Packaging Improvement Project: Lesson #2 (Days 10 - 11)

Essential Question:

How can packaging be improved?

Introduction:

Students will watch and comment on the ideas within others VoiceThread projects.

Learning Outcomes:

Students will effectively communicate questions and ideas about project content.

Classroom Time Required:

2 forty-five minute classes

Materials Needed:

• Handouts: (2) Leaving VoiceThread Comments, Responding to VoiceThread Comments 

  • One per student


Technology Required:

• Computers with Internet access (one computer per student)
• Headphones with built in microphone (one pair per student)


Pre-activities:

• Completion and “sharing” of VoiceThread Packaging Improvement Project
• Assign students four projects to view
  • Note: If you are sharing projects with students at a partner school assign projects to view from each school. 


Lesson:

Day 1 - Leave Comments

1. Hand out the Leaving VoiceThread Comments sheet to each student. 

2. As a class, go over how to use this tool and the importance of leaving thoughtful and appropriate comments. 

3. Assign each student four different projects to watch.
   • Be systematic to ensure that every group project is watched by numerous people.
   • If students at a partner school also completed this project then today is the big reveal. Students will get to watch and comment on projects from their partner school for the first time. 

4. Send students to the computers to complete the Leaving VoiceThread Comments form while watching their assigned projects.
   • The challenge for students is to leave meaningful comments that are not repetitive. It gets very tedious to listen to ten people ask the same question on the same slide. 

5. Collect and review the Leaving VoiceThread Comments forms.

Day 2 - Respond to Comments


1. Have students sit with their project group members. 

2. Hand out the Responding to VoiceThread Comments sheet to each student. 

3. As a class, go over how to use this tool and the importance of responding politely to all comments.

4. Have groups watch their projects together.
   • Each group should equitably divide how to respond to comments.
   • If one question was asked multiple times it only needs to be answered once. Encourage students to phrase the answer in such a way that includes all the names of the people that asked the question.
   • Encourage students to use each others names. Include polite phrases like “Thank you ______” I appreciate your comment...”

5. Send students to the computers and give them time in class to respond to comments left within their projects.

6. Students should complete the Responding to VoiceThread Comments form while watching their project.

7. With fifteen minutes left in class stop students and discuss the homework assignment at the bottom of the handout Responding to VoiceThread Comments. 

8. Have a class discussion that encourages continued dialogue. Students may want to listen to projects where they left comments for other people. Please encourage them to do this at home. It is appropriate to ask new questions and/or acknowledge comments left for them.
   • This continued dialogue is especially fun if you are working with students at a partner school. 


Note: It is important to monitor comment content. You will need to watch the projects again and you will need to delete any inappropriate comments if any were left.

Assessment:

Continuously monitor the room and ask probing questions to each student/group to informally asses student understanding of the assignment. Intervene and redirect when necessary. Be on the look out for high quality academic comments.

Students submit their Responding to Comments reflection. Use this to evaluate the student’s effectiveness and enthusiasm for communicating with other students about their project.

Modifications:

For students that work at a slower pace, reduce the number of projects to leave comments on and/or reduce the number of comments required.