Virtual Frog Dissection

Title of Learning Object: Virtual Frog Dissection

Subject: Science

Grade Level: 9

URL: http://frog.edschool.virginia.edu/Frog2/home.html.

Description of Learning Object: Using video multimedia, this site will take the audience through an actual frog dissection, which includes both aural, and visual aids. It also includes a list of links for relative information on frogs, along with follow up activities.

Description: I would use this site with the Grade 9 Science curriculum, in preparation for a frog dissection experiment from the unit titled Biological Diversity. Through direct instruction, I would explain the lab and what will be expected from the students. Then, I would have the students go to this website, and go through the visual and audio links about how to dissect a frog. While watching and listening to the clips, the students will be taking notes in order to help them with their own dissection that will happen later on. The video will give them a better understanding of what they can expect, meanwhile, will generate some questions in which they will have the opportunity to discuss before the actual dissection.

This website would also be beneficial if the school did not have the materials / workspace for an actual lab dissection. Instead, the students could go to the dissection and follow the visual and audio aids, and still grasp the dissection concepts.


Planning and Prep: First, I would have completed a direct lesson plan regarding a frog dissection with the students. We will be discussing what they will be looking for, what to do, safety lab procedures, and what is expected from them in their lab report after the dissection. Then, I would view all the links along with the video/ audio clip from the Net Frog website to ensure that they are suitable for student learning. Then, I would ensure that our class is able to book the lab times, and test the video/ audio links at the computer lab (assuming that the lab had headphones for the audio parts). After making sure that the computers in the lab have the adequate software, I would prepare the video on my laptop incase we needed a back up plan, in which we would watch the video collectively, as a class. Once the students were finished with the video, I would have them browse the other links from the website, and have them compile a list of questions regarding the dissection, or, notes in order to help them with the lab. This extra work could be handed in along with their lab reports, and will count for extra marks for their final unit grade.

Science Outcomes:
GLO
Grade 9: Biological Diversity
1. Students will investigate and interpret diversity among species and within species, and describe how diversity contributes to species survival by observing variation in living things, and describe examples of variation among species and within species.
SLO
Initiating and Planning
1. Students will ask questions about the relationships between and among observable variables, and plan investigations to address those questions.

Performing and Recording
Students will research information related to a given issue.

ICT Outcomes:
P5 3.2 Students will demonstrate proficient use of various information retrieval technologies.
C3 3.2 Students will evaluate the relevance of electronically accessed information to a particular topic.