Teacher Page

American Landmarks

Nicole Stranix,   Spring 2016

Abstract:

This WebQuest is designed for second graders.The students will work in teams of three.  The students will research and become an expert on one landmark. ( Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, the White House, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, Mount Rushmore or the St. Louis Gateway Arch). They will record their findings on their “Research Notes” sheets.  They will research the history, building specifics and interesting facts of each landmark. Teams will share their findings with one another. The team will then have the challenge of designing a travel brochure that includes the information they learned in order to persuade their classmates to visit their landmark. Each team will present their brochure to the class. When all teams have presented, students will vote on which landmark they would most like to visit. The class will then take a virtual tour of the winning landmark.

Performance Objectives:
SWBAT identify and explain the significance of various American landmarks.

SWBAT apply the knowledge from their research to design a brochure to advertise their American landmark.

SWBAT collaborate with their classmates to  create a brochure of their American landmark.  

SWBAT persuade classmates to visit their landmark through the presentation of their brochure.  

 

Outcomes:  Students will be able to research an American landmark and analyze information to design a brochure that will persuade classmates to want to visit the landmark. They will work cooperatively in a group to share their new learnings.  The students will learn the history, building specifics and interesting information about their landmark. At the conclusion of this webquest students will understand that American landmarks represent changes in our country’s history and reflect our American values. Students will learn to apply new knowledge and evaluate what information is most important to share with others. Students will be able to apply these research skills in other content areas.
Essential Question: What makes a good citizen of our country?

Blooms Taxonomy/Scaffolding Knowledge:

Level Activities
Remembering Students will identify the who, what, when, where and why of their American landmark.
Understanding Students will discuss and explain their new knowledge of the landmark with their team members.
Applying Students will apply what they have learned in the WebQuest to by using their facts and matching illustrations to create their team travel brochure.
Analyzing Students will compare the information they learned with their team members and distinguish which information is most important to include in their brochure.  
Evaluating Students will evaluate and decide which landmark the class should visit based on the presentations and travel brochures created.
Creating Students will create a brochure that teaches others about their landmark and persuades their classmates to visit their landmark.

 

Multiple Intelligences

Naturalistic This learner will enjoy the opportunity to visit the landmark through virtual tours.  
Musical This learner will enjoy listening to the music in the videos, as well as, the voices reading and teaching them.
Logical-Mathematical This learner will enjoy determining the most important facts and where/how to include them in their brochure. Students will think logically about the best information to include to persuade their classmates to visit their landmark.
Visual/Spatial This learner will enjoy viewing the WebQuest. There are many visual graphics and videos, that this learner will enjoy viewing. They will also benefit from working to create the brochure.
Linguistic This learner will enjoy reading about their landmark and recording important facts about it. They will enjoy learning some of the new vocabulary, like historian.
Bodily/Kinesthetic This learner will enjoy using the computers to do research. They will like moving the mouse to  click to view all of the different links.
Interpersonal This learner will enjoy working in teams to discuss the information they learned while researching and collaborating to create brochure.
Intrapersonal This learner will enjoy working independently to collect their research for their landmark.

 

Mind Styles

Concrete Random This type of learner enjoys taking risks, solving problems and experimenting to find answers.
These students will be able to visualize the finished product before others and will be helpful in putting the brochure together. They will enjoy the opportunity to be creative in solving the best way to present the information in the brochure.  
Concrete Sequential This type of learner likes to work in a structured environment, learns best when they are faced with predictable situations and following logical, specific directions.
The parts of the WebQuest and project that best meet this type of learner are the specific directions on the process page. The Evaluation page will help this learner to have a clear understanding of the expectations for this assignment and will serve as a guide while completing it.
Abstract Random This type of learner likes to analyze situations before acting or making decisions and having their point of view be heard.
This type of learner will enjoy the variety of resource links for their landmark. They will not only be successful in researching but also in creating their part of the brochure. .They will also help keep their group on track and working well together. They have the ability to help the group focus on the big picture and their goal.
Abstract Sequential This type of learner likes to listen to others ideas and work together in group activities.
This type of student learns best when they have access to references and working alone. These students will enjoy the independent research and the step-by-step instructions.

 

Sense and Meaning:

Sousa teaches us that sense and meaning must be present in order for new information to be stored in long term memory.  Having studied American symbols such as the bald eagle and the flag will help make sense of American landmarks. Their familiarity with symbols that stand for and have an important role in our country’s history will also help in making sense of the new information. By connecting to a favorite class book, the idea of going on a class trip and creating competition between the teams,  students become excited to participate and this helps in creating meaning to the research the students are doing. 

 

Motivation:

Motivation is an emotional response and important in understanding new information. When motivation is present, students have higher chances of retention of the material being taught. (Sousa, 2011) At the very beginning of the webquest, students are reminded of a “favorite class book”. This draws on their emotions to a time they enjoyed doing something together. Many students will be intrinsically motivated by their past knowledge from first grade or prior about national symbols. Students are then motivated  in the introduction to help Mrs. Pidgeon and become the expert. They are also motivated by the competitiveness of having to prove that their landmark is the one to visit and the virtual class trip to the winning landmark. There are a variety of activities that will peek the different interests of the students. Students who enjoy doing art, watching videos, using the computer and working independently, as well as, in a group are all included during the different aspects of this project. Students who do not remember what they learned in first grade or prior, will need help being extrinsically motivated. There are opportunities to motivate students extrinsically, by holding them accountable with the rubric, reminding students of the competition aspect and that they are all American citizens with a responsibility to know about the place they come from. This also refers back to the essential question for this unit.

 

Standards:

6.1 U.S. History: America in the World: All students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically about how past and present interactions of people, cultures, and the environment shape the American heritage. Such knowledge and skills enable students to make informed decisions that reflect fundamental rights and core democratic values as productive citizens in local, national, and global communities.\

6.1.4.D.17 Explain the role of historical symbols, monuments, and holidays and how they affect the American identity.

RI.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

W.2.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g. read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report, record science observation.)

W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

SL.2.2 Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text, read aloud, or information presented orally or through other media.
8.1 Educational Technology: All students will use digital tools to access, manage, evaluate, and synthesize information in order to solve problems individually and collaborate and to create and communicate knowledge.

 

Teacher Preparation

The following materials are needed for this webquest:

  • Pencil for recording research
  • Computer/laptop for each student
  • Printer
  • Examples of travel brochures
  • Earphones for each computer/child
  • Tri-fold paper for brochure for each group
  • Coloring supplies
  • SMARTboard
  • Printed copies of the research notes and printed copies of the rubric

It is suggested that students be familiar with the following skills before beginning:

  • Know what American symbols are
  • What it means to research
  • How to make a presentation
  • The features of a brochure

 

Key Terms

Term: Definition:
American Symbols Something that represents America.
Landmark A famous building or object that you can see and recognize easily, can occur naturally  or be man-made.
Historian Someone who studies or writes about events in history
Democracy The type of government the U.S. has. A system of government in which people vote in elections to choose the people who will govern them.

 

Lesson Outline

Teacher Instructional Process: Focus and Review

This lesson may take between 3 – 5 days. Begin the lesson with students looking at the smartboard. This lesson may take between 3 – 5 days. The teacher will explain the steps of the webquest before students begin on their own. The first lesson or two will be used for explaining the WebQuest, organizing and beginning their landmark research. The second lesson is for teams to share and create their brochure. The final day or two will be used for presenting the brochures, voting for a landmark and visiting it’s virtual tour.

Begin by displaying the introduction page on the smartboard. Remind students of the symbols like the bald eagle and the flag. Explain to the students that they are going to have the opportunity to learn even more about America and it’s landmarks. (Read the actual introduction page to the students).

Open the task page

  • Read the task page to the class.
  • Emphasize the importance of really understanding, so that they will be able to convince their classmates to visit.

Open the Process page.

  • Assign teams of 3. Have students sit in the groups before moving on.
  • Read the process page – Your team will have to create a brochure to convince your classmates that it is the best and that they should visit.
  • Explain the individual role activities – Show the research notes.

Open the Evaluation Page

  • Review rubric and what is expected for this project

Guided Practice

Students will go back to their individual computers to print their research notes and begin their research. The teacher will circulate between groups to monitor ensuring that they are on task and understand their job on the team, assisting where needed. Students will utilize earplugs to help with focus on the task.

Independent Practice:

Students will meet in groups on the second once they have finished their research to discuss and compare their landmark learnings. They will work to determine what information is most important, plan out and create a travel brochure for their researched landmark. Remind students to check the rubric and process page to check to see if they are doing what is asked of them.

Closure

On the 3rd/4th day, students will present their brochures to the class. At the end of the presentations students will vote to see which landmark the class will be visiting. A member of the “winning” team will press the link for the virtual tour.

 

Alternate Outline- Accommodations

  • Any learners needing extra time can easily be accommodated
  • Students will be grouped heterogeneous – having students pair up to complete a job together
  • For students who may struggle with reading on a computer screen, it may be helpful to have printed copies of any texts.
  • Frontloading American Symbols information, so students have a base of knowledge when you begin.
  • Additional practice of presentation at home
  • For students who complete the work quickly, adding additional information for their landmark or writing a commercial script for a commercial that could help in persuading their classmates to choose their landmark.
  • For ESL or IEP students, chunk material or modify questions on research notes.

 

Suggested Follow-up/Extension