Web-enhanced Lesson Plan
Blog
Bill of Rights!
Corey Johnson
University of Memphis
[email protected]
Lesson Summary
This lesson will lead students back to the era of the American Revolutionary War to analyze the events that lead to the creation of the United States Constitution. This lesson involves group collaboration Internet research, Web-publication and group discussions. Students will be presented an overview of the Revolutionary era and prompted to inquire on the events that lead to the war. Students will also be asked to compare those events to the current events. This comparison will be used to criticize or agree with the current state of the Bill of Rights in relation to virtual freedoms over the Internet. Student will work in groups to host a discussion on their view and create a persuasive commercial based on that position.
Grade Level
Content Area
U. S. History
Learning Objectives
Objective(s) | Computer Applicaion | Computer Function | Data Manipulation |
Given a computer with Internet access, Identify the Bill of Rights within the United States Constitution | Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari | Research | Use Internet browsers and search engines to comprehend the Bill of Rights within the United States Constitution. |
Given a computer with Internet, accessIdentify why the Bill of rights are in place | Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari | Research | Use Internet browsers and search engines to comprehend the Bill of Rights within the United States Constitution. |
Given a computer with Internet access, Explain why the Bill of Rights are in place | Weebly.com | Blog | Post your explanation of why the Bill of Rights are in place to the class blog. |
Question the Bill of Rights ability to protect the rights of individuals in virtural (Internet based) atmospher. | |||
Take a position on whether the Bill of Rights protects or does not protect the rights of individuals in an virtual (Internet based) atmospher | |||
Given a computer with Internet access and Web publication applications, Collaborate with team members to create a 30 second commercial to persuade other students to take your stand on the Bill of Rights in relation to the Internet. | PowerPoint, Story Teller, iMovie, Garageband, Jing Project, Audacity | Web publication | Create a Web based commericial aimed at students to persuade them to take your stand on the Bill of Right in relation to the Internet |
Standards for Content Area
NSS-USH.5-12.3 ERA 3: REVOLUTION AND THE NEW NATION (1754-1820s)
Understands the institutions and practices of government created during the Revolution and how they were revised between 1787 and 1815 to create the foundation of the American political system based on the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights
Technology Standards
1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
2. Communications and Collaboration
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. Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
6. Technology Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
a. understand and use technology systems.
b. select and use applications effectively and productively.
c. troubleshoot systems and applications.
d. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.
Materials
Computer with Internet access
Microphone
PowerPoint (Open Office Impress)
http://www.jingproject.com
www.weebly.com
http://audacity.sourceforge.net
Instructional Strategy
This lesson follows the Project-based learning (PBL) strategy. Thomas (2000) defines PBL as a model that organizes learning around projects. PBL is an instructional strategy centered on the learner (Grant, 2002). Thomas further defines projects as complex tasks, based on challenging questions or problems that involve students in design, problem solving, decision-making or investigative activities. This strategy was selected because of the emphasis that it places on students’ individual strengths and allows for exploration of their interest within a structured, defined curriculum (Harada, Kirio, & Yamamoto, 2008). The use of PBL also results in a unique artifact that students will share with peers and the public.
Problem Statement
What if someone came into your classroom or library and removed books about Vietnam, The Holocaust, or any other subject or event that some governing agency deemed malicious or unsafe for your viewing or exposure? Would allow such restrictions on the knowledge or information that you had access to? Like it or not, this very thing is happening within many school districts. Internet filtering and blocking software are applied to educational institutions to “protect” students from harmful content. Is this a violation of your Bill of Rights? Should you have the unrestricted freedom to search the Internet and inquire about past and future events?
Should the Bill of Rights be amended to protect virtual freedom over the Internet?
Procedures Prior to Computer
Prior to using the computer, the teacher will brief students on the historical era of the United States Revolution. This presentation will be developed and presented using a presentation application such as OpenOffice Imprress, PowerPoint or Flash. The presentation will cover events that lead to the war and the circumstances that lead to the generation of the American Constitution.
The teacher will engage the students in a brief discussion of the relevance of the Bill of Rights to the current era. Guiding questions will asked to engage motivate students to inquire on the relevance and effects the Bill of Rights has on their ability to utilize technology in educational institutions. Students will be asked to evaluate if the Bill of Rights should be amended or remain the same for today’s citizens. Groups of 4-5 students will be organized based on their choice.
Procedures at Computer
At the computer, students will research the Bill of Rights and analyze the events that lead to the formation of the constitution. Students will compare the circumstances from that era and compare it to this era. Based on this evaluation, students will prepare a blog discussion and generate a 30 second Web-based commercial to persuade other students to agree with their stand on the current state of the Bill of Rights.
Procedures after the computer
After the research and publication has been posted, the groups will review the discussions and commercials developed by the other groups. The class will then hold a discussion facilitated by the teacher to evaluate all recommendations and proposals of the Bill of Rights.
The teacher will asses the artifacts created by the groups based the assessment rubric.
Safety and ethics
Student will be reminded of the following rules before conducting research and communicating over the Internet:
rules outlined in the institutions acceptable use policy (AUP)
techniques for evaluation of information found on the Web
potential dangers of communicating over the Internet
proper precautions to take as well as appropriate steps to take if they encounter a problem.
Virginia Department of Education (2007)
Literacies
Learning and Innovation Skills
Information Media, and Technology Skills
Core Subjects
Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2008)
Assessment
Criteria | Good-Very Good | Satifactory | Unsatisfactory |
Conent | Key Issues were discussed clearly | Some key issues were discussed | No Key issues were discussed |
Context | Posted by the assigned date with few errors | Posted by the assigned date with several errors | Not posted on the assigned date with multiple errors |
Community Responses | Two peer responses that indicate understanding of the authors response | 1 peer response that indicates understanding of the author's response | No peer response |
References
Grant, M. M. (2002). Getting a grip on project-based learning: Theory, cases and recommendations. Meridian: A Middle School Computer Technologies Journal, 5.
Harada, V. H., Kirio, C., & Yamamoto, S. (2008). Project-based learning: Rigor and Relevance in High Schools. Library Media Connection 26(6), 14-20.
Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2008). Retrieved July 2, 2008 from http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254&Itemid=120
Shulman, S. retrieved July 2, 2008 from http://shulman.ucsur.pitt.edu/doc/Rubrics/DC/DiscussionRubric.pdf.
Thomas, J. W. (2000). A review of research on project-based learning. Retrieved July 2, 2008 from http://www.montessori.in/downloads/PBL.pdf.
Virginia Department of Education Division of Technology and Human Resources. (2007). Ideas for integrating Internet safety into the curriculum. Retrieved July 1, 2007 from www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Technology/OET/internet-safety-integrating.pdf
Student Product
View student sample
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