American History and Culture

Contributor: Samuel Cummins Sample NearPod Lesson

In this unit, my second grade students and I will be covering American History and chronology. These students may not be aware of important American figures and their contributions to our society as a whole. Additionally, some of my students might not have a developed sense of chronology or the concept of historical space. Students will learn about the lives and works of important American figures from a variety of backgrounds. Students will also learn about chronology and the difference between primary and secondary documents. The class will solidify their understanding of this unit through virtual field trips of historical sites, biography projects that use both primary and secondary sources, and group work. This unit will ultimately give students a more concrete connection to the history of the country in which they live. Through the study of a diverse range of historical figures, students of all backgrounds may be able to find inspiration, using these figures as examples of model citizens.

Studying and understanding American History is a learning expectation covered under Tennessee Social Studies Standards.

2.29 - Examine the significant contributions made by people of the U.S.

2.30 - Describe periods of time in terms of days, weeks, months, years, decades, and centuries

2.31 - Analyze and interpret events placed chronologically on a timeline

American History and Chronology

Name: Samuel Cummins

Duration of Lesson: 45 Minutes Subject Area: Social Studies Grade Level: 2nd Grade

Analyze learners

In the second grade class at Abcedee Elementary School, there are fifteen students, which include 9 females and 6 males. The students range from African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic, and are between the ages of 7 and 8. One student has an active 504 for ADHD and one student has an active IEP for a speech impairment. All students are fluent in English, and none are ELLs, as evidenced by my conversations with my students at the beginning of the school year. Most students are at least briefly familiar with the founding fathers, as covered in preassessments given at the beginning of the year. Most students are at grade level proficiency in reading and writing skills, but there are three students in the class who are well below the second grade competencies in reading and writing. These three students have been assessed through preassessments and state standards examinations, scoring below 2nd grade reading and writing benchmarks. Additionally, all of the students possess the appropriate math skills to handle basic addition and subtraction operations required for the lesson.

Curriculum Competencies:

To complete this lesson, students will need to be able to read and write at a 2nd grade proficiency. Students will also need to know how to add and subtract 4 digit numbers.

Technology Competencies:

To complete this lesson, students will need to be able to know how to use a web browser on a computer or a tablet and know how to copy and paste URL links. Students will also have to be competent on basic word processing software via Google Docs.

State & NETS*S objectives

2.29 - Examine the significant contributions made by people of the U.S.

2.30 - Describe periods of time in terms of days, weeks, months, years, decades, and centuries

2.31 - Analyze and interpret events placed chronologically on a timeline

Behavioral Objective:

Given biographical websites and a word document, students in the second grade class will gather and record five biographical items from a founding father of their choice. Then, given a blank piece of paper and coloring implements, students will be able to create a chronologically accurate timeline with their five biographical points with two complete sentences per point and accurate date format (Month, Day, Year).

Language Objective:

Key vocabulary: Founding, America, Month, Date, Year, Revolution, President, Congress, Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Diplomat, British, Timeline, Biography, Event, Historical, Research, Take Notes.

Academic Language Functions:

To express understanding, students will use terms from the key vocabulary list to research their subjects, and gain understanding of the significance of the information on the biographical websites. The students will then use the information from these websites to take notes, using terms listed above. The students will then transfer their notes to their own timelines, which will then be presented at the end of the lesson, showing they have understanding of historical terminologies.

The vocabulary terms taught at the beginning and through the course of the lesson will provide students with the context for their research, and the teacher will do a brief demonstration at the beginning of the lesson on how these terms are used in the context of research.

Select instructio nal methods, media, and materials ●15 pieces of white A4 sized cardboard paper (student centered)

●Crayons and colored pencils for each table group to share (student centered)

●15 pencils (student centered)

●One completed timeline done by the teacher to act as a model

Technological Materials:

●Website from Library of Congress: Library of Congress. (2020). Meet Amazing Americans - America’s Story (From America’s Library. [Website]. Retrieved on September 7, 2020 from http:// www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/index.php (student centered)

●15 tablets or chromebooks with WiFi/internet connection

●1 computer (teacher centered)

●1 projector or smart board (teacher centered)

**Any teacher using this lesson plan should use a rubric to determine the educational value for the learner and learning environment **

Utilize media and materials

●Preview the biographical website -- *previewed and approved*

●Create example timeline to model for the class, make it available to display on the projector via the computer

●Check that there are enough papers for each student

●Check that there are enough crayons and colored pencils for each table group

●Make sure the computer’s display is visible on the projector

●Make sure the website is pulled up in one of the browser tabs of the display computer

●Make sure a blank google docs file is open on the display computer

●Make sure a blank google docs file is open on each tablet/chromebook

●Make sure the website is bookmarked on all of the tablets/chromebooks

Prepare the Classroom

●Turn down the lights for the projector

●Pull down the display screen/turn on smart board

●Turn the projector/smart board on

Prepare the Learner

●Introduce the lesson by showing the model timeline to the class over the projector, pointing out each element of the timeline that students will complete by the end of the lesson

●Present the website

●Model how to use the website by finding historical figures, clicking on their bios, and opening their profiles

●Open the Google docs tab on the display computer and model how to make a bulleted list

●Call up a couple of students to the teacher computer to demonstrate how to get points from the website and write them down in the Google doc

●As soon as students show proficiency, direct the rest of the class to choose their figure and begin their research

●Put the teacher timeline model up on the display for the class to see while they make their timelines

●Students will complete the timeline task individually

●If the students do not complete the task in class, then they will be given the option to finish it at home or work on it during a free period

Require learner participat ion After the instruction on the use of the websites, the students will be directed to select their historical figure. The teacher will then go around to each student and confirm that they have selected a figure and are clear on the steps for the project. The students will then work through their selected bio, pulling facts from the website and typing them onto the google doc. At this point, the students will draw the timeline on the piece of paper using the coloring implements. At three different points on the timeline, the students will handwrite an event that occurred in their figure’s life with the date of the event (month, day, year) included. The last portion of the lesson will be for the students to present their timelines to the class, even if they have not yet completed their timeline. The important thing is that they can express the events in chronological order (first they…, then they…, and then they…).

If a student is struggling with the project, pair the student with another student who may be comfortable with the project guidelines. If the student is still struggling with the task, you can provide the student with further models of how the project can be completed.

Evaluate and revise

Describe how/when artifact presentation, rubric scoring, and discussion of ideas for improvement will occur. Include the

artifact rubric

Formative Assessment (Process):

●Formative assessments in this lesson include student observation when they are doing their research and constructing their timelines. Students will demonstrate understanding by navigating the website, making lists on Google docs, and creating chronologically accurate timelines. The teacher should walk around to each student and make sure that they have a solid plan for their timeline, which includes selecting a figure, making a list of facts, and putting those facts in order on the physical timeline. While observing each student, the teacher will record each student’s participation and progress in their gradebook. The teacher will give students immediate constructive feedback during their rotations, and will provide additional instruction and clarification if needed. If the objective is not met by a large enough percentage of the class, then the teacher should break up the project into smaller steps and spend more time on areas that students are having trouble with. If the students are having pronounced difficulties in understanding and completing the assignment, then this lesson can be broken up into two parts, research and timeline creation.

Summative Assessment (Product):

●The summative assessment will be the creation of the timeline for their historical figure as well as the accompanying presentation. The students will receive a grade based on their effort, their inclusion of three separate facts, the chronological accuracy of the timeline, and the neatness and creativity of their final timeline. The students will also receive a grade based on the their timeline presentation, if they can articulate each event in chronological order. The student’s work will document the student’s ability to examine the significant contributions made by people of the U.S. (TN Social Studies Standard 2.29), describe periods of time in terms of days, weeks, months, years, decades, and centuries (TN Social Studies Standard 2.30), and analyze and interpret events placed chronologically on a timeline (TN Social Studies Standard 2.31). It will also document students’ ability to use word processing software and gathering textual material from a website.

This is an effective and entertaining video that breaks down the concepts of past and present, as well as how things can change over the span of years and decades. The animated kids in the video invent a machine that can look back in the past, and show us how their house and their town have changed over the last hundred years. Cartoon for Kids!! Now and Then. Social Studies for Children is a great resource for second graders in that it breaks down the concepts of past and present in a concrete and relatable way, using a cartoon format that kids can easily relate to and be engaged with. Additionally, by addressing units of time such as years and decades, this video aids with alignment of Tennessee Social Studies Standard 2.30 (describe periods of time in days, weeks, months, years, decades, and centuries), as well as Social Studies Practice SSP.05 (develop historical awareness by sequencing past, present, and future in chronological order and understanding that things change over time).

Cartoons Time (Account Holder). (2019). Cartoon for Kids!! Now and Then. Social Studies for Children. [YouTube Video]. Retrieved September 7, 2020 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEvWGYgmaTE

Civil Rights Act of 1964 | Montgomery Bus Boycott for Kids | Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King

This video is a great introduction to the nature of segregation in the United States during the Jim Crow era, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the contributions of Rosa Parks and MLK to the Civil Rights Era. It does a great job of breaking down the terms “boycott”, “activist”, “segregation”, and “civil rights” for a younger audience, who may not be familiar with those terms. The video also serves to familiarize children with the basic idea of what individuals like MLK and Rosa Parks did to end the practice of segregation. The video aligns with Tennessee Social Studies Standard 2.29 (examine the significant contributions made by people of the U.S.), as MLK and Rosa Parks are included in the list of individuals marked for inclusion. Additionally, the video can serve as a transition into the civil rights era as a whole, giving students an easily digestible introduction to the era.

Kids Academy (Account Holder). (2019). Civil Rights Act of 1964 | Montgomery Bus Boycott for Kids | Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King. [YouTube Video]. Retrieved September 7, 2020 from https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKEGou1zPII

History Timeline for Kids

History Timeline for Kids is an educational timeline app that allows students to explore different world historical events through interactive timelines that contain facts, clues, audio recordings, and fun animations that present each historical event or period in an engaging way. This app is valuable in that it contains events that span from the beginning of human history up to modern day, giving students an introduction to a wide and diverse range of world events. History Timeline for Kids also serves to familiarize students with the structure of a timeline and chronology, topics aligning with Tennessee Social Studies Standard 2.31 (analyze and interpret events placed chronologically on a timeline). The only drawback is that the app is not free ($2.99), and there might be issues providing it to an entire classroom. Although the app has also not been updated in almost six years, it can still provide a fun and relevant historical experience for all students.

Abecedaire. (December 18, 2014). History Timeline for Kids. [Google Play Store, Cost: $2.99]. Retrieved on September 7, 2020 from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.History

Meet Amazing Americans - America’s Story (From America’s Library)

This section on americaslibrary.gov, a website created by the Library of Congress to serve as an educational resource on American History for school-aged children, would align effectively with Tennessee Social Studies Standard 2.29 (examine the significant contributions made by people of the U.S.). Meet Amazing Americans has a wide range of sections for students to explore, including but not limited to: U.S. Presidents, Leaders and Statesmen, Activists and Reformers, and Scientists and Inventors. The page for each figure contains a short biographical paragraph, which employs a reading level on par with second grade reading levels. The website may look a little dated, but it contains lots of valuable and interesting information about U.S. History. Students should also explore different sections on the website including games, interactive media, and other great tidbits of American History. The website itself is super intuitive to navigate; students could easily spend hours digging through American Historical content!

Library of Congress. (2020). Meet Amazing Americans - America’s Story (From America’s Library. [Website]. Retrieved on September 7, 2020 from http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/index.php

Quizizz: Play to Learn

Quizizz is an app where teachers can create quizzes for their class, and students can then take these quizzes as a group. Teachers can then see all of their student’s results and adjust their quizzes accordingly. The app has thousands of quizzes in different subject areas, and can be used for almost any subject. Quizizz is also unique in that there are fun graphics and features like “redemption quizzes” that can keep both students and teachers engaged when they use the app. As far as alignment is concerned,

Quizizz can be aligned to all standards in the unit (2.29-32), as a quiz can be created covering any subject matter on which the teachers need to assess. This app is compatible with all Android devices 4.4 and up.

Quizizz, Inc. (August 28, 2020). Quizizz: Play to Learn. [Google Play Store, Cost: Free]. Retrieved on September 7, 2020 from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.quizizz_mobile

Timeline

This web interactive from The International Literacy Association and The National Council of Teachers of English provides students with an opportunity to make their own timelines. It aligns with Tennessee Social Studies Standard 2.31 (analyze and interpret events placed chronologically on a timeline), as it would give students an interactive way to internalize how timelines function. With this tool, 2nd grade students could make timelines of their day, week, year, or period of their life, which would also align with Tennessee Social Studies Standard 2.30 (describe periods of time in terms of days, weeks, months, years, decades, and centuries). Additionally, this resource could be used in conjunction with history lessons, with students placing historical events or figures in order on their own timeline. Unfortunately, with a 2nd grade audience, the instructor might have to spend some time teaching the students how to use the website, as some of the functions aren’t the most intuitive.

ILA/NCTE. (2020). Timeline. [Website]. Retrieved on September 7, 2020 from http:// www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/timeline-30007.html and http:// www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/timeline_2/