SUBJECT: Social Studies

GRADE: Fourth

TECHNOLOGY: Internet, word-processing

BY: Meghan Carey, Lesley Jacobs, Shandra Wrinkle

   

Target Grade and Subject

This lesson plan is targeted towards a racially and gender diverse class of twenty public school fourth grade students. They primarily come from middle class families, and live in very safe and supportive communities. We are assuming that their school is well funded and that our students are provided with sufficient modern technology (computers) and resources in the classroom as well as out of the classroom.

This lesson is extremely relevant to our students because it is going to provide them with an important review of historical figures in Virginiaâs history from 1607 to the present in which they will be responsible for knowing on the SOLâs. We are also assuming that our students are already comfortable in working with computers, such as using the Internet to find information and using word processing. These fourth graders prefer a lot of hands on activities, interactive learning, working with other classmates, and feeling involved in the lessons. Because they are young, have lower attention spans, and need to be kept busy they strongly dislike like long teacher lectures in which they are not able to have an active role in their own learning.

The developmental stage fourth graders are partaking in is primarily concrete operational in which they view ideas literally and concretely. The fourth graders also need a lot of positive reinforcement from their teachers because they are at the industry vs. inferiority stage of personal and social development. At this age and grade level, it is important for the students to enjoy mastering what they are learning in school and to be recognized for their accomplishments.

Objectives

The SOL we are targeting in this lesson is for fourth grade history of Virginia studies from 1607 to the present. For the SOL students will be responsible for knowing background information and the contributions of several historical figures that have had significant impacts on Virginia history. This lesson is being performed as an end of the year review to prepare our students for the SOL. We have already discussed these important figures and their impacts on the state of Virginia in previous lessons. This lesson, though, will allow the students to take a more active role in their own learning and give them the opportunity to learn about these historical figures more in depth.

• Each student will have to work cooperatively with another classmate, and will be responsible for working together with their partner in gathering information about their historical figure.
• Each pair of students will have to create a one-page summary of the most interesting and significant contributions their historical individual made to the state of Virginia.
• The students will demonstrate correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation in the one page summary.
• The students will use their own words in the one-page summary (no copying references word for word).
• The students will create a list of the references they used to gather information about their historical figure through the Internet.
• Each pair of students will present to the class a five minute creative presentation on their historical individual in which they will demonstrate their presentation skills such as eye-contact and clarity of speech.
• The students presentation on their historical figure must be creative in that they can produce a skit, make a poster, make a movie, dress up, create a game, use the over-head, make a poster, etc. They will use their imagination!
• The students will demonstrate how they have become experts on their historical figure by answering any questions their class-mates/teacher may have and by providing insightful as well as valid information to the class about their individual.
• Each student will share an equal role in the presentation for one student will not be allowed to do all of the talking. They must each participate equally.

Materials

• Computer
• Internet
• Printer
• Pencil/Paper
• Word Processing
• Materials for the creative presentation will be up to the students, but the teacher can provide them with the following:
• Poster-board
• Crayons/Markers
• TV/VCR
• Over-head Projector
• Construction Paper
• Materials from home if necessary

Lesson Description

The teacher will:

• Generate a list of ten historical figures that have had the greatest impact on Virginia history in which the students have already learned about throughout the year, and that they will also be responsible for knowing on the SOL. (examples: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, etc.) \
• Search the Internet for web sites that will help the students quickly gather and find information about their historical figures.

  http://freenet.vcu.edu/tourism/histrich/histrich.html http://marg.mhost.com/vahistory.html

 Day 1

• Describe the objectives of this lesson/project to the students during their history block.
• Hand out a list in which each student will sign up to do their project on one of the ten historical figures on the list. The ten historical figures will include George Washington, George Wythe, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Patrick Henry, Nat Turner, Robert E. Lee, J.E.B. Stuart, and Stonewall Jackson.
• Announce each students partner and how they are expected to work together equally and cooperatively on this project. One student will not be allowed to do all of the work, while the other does very little or nothing.
• Hand out the checklist/grade sheet and go over what the students will be responsible for doing and how they will be graded.
• Announce that the students who signed up for the first five historical figures on the list will give their presentations in nine days, and the next five pairs of students will give their presentations on the tenth day. All pairs, though, must turn in their one-page summary into the teacher on the nineth day.
• Answer any questions the students may have about the project at this point.
• Announce to the class that they have fifteen minutes to get together with their partner to discuss ideas about their project and that tomorrow they will be going to the computer lab to begin researching about their historical individual.
• Pre-arrange a time for the students to visit the computer lab for a half hour to gather information for their project.

Days 2 and 3

• Demonstrate the bookmarks (web-sites) to the students and continue to advise and help them in their searches for information.

Day 4

• Allow the students thirty minutes to make an outline and discuss all of the information they have collected on their historical figure. This will allow them to bring together their thoughts and to decide whether they need any more information.
• Assess how the students are coming along in their project, and help any students that may be having any difficulties.
• Announce that Day 5, the students will again be visiting the computer lab, but this time to work on writing up their one-page summary.

Day 5

• The students will have forty-five minutes set up in the computer lab to type up their summary papers.
• The students will be allowed to use spell check, and the teacher will try to help the students edit their papers before they turn them in.
• Allow students fifteen minutes in class to discuss the creative presentation part of the project with their partners. They may decide to get together over the weekend, and they also need to begin discussing what materials they may need.

Day 6

• The students will be given an additional thirty minutes in class to work on the creative part of their project. At this time they will also be able to ask the teacher any questions they may have, and they can also continue to edit their one-page paper. This will be the final day the students have time to work on their project in class.

Day 7

• Students will not work on the project in class, but at home if necessary.

Day 8

• Collect each pairsâ one-page summary before the presentations begin.
• Announce that the first five groups will each be given five minutes to give their creative class presentation.
• Begin grading the students based on the checklist that was handed out to them.
• Have the class clap for their classmates, and point out the positive aspects of the presentation, reiterate the important impacts of the historical figure in Virginia history, and then ask the class for feedback on the presentation.

Day 9

• Announce that the final five groups will give their presentations to the class, and repeat the same steps from Wednesday.
• Inform the students of what an excellent job they all did!!!
• Finish grading each pairs one-page summary and their creative presentation based on the criteria and checklist handed out at the very beginning of the lesson.
• Hand back grades to students when completed.

Evaluation

To assess whether or not our students met our lesson plan objectives we will primarily use the criteria checklist that was handed out to the students, which made them aware of how their one-page summary and presentation were going to be graded.

In the one page summary we are primarily looking for the students thoughtful understanding of the contributions their historical figure made to the state of Virginia. We are also looking for some originality so that the students donât simply copy what they got from resources, but instead try to put their understandings of their historical person in their own words.

It is also important that the students continue to work on their writing skills, so they will also be graded on spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Here is an example of a possible grade sheet for the one-page summary:

1. Both students turned in their one-page summary (typed) that they worked on together, and it consists of the most interesting and significant contributions their historical figure made to the state of Virginia.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2. The students demonstrated correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar in their paper.

5 4 3 2 1

3. The students show proof of using their own words/originality. No copying straight from references.

5 4 3 2 1

4. Students created a list of the resources used from the Internet:

5 4 3 2 1

Evaluation of Creative Presentation

5. Students demonstrated good presentation skills such as eye contact, clarity of speech, and staying within five-minute time limit:

5 4 3 2 1

6. Students demonstrated creativity in their presentation (such as a skit, poster, movie, etc.).

5 4 3 2 1

7. Students demonstrated that they are experts on their historical individual by being able to answer class-mates/teachers questions, and by providing insightful/valid information to the class.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

8. Both students shared equal roles in the presentation. One student should not do all the talking, but each must participate equally.

5 4 3 2 1

Therefore, the total project grade is out of 50pts. Both students in each pair will receive the same grade unless the teacher feels that one student put in a lot more effort into the project than their partner. In a case like this, the teacher may adjust the grade as they see fit.