EEND 675 Artifact #2: Palm Oil and Deforestation-blend space

EEND 675 Artifact 2
Jim Nielsen

The second artifact that I am going to discuss was my favorite piece I created for this entire course.  The website was suggested to us by our instructor as a really good blend space, something that I have never heard of before.  Hyper-docs have become really popular in our district and I see teachers using them all the time.  Personally, I never really understood why hyper-docs where that interesting and I honestly thought they were just a glorified listing of websites.  That is why I am so excited that I was introduced to the website www.tes.com/lessons.  So excited that I have already hosted a PLC "training" on the website and have multiple other teachers using the website for their classes now.  Again, it really is awesome that we are learning about technology tools that we can actually apply in our classroom.

The blend splace, tes.com/lessons, is really a supped up version of a hyper-doc.  But it is so much more than that because all the material necessary to make the website so powerful is right there on the website.  You can search, plug in, and create an assignment from any source right there including using word documents, google images, Youtube, or even any article that is searchable for on google.  They all pop up right there on the screen after you use their search engine and you just slide it over into your work space.  Assignments on tes.com are so easy to make and are actually fun for the instructor as well!  I look forward to posted many on this blend space site for my students to work throughout the semester.

During the specific webquest that I created for students for my assignment , students will be exploring videos, articles, and graphs on the testeach platform about Palm Oil and its connection to deforestation.  There are two available assignments including an assignment that should challenge regular and honors students as well as a modified version for learners needing a little extra help.  The content is similar but modified to include reduced requirements and length.  I will also instruct my co-teacher to use a Lexar-modifying program for the articles with students who struggle reading complex text.  Here are the links to the two assignments:

Regular assignment:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzLtiCze06eheG1pVFVSTnNfb1U/view?usp=sharing
Modified assignment:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzLtiCze06ehTEExemQ3Nk9CRzg/view?usp=sharing
I’m expecting this assignment to take a full period with another half period to discuss their finding with their classmates.     

I am going to use this assignment in my upcoming Ecology unit as a good introduction to the destructive forces of palm oil production and its connection to deforestation.  I think students will really enjoy viewing these videos and hopefully gain an authentic experience that will impact their life and purchasing decisions.  In the future, I could really see having the students create a project on Tes.com/lessons, and share their lessons with other students about an important topic we cover in the curriculum.  I really think all educators at any level could benefit from this site, and am thankful I discovered the site through this class.               

Standards: 

 NGSS:

HS-LS2-2. Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.

HS-LS2-7. Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.*HS-LS4-6. Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity.

ISTE:

ISTE S-3a Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.

ISTE S-6a Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.


Resources:

Tes teach blendspace (n.d.)  retrieved 09/21/2017 from.    https://www.tes.com/lessons/oy-mHrLITX4t-A/edit
WWF threats to Borneo website: retrieved 09/21/2017 from.     http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/borneo_forests/borneo_deforestation/      
Deforestation: Indonesia's Palm Oil Crisis and Orangutans: retrieved 9/21/2017 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=KkLh5SAG_fE

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