Famous Americans

A PBL+MM for 2nd Grade 2.10 & 2.11 Social Studies 2.3 English, 2.7 Reading, 2.11 Writing

Diane Woods

[email protected]

QUESTION Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King, Jr., Helen Keller and Jackie Robinson are Famous Americans. What did these people do to become famous? What makes them good citizens? How did they change our world for the better? Your group will look for information about one of these people and find the answers to these questions. Your information will be included in our class newsletter and we will choose a “hero” for the month. PLAN 1. Using a KWHL graphic organizer, the students will gather information about the Famous American that they have been assigned. The chart will show what they Know, what they Want to know, How they will learn, and What they learned about their Famous American.

2. After beginning the KWHL chart the students will gather their information using a graphic organizer. Each group will be responsible for finding five important facts about the individual that they were assigned. 3. Each group will add their information to a Hyperstudio stack. This stack will already have been created with a text box. The students will type in their information and illustrate.

4. Each group will present their Hyperstudio stack to the class using the connection between the television and the computer.

5. The class will create a timeline together to get an understanding of the different times/eras in which these individuals lived.

SCHEDULE

Day 1 – The teacher will introduce the project and assign groups. Assign one of the Famous Americans to each group. Give them a KWHL chart and have them begin to fill in the KWH on the chart.

Days 2 & 3 – The students will complete the KWH part of the chart. Graphic organizers will be given to each student to use when searching for information. Some members of the group will research on the computer, others will search for information in books from the library and still others will take a survey of teachers to find who their favorite Famous American is.

Day 4 – The groups will organize their information and choose the five most important facts to use in their Hyperstudio stack.

Days 5, 6 & 7 – Information will be added to the Hyperstudio stack. Illustrations will be added at the same time. Each student in the group will have the opportunity to add information and illustration to the stack.

Day 8 – Each group will present their stack to the class and then the class will vote on their favorite Famous American.

Day 9 – The class together will create a timeline that includes the births and deaths of each Famous American.

Day 10 – A spreadsheet will be created to find out what Famous American is respected the most. This spreadsheet will be used be each student to create a graph. PROJECT This project is to have four goals: 1. The students will work together in cooperative groups. 2. The students will gain more knowledge in using the Hyperstudio program. 3. The students will learn more about the Famous Americans assigned to the second grade. 4. The students will use the information from surveys and voting to create a spreadsheet and graph.

Each Hyperstudio stack will contain important facts about their individual including the main fact they are required to know for the S.O.L.s. ASSESSMENT Self Evaluation Famous Americans

Name: ______Teacher: Date : ______Title of Work: ______Criteria Points 1 2 3 4 I got along with I could have gotten I didn't get along with I got along okay I got along very the members of along better with my ____ my group. with my group. well with my group. my group. group. I worked hard I could have worked I did excellent during this I didn't work hard. I worked okay. ____ harder. work. project. I participated by I didn't share any I shared very little I shared some I shared a lot of sharing ____ information. information. information. information. information. ______Total----> ____ Teacher Comments: E = 11 or 12 S = 8, 9 or 10 N = 7 and lower

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Multimedia Presentation and Evaluation Name: ______Teacher: Date : ______Title of Work: ______Criteria Points 1 2 3 4 Title page included name of Famous American, Three or more parts Very little included. Two parts missing. All parts included ____ names of all left out. group members and an illustration. Five other pages are part of the Hyperstudio Few pages are Most pages are Each page is No pages are complete. ____ stack. Each page complete. complete. complete. has a fact and illustration. Each fact is written in a Few sentences are Most sentences are Each sentence is complete Sentences are complete with poor complete with complete with sentence with incomplete, poor ____ spelling and proper spelling and proper punctuation correct spelling and grammar. grammar. grammar. and grammar. punctuation and grammar. ______Total----> ____ Teacher Comments: E = 11 or 12 S = 8, 9, or 10 N = 7 or lower

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CREDITS & REFERENCES http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/specials/articles/0%2c6709%2c714576%2c00.html http://www.chenowith.k12.or.us/tech/cgcc/projects/bright/lincoln01.htm http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/taverna/98/1.htm http://www.pocanticohills.org/washington/timeline.htm http://www.henry.k12.ga.us/pges/instruction/kid-pages/women/Helen.html http://www.henry.k12.ga.us/pges/instruction/kid-pages/women/SusanAnthony.html

Susan B. Anthony – Lucile Davis Susan B. Anthony – Matthew G. Grant Helen Keller – Cynthia Klingel & Robert B Noyed Helen Keller – David A. Adler Martin Luther King, Jr. A Picture Story – Margaret Boone-Jones Martin Luther King, Jr. – Peter and Connie Roop A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln – David A. Adler Abraham Lincoln – Wil Mara Jackie Robinson – Kenneth Rudeen Jackie Robinson Baseball’s First Black Major-Leaguer – Carol Greene George Washington – Susan & John Lee A Picture Book of George Washington – David Adler

Adapted from a template from the WebQuest Page. Updated Spring 2006.