Lesson from ALI - Chasing Metaphors

I looked at quite a few lessons and projects on ALI. Some of them were very good and some of them were not so great. I thought maybe a few could have been better taught without trying to integrate the technology to such a large extent. Those seemed time consuming without any overwhelming advantage over simpler methods to teach the same content and skills.

Having said that, there is one lesson that I particularly would particularly like to share with everyone.

Its a language arts lesson that could be used for a standard 3 to 5 class in the primary school. It is entitled, CHASING METAPHORS and can be accessed using the following hyperlink:-

http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/story.php?itemID=152

It's about students students exploring "the figurative language of metaphors by turning a series of objects, concepts, events, or characters into metaphors, first in written form and then by creating a video with images, text, and sound."

The teacher would have had to consider -

• the kinds of objects to be used
• whether they could be photographed, videoed, scanned or drawn
• how to make students make the connections between the 2 things being compared
• whether to use a preset format initially to create metaphors to scaffold student learning eg. A(n) ______ is a ______ to/for a _______. (A flower is a soda shop to a bee)

The students would be using mainly project management, organisation and representation skills as well as presentation skills. They would also use research and reflection skills to a lesser extent.

The technlolgy skills would be -using word processor, digital cameras, video cameras, scanners, iPhoto, iMovie