Submitted by: Melissa Nacy
Collaborators: Mary Ellen Jones, Sarah Schmoyer
School: Jackson Davis Elementary School
Summary
This lesson was planned to help students learn about the accomplishments of the founding fathers and practice their research skills on the computer. After reading and taking notes on the Constitution, the students were put in collaborative heterogeneous groups and given a founding father to research. They used the information that they collected from various safe and educational websites to write a creative song. After writing the lyrics, each group explored Garageband to find a jingle they enjoyed. Then the group members worked together to manipulate their lyrics to fit the beat of the jingle. Most groups did this independently, but one or two groups needed the assistance of a teacher to help match their song to the beat. Finally, students recorded their songs in Garageband and exported it to iTunes.
TIPC Ratings
Approaching: Students select the most appropriate digital tools and information sources to address authentic tasks.
Approaching: Students form teams and use appropriate digital tools to facilitate collaboration.
Approaching: Students justify decision-making and problem solving practices.
Idea/Target: Students synthesize existing knowledge to create products within and beyond assignment parameters.
