Differentiation for Gifted Students: Using Google Earth and Ancient Rome 3D : Differentiation for Gifted Students: Using Google Earth and Ancient Rome 3D By
Dion De Nardo
Problem : Problem Gifted students lose motivation when exposed to redundancy in instruction
Gifted students pick up key concepts and themes very quickly
Gifted students perform tasks much quicker
There are no honors level history courses
Research Questions : Research Questions Will the use of the Google Earth and the Ancient Rome 3D programs in my instruction successfully differentiate social studies instruction for high achieving 9th graders?
To what extent will the use of Google Earth and Ancient Rome 3D, increase student motivation and improve engagement for gifted learners?
Experts State: : Experts State: Virtual globes are “extremely engaging and often addictive” which may help non motivated students (Shultz, Kerski and Patterson, 2008)
“the Web quest assignment adheres to the philosophy of differentiated instruction in that it gives students, particularly gifted students, an opportunity to make choices based on ability and interest, and individual motivation to learn” (Schweizer and Kossow, 2007)
Data Sources : Data Sources
Students Racial Profile : Students Racial Profile
Attendance 2008 Grade 8(Absences) : Attendance 2008 Grade 8(Absences)
Attendance 2009(Absences) : Attendance 2009(Absences)
New York State Test Results Grade 8 : New York State Test Results Grade 8
The Project : The Project Cooperative learning Research Projects
Involved five groups of students (four groups of four one group of three)
Students used Google Earth and Ancient Rome 3D to do Research and Create PowerPoint Presentations
The Place : The Place The library provided adequate working space for cooperative learning activities
There was access to different sources
Laptops were installed with Google Earth
Motivation Responses before Project Rome 3D : Motivation Responses before Project Rome 3D
Pre Survey Motivation Response : Pre Survey Motivation Response
Group Dynamics : Group Dynamics Most of the groups worked well together
On of the groups had trouble getting along
It is clear that group dynamics played a part in the results of student learning
Post Exam Results on Group Dynamics : Post Exam Results on Group Dynamics
Post Survey Results on Learning : Post Survey Results on Learning
Post Exam Results : Post Exam Results
Overall Results : Overall Results Students Motivation Increased working with Google Earth and Rome 3D
Group Dynamics affected the overall learning
Students seemed to have been enriched by working on the project which incorporated Google Earth and Rome 3D
Google Earth and Rome 3D alone do not provide enough information to enrich students
Limitations of Study : Limitations of Study Installation of Google Earth into the computers
Being removed from library
Fast Internet connection required to run Google Earth
Group Dynamics
Action Plan : Action Plan Next time I assign group work I will assign the roles and rotate them each session.
When having students work with Google Earth the teacher must show the students how the program works and how to use it as a research tool.
How Google Earth impacts students understanding of spatial concepts and context?
How Google Earth would be useful to introduce units of historical content?
I will take advantage of the visuals and show the students the images of Ancient Greece at the beginning of the unit.
References : References Schultz, R., Kerski, J., & Patterson, T. (2008). The use of virtual globes as a spatial teaching tool with suggestions for metadata standards. Journal of Geography, 107(1), 27-34.
Schweizer, H., & Kossow, B. (2007). WebQuests: Tools for differentiation. Gifted Child Today, 30(1), 29-35.
Student Power Points : Student Power Points Slides from Students
Roman Mythology : Roman Mythology Shaped many aspects of the Roman daily life.
Religious practices were an important part of their daily lives. Households and shrines worshipped certain gods who, as the people believed, affected their homes and families.
The Second Punic War : The Second Punic War Started in 219 B.C. Lasted from 219 B.C to 202 B.C . Scipio was elected as consul and proposed that Rome carry the war t Africa. Scopio was armies general also known as scipio African slays siege to Utica. 202 B.C , scipio defeats Hannibal onhe plain of zama
. The battle of Zama. 204 B.C from Lilybaeum , Scorpio sets sail to northern Africa and lays siege to Utica.
202 B.C Scorpio defeats Hannibal on the plain of Zama.
Protection : Protection Helmets – helmet is head gear worn by ancient Roman soldiers to protect their head, neck, and size of his face
Body Armor – body armor is war tunic worn by ancient Roman soldiers, made using a combination of iron and leather
Shield – Roman shields were made of thick wood bordered with copper aloe or iron, the shields are oval, rectangular, or hexagonal
Emperors : Emperors Augustus: Became emperor after Caesar had been assassinated.
He was a ruthless political and military leader who had won an important battle at Actium in western Greece in 31 B.C.
This success ended the civil war. After years of a bloody civil war, the senate and people of Rome were happy to have a powerful leader.
He won the respect of the senate by seeming to allow the old government to remain.
Marcus Aurelius: Reigned as emperor of Rome from A.D. 161 to 180, but he spent most of his time fighting barbarian armies far from Rome.
Marcus also was one of the most educated Roman rulers.
Food : Food Poor people who lived near the Mediterranean Sea had to eat food that would grow in very dry areas, with light and not very fertile soil. Mostly they ate what archaeologists call the "Mediterranean triad" or three things: wheat and barley, olive oil, and grapes. People also grew beans and a lot of different kinds of vegetables and fruits.
Some rich Romans had slave cooks make them very fancy dinners. They would invite friends to eat in fancy dining rooms. Some rich Romans eating whole plates of peacock tongues. Also complicated meals such as stuffing a chicken inside a duck, then the duck inside a goose, then the goose inside a pig, then the pig inside a cow and cooking the whole thing together.
Rich Romans also liked to use expensive spices that traders brought from thousands of miles away. Cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg and cloves came all the way from India.