I really liked this lesson plan! Who knew kids could be so interested in learning about Louisiana songbirds? Because Mrs. Nicholson got creative in her approach, the kids seemed genuinely interested in the project. Its greatest strength was even though it was a science class, she incorporated elements of technology, writing, and speech. That multidisciplinary approach allowed her students to practice their problem-solving skills. It also showed the students how technology is not just a stand-alone topic, but a tool to be used in conjunction with other subjects.
Another aspect that I thought worked really well was how Mrs. Nicholson handled the fact that there weren't enough gadgets for everyone. So each student was assigned a different piece of equipment. However, each student was still able to learn about each of the gadgets because the other students taught them what they had learned. This role reversal for the students probably enabled them to learn more about each piece of equipment.
The only weakness that I noted may have been the one that could not be avoided: the time spent explaining what the kids would be doing. I noticed some of the students were getting a little antsy, as they waited to get started. I think Mrs. Nicholson could have explained about Excel and the websites while they were at the computers, so they could see up close what they would be doing. Besides that, I think it's a lesson worth repeating for next year's class.
