Title & Description:
Hawaiian Islands- This track consists of several different web sites about the Hawaiian Islands, specifically it's animals, volcanoes, and culture.  While exploring these websites children will learn about the main animals found among the different islands.  Children will also have the opportunities to learn about volcanoes and use the information they have learned to play an interactive game.  Children will learn about the Hawaiian culture and participate in a Hawaiian Luau.  The websites we are using will allow the children to experience a different culture within the United States.  The activites we provide for each website will be ones that help children to make sense of what they are learning.  Many of the activites will be interactive and applicable.
 
 

Audience:
This lesson would be appropriate for students from 2nd to 4th grade; students would be 7 to 10 years of age.  Some of the activities in this track can be made easier or more difficult depending upon the age level being taught.  The grades can also be expanded from 1st grade to 5th grade if necessary.
 
 

Instructional Goal:
Students will learn and explore different aspects of the Hawaiian Islands and learn about it's animals, volcanoes and culture.
 

Specific Objectives:
    1.  After picking three birds and coloring them, the students will be able to discuss their favorite bird of
         the three in a short creative writing exercise.
    2. Students will view website and choose five animals to create their own book, they will draw a picture
        and list a scientific fact about each animal.
    3. Students will view the website about volcanoes and take the quiz to be printed and turned in to the
        teacher.   Students will make a  volcano out of clay and then paint them according to the
        characteristics of the volcano, for example red would represent lava, green would represent a dormant
        volcano with vegetation.
    4. After finding the students individual name in Hawaiian, they will trace their name and decorate the
        letters with a Hawaiian theme.
    5. Students will research and plan a Hawaiian Luau as a final class project.  Students will make
        invitations with Hawaiian sayings and Hawaiian art, make Hawaiian food (at home), and paper leis.
 
 

Materials:
crayons/markers
paper
pencil
white paper
colored paper/construction paper
tissue paper
any type of materials they want to use for decorations
stapler
scissors
clay
paint
mat board/foam board
aluminum foil
sticks
glue
ruler
string
straws/beads
 

Prerequisite Skills:
  * Students need to be able to read at a 2nd grade level or higher.
    * Students need to be able to work independently or with a partner.
    * Students need to have access to a computer.
    * Students need to be able to understand and operate a computer.
    * Students need to be familiar with navigating on the internet.
 
 

Rationale for Student Motivation:
    *In order to gain and maintain learners' attention, we chose information that is relevant and interesting to
     the topic being studied.
    *Websites have been provided that encourage active participation and stimulate learner interaction.
    *In order to facilitate deep processing, we have chosen activities that require the students to retain
     information in order to successfully complete the unit of study.
   *Through art and craft projects, students will express creativity through different genres of art.
 
 

Rationale:
1.   This project has been designed to give students exposure to the Hawaiian Islands through a different
      type of learning experience, through arts and crafts, reading, exploring the internet, cooking with their
      families and discovering scientific facts.
2.   This project utilizes not only declarative knowledge, but also procedural knowledge through
      application of the information in a variety of ways.
3.   Web technology provides the most up-to-date and current information on this topic.
 
 

Gagne's Events of Instruction:
1.  gaining attention - colorful activities and worksheets, luau party
2.  presenting the stimulus - the facts and information on the websites
3.  eliciting performance - have the students explore the track and complete the activities
4.  assessing performance - have the students take a quiz, complete the activities, and participate in a luau
     party
5.  enhancing retention and transfer - have the students hang their names, scientific facts, books, and color
     sheets around the room and let the other classes and parents come and visit
 
 

Anticipated Challenges:
1.  Time restraints - due to number of activities and the length of time needed to explore the information on
     the websites
2.  Technical problems - computer system could be experiencing difficulties
3.  Inadequate skills - children may not have the proper skills needed to operate the computer and navigate
     on the internet
4.  Students with learning disabilities and/or slow readers may experience difficulties digesting, analyzing,
     and completing the websites and corresponding activities.
 
 

Practice and Assessment:
* Students will practice and strengthen the information they have learned through the different variety of
  activities they will be completing during the track.
* Students will create tangible items, such as the book and the scientific facts color sheet, that will aid in
  their understanding and comprehension of learning about the Hawaiian Islands.
* Students will be assessed throughout the unit by doing activities like creative writing, making models, and
  planning the luau.
* Students will take a quiz on one of the websites, which will provide feedback to the teacher on what the
  students have learned.
* The final assessment of the students and the unit will be done during the luau.