Blog on Digital Media: Plant Trading Card

I chose to create a trading card using Big Huge Labs for my fourth grade science classes. My intention for this trading card would be to present it at two different points throughout our year-long study. The first would be during our unit on the Nature of Science in which we will differentiate between natural and human made systems. Students would need to be able to recognize that plants are natural systems. I could use this trading card as a displayed picture through the smart board and it could be our opening as we begin our lesson on systems. Students could do a Type 1 write up (Collins Writing) answering the questions listed within the areas on the trading card. A Type 1 writing is similar to a brainstorm in which the students do not need to have the correct responses, but need to have a certain number of lines written in a certain amount of time all relating to the topic. The second point in our year-long study that I could utilize this image again, would be during our second unit of study on Biological Sciences where we explore how the parts of a plant work together to provide what it needs. Instead of using it as a brainstorm in the beginning of the unit, I could use it as an assessment tool near the middle or end of the lesson relating to plant parts, displaying the image through the smart board. This would allow us to discuss systems again and make connections to new learnings. However, this time I would ask students for a Type 2 writing (Collins Writing) where I would be looking for a correct response to all three open-ended areas within the card. It is visually appealing, relates to two areas of study within our science curriculum and would be opportunities to use writing within science class. 

Resources:

BigHugeLabs: Do fun stuff with your photos. (n.d.). BigHugeLabs: Do fun stuff with your photos. Retrieved July 3, 2014, from http://bighugelabs.com

Collins Writing Program. (2013). Five Types of Writing ~ Collins Writing Program. Retrieved July 3, 2014, from http://www.collinsed.com/5types.htm

Fuqua, P. (2005). Flower, orange hibiscus. [Image]. Retrieved July 3, 2014, from: http://www.discoveryeducation.com/