The Water Cycle Project Lesson Plan – Example

Geography
Stage 3
NSW

Unit of Work Curriculum Approach:

We have designed this Unit of Work by dividing it into 3 scaffolds. Work your way from a VRTY viewing experience in Scaffold 1 to making an original VRTY project in Scaffold 3. Alternatively click on a tab below to jump to the scaffold you want to use.

SCAFFOLD 1: EXPERIENCE THE WATER CYCLE
SCAFFOLD 2: STUDENTS BUILD THEIR OWN
SCAFFOLD 3: DESIGN YOUR OWN WATER CYCLE PROJECT

Unit Workflow Example:

If you want to see how to apply into the classroom, see the workflow Infographic and the work flow example resource buttons below. The VRTY workflow chart visualises the step-by-step process for teaching a unit of work from beginning to end. The workflow example is a specific example of how a teacher has applied planned to integrate this unit of work in their specific context.

SCAFFOLD 1: EXPERIENCE THE WATER CYCLE

Welcome to SCAFFOLD 1: EXPERIENCE THE WATER CYCLE. In this introductory section, students will be introduced to the unit objectives and content before they can view the water cycle project in Virtual Reality (VR) with a headset or in 360° on any device with access to the internet. Scaffold 1 aims to introduce students to the water cycle unit and the VR/360° medium. Through a combination of presentations, video summaries, quizzes, and immersive VR/360° experiences, students will gain a foundational understanding of the water cycle. This scaffold also provides opportunities for self-reflection and feedback, helping to consolidate learning and improve future activities.

By following these steps, teachers can effectively guide students through the essential unit content ensuring they have a basic understanding of the topic before engaging with a VR/360° learning experience.

Unit Materials Available for Teachers and Students:

UNIT OVERVIEW

  • Unit overview presentation
  • Unit vocabulary

UNIT VIDEO

  • Unit video
  • Formative quiz
  • Video script
  • Glossary activity
  • Script template

UNIT IN VR/360º

  • Experience unit in VR/360º
  • Unit poster
  • Quiz worksheet

UNIT SUMMATIVE

  • Student self-reflection
  • Mini-feedback survey

1.1 - Unit Overview

  • Purpose: Aimed at teachers to help them integrate the unit into a teaching program
  • Teachers: Begin with the unit overview presentation. This resource is essential for understanding the unit’s goals and can be modified to suit your classroom needs. Use it to introduce the key concepts and objectives of the water cycle unit.
  • For Your Students: Ask them to pay attention to the presentation to understand what they will be learning about the water cycle and how the unit will be structured.
  • Resources: Click below to view or download the unit overview presentation PPT, a Unit Vocab Tracker, and coming soon will be a Unit Glossary.
  • Suggestion: You could possibly pair this presentation with the unit video (which would bring the CO to 5 for the unit).

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Unit Overview
Unit Vocab Tracker

1.2 - Unit Video

  • Purpose: This unit video is to help introduce the unit and VRTY’s approach to it.
  • For Teachers: Show the video summary that covers the essential content of the water cycle. Follow this with a simple formative quiz to ensure students are retaining the information. This quiz can be used to gauge initial understanding and identify areas that may need further explanation.
  • For Your Students: Watch the video summary carefully and participate in the formative quiz. This will help reinforce your students’ understanding of the water cycle concepts.
  • Resources: Download the Unit Video, script and Formative Quiz.
  • Suggestion: Try watching the video twice with your students. The first viewing should be done as a passive task to create general awareness of the topic, while the second viewing should be completed in stages with intermittent pausing for discussion and student note taking.

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Unit Video
Unit Video Script

1.3 - VRTY Viewing Task

  • Purpose: This is a sample project that fits into the unit and demonstrates a method of meeting the unit’s aims. The Viewing Task provides an exemplar of the type of VRTY project that could be created in this unit. It also provides an opportunity to teach students how to view Immersive projects as a text containing information.
  • For Teachers: Guide students through the process of viewing the water cycle as a VR/360° project. This can be done using a VR headset or viewed in 360° using a tablet, smart-board or desktop computer. Ensure all students have access to the necessary equipment and understand how to use it. Devices will need access to the internet to view the project.
  • For Your Students: Experience the water cycle in VR/360°. Pay attention to how the information is presented in this immersive format and think about how it enhances your understanding of the water cycle.
  • Resources: Access the project via the project link or QR code, download the lesson plan & student worksheet, as well as the VR device preparation guide.
  • Suggestion: Best viewed in Google Chrome Browser. Make sure students have their device volumes set to low unless the have headphones.

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Project Link & QR Code
Lesson Plan & Student Worksheet
VR Device Preparation Guide

1.4 - Unit Summative

  • For Teachers: Conclude the scaffold with a summative section that includes a student self-reflection and a feedback survey. These tools will help you assess student learning and gather feedback on their experience with the VR/360° project.
  • For Your Students: Complete the self-reflection and feedback survey. Reflect on what they have learned about the water cycle and how the VR/360° experience helped them to understand the content.
  • Resources: Download summative resources below
  • Suggestions: Use the student self-reflection as part of your formal assessment or as a record of student experience.

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Student Self-Reflections

SCAFFOLD 2: STUDENTS BUILD THEIR OWN

Welcome to SCAFFOLD 2: STUDENTS BUILD THE WATER CYCLE! In this section, students will use the VRTY platform for the first time to deepen their understanding and showcase their learning. In Scaffold 2, students will engage with the VRTY platform to build and share their own water cycle projects. Through hands-on activities and guided instruction, they will develop essential VR skills, deepen their understanding of the water cycle, and demonstrate their learning through various assessments. This scaffold aims to foster creativity, technical proficiency, and a deeper connection between the curriculum and real-world applications.

Unit Materials Available for Teachers and Students:

ACCESS VRTY.io PLATFORM

  • Login to VRTY.io Platform
  • Look around the platform

ADD CONTENT INTERACTIONS

  • Add content markers
  • Add teleport markers
  • Learn about other markers

PUBLISH & VIEW

  • Publish project
  • View in VR or 360º
  • Peer review

SCAFFOLD 2 SUMMATIVE

  • Student self-reflection
  • Summative test
  • Mini-feedback survey

2.1 - VRTY Student Account Access

  • Purpose: Aimed at students to help them set up and activate a VRTY account if one is not already established.
  • Teachers: This resource is essential for students to take the step for viewing to creating immersive projects with the VRTY platform. Use it to introduce allow students to demonstrate deeper learning of water cycle concepts in this unit.
  • For Your Students: Instruct them to follow the link to the VRTY site or provide them with a link to your teacher account.
  • Resources: Click below to go to the VRTY site.
  • Suggestion: If you have purchased a VRTY license, set up a class group for your students and provide them with a unique class link instead.

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Sign up VRTY Platform to download teacher resources

2.3 - VRTY Create Your Own Interactions

  • Purpose: Aimed at students to help them learn how to create interactive assets for VRTY projects.
  • Teachers: Teachers: Guide students through the process of creating a simple water cycle project. Provide a step-by-step tutorial on how to use available assets, build scenes, and publish their work. This resource is essential for students to bring immersive projects to life with the VRTY platform. help students use interactive markers to customise the projects content and viewing experience. students to demonstrate deeper learning of water cycle concepts in this unit.
  • For Your Students: Students: Create your own water cycle project using the assets provided. Follow the tutorial to build and publish your project on the VRTY platform. Instruct them to follow activities instructions and experiment with different ways to present information and change the viewing experience with interactive markers.
  • Resources: Click below to go to the VRTY Student Handbook. Now log in to VRTY and practice some skills.
  • Suggestion: VRTY integration at this stage could be possible in the form of story boarding activity or shot selection from a VRTY Library
  • “>Student interaction tasks area practice opportunity for students to both, learn new skills within the VRTY platform and demonstrate what they have learned of the unit content so far.

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Sign up VRTY Platform to download teacher resources

2.3 - VRTY Project Publishing

  • This is a sample project that fit into the unit and demonstrates a method of meeting the units Aims.
  • We provide a repeatable framework for viewing a VR project (Triple viewing, Immersive Reading or Critical Immersion) template on the next slide.
  • “>The Viewing Task providing an exemplar of the type of project that could be created in this unit.
  • It also provides an opportunity to teach students how to view Immersive projects as a text containing information.
  • Formative Assessment/Quiz Embedded in Project
  • Comes with a downloadable template/lesson plan

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Sign up VRTY Platform to download teacher resources

2.4 - Formative Assessment

  • For Teachers: Conduct assessments to evaluate student understanding and project quality. Use tools like self-reflection forms, summative tests, and feedback surveys.Conclude the scaffold with a summative section that includes a student self-reflection a summative test and a feedback survey. These tools will help you assess student learning and gather feedback on their experience with the VR/360° project.
  • For Your Students: Students: Reflect on your learning, complete the assessments, and provide feedback on the project experience. complete the test on the water cycle key content self-reflection and feedback survey. Reflect on what they have learned about the water cycle and how the VR/360° experience helped them to understand the content.
  • Resources: Download summative resources below
  • Suggestions: Use the student self-reflection as part of your formal assessment or as a record of student experience.

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Sign up VRTY Platform to download teacher resources

SCAFFOLD 3: DESIGN YOUR OWN WATER CYCLE PROJECT

The purpose of the final scaffold activities is to engage students in a hands-on, creative process where they can apply their knowledge of the water cycle and the VRTY platform. By using their own 360° footage and participating in collaborative project-based learning, students will develop complex narratives, acquire technical skills, and demonstrate their understanding through various assessments. This scaffold aims to foster creativity, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of the water cycle, ultimately creating connections between the curriculum and the local environment.

Unit Materials Available for Teachers and Students:

DESIGN YOUR STORYBOARD

  • Plan your project
  • Design your experience
  • Unit vocabulary

FILM YOUR CONTENT

  • Add content Plan your production
  • Film and collect content
  • Post-production of content
  • Create VRTY project
  • Publish and share

GROUP ACTIVITY

  • Play in VRTY
  • Create a quiz
  • Peer review of projects

SCAFFOLD 3 SUMMATIVE

  • Student self-reflection
  • Summative test
  • Mini-feedback survey

3.1 - Project Storyboard Design

  • This Activity Connects students to the VRTY Story board to plan their project.
  • For Teachers: Guide students through the process of creating a storyboard. Provide examples and templates to help them plan their narratives. This activity will introduce the VRTY storyboard creation
  • For Your Students:
  • Resources: Download student Handbook
  • Suggestions: Have students create their own storyboard with bank but labeled slides with connecting arrows before adding the slides media and content markers.

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Sign up VRTY Platform to download teacher resources

3.2 - Film Your Own Content

  • Purpose: Aimed at Teachers and students to help them learn how film their own original content to be used in original VRTY projects.
  • Teachers: This resource is essential for anyone wanting to learn how to film their own local 360 content and use it to create original projects.
  • For Students: Instruct them to follow the filming and production guide to create original 360 content. Activities instructions and
  • Resources: Click below to go to the VRTY student handbook find the publication section and follow the instructions. There is also a link to the VRTY learn site with a detailed publishing tutorial.
  • Suggestion: Teachers could use a single 360 camera kit to take a selection of 360 photos and video clips and then upload them to the VRTY platform media Library.

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Sign up VRTY Platform to download teacher resources

3.3 - Classroom / Group Project Based Learning Exercise

  • Purpose: This activity connects students to the VRTY Story board to plan their project.
  • Teachers: Organise students into groups and assign roles. Facilitate collaboration by setting clear expectations and providing resources.
  • Students: Work together to develop a comprehensive water cycle project. Share responsibilities, communicate regularly, and combine your footage and ideas.

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Sign up VRTY Platform to download teacher resources

3.4 - Summative

  • For Teachers: Conclude the unit of work with a summative section that includes a peer assessment a summative test and a feedback survey. These tools will help you assess student learning and gather feedback on their experience with the VR/360° project.
  • For Your Students: Complete the test on the water cycle content peer assessment self-reflection and feedback survey. Reflect on what they have learned about the water cycle and how the VR/360° experience helped them to understand the content.
  • Resources: Download summative resources below
  • Suggestions: Use the peer assessment and summative test as part of your formal assessment or as a record of student experience.

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Sign up VRTY Platform to download teacher resources

SO WHAT’S NEXT?

After completing your first unit of work on the VRTY platform, you have several exciting options to share your students’ achievements and projects:

  • Publish Posters with QR Codes for a Community Gallery Walk
  • Embed projects in your School Website, Newsletter or Social Media Page
  • Send Directly to Parents and Community Members:
    • Share the projects directly with parents and community members via email or other communication channels.
    • Use VRTY’s password protection features to ensure that only the intended recipients can view the content.
    • This personalised approach can foster a stronger connection between the school and the community.

If you have created an original project that highlights your students’ skills or shares the local wonders of your city, town, or country, and you want to help other teachers get to grips with project creation, why don’t you send your project to us. With your permission, we will use showcase it as a best practice example. Click below to contact us.

Contact Us