What Did George Post Today? Learning About People of the American Revolution Through Facebook

Materials and Technology

Printouts

Websites

Preparation

 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

• Computers with Internet capabilities and Microsoft PowerPoint
• Classroom with LCD projector and whiteboard/interactive whiteboard
• Biographical books about people of the American Revolution
• Facebook-like PowerPoint Example

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PRINTOUTS

• People of the American Revolution
• Note-Taking Sheet
• Suggested Print Materials
• Rubric
• What Did I Learn?
• Peer Feedback Printout
  

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WEBSITES

• Biography.com
  

  This is a great resource for this project because several of the detailed biographies come from Encyclopædia Britannica, a credible source of information.

• The White House
  

  This website is used for those students who research First Ladies and Presidents.

• America’s Story
  

  For those students who might have reading difficulties, this website provides easy to read information for the First Ladies and Presidents.

• Who Served Here?
  

  Part of the Historic Valley Forge website that was established by the Independence Hall Association in 1996, this site has short articles for several of the people.

• Bartlett’s Quotations
  

  This website can provide famous quotations spoken during the American Revolution and is searchable by person.

• FactCite
  

  Offered from The Lincoln Library Press, this database requires a yearly subscription fee and its articles are written for grades 6-12.  For this project, The Lincoln Library of Biographies and The Lincoln Library of American History will be beneficial.

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PREPARATION

1. Before this lesson, work with the school librarian or get materials for the classroom so that each student will have a biography about the person the student will research.  Reserve one period in your school library to check out these books and for students to begin their research, or alternatively have the materials ready in the classroom for use.
2. Reserve time in the school’s computer lab for a total of five sessions.  Check that computers have Microsoft PowerPoint available.
3. If possible, have the research websites bookmarked on the computers.  If that is not feasible, sign up for a wiki at Wikispaces where you can create a class page for the links.
4. Make one copy per student of the Note-Taking Sheet.  Project the list of People of the American Revolution, or make one copy per student of the printout.  Make two copies per student of the Peer Feedback printout so that each student will receive feedback from at least two peers. Make enough copies of the What Did I Learn? printout so that students will be able to complete this form as each student presents.
5. Decide how to provide each student with the PowerPoint Facebook-like Template. It could be moved to each computer using a flashdrive or posted to the wiki where students can download the template.  Possibly, the template could be put in each student’s file on the school network, so students can access the template when they log in to the computers.

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