognize relevant facts and ideas and be able to evaluate sources and authors.
Students will create a product that uses research to support finding.
Students will create a product in an appropriate manner to a meaningful audience.
Students will use problem solving skills as they develop, troubleshoot, and present their products using Scratch and Makey Makey
- Students will create a logical sequence in Scratch to be played in the real world
- Students will utilize Makey Makey to have students physically interact with biography projects

ISTE Standards for Students (CT and DT plus any others addressed) - Please list the standard indicators addressed and include a brief description of the ways in which students will meet them:

Empowered Learner - Students are choosing the person they wish to research for Black History Month and then choosing how they present that information through Scratch with an attached Makey Makey component.
Innovative Designer - Students are using the design process when creating, troubleshooting, and revising their projects in Scratch and when using the Makey Makey to present their products.
Computational Thinker - Students will use algorithmic thinking when creating, troubleshooting, and revising their projects in Scratch.
Creative Communicator - Students will communicate their ideas effectively through recording in Scratch and present their work for others.

ISTE Standards for Educator (CT and DT plus any others addressed) - Please list the standard indicators addressed and include a brief description of the ways in which students will meet them:

Designer - This project aligns with content area standards and uses digital tools to maximize deep learning
Facilitator - This project fosters a culture of student ownership, manages the use of online environments and challenges students to use a design process.

Assessment - How students will demonstrate mastery:

See rubric below

Computational thinking/Design thinking activity:

Students will use Makey Makey and Scratch to code their own interactive biography project (ie: interactive poster, a clay-made figure, a drawn picture, etc.) based on a person of their choosing for Black History Month. During this process, students will think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.
Students will research their chosen Black History Month figure using Gale’s Biography in Context database. Students will be expected to cite their sources and keep a record of their information via Google Docs to be shared with the teacher and their partner, if they decided to work with another person.

Outline:

Day 1 - Students will identify how to set up a Makey Makey, some items that are conductive and will be able to create a working piano using Makey Makey.
Day 2 - Students will be able to use at least 8 blocks of code to create a basic sequence of commands in the Scratch program. Some students will be able to make a sprite move, change color, and speak.
Day 3 & 4 - Students choose and research an important figure for Black History Month.
Day 5 & 6 - Students will create their product (a poster, clay figure, drawing, etc.) to be used in conjunction with the Scratch program and Makey Makey for an interactive museum. Students will use Scratch to code their program and record their voice overs explaining their information. (Students will write a script using Google Docs.) Students will troubleshoot and adapt as needed.
- When designing, students consider how users will interact with the solutions, and check and validate their designs to increase the likelihood of creating working solutions. Students increase the sophistication of their algorithms by identifying repetition and incorporate repeat instructions or structures when implementing their solutions through visual programming
Day 7 - Students will connect their product with Makey Makey to ensure all works properly. Students will troubleshoot and adapt as needed.
Day 8 - Students will present their interactive museum exhibit. Students will need to explain their design process and how the technology functions.

Digital tool(s) you’ll use and how it/they contribute to your lesson:

Gale’s Biography in Context Database - Students will use this database to gather information about their chosen person for Black History Month
Google Docs - Students will use Google Docs to keep track of their notes and write their speeches for their chosen person
Scratch - Students will use Scratch to code and record their speeches about their chosen person
MakeyMakey - Students will use Makey Makey in order to prepare a ‘living’ wax museum and allow others to hear their speeches

If relevant, how you’re engaging one or more alternative learning environments (blended, flipped, makerspace, fully online, etc.) and/or pedagogical approaches (project-based, problem-based, personalized, deeper, etc.).
Students will use tools from our MakerSpace in order to create their projects. This lesson also uses a project-based learning approach in that students are creating a product that showcases a person they chose to research and are creating meaningful events for others to learn about their person.