Teacher Page
Introduction
Most
students find themselves fascinated with a certain time
frame in history. Whether they listen to their parent's
music or their grandparents stories, this decade search
gives
students
the opportunity to learn more about 20th Century history.
Each student will work in a group, become an expert on
their topic within the decade, and a teacher to other students
in the class through a multimedia presentation and student
generated scavenger hunt.
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Learners
Junior High students will be working in groups to research
a decade in the 20th Century. The information that they gather
will be placed in a multimedia presentation for the entire
class to learn about what happened in that decade. Besides
completing a presentation for their peers in the classroom,
they will also create a scavenger hunt for the class to learn
additional facts. The unit can be extended to language arts,
music, art, and science.
Before I start this multimedia
project, I begin the decades project with films about the
20th Century. I show the students the Decades DVD's from
the History Channel and the decades film clips from United
Streaming. Everyone in the class learns about every decade.
They are to take notes about
particular
topics
they
would be interested to learn about from each decade. This
gives the entire class the prior knowledge they will need
to start the WebQuest.
Prior to this WebQuest,
students will need to know how to research on the Internet,
have a working knowledge of Microsoft
Word, insertion of hyperlinks and images, use multimedia
programs such as Photo
Story or Movie
Maker.
These can be downloaded for free. If you are unfamiliar with
these programs there are free
tutorials
for
Photo
Story and Movie
Maker also.
Student projects will be
saved on their own flash drives so they can not only work
at school but also
from home. You as the teacher will have to be comfortable
with the use of technology in the classroom, know the multimedia
programs the students will be working on and be able to
troubleshoot problems that will come up.
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Curriculum Standards Illinois
Goals and Standards
Social Studies
State Goal 16: Understand events,
trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of
Illinois, the United States and other nations.
16.A.1c Describe how people in different times and places viewed the world
in different ways.
16.A.2c Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from
historical documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources.
16.A.2b Compare different stories about a historical figure or event and analyze
differences in the portrayals and perspectives they present.
16.A.3a Describe how historians use models for organizing historical interpretation
(e.g., biographies, political events, issues and conflicts)
.
16.A.3b Make inferences about historical events and eras using historical maps
and other historical sources.
16.A.3c Identify the differences between historical fact and interpretation.
16.A.4b Compare competing historical interpretations of an event
Language Arts:
State Goal 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information.
5.A.2a Formulate questions and construct a basic research plan.
5.A.2b Organize and integrate information from a variety of sources (e.g., books,
interviews, library reference materials, web- sites, CD/ROMs).
5.A.3a Identify appropriate resources to solve problems or answer questions through
research.
5.B.4b Use multiple sources and multiple formats; cite according to standard
style manuals.
5.C.2a Create a variety of print and nonprint documents to communicate
acquired
infor¬mation for specific audiences and purposes.
5.C.4a Plan, compose, edit and revise information (e.g., brochures,
formal reports, proposals, research summaries, analyses, editorials,
articles,
overheads, multimedia displays) for presentation to an audience.
5.C.3c Take notes, conduct interviews, organize and report information in oral,
visual and electronic formats.
National
Education Technology Standards
Students demonstrate creative thinking,
construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and
processes
using technology.
1.a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
1.b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively,
including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the
learning of others.
2.a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing
a variety of digital environments and media.
2.b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using
a variety of media and formats.
2.d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.Students
apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
3.a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
3.b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information
from a variety of sources and media.
3.c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness
to specific tasks.Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research,
manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate
digital tools and resources.
4.a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
4.b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
4.c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.Students
understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice
legal and ethical behavior.
5.a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and
technology.
5.b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration,
learning, and productivity.Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology
concepts, systems, and operations.
6.a. understand and use technology systems.
6.b. select and use applications effectively and productively.
6.c. troubleshoot systems and applications.
6.d. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.
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Process
Before you begin this unit
you will need to have each student set up a folder on
their flash drive where they can save their project.
After they have
made their folder, have them place the Bibliography Log
Worksheet
into their folder. They can easily access it and save
all their citations as they find and use them. The log
can be used for URL's and image citations and descriptions.
Note: You
can also have them save any of the research, rubrics, or
worksheets need
to their flash drive in this project folder. This housekeeping
tip saves a lot of time later.
Step
1: Grouping
Students will be working in teams
of 4. I assigned the decade by the luck of the draw. Have
the students pick
one person on their team who will be the leader. Their job will be the go-between
the teacher and the group.
Note: You know your students
best as how to group them.
Step 2: Pick Roles
As a team, the students will decide
on what two roles each team member will research through
the Roles Worksheet. They should
read all of the
roles before they choose. You might want to explain and
give examples of what material they will gather with their
role. Remember the students will become experts in these
areas. If the students
cannot
decide,
you
as the teacher
will decide.
Have the students select roles they are interested in and will
enjoy learning about. Remember who your audience is. What
would
they like to learn about?
Note: There
are 8 roles to choose from, they can have 8 in a group
if you want or
eliminate some of the roles. Since they are all getting
individual grades on their presentations, and their part
of the scavenger hunt. The only group work they will
be turning in is
the scavenger hunt.
Step 3: Preview
the Reeling in the Years Websites
In previous classes the students
were introduced to all of the decades in the 20th Century.
They should
be familiar with what happened in each of the decades.
Now that they
have been assigned a decade and selected a role, the students should begin
to research. Go to the Reeling in
the Years Website Table. It is
divided into categories:
-
Top Ten Websites will
be the most helpful in looking at the decade overall.
This will be your most helpful links for information
to get started.
-
The Years will pinpoint
your particular decade and have ideas for research
topics.
-
Individual Topics will
give you information for your specific role.
Note: If
you can't find what you are looking for in the table or
on the internet, try searching with different keywords.
For example instead of "1960s" try another search
with "Sixties." I also suggest you preview and
navigate the top ten websites
with
the
students, especially www.about.com. This
site is great and they can probably find almost everything they will need at
this site.
Step 4: Research
As the students research they should
keep a list of any websites they have used for information
and
images. The students should collect as many images as possible.
Students will need the images and the list of websites
for their final
project.
The students need to remember to organize your information
by setting up a folder on their own flash drive for the
project. Have the students name
the
folder with
their first and last name (john_doe_decade_project)
Save all of the images,
research information, and list of websites on e student's
own flash drive. This way you can take your work with
you
where
ever you research.
Note:
You know your students best. We have a shared network where
the students can keep their files, but they get moved or
lost because everyone has access to the network in the
school. This part of the project is an important part of
housekeeping. Take the time for all students to understand
how to get files, save URL's and save to their own folder.
If their images are all over the place they will not work
when you
make
the
digital
story,
multimedia
presentation, in Movie Maker or Photo Story. Everything
has to be saved in the same folder for the project to work.
You might want to hand out instructions that are tailored
made for your own class.
Step 5: Multimedia Project
When your research is complete, you will begin to put your information into
your multimedia project. Use the Multimedia
Story Board Worksheet to plan out
your presentation. Make sure you review the Multimedia
Project Rubric to see
how your will be graded. Use this rubric as a checklist so you don't forget
anything.
Step 6: Scavenger
Hunt
Students should review the guidelines
for the Scavenger Hunt questions on the Scavenger
Hunt Direction Worksheet, Scavenger
Hunt Story Board,
and Scavenger
Hunt Rubric on how you will be graded. You might
want to hand out all of these worksheets or have them
save them to their flash drive. I have the students turn
in their story board worksheet to me so I can look them
over before they make the scavenger hunt for the class.
Step 7: Presentation
Day
The group is presenting today.
Each person will show their presentation and answer questions
from the class.
Step 8: Scavenger
Hunt with the Entire Class
The team is teaching today.They
are the classroom guides for this scavenger hunt.
Note:
Don't forget to have the scavenger hunts copied and student
computers signed
out. I find they work well in pairs when doing scavenger
hunts.
Process Variations
Learner Modifications and Grouping:
-
An
accommodation you might want to consider
would be for the students who will not be able to complete
a
multimedia presentation because of their learning ability.
-
Grouping
students with limited abilities
together with their
teachers aide as a member of the
group could closely monitor their
progress.
-
You
might want to consider their presentation, depending
on their
ability,
to be a simple poster with information
and photos
incorporated into it. However if
you
want them to experience a presentation
using technology, they could
use Microsoft Word document with imported pictures,
Microsoft
PowerPoint or Microsoft
Publisher for their presentation.
-
Another point to consider
is cooperative groups. I found that students who chose
their own groups work better
than if I were to choose them, especially when it comes
to the
hitchhikers in the group. A very interesting way
to group students together is place all the hitchhikers
in
one group. This way they have to sink or swim and do not interfere
with the students who want to excel on the project.
Process Extensions/Enhancements
Movies:
Instead of your
students making a Movie Maker project as a digital story,
they could make it a documentary. There are a lot of examples
on www.youtube.com under
the search of decades or U.S. History. In my class I use
a flipvideo camera that is easy
for the students to use and it has a USB port that pops
out of the side of the video camera for easy downloads.
WEB 2.0 Extension:
You could add a WEB 2.0 elements to your project where students
can put their projects onto the web and other students
can comment on what they learned. Websites that you
could visit would be www.edvoicethread.com where
you can create a class account. Our district blocks wikispaces
and blogspot access, however if you can it would be good
to set up a threaded discussion for your class to post
questions and concerns as they work through their project.
We are having a problem with cyber-bullying so you want
to get your admimnistrations approval before you set
up anything for your class to contribute on.
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Resources Needed
This project can be completed with one teacher who knows
how to use the software programs listed below.
For
students with accommodations a teachers aide would be helpful
in
the classroom.
Materials in the classroom:
-
Individual Student Computers
-
Internet
-
Microphones
for narration
-
Software: Photo Story, Movie Maker (can be downloaded
for free)
-
School Library can also be used for research
on a particular decade
-
Social Studies Textbook
-
Example of what a finished webquest would look
like
-
Example of a scavenger hunt over
the material would look like
- Individual student
flash drives
WEB 2.0 Extension:
Students will be using
www.edvoicethread.com or www.capzles.com. You will need
to set up an edvoice account for your students it you want
them to show their videos on the internet.
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Evaluation
Multimedia Presentation:
The
students will be evaluated on their Multimedia Presentation
as an individual.
Multimedia Story Board Worksheet
Multimedia Presentation
Rubric
Scavenger Hunt:
Each team will be evaluated
on their completion of a decade scavenger hunt for the
entire class. The purpose for
the scavenger hunt will for the students
to teach
their peers about their particular decade. Each student will
contribute links and 3-4 questions covering their part
of the decade project. This way the
class not only sees the decade presentation but is also doing
research on each decade in the 20th Century. They will be
evaluated as an individual for their contribution to the
scavenger hunt as well as a group grade for participation
in a group activity.
Scavenger Hunt Story Board
Worksheet
Scavenger Hunt Directions
Worksheet
Scavenger
Hunt Rubric
Cooperative Group
Rubric
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Conclusion
My social studies curriculum
is jammed pack. In one year we are to cover George Washington
to present day. It is impossible
to cover this much material. In recent years I've tried to
incorporate more technology into our social studies program.
Trying to engage 8th graders in history is a difficult task.
Three years ago when I started teaching 8th grade social
studies
all
that
was
used
was
the textbook
and
worksheets.
How boring is that. Since then, I've tried to incorporated
United Streaming videos and scavenger hunts into my classes.
I've looked at WebQuests and used them to make scavenger
hunts. This is my first attempt writing and incorporating
a WebQuest
project in my classroom.
My goal is for the students
to become engaged in the classroom. By studying the decades
I believe they will appreciate and
understand history on how it impacts the future. I hope this
project takes them to a higher level of learning in
the classroom,and also
master
the life
skills
they will
need outside of the school environment in years to come.
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Credits and References
I've researched many WebQuests
to put this project together, so thank you to all the teachers
who did WebQuests on decades research. A special thanks
goes out to Stephanie and Andy, my partners in our graduate
class, who without their help I would not be in a position
to accomplish this task. Go to the credits page additional
credits and references.
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Questions or Suggestions please email me at ckuzel@homerschools.org |
