This document outlines a lesson plan for 5th grade students to learn about the 13 colonies using various internet resources. The lesson objectives are for students to create a timeline of colony settlements using Xtimeline, locate the colonies on a map of North America using Google Earth, collaboratively write answers to questions about the colonies using Google Docs, save useful websites using Delicious, and tell the story of a colony through a comic strip created with ToonDoo. The lesson aligns with California content standards and NETS technology standards.

1. USING THE INTERNET
FOR INSTRUCTION
Janice Bezanson
EdTech 541 - Spring 2011
Image Courtesy Flickr Creative Commons

2. OVERVIEW
This lesson is a culminating activity for a regular-education
fifth grade classroom following the completion of a unit on
the colonies. Students will utilize internet resources
including:
•Xtimeline
•Google Earth
•Google Docs
•ToonDoo
•Delicious
Image courtesy Flickr Creative Commons

3. OBJECTIVES
✦Using Xtimeline students will complete a timeline showing
the settlement dates of the 13 colonies.

4. OBJECTIVES
✦Using Google Earth students will locate the relative location of
where the colonies were established. This activity will help them
understand the importance geography played in their economy.

5. OBJECTIVES
✦Using Delicious students will save the websites used
during their searches for pertinent information.

6. OBJECTIVES
✦Using Google Docs students will write collaboratively
answering questions about the colonies.

7. OBJECTIVES
✦Using ToonDoo students will write and create a comic
strip that will tell the story about their colony region.

8. RUBRIC
The rubric shown on this
page was created using
Rubistar.
It can be used interactively
over the internet or can be
printed out.

9. CALIFORNIA CONTENT STANDARDS
California content standards in the areas English Language Arts
and History-Social Science are incorporated into this web-based
lesson.
A complete listing of the standards used are listed in the lesson
download.
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

10. NETS Standards
A wide variety of NETS Standards are incorporated into this web-based
lesson.
A complete listing of the standards used are available in the lesson
download.
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commona

11. SUMMARY
It is a new day. They way we teach needs to reflect the global
changes that have taken place. The way children learn has
changed. As educators we need to embrace today’s technology
and equip our students with the skills necessary to succeed in the
twenty-first century.
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

12. REFERENCES
References
Dickerson, J. , & Tumulty, K.. (1998). Gore’s costly high-wire
act. Time, (151)20, 52 – 55
Doering, A. H., & Roblyer, M. D. (2010). Integrating
educational technology into teaching (5th ed.), United States of
America: Pearson Education Inc.
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