Teacher(s) Name: Mrs. Bowden
School: MS – Quioccasin
Grade Level(s): Grade 6
Content Area(s): US History
Lesson Summary
Students will learn about the American Revolution by comparing it to a modern day rebellion. Students begin by coming to consensus on the definition of rebellion and generating their own questions about rebellions and ultimately looking to answer the essential question, “Are Rebellions Necessary for Change?” Students will apply what they learn about the American Revolution to what they find researching a modern day rebellion and continue to modify their opinion on its necessity. Students will participate in a socratic seminar using their original student-generated questions and follow-up research. They will also use their knowledge to create propaganda that should encourage new members of a hypothetical modern rebellion to join the cause.
TIPC Ratings
Research & Information Fluency
Rating:Ideal – Explanation: Throughout the year, students have been doing guided research. Both teacher and librarian have instructed students on finding and evaluating sources, note taking and synthesizing information. Teacher modeled different strategies for collecting research by providing different types of structured notes to help students record information and develop new ideas. In this project, students created research questions at the beginning to guide their work and then used the information they discovered through research to develop persuasive products for a modern day rebellion. At the end of each class period students evaluated any new information they had gathered and re-evaluated their current ideas about the modern rebellion they were studying.
Communication & Collaboration
Rating: Approaching – Explanation: In previous units, students established group work norms for working together. These included things like getting along (and asking for teacher assistance when struggling to accomplish this), respecting each other’s work and ideas, remaining on task and putting forth equal effort on tasks, talking in appropriate tones and levels, and remaining within their own group. Students have practiced choosing partners with whom they work well–not just with whom they are friends–and have learned to lean on each other for the skills they can each individually offer to a task. On this project, students were able to choose to work individually or with a partner to create their propaganda. Students working together utilized the norms and skills we have established throughout the year.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Rating: Not observed – Explanation: Not observed
Creativity & Innovation
Rating: Approaching – Explanation: The teacher created an opportunity for students to synthesize their research on both the American Revolution and a modern day rebellion to create a new product to help generate interest and involvement in their own rebellion. Students were tasked with predicting what type of propaganda might be most effective for their audience and to create the propaganda – a new solution to an authentic task.
Lesson Materials
