The most common question about drones in education is about how they can be used in the classroom. This chapter will shed light on this question and provide justification as to why drones should be purchased for a K–12 school.
There are many ways to incorporate drones into lessons in a variety of subject areas. This chapter contains examples of full lesson plans that include a drone activity. The purpose of the drone activity is to provide students with an experience that is highly participative and engaging, giving them the opportunity to make real-world connections. All core-subject lesson plans are aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and provide an option for modification and enrichment.
In addition to explicit lesson plans, this chapter also offers ideas for using the drones in extracurricular activities and classes that are beyond the traditional academic core. These ideas are not meant to limit what can be accomplished; they are intended to lay the groundwork to get educators thinking about the full potential of drones. Teachers often start with the mindset of not knowing what to do; but with a few examples and some time to reflect, they begin to develop creative ideas on their own. This mental activity can be just as inspiring for teachers as it is the students. Let these ideas serve as an inspiration to innovate rather than eliminate.
LESSON PLAN
CARDINAL DIRECTIONS
CONTENT
Social Studies
GRADE SPAN
Elementary
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.2: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.2: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
ABSTRACT
This lesson concentrates on the cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west). The teacher will give a lesson on the cardinal directions and then students will work in groups to complete an activity. During this activity, students will devise a route to get from a starting point to an end point utilizing all of the cardinal directions. They will write this route on an index card. While the students are working, the teacher will line sentence strips on the floor to replicate the map. Students will assess one another by switching cards with another group. As a hands-on activity, students will navigate a drone to demonstrate the route.
OBJECTIVE
Interpret simple maps and use cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west) to devise a route.
MATERIALS
• “Neighborhood” map with a “start” and “end” point circled
• Index cards
• Sentence strips with street names
• Drone
PROCEDURES
• The teacher gives a lesson on cardinal directions.
• Students are broken into groups.
• Teacher distributes a “neighborhood” map to each group with different “start” and “end” points circled.
• The teacher distributes index cards to each group.
• The teacher references the posted directions.
• The puppy got loose! Luckily, there was a police officer who saw the puppy dig under a fence. The police officer followed the puppy, finally retrieving him after many blocks and several turns. You are the police officer following the puppy. Using cardinal directions, write the route you took to retrieve the puppy. All cardinal directions must be used.
• Groups of students work collaboratively to devise the route that the police officer took to retrieve the puppy. Example: The puppy traveled half of a block east on Grace Street. Once the puppy reached the corner, the puppy traveled two blocks south. The puppy then rounded the corner and went west two blocks. At that corner, the puppy ran north one and a half blocks until the police officer caught up with it. What is the name of the street where the puppy was found?
• Students write the route on the index card.
• Students demonstrate understanding of learning by participating in a drone activity.
• An assessment concludes the lesson.
MODIFICATION
The puppy rounds three corners before being retrieved.
DRONE ACTIVITY
• The teacher lines the floor with sentence strips to represent the neighborhood map.
• Students switch index cards with another group.
• Using a drone, students model the route on the index card: The drone is placed on the starting point. A student reads the first direction aloud. Another student uses the drone to travel the given direction along the floor map, landing the drone at the correct location.
• The student hands the drone controller to one of their group members. A different student reads the next direction aloud while that group member flies the drone along the route.
• The process continues until all directions are completed.
• The group who wrote the directions verifies if the route was followed correctly.
ASSESSMENT
Students switch their index cards with another group. Each group uses the drone to model the written directions.
MODIFICATION
The puppy rounds three corners before being retrieved.
ENRICHMENT
The puppy rounds five or more corners before being retrieved.
LESSON PLAN
DRONE WARFARE
CONTENT
Social Studies
GRADE SPAN
Middle School
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
Additional Standards Addressed
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.1
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1
ABSTRACT
This lesson concentrates on drone warfare. The teacher will give a lesson on the use of drones in war. Students will research drone warfare and decide on three articles they will use to cite contextual evidence. Students will participate in a class discussion, citing specific examples on how the United States uses drones as weapons of war. Students will engage in a hands-on drone activity, flying the drone into “enemy territory” and identifying enemy vulnerabilities. A discussion about the benefits of using drones for this purpose will follow. Teacher will randomly assign students a position to take in the argument centering on whether or not the use of drones is justifiable during combat. Students will write an argumentative essay in response to the prompt.
OBJECTIVE
• Cite textual evidence to support an argument.
• Develop an argumentative essay responding to the prompt.
MATERIALS
• Two classrooms (one labeled “United Stated of America” and the other “China”)
• Paper (white and colored)
• Articles on drone warfare
• Representations of important landmarks (i.e., schools, hospitals, weapons factories, known enemy hideouts, and/or political landmarks). Students represent the landmarks by writing a description of the landmark on construction paper.
• Two drones
• CCSS Writing rubric
PROCEDURES
• Teacher gives a lesson on drone warfare.
• Students contribute what they have heard about drone warfare. The teacher records the responses.
• Students research drone warfare and decide on three articles they will use to cite contextual evidence to support their argument.
• Students participate in a drone activity.
• Students engage in class discussion on how the United States uses drones in warfare, referencing specific examples from their chosen articles.
• The teacher displays the prompt: The United States is in the midst of an aggressive battle against terrorism. While using drones in warfare has reduced the capabilities of terroristic organizations, they have also killed civilians. Contemplate whether it is more important to consider civilian lives or to focus on national security. Are drones a justifiable weapon of war?
• The teacher hands out the two types of paper to the students. The paper represents each student’s stance pertaining to the question: white means that drones are a justifiable weapon of war and colored means that drones are not a justifiable weapon of war.
• Students construct a draft of an argumentative essay.
• Students switch drafts with someone of a different stance. Students’ assess each other’s drafts.
• Students make revisions on their drafts.
• An assessment concludes the lesson.
DRONE ACTIVITY
• Two separate classrooms participate. One is labeled the “United States of America” while the other is labeled “China.”
• The important landmarks are spread out onto the respective floors of each classroom.
• Each class navigates their drone into the other room (enemy territory) to take surveillance video for analysis in their respective country.
• Students identify enemy vulnerabilities based on the drone surveillance footage.
ASSESSMENT
Students write an argumentative essay in response to the prompt. The teacher grades the essay with a rubric.
MODIFICATION
Students choose which stance to take on the prompt.
ENRICHMENT
Students debate the argument.
LESSON PLAN
LITTER CLASSIFICATION
CONTENT
Science
GRADE SPAN
Elementary School
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.7: Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
Additional Standards Addressed
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1.a–d
ABSTRACT
This lesson concentrates on identifying and analyzing the types of litter that pollute the environment. The teacher will explain how pollution has become a huge problem and has had negative effects on the environment. The teacher will also introduce the debates regarding climate change. Students will engage in a drone activity, using video footage taken by the drone to identify the litter they see. Then they will use six different categories to classify the litter (wood, paper, fabric, metal, glass, plastic). A group discussion will follow about the effects of litter on the environment. The lesson assessment will require students to write an opinion piece about what the earth will look like in 50 years and must include evidence from the students’ research.
OBJECTIVE
• Classify different kinds of litter.
• Hypothesize and write an opinion piece about what the earth will look like in 50 years. The opinion piece must include evidence from the students’ drone research.
MATERIALS
• Drone
• USB drive (one per group)
• Chart paper
PROCEDURES
• The teacher introduces the lesson, engaging the class in a discussion about litter and the effects litter has on the environment.
• Students participate in a drone activity, using its images to identify the types of litter they see in the environment (wood, paper, fabric, metal, glass, plastic).
• The teacher assigns each group a type of litter; then each group researches how long it takes for that piece of litter to break down. Students record research findings on their chart paper.
• The teacher displays the results of all groups’ research on chart paper hung around the room. Students are invited to view each other’s work.
• The teacher engages students in a class discussion about how long it takes each type of litter to break down and the long-term environmental effects.
• With their groups, students hypothesize what the earth will look like in 50 years.
• An assessment concludes the lesson.
DRONE ACTIVITY
• Students fly a drone around school property. They record video footage of litter on and around the premises.
• The teacher breaks students into groups.
• Each group transfers the drone footage to their USB drive.
• Each group watches the video several times. Students identify and record the litter they observed on the video.
• On chart paper, students classify the litter according to six categories: wood, paper, fabric, metal, glass, and plastic.
ASSESSMENT
Hypothesize and write an opinion piece about what the earth will look like in 50 years. The opinion piece must include evidence from students’ research.
MODIFICATION
Students create an anti-litter poster.
ENRICHMENT
Students create an anti-litter poster in addition to writing an opinion piece about what the earth will look like in 50 years.
LESSON PLAN
SOLAR SYSTEM ANALYSIS
CONTENT
Science
GRADE SPAN
Middle School
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.7: Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.8: Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
ABSTRACT
This lesson focuses on the solar system and continuing education to increase awareness of earth’s environmental issues (pollution, climate change, etc.) and encourage preservation. The teacher will present a quick refresher of basic information about the planets in our solar system as well as about earth’s moon. Students will build on their previous knowledge of the solar system, researching the planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) and their positions in space. Working in groups, students will develop their own questions on index cards for each planet. (Each planet will have a minimum of six higher-order-thinking questions.) Students will then exchange their cards with another group and participate in a related drone activity.
OBJECTIVE
• Identify and describe the characteristics of the solar system.
• Identify and describe the characteristics of each planet.
• Develop higher-order-thinking questions.
MATERIALS
• Index cards
• Solar system cutouts to place on the floor
• Drone
PROCEDURES
• The teacher gives a minilesson on the solar system.
• Students engage in a class discussion on what they know about the solar system.
• The teacher breaks students into groups.
• Students research the planets in the solar system.
• Working in their groups, students develop higher-order-thinking questions about the solar system, with a minimum of six questions per planet. Students must cite textual evidence when devising the questions, and then transfer the questions to index cards. (The planet name is the answer to each question.)
• Each group exchanges their flash cards with another group.
• Students engage in a hands-on drone activity.
• Assessment is embedded in the drone activity.
DRONE ACTIVITY
• The teacher recreates the solar system on the floor with the planet cutouts.
• Groups exchange question cards with another group.
• The first group is called up. A student from the group reads the question on their first card and then discusses the answer with their group. Another student in the group flies the drone to the planet that answers the question. The students in their seats keep track of the questions; and if the question asked appears on the cards in front of them, it gets checked off so that it is not repeated.
• The group who wrote the description acknowledges if the answer is correct. If the answer is correct, the group with the drone is awarded a point in a running tally that the teacher keeps on the board.
• The student flying the drone passes the drone controller to another group member, and the student reading the description passes the remaining question cards to a different group member. This process repeats itself until all group members have been assessed.
• The procedure is the same for the remaining groups, and the teacher decides how many rounds the activity will last.
• In the event of a tie, the teacher devises a challenge question.
ASSESSMENT
Assessment is embedded in the drone activity.
MODIFICATION
Students develop three higher-order-thinking questions per planet.
ENRICHMENT
Students develop eight higher-order-thinking questions per planet.
LESSON PLAN
SYSTEMS OF LINEAR EQUATIONS
CONTENT
Mathematics
GRADE SPAN
Middle School
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED
• CCSS.Math.Content.8.EE.C.7: Solve linear equations in one variable.
• CCSS.Math.Content.8.EE.C.8: Analyze and solve pairs of simultaneous linear equations.
• CCSS.Math.Content.HSA.REI.C.6: Solve systems of linear equations exactly and approximately (e.g., with graphs), focusing on pairs of linear equations in two variables.
Additional Standards Addressed
• CCSS.Math.Content.8.EE.C.7.a–b
• CCSS.Math.Content.8.EE.C.8.b–c
ABSTRACT
This lesson concentrates on solving systems of linear equations. The teacher will give a lesson on linear equations and lead a class discussion in the different ways of solving systems of equations. Students will observe how two functions with the same variables are able to work together and then solve for the two unknown variables, using different methods to come up with solutions. Students will alternate flying a drone in a line for 30 feet and record the data. Using this data, students will write a linear equation and use multiple methods to solve it. Students will then work in groups to create system-of-equations word problems and answer keys for those problems, writing the word problems on index cards. Switching the index cards with a different group, students will assess each other by solving the problems and demonstrating the problems using the drone.
OBJECTIVE
Use a system of linear equations to demonstrate and solve real-life questions about flying drones.
MATERIALS
• Tape measure
• Timer
• Index cards
• Drone
PROCEDURES
• The teacher delivers a lesson on systems of linear equations.
• Students engage in a class discussion on the various methods of solving systems of equations.
• Students independently complete practice questions on solving systems of equations.
• The teacher divides students into groups.
• The student groups engage in a hands-on drone activity.
• After recording their data, students find the average rate for each situation.
• With their groups, students write a linear equation to represent the situation.
• Students create system-of-equations word problems with their groups. They set up situations to determine when one drone would catch another drone if using different starting points.
• Students write their group’s word problems on index cards and create an answer key for them. The answer key shows different methods for solving systems of equations.
• A peer assessment of the word problems concludes the lesson.
DRONE ACTIVITY
• Students pick a starting point.
• Students use a tape measure to mark a spot 30 feet away from the starting point. This as the ending point.
• A student flies the drone for 30 feet while other members of the group time the flight and record the results.
• The process repeats until all members of the group have flown the drone.
ASSESSMENT
Each group switches their word-problem cards with another group. After successfully solving the problems, each group will demonstrate the problem using the drone.
MODIFICATION
Students demonstrate the word problems their own group created.
ENRICHMENT
Students write about the outcomes of the assessment.
LESSON PLAN
ESTIMATING AND MEASURING UNITS OF LENGTH
CONTENT
Mathematics
GRADE SPAN
Elementary
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.A.1: Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.A.3: Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters.
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.MD.A.1: Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units including km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec. Within a single system of measurement, express measurements in a larger unit in terms of a smaller unit. Record measurement equivalents in a two-column table.
• CCSS.Math.Content.5.MD.A.1: Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system (e.g., convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these conversions in solving multistep, real-world problems.
ABSTRACT
This lesson concentrates on student knowledge and application of estimation using different methods. The teacher will lead a refresher lesson on estimation (an educated guess based on one’s opinion) and follow with a discussion about when to use customary units of length (inches, feet, yards). (The students will be familiar with measuring and estimated guessing.) Students will participate in a hands-on drone activity that will investigate estimation and then convert actual distances into customary units of length. Assessment is embedded in the drone activity.
OBJECTIVE
• Estimate measurements in feet and inches.
• Convert actual measurements into customary units of length.
MATERIALS
• Tape measure
• Drone
PROCEDURES
• The teacher gives a minilesson on estimating measurements.
• The teacher engages students in a class discussion on when it is appropriate to use certain customary units of length.
• Students give examples on when they would use inches, feet, and yards to measure.
• The teacher breaks up students into groups of four.
• Students participate in a drone activity.
• Assessment is embedded in the drone activity.
DRONE ACTIVITY
• Each student in the group is assigned a number: 1–4.
• Student 1 chooses any measurement (using feet and inches) up to 25 feet.
• Student 2 flies the drone to their estimated distance.
• The class gives a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to show whether or not they agree that the estimation was accurate.
• Students 3 and 4 use the tape measure to determine the actual distance of the drone flight and share this information with the class.
• The class converts the actual distance into yards, feet, and inches.
• After each round, students rotate so that each student in the group has a chance to estimate while flying the drone.
ASSESSMENT
Assessment is embedded within the drone activity.
MODIFICATION
Markers are placed every 10 feet to assist with estimation.
ENRICHMENT
Students find the difference between the actual measurement and estimated measurement.
LESSON PLAN
DRONE HISTORY AND OPERATION
CONTENT
Language Arts
GRADE SPAN
Middle School
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
Additional Standards Addressed
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.2.a–f
ABSTRACT
This lesson concentrates on writing an informative essay on a topic relevant to digital-age skills: drones. Students will conduct research on drones in order to acquire background knowledge. Students will be expected to investigate the history of drones, safety precautions, rules, regulations, and current uses of drones. The teacher will engage students in a class discussion on the current state of robotics and drone usage, recording student responses on chart paper. Students will then participate in a hands-on drone activity as further research for writing their informative essay. This exercise will build essay-writing skills and strategies, and will include the procedure of flying a drone. The final essay will be assessed using a CCSS writing rubric.
OBJECTIVE
• Develop a topic (concerning drones) by using textual evidence to support a main idea.
• Write an informative essay about drones using relevant details from texts.
• Describe the steps in flying a drone.
MATERIALS
• Chart paper
• Drone
• CCSS Writing rubric
PROCEDURES
• Students are assigned to research drones to acquire background knowledge on a topic. This research should include the history of drones, drone safety, rules, regulations, and current uses of drones. Students are required to research a minimum of five articles.
• The teacher presents a minilesson on the current state of robotics.
• Students engage in a class discussion on the various uses of drones and determine how drones are useful in society.
• The teacher records their responses on chart paper.
• Students participate in a hands-on drone activity.
• Students write an informative essay that includes the procedure for flying a drone.
• A rubric assessment concludes the lesson.
DRONE ACTIVITY
• The teacher models how to fly a drone.
• A student practices a drone takeoff.
• The student flies the drone in a straight line across the room and then in reverse, back to the starting point.
• The student lands the drone.
• The process is repeated until all the students have flown the drone.
ASSESSMENT
Students write an informative essay that includes the procedure for flying a drone, and the teacher grades the essay using a CCSS Writing rubric.
MODIFICATION
Students explain the flying steps to each other before writing the essay.
ENRICHMENT
Students turn the drone around to return it to the starting point instead of flying it in reverse.
LESSON PLAN
DRONES AND TEST MONITORING
CONTENT
Language Arts
GRADE SPAN
Middle School
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
Additional Standards Addressed
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1.a–e
ABSTRACT
This lesson concentrates on writing an argumentative essay about drones, encouraging the development of logical ideas and a cohesive summary. The teacher will begin the lesson by introducing students to the idea of using drones to monitor students while taking tests, citing China as an example (China uses drones to detect participants who are cheating during the college entrance exam). The students will participate in a test-taking simulation in which they are randomly assigned cards that instruct them on how to behave during the activity. (The teacher will clarify beforehand that the test worksheet will not count toward the students’ grades; it is only a simulation.) After completing the drone activity (the test), students will watch the video and engage in a class discussion on what was captured and how they felt completing the worksheet. Students will then write an argumentative essay to convince the local board of education that drones should or should not be used to ensure academic integrity in the classroom.
OBJECTIVE
Write an argumentative essay convincing the local board of education that drones should or should not be used to ensure academic integrity in the classroom.
MATERIALS
• Article on China using drones to monitor their college entrance exam
• Index cards
• Worksheets (any subject)
• Drone
PROCEDURES
• The teacher introduces the concept of using drones to monitor participants during tests and exams, providing students with an article about how China is using drones to monitor its college entrance exam.
• The teacher explains the purpose of the test-taking simulation.
• Students engage in the drone activity by taking the tests.
• Following the test, students review the drone’s video footage and have a class discussion about the experience of the simulation.
• Students draft a response to this prompt: China has used drones to become aware of participants cheating during gaokao, China’s National Higher-Education Entrance Examination. Should drones be allowed to monitor test taking in schools to ensure academic integrity is upheld, or is this method too invasive? Plan and develop your point of view on this issue. Write an argumentative essay convincing your local board of education that drones should or should not be used to ensure academic integrity in the classroom.
• Students assess each other’s drafts, analyzing the work to see if it contains effective persuasive techniques and providing meaningful feedback.
• Students revise their persuasive essays based on the peer assessment.
DRONE ACTIVITY
• The teacher explains to students that they are simulating a five-minute test-taking experience in which a drone records them throughout the activity.
• The teacher distributes a worksheet facedown to students. (The worksheet can pertain to any subject; the subject matter is not relevant to the activity.)
• The teacher distributes index cards facedown to students and explains that the students are to follow the directions on the index cards. The index cards list one of the following four things, indicating what each student should do during the activity:
• Complete the worksheet.
• Cheat: turn around several times during the assignment to look at another student’s answers.
• Cheat: pretend to check your left hand for answers several times during the assignment.
• Cheat: several times during the assignment, pretend the answers are written on the inside of your notebook.
• The teacher begins flying the drone and instructs students to begin the activity.
• The teacher flies the drone above the students while they complete the worksheet.
• At the end of the five-minute activity, the teacher lands the drone.
• The teacher informs the class that the index cards had various instructions on them and that some of the index cards instructed students to pretend to cheat.
• The teacher plays the drone recording for the class.
• The teacher engages the students in a class discussion on what the drone captured on video, asking the students how they felt knowing the drone was recording them and if it affected their performance.
ASSESSMENT
Students assess each other’s drafts, analyzing the work to see if it contains effective persuasive techniques and providing meaningful feedback.
MODIFICATION
Students debate the issue.
ENRICHMENT
The teacher assigns students to take a certain stance on the issue.
LESSON PLAN
DRONES AND TRAFFIC SAFETY
CONTENT
Language Arts
GRADE SPAN
Middle School
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.2: Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.3: Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content
Additional Standards Addressed
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.2.a–f
• CCSS.Math.Content.6.EE.B.6
• CCSS.Math.Content.7.EE.B.4
ABSTRACT
This lesson concentrates on creating safer conditions during the student drop-off procedure at school. The teacher will lead a discussion on the ways in which the current drop-off procedure works and could be improved (traffic patterns, congestion, pedestrian crossings, etc.). Students will use a drone’s camera to film the impacted areas for one week (five school days) and study the video to assess the current procedures. The students will then develop recommendations to improve upon current practices and work in groups to create a poster about these improvements. They will also write a narrative essay about the environmental impact of biking or walking to school instead.
OBJECTIVE
• Identify areas that need improvement in the student drop-off procedure.
• Analyze the traffic patterns and parking lots to determine if there is a better design.
• Create a poster of proposed changes to the student drop-off procedure.
• Write a narrative essay in response to this prompt: what are the environmental benefits of students walking and cycling to school?
MATERIALS
• Drone
• Poster board
• CCSS Writing rubric
PROCEDURES
• The teacher leads the class in a discussion regarding the student drop-off procedure. The teacher polls the class to determine how many students are dropped off at school and how many students walk or ride their bicycles to school.
• The teacher surveys the students on their feelings of safety with the current drop-off procedure.
• The teacher explains that over a five-day time span, the students will participate in a drone activity.
• After completing the drone activity, students work in groups to create a poster about how the current student drop-off procedure can be improved.
• Students research the effects of car emissions on the environment, citing at least five articles.
• Each student writes a narrative essay in response to this prompt: what are the environmental benefits of students walking and cycling to school?
DRONE ACTIVITY
• Students shoot drone footage of the student drop-off area and surrounding area for one week. This occurs during peak morning drop-off times.
• At the end of the five-day drone activity, students view the drone footage. Working in groups, students identify areas needing improvement in the student drop-off procedure.
• Students analyze the traffic patterns and parking lots to determine if there is a better design for the existing areas.
• Still working with their groups, students create a poster of proposed changes to the student drop-off procedure.
ASSESSMENT
Students use a CCSS Writing rubric to assess each other’s narrative essays.
MODIFICATION
The drone records for one day instead of five.
ENRICHMENT
Students write a proposal to the principal requesting to change the drop-off procedure. The proposal should include the safety risks of the current drop-off procedure and a prospective procedure that will remedy the risks.
LESSON PLAN
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
CONTENT
Social Studies, Science, ELA, and Mathematics
GRADE SPAN
Middle School
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2: Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.3.e: Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.2: Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities.
ABSTRACT
This lesson concentrates on the Underground Railroad. The teacher will give a lesson on the history of the Underground Railroad. Students will engage in a class discussion, identifying the risks and consequences of an escape attempt. Students will make generalizations about the Underground Railroad. Working in collaborative groups, students will research fugitive slaves and map out their journey to freedom. This will include a hands-on activity in which each group uses a drone to present the route taken by their assigned fugitive slave. Students will identify landmarks and list the characteristics of each landmark along the route. Students will also use different colored pencils on a map to construct the various routes presented, and they will determine the amount of miles traveled on the journey to freedom. Writing a narrative of the assigned fugitive slave’s journey to freedom will serve as the student assessment component of the lesson.
OBJECTIVE
• Construct an escape route for slaves to take on the Underground Railroad.
• Identify landmarks encountered and list the characteristics of each landmark.
• Use the scale on a map to determine how many miles were traveled.
• Write a narrative of a fugitive slave’s journey to freedom.
MATERIALS
• Maps of North America (with scale; one for each group of students)
• Colored pencils (one set for each group)
• Large floor map of North America
• Rulers (one for each group)
• Drone
PROCEDURES
• The teacher gives a lesson on the Underground Railroad.
• Students identify slave states and free states.
• Students engage in a class discussion on the dangers of the journey and the consequences of being captured.
• The teacher assigns students to groups. Each group is assigned a fugitive slave to research. This research will include the slave’s journey to freedom, and primary and secondary sources must be used.
• The teacher distributes the materials (maps of North America, colored pencils, and rulers) and assigns a group to each student. The groups are assigned the color that they will use on their map later on in the lesson.
• Each group uses their colored pencil to map out the escape route their assigned fugitive slave took on their journey to freedom.
• Groups identify the landmarks their slave encountered on the route and discuss the challenges they faced on their journey.
• Students use the scale on the map to determine the mileage traveled on the journey to freedom.
• Students demonstrate their understanding of the lesson by participating in a drone activity.
• An assessment concludes the lesson.
DRONE ACTIVITY
• The teacher lays out a large floor map of North America so each group of students can use a drone to map the journey to freedom of the slave they researched.
• On the map, a student places the drone on the starting location of the journey to freedom.
• The students in each group take turns navigating the drone according to the escape route of their slave, identifying and describing landmarks along the way (rivers they crossed or traveled near, cities they stopped in, etc.). After each landmark, a new student gets to navigate the drone to the next landmark. This continues until the end point of the journey to freedom is reached.
• As each group presents, the students in the other groups use their maps to construct the route being described, using a different color for each group’s route.
ASSESSMENT
Students write a narrative of their assigned fugitive slave’s journey to freedom.
MODIFICATION
The teacher assigns starting points for each group, and students map their own escape route.
• Group 1: Richmond, VA
• Group 2: Savannah, GA
• Group 3: Hagerstown, MD
• Group 4: Jackson, MI
ENRICHMENT
Students estimate how long the journey would take by car in the present day.
Drones have the ability to be used beyond just the general classroom. These uses may present either a primary use or a value-added element to provide the extra benefits needed to purchase a drone, especially a higher-end model for a school. The following are just some examples of how drones can be used beyond the classroom in a K–12 setting.
Drones are quickly becoming a commonly used tool in professional productions. It is hard to find a television show that has outdoor video without segments that were captured by a drone. Drones are the inexpensive alternative to production companies for obtaining footage that previously would have required aerial photography from a helicopter. The total purchase price of a drone can equate to one hour of operating time for a helicopter. Additionally, drones are able to go into places that a large aircraft may not fit or that could potentially endanger the crew. If a drone crashes, then it is just a small loss of money.
There is a growing demand for students who can operate a drone for reality TV, documentaries, and commercial applications. Just searching the phrase “drone” in one of the major job-search engines will provide numerous ads looking for drone camera operators for this type of application.
Using the drone for students to capture and edit video will provide them a skill set that they will be able to use beyond the classroom. The ability to capture dramatic shots where the drone is changing altitude and panning while maintaining a steady media capture is a high-level skill. Just as video-editing courses are geared to those who want to make a career path, mastery of the drone as a tool will enable students to open more opportunities. This is apparent beyond just television; industries such as real estate, insurance, and construction see the benefits of having drone footage.
Drones are not a course unto themselves but a tool that could be incorporated just as other cameras or editing software. Whether it be a student documentary, school news, sports footage, or a video project, drones can give a professional appearance at a rather low cost. And having this skill set will be something that students can carry with them for a lifetime.
Sports teams have long used elevated platforms or lifts for recording practices and game footage. At ground level, the movement of players and development of a play has a limited vantage for a recording—players can block what is going on the opposite side of a field or course. But the use of a drone can enhance video recording even more than a lift or platform because the drone can hover over the field and move with the players. The knowledge of how players behave on the field is not only beneficial to coaches to enhance player performance but can be a matter of safety as well. If a player is performing in a way that may be hazardous to their own health or dangerous to other players, coaches can see this behavior on film and take appropriate action to correct it. Concussions have become a prominent issue in sports, for example, and there is a considerable amount of time and training going into developing ways to avoid concussions, such as proper blocking and tackling in football. Drones can capture the entire play development and allow coaches and staff to thoroughly train all individuals on the field. Some more-advanced models have the ability to recognize and track particular individuals, keeping pace with an athlete while they are performing.
The ability to gain a high-altitude perspective is not only beneficial to athletics but to musical performances as well. Watching and recording the movement of students in choreographed performances is beneficial to increased accuracy and execution, especially as bands are trying to create particular shapes on the field. An aerial view allows directors to position and move band members more efficiently during drills and events alike.
ACTIVITY
PERSPECTIVES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
CONTENT
Art
ABSTRACT
This lesson concentrates on changing perspective through photography. The teacher will explain different perspectives in photography. Most photographs are taken from eye level. Changing perspective will make an immediate impact on photography. Getting the camera low can change how the viewer feels about the subject. Objects will appear much larger and more imposing. Getting the camera much higher than the subject will provide a sense of scale. Taking pictures laterally will change perspective. Drones provide various options for changing perspectives in photographs. Students will explore a subject by taking still photographs using a drone. Students will compare and contrast the different perspectives.
DRONE ACTIVITY
Flying a drone and capturing photographs of a subject.
• Students identify the subject they want to photograph.
• Students use the drone to take several photographs of the subject while hovering close to the ground, hovering laterally, and hovering very high above the subject. The drone is flown around the subject to take photographs at different angles. Students take turns flying and taking pictures with the drone.
• Students upload the photographs to the computer.
• Students compare and contrast the different9 perspectives of the photos.
ACTIVITY
BASKETBALL FORMATIONS
CONTENT
Physical Education
ABSTRACT
Being able to identify cues for shooting, rebounding, dribbling, and passing is necessary to successfully perform offensive strategies in basketball. These offensive strategies include the give and go, and the backdoor cut. The teacher uses a drone to record students playing basketball, then analyzes the video’s formations and plays. Based on the teacher’s findings, students receive guidance on how to use better strategies, as well as their athletic abilities, to become more successful within the sport.
DRONE ACTIVITY
• Half of the students align in formations on the basketball court.
• A student flies a drone over and around the basketball court while the remaining students run plays against those formations.
• The drone records the activity.
• The drone footage is shown to the students for the purpose of correcting their techniques.
ACTIVITY
BIRDS EYE JOURNALISM
CONTENT
Extracurricular Activity
ABSTRACT
Using drones in journalism widens the scope of an event from a human level to a bird’s-eye view. This allows journalists a different perspective and truly captures the event. Students will use drones to cover a weather event as it is happening. For example, the drone could be sent out while it is raining to capture what is happening without exposing students to the elements. Students will then report on the event.
DRONE ACTIVITY
• The drone is flown outdoors around the vicinity of the school to record a weather event as it happens.
• Drone footage is transferred from the drone.
• Students edit the drone footage.
• Students report on what is seen on the drone footage. For example, students report on flooding in the street or snowplows clearing the parking lot.
ACTIVITY
FOOTBALL PRACTICE
CONTENT
Extracurricular Activity
ABSTRACT
Coaches can use drones to record team practices to gain advantages over their opponents. It is imperative for coaches to watch tape not only to improve the techniques of their own players but to prepare for future opponents. Coaches can mirror the formations and the plays of their opponents depending on what sport is being recorded. The advantage of using a drone over conventional ways of recording is that the angle of the video camera can be adjusted. Football stands out since these strategies have been embedded within the sport since its inception. The drone video allows coaches to see hand placement, the players’ footing, and where the players have their eyes, among other things.
DRONE ACTIVITY
• A drone is flown around the football field.
• Coaches have some of the players line up in the upcoming opponents’ formations.
• The remaining players then run their plays against those formations while the drone records footage.
• Coaches continue to alter formations to find which of their respective plays work best against the opponent’s corresponding formations. The drone records all formations.
• Coaches go back to their film room and use the footage to develop a successful game plan.