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The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
 * Teachers know how to manage a classroom. **

**Evidence 1:** Scientist Project Assignment on pbworks wiki Scientist Project wiki
 * Rationale 1:** The purpose of this project is to make students more aware of what scientists do in the world today. I used this project in my sixth grade science classes. Students are expected to find and research a current scientist in the field of their choice and report about what the scientist does and why their work is important. This assignment is online on a pbworks wiki and students are expected to use technology to report their findings. Once students find out that they can choose any scientist in any field, they are very motivated to start searching. I encourage them to think of a topic that they are interested in and then look for a scientist. Students have four weeks to complete the assignment with limited class time. They are expected to manage their time effectively and evaluate the information they find online for accuracy. Many students contact their chosen scientist through e-mail and ask questions. Once the necessary information is collected, students create a product to share what they’ve learned. Many students create animated videos using [|www.xtranormal.com], some create PowerPoints and some create podcasts. I then upload their projects to the pbworks wiki and everyone can view all of the projects.

As a teacher, this project was valuable because it allowed me to become more comfortable using technology and teaching my students how to use technology. Although [|www.xtranormal.com] is blocked at school for some inappropriate content, I created an example project for students to view and showed them how to create videos on the site. I made it clear that they had to use appropriate content and use the site with parental permission. Students were very impressed with the website and many went home and practiced making videos the same night. My students are currently still in the process of completing this assignment, but they are extremely motivated to create their projects and share them with their classmates. Quite a few students have actually contacted their scientists too. They love that the scientists are responding to their questions and caring about what they’re learning in school. I feel that this is a very meaningful assignment for my students. They are investigating and building their own knowledge.

5.K.1 The teacher can use knowledge of human motivation and behavior drawn from the foundational sciences of psychology, anthropology, and sociology to develop strategies for organizing and supporting individual and group work. Through choice, students are extremely motivated to do this project. They choose the type of scientist they want to study and choose how they want to share what they’ve learned. 5.S.2 The teacher engages students in individual and cooperative learning activities to develop motivation to achieve, by (for example) relating lessons to students’ personal interests, allowing students to have choices in their learning, and leading students to ask questions and pursue problems that are meaningful to them. Students are engaged in an individual project that is related to a scientific field that they are interested in. They choose a scientist whose work is meaningful to them and are therefore motivated to know more about what scientists do. 5.D.2 The teacher understands how participation supports commitment, and is committed to the expression and use of democratic values in the classroom. Every student is participating in a project of their choice. They are committed to their scientist and want to know more about what that person does. All students present their project to their class and listen to presentations from their classmates.