1. I N T E L ® T E A C H T O T H E F U T U R E 1
© 2001 Intel. All rights reserved.
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Unit Author
First and Last Name Ann Younce
Author's E-mail Address ann.younce@email.ucdenver.edu
Course Name(s) “Digital Storytelling in the Curriculum”
Course Number(s) IT 5340
Course Section(s) Summer 2010
School City, State, Zip UC Denver
Instructor Name(s): S. Clemens; M. Kreider
Unit Overview
Unit Plan Title “Tools of the Trade” (Introduction to Scientific Study)
Curriculum-Framing Questions
Essential Question
Unit Questions
Unit Topic: Science Notebooks
What skills do scientists need to be successful?
•How do you take a problem and turn it into a solution?
•What happens when you don't achieve your intended goal?
•What are the learnings that might come out of a failed result
or discrepant event?
•What are the possibilities that preconceptions or
misconceptions are present in your patterns of thinking?
•What does the quality of evidence say about your
experimentation technique?
•Could questions be raised about your process, or could
your results be challenged?
•Why are accuracy, reflection and diligence important skills
for scientists?
Unit Summary
The goal of this unit is to motivate students to become more familiar with the science process
skills necessary for rigorous scientific study & to encourage them to use an
investigative/reflective approach. This introductory unit focuses on concepts of:
Deleted: ¶

2. I N T E L ® T E A C H T O T H E F U T U R E 2
© 2001 Intel. All rights reserved.
 Scientific Method
 Science Process Skills
 Using a Science Notebook
 Lab Tools & Types of Apparatus
The students will also participate in a role-play scenario involving collaborative expert teams
at a scientists’ convention.
Subject Area(s): (List all subjects that apply)
Science, Writing (with Integrated Technology)
Grade Level (Click boxes of all grade levels that apply)
K-2
6-8
ESL
Gifted and Talented
3-5
9-12
Resource
Other:
Student Objectives/Learning Outcomes
As a result of this unit, the students will:
 …Demonstrate a better understanding of the scientific method as measured by the use
of a protocol for experimentation
 …Identify lab tools & apparatus and use them appropriately as measured by an
introductory practicum, assessments & subsequent lab investigations
 …Synthesize observations, notes, illustrations, inquiry, questioning strategies, science
process skills & reflective practice as measured by the regular use & submission of an
interactive notebook
Targeted State Frameworks/Content Standards/Benchmarks
(CO is transitioning to new standards which embed science inquiry & process skills across the
strands of Life, Earth & Physical Science. 21st
Century Competencies are not stand-alone, but
woven into themes of inquiry, evidence, relevance & the nature of the discipline.)
This unit will utilize all of the 21st
Century Competencies, through the Physical Science strand
focusing on Matter:
21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies in Science:
Critical Thinking and Reasoning
Science requires students to analyze evidence and draw conclusions based on that evidence.
Scientific investigation involves defining problems and designing studies to test hypotheses
related to those problems. In science, students must justify and defend scientific explanations
and distinguish between correlation and causation.
Information Literacy
Understanding science requires students to research current ideas about the natural world.
Students must be able to distinguish fact from opinion and truth from fantasy. Science requires

3. I N T E L ® T E A C H T O T H E F U T U R E 3
© 2001 Intel. All rights reserved.
a degree of skepticism because the ideas of science are subject to change. Science students
must be able to understand what constitutes reliable sources of information and how to validate
those sources. One key to science is understanding that converging different lines of evidence
from multiple sources strengthens a scientific conclusion.
Collaboration
Science students must be able to listen to others’ ideas, and engage in scientific dialogs that are
based on evidence – not opinion. These types of conversations allow them to compare and
evaluate the merit of different ideas. The peer review process helps to ensure the validity of
scientific explanations.
Self-Direction
Students in science must have persistence and perseverance when exploring scientific
concepts. Students must generate their own questions, and design investigations to find the
answers. Students must be open to revising and redefining their thinking based on evidence.
Invention
Designing investigations and engineering new products involves a large degree of invention.
Scientists and engineers often have to think “outside the box” as they push the limits of our
current knowledge. They must learn from their failures to take the next steps in understanding.
Science students also must integrate ideas from multiple disciplines to formulate an
understanding of the natural world. In addition to using invention to design investigations,
scientists also use findings from investigations to
21st
Century Themes:
Inquiry Questions – Inquiry is a multifaceted process requiring students to think and pursue
understanding. Inquiry demands that students (a) engage in an active observation and
questioning process; (b) investigate to gather evidence; (c) formulate explanations based on
evidence; (d) communicate and justify explanations, and; (e) reflect and refine ideas. Inquiry is
more than hands-on activities; it requires students to cognitively wrestle with core concepts as
they make sense of new ideas.
Relevance and Application – The hallmark of learning a discipline is the ability to apply the
knowledge, skills, and concepts in real-world, relevant contexts. Components of this include
solving problems, developing, adapting, and refining solutions for the betterment of society. The
application of a discipline, including how technology assists or accelerates the work, enables
students to more fully appreciate how the mastery of the grade level expectation matters after
formal schooling is complete.
Nature of Discipline – The unique advantage of a discipline is the perspective it gives the mind
to see the world and situations differently. The characteristics and viewpoint one keeps as a
result of mastering the grade level expectation is the nature of the discipline retained in the
mind’s eye.

4. I N T E L ® T E A C H T O T H E F U T U R E 4
© 2001 Intel. All rights reserved.
Physical Science strand: (all investigations will involve Matter)
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeassess/UAS/AdoptedAcademicStandards/Science_Standards_Adopted_12.10.09.pdf
Procedures
1. Prep unit:
-library books (scientists, science investigations, tools and skills)
-class website (hot links, webquests, screencasts, videos)
-SmartBoard lessons
-lab tools, apparatus and materials
-team letter of explanation home to students & parents
-“Thinking Maps”
2. Introduce Scenario/Role Play:
-“Scientist Symposium” (Annual Conference to be held in Denver; Forum of world-renowned
scientists to discuss, best practices, the latest investigation techniques, and ways to share
data/findings with the scientific community)
-Flexible, cooperative groups (representing 5 “universities” of science)
-Sessions offered in lab tool use, apparatus, techniques & skills, science notebooks, research, &
feedback groups
-Collaborative events: investigations, experiments and activities
-“Scientist Round Table”

5. I N T E L ® T E A C H T O T H E F U T U R E 5
© 2001 Intel. All rights reserved.
3. Lessons will include:
 Lab Tools Expo
 Science Process Skills WebQuest
 Screencasts of “Using a Science Notebook” (teacher-made) & Discussions
 Digital Story on science notebook writing (teacher-made) & Discussions
 Science Fair Interact (focus on the scientific method)
Focus of Instruction (for Digital Story):
The teacher-made digital story will be integrated into the unit plan and used to model
metacognitive, self-questioning strategies. It will also help students further their inquiry through
science writing by eliciting prior knowledge, thinking more deeply, forcing higher levels of critical
thinking and building a repertoire or reflective & probing questions. (Later on in the year, after
some time spent working with science notebooks, students will eventually select a “science
story” to share in digital story form as a “training video” for reflection with colleagues as the
convention reconvenes).
Approximate Time Needed (Example: 45 minutes, 4 hours, 1 year, etc.)
2 weeks (followed later in the year by two additional weeks to revisit in the third trimester)
Prerequisite Skills
-general use of scientific method and content knowledge from previous grades
-general abilities with hands-on experimentation and collaborative group work
Materials and Resources Required For Unit
Technology – Hardware (Click boxes of all equipment needed.)
Camera
Computer(s)
Digital Camera
DVD Player
Internet Connection
Laser Disk
Printer
Projection System
Scanner
Television
VCR
Video Camera
Video Conferencing Equip.
Other: SmartBoard
Proscope,
Technology – Software (Click boxes of all software needed.)
Database/Spreadsheet
Desktop Publishing
E-mail Software
Encyclopedia on CD-ROM
Image Processing
Internet Web Browser
Multimedia
Web Page Development
Word Processing
Other: Web 2.0 tools (blog,
class webpage,
Printed Materials
Thinking Maps, Science Interact packets, practicum task
cards, science process templates, rubrics
Supplies Lab tools, materials & apparatus; interactive notebooks
Internet Resources Class webpage, blog, webquests, Big 6,
Others Screencasts, digital stories,

6. Page 6 of 9
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction
Resource/Gifted Student
Differentiated Learning is evident in the following ways:
 Multi-modalities utilized in lessons & activities
 Ongoing interactive notebook (increased challenges
for high-level learners; organizational strategies for
those in need; frequent check for understanding)
 Guided groups (fewer individuals; mini-lessons &
guided practice; additional resources if needed)
 Lesson/process structure for all (before, during &
after investigations)
 Guided inquiry (flexible groupings)
 Scaffolding; build background knowledge; build
common experiences
 Opportunities for choice; student individual voice
 Interactive Notebook exemplars
 Formative assessment throughout (conceptual
understanding, vocabulary building, student work
product)
 Thinking Maps (individualized;
Student Assessment
Unit assessment appears in various components of formative and summative assessments:
 “Thinking Maps”
 Peer feedback (role playing & peer edits)
 “Making Meaning” conferences (small group with teacher; larger “forum” discussions)
 Interactive Notebook exchange
 Anecdotal notes
 Science notebook scoring rubric; expository writing rubrics; presentation rubrics
(digital stories)
 Tools practicum; quizzes & tests (scientific method, science processes, science
notebook conclusions & reflections)
 Webquests
 Writing goal meetings; revision meetings (non-fiction expository, descriptive,
procedural, technical, persuasive)
Used with permission. Edited from original 2/3/08
To view more samples visit: http://www.intel.com/ca/education/unitplans/index.htm

7. Page 7 of 9
Design Documentation
1. Why did you design your Digital Story in the way you did?
Since I made things more difficult by deciding to do a piece on “Using Science Notebooks”
for my EdWeb, there’s a lot of internal thought & emotions of a student, descriptive
observation, and metacognition going on…. (All trickier in editing I realized than a simple
personal narrative I should have chosen to tell!)… Through changes in voice tone, I tried to
differentiate the “thoughts of the 5th
grade student” from the “teachable moments” the
student “hears” from her teacher. I tried to limit any background distractions by focusing on
a few simple objects to indicate the scene (classroom) and close-ups of the student’s facial
expressions, and therefore (hopefully) calling more attention to the student’s observations/
emotions. I used black background and white kid-type font for any text that appears (to
give it a more classroom/chalkboard feel), and tried to pace the editing and soundtrack in
such a way as to make it more slow and monotonous at the beginning (for
boredom/uncertainty/ dread) and then quickening the pace as the video progresses (and as
the mood becomes more hopeful and the student’s attempts at “inquiry” starts to flow more
easily).
2. Why did you choose your images, sound, transitions, etc.?
Images- For the most part, I captured my own to represent the student (as I needed to
show a wide range of emotions and facial expressions, and the chance of finding all of that
in the same young face among stock photos was limiting); I then used a few more from
various copyright-free sources. Sound- I tried to focus on a few, distinct & recognizable
sound FX for the classroom (children’s voices, ticking clock, scribbling pencil) and created a
mix of several pace-appropriate music soundtracks. Transitions- I tried to keep my
transitions relatively simple and “transparent” so as not to distract from the story being
told. I also experimented with quick-cut pacing during “anxious” moments…
3. Why did you choose the program you designed it in?
Although I have access to (and often use during the school year) iMovie on a Mac, I chose
to work in MovieMaker (with some sections done in Camtasia, one or two FX created in
Screenblast Movie Studio, and image-edits in Adobe Fireworks) because I prefer to mix/
match edit functions/transitions in several PC-based programs from multiple home PCs. I
additionally chose to edit sound in Adobe Soundbooth for its multi-track features.
4. If people will access your story, how will they access it?
My video clip will be accessible (password protected) internally on my school’s LMS (Moodle)
where my students have access to it, along with other course resources, Edweb, blog, etc.,
and will not be available for public viewing.
5. Why is it appropriate to your audience?
Many of my students are reluctant writers (especially when it’s for a science notebook,
which they somehow consider part of “science” not “writing” class…. I work to get them to
make connections between good writing strategies across the curriculum). They often
struggle with the “endless blank pages” of a notebook… and have trouble with the
descriptive observation- section of a lab investigation. Hopefully, this “intro” video will help
them to see that inquiry starts with asking questions and from there, seeing where your
questions take you…. That if you write everything you’re thinking, feeling and describing

8. Page 8 of 9
what your senses are telling you, then you’re making good use of observation skills and will
fill-up the notebook pages before you know it! Hopefully my video is “humorous” enough
that students make a connection to their own hesitance and that feeling of “not knowing
what to write”.
Implementation Plan
 Now that you have created your story (or are in the process of), how do you see it fitting
into your instruction?
(First, it becomes part of my EdWeb on Science Lab Processes, as a link in the Science Notebook section, to
help fulfill components of my IT portfolio; which will then be used for various instructional units). In class, I
will use it as part of a larger unit as a demo for taking that first step in an investigation- observation- &
filling up those lines at the start of a page in a science notebook. Later on in the year, it will again be used
as a model for digital storytelling as students will write and assemble their own digital science stories.
 When or how will it be implemented?
At the beginning of the year, as an introduction to “Using a Science Notebook”; it will be a lead-in to the
actual “Oobleck” investigation/lesson. It will also be linked into the classroom LMS (Moodle) as a resource on
the class intranet.
 What do you need before it can be implemented – resources; admin-, parent-, customer
buy-in, etc.? Specifically, what technology items will you need, how will you secure a
meeting space, audience, etc. What are the obstacles you may face when implementing this
unit? How will you overcome these?
Fortunately, I do not need much in the way of technology resources: I have access to laptop carts and the
lab; I have my own projector/Smart board with which to present the video; I have science materials such as
student science notebooks and investigation supplies; I have several external drives for student project
storage… I will need to assemble more headset mics (borrow from various classrooms and bring some from
home); I will also need to prepare “digital kits” of appropriate related photos, music, sound FX, etc. in
support of some students when they’re ready to assemble their own stories. (Students, faculty, admin and
parents have password access to our classroom LMS on Moodle to view resources; we will need to set-up a
web-based video viewing site with password protection).
 How will you differentiate for a diversity of student levels?
As mentioned above, digital kits with ready-to-use assets will be available for those who need it; resource
guides and instructional screencasts will be available to those who are ready to find their own appropriate
resources; several sample excerpts from science notebooks (and digital stories)- aimed at various
writing/sketching abilities will be available on the class LMS resource section; resource ,inks will be available
to help students learn more about digital storytelling and tap into their personal style; I’d also like to
incorporate “story circles” to assist students with varying needs learn from each other.
 How will you evaluate the unit’s success? This is not the assessments that we talked about
in your unit plan, but how will YOU know that students are successful? What will they be
able to do after completing your unit?
1.) Students will appear happy & enthusiastic about writing in science notebooks, and later, creating their own
digital science stories; 2.) My observations of students at work during inquiry will reveal engagement, and I’ll
hear conversations during inquiry stages and help them to record metacognition & science process skills into
their notebooks; and 3.) There will be sufficient positive evidence
 How will you share the stories with your community? (parents, administrators, co-workers,
customers, etc.)

9. Page 9 of 9
Initially, just as a presentation in class at the introduction of the science notebook lesson; Later, students,
faculty, admin and parents will have access to the classroom LMS resources on Moodle through the school
intranet, in addition to a web-based video viewing site (once selected) where they can view the student-
created digital stories; Students also complete a digital portfolio throughout the year to showcase their work
and these accomplishments are shared “exhibition-style” at the end of the year.