LeafSnap lesson idea

I was assigned to summarize page 84 of our text about leaves and trees.  In it all the teacher scattered pieces of trees in the class room, seed pods, acorns, and leaves.  They are asked to describe the record data about the acorn and then use a partners description to identify a partners acorn.  She introduced an app called "leafsnap" and when over it in a second lesson, asking the students to perform tasks with the app as a guided practice, they will be going outside tomorrow to use the app on trees.  She also makes the students sign an agreement on rule of use for the technology.  the 3rd lesson is outside with students using the leafsnap app and seeing if the app is correct in IDing the tree based how the leaves are arranged and the way bark looks.

How will this story help you better understand science teaching  will look/sound/feel in your classroom?

I love the hands on learning.  I am a tactile learner so I naturally gravitate to hands on learning vs other ways of teaching.  I don't often think about students misbehaving or abusing technology so I want to keep that in mind and like the signed agreement.

Inquiry components from my story?

The 1st lesson had a ton with learning how to describe the acorn so a partner can ID that acorn and then the finding of the acorn.  I also liked the way the students fist practiced gathering data and then applied it in a more real world way outside and used technology to help them.

Course Essentials you reconized?

I saw several 21 Century skills, like collaboration creating theories of if the app was correct or not.  They used a comparative method to identify trees and check against the app.