Having never taught a unit from start to finish before, I am better for the experience. From the initial planning stages to the final activities, I learned a lot about managing a multi-week unit and how much time things take. Content-wise, my students were mostly successful in mastering the content. During their animal reports at the end of the unit, most of them were able to identify all the main aspects of their chosen animal: habitat, life cycle, etc. For those who couldn't, they were able to find the information in the booklets they had made. It is for this reason that I consider the unit successful, content-wise.

Technology-wise, I have some concerns. I use a lot of technology, and I've stated that I'm careful not to include activities that don't teach the learners something, that I don't "teach technology." This is true, but I also find it to be a struggle sometimes when I am planning activities, especially for the lower grades. I still have some internal conflict about how much is appropriate to include in their daily lives. It is obvious that I use computers and technology in many ways. I want to be developmentally appropriate in all subject areas at all times, and I make every effort to do so. I do not consider requiring students to create a lot of products and papers with computers is not developmentally appropriate at this developmental level. The Paint projects were great, and the students enjoyed them, but I wouldn't expect too much more from them because what I want them to be doing is exploring and learning from computers. The time will come for other goals for them.

I think I will always have that internal conflict about how much technology to use and to what degree. I also think that that is what makes me good at integrating technology. I will constantly be making sure that I do not practice things I do not philosophically agree with. When I teach this unit again, I will be using most of the same activities, but I think I will introduce things like the SmartBoard for other activities first, to make it as much a part of the daily/weekly routine as possible, so that students see the items as tools, not as novelties, once they get used to their presence.