Curriculum Integration Project

Mary Lehmann April 19th, 2020 Grand Valley State University Professor Topper

Overview
The two lessons presented within this curriculum integration project are the capstone of
a writing unit for first graders. Since I have just finished my student teaching and do not have a
classroom of my own, I used the technology available at my placement school (Waukazoo
Elementary in West Ottawa) to create these lessons. I have written and designed both lessons
myself. Since this project will pick up towards the end of a unit, students will have already
teamed up with a buddy in class, written a story together with a title, beginning event, middle
event, and conclusion. They will then create a “digital story” in a platform called Wixie
complete with pictures, audio, and text. These will then be presented to the class and assessed
using the rubric within this project. I have created a homepage for my “hypothetical” class
available through a link I have included for modeling within Lesson one. Students will use their
clever badge (something our students have in the classroom) for a central login to Wixie. If
technology is ever down or not available, students could draw out their stories and read them
to the class during the author showcase event.

Timeline of Unit:
Lesson One: Introduction to Narratives
Lesson Two: Model a narrative and have students fill in framework worksheets.
Lesson Three: Students write a narrative with a beginning event, middle event, and conclusion.
Lesson Four: Students are assigned a partner and combine their stories to form a new one. Peer editing takes place
within this lesson. These will be handed in to the teacher
Lesson Five: Introduction of Wixie and digital storytelling.
Lesson Six: Creation of digital stories on Wixie and author showcase.

Digital Storytelling
Lesson Five First Grade Writing

Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.3
Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced
events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to
signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.6
With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to
produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers
 ISTE 6.d
Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital
resources into new creations.

Time:
45 minutes

Objectives:
To explain and model how to use Wixie. Students will be able to explore the website as well as
create with the different tools.

Materials:
 Desktop Computer
 Projector
 Document Camera
 Sphere (software on desktop used to connect the computer to the projector)
 Chromebooks for students
 Wixie Homepage for Miss. Lehmann's Class
Technology Accommodations
o West Ottawa has Chromebooks for each student in the first grade classrooms.
However, if this is unavailable, students could experiment with Wixie during a
literacy station during reading groups. Less Chromebooks would be required.

Step by Step
1. The teacher will open up Wixie through the link listed above and project it onto the
screen. Students will not have their Chromebooks yet.
2. She will explain that they will use their clever badge to sign into their account.
3. The teacher will go through each icon and demonstrate what it does, while creating a
page with a sentence, a voice recording, and a picture that corresponds with the
sentence.
4. The teacher will then pass out the document labeled “Icons for Wixie” and students will
log in using their clever badges. This will help to guide students through the website and
what each icon means.
5. They will be instructed to create a page with a sentence, a voice recording, and a
picture. Students will be given most of this lesson to play around on the website and
experiment with the different tools available.

Diverse Needs and Accommodations

 The teacher will be available to help while children are exploring the website. If it feels
overwhelming (depending on the number of children in the class or needs presented)
 this can easily be done as a literacy station during reading groups or at the teacher
table.
 The website accommodates many different needs as students have the freedom to
create without many restrictions.
 The visual of text as well as audio is a beneficial accommodation. Students can see the
text as well as hear it read aloud. Creating this page allows them to practice reading and
they have the option of repeating this recording until they have it correct.

Assessing Technology Ability

The following rubric will be used to assess the page students create:
Name____________________________________

The page has a… Yes No

Sentence written in text.

An audio recording of the

sentence being read.

A picture that relates to

the sentence.

*when looking at student’s work, this rubric allows the teacher to go back and assess any trouble spots before
moving forward into the next lesson.
Icons for Wixie
 Digital Storytelling
Lesson Six First Grade Writing

Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.3
Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced
events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to
signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.6
With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to
produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers

ISTE 6.d
Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital
resources into new creations.

Time:
45 minutes to 60 minutes for creation Digital Storybooks
Showcase storybooks the next day.

Objectives:
Students will create a digital story out of their rough draft with their partner. Students will
share their work with other teams in class.

Materials:
 Desktop Computer
 Projector
 Document Camera
 Sphere (software on desktop used to connect the computer to the projector)
 Chromebooks for students
 Miss.Lehmann's Digital Story (This link works best in Chrome)
Technology Accommodations
o West Ottawa has Chromebooks for each student in the first grade classrooms.
However, if this is unavailable, students can work in pairs during a literacy
station or writing time. Each student in each pair will have a Chromebook but if
this is not possible, pairs can share a computer.
Step by Step
1. The teacher will explain that students will be creating a digital story within the website
we explored yesterday.
2. She will model what is expected by playing her digital story in front of the class (found in
the link under materials)
3. The teacher will model how each student should go into teams on their homepage to
open the project.
4. Students will log into their account and click the Team Project icon.
5. There will be a fairy tale story framework assigned to them in which students will import
the stories they have written earlier within this unit.
a. Each page should include text, audio, and images that match the story.
b. Both partners are expected to complete the title page together.
c. Partner one will create page one (characters and setting) and page two
(beginning event). They are expected to record audio of themselves reading both
pages.
d. Partner two will create page three (middle event) and page four (conclusion).
They are expected to record audio of themselves reading both pages.
e. Fairy Tale Assignment
6. Students will be given most of this lesson to work on their digital stories.
7. Once everyone has finished, the teacher will play their stories on the projector as an
author showcase event within the classroom.

Diverse Needs and Accommodations

 The teacher will be available to help while children are creating.
 Working in partners will help those with special needs.
 Instructions are included on each page within the template, as well as an audio version
of these instructions.
 The website accommodates many different needs as students have the freedom to
create without many restrictions, their story only needs to fall within the text structures
set. Students have the freedom to change the background, make characters, and add
sound effects, etc.
 Students will have practice writing and reading their own work, as well as see it come to
life!

Assessing Technology Ability

The following rubric will be used to assess the Digital Storybook students create:
Digital Storybook Assessment

Name___________________________________

My story has a title page, My story only has some of the My story has none of the pages
characters and setting page, pages required. required.
beginning event page, middle
event page, and conclusion.

The two pages I created have One of the pages I created has None of the pages have audio
audio of me reading. audio of me reading. of me reading.

Text is included on my pages Some text is included on my No text is included on my

and there are no typos. pages but there are typos. pages.

Images relate to the story and Images somewhat relate to the Images are not included and
text on my pages. story and text on my pages. do not relate to the story and
text on my pages.

I can figure out the tools within I had trouble figuring out the I could not figure out the tools
the website. tools within the website. within the website.