MFitch

Matthew Fitch EDC 448 section 2 Dr. Coiro __Diverse Text Assignment__


 * Context for using the text set:** I would use this material for teaching a unit on the Constitution and Bill of Rights in an eighth grade social studies class. Most of the material would be used for teaching the class about the Bill of Rights. I think that these materials would be appropriate for students of all levels of ability but, if the classes are arranged homogeneously; I would observe the lowest level class and see how they respond to the Constitution reference book and the online quiz and adjust accordingly.
 * A. Print Resources**
 * Text #1:** //American Civics//
 * Citation: Hartley, W. H., & Vincent, W. S. (2003). //American civics//. Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
 * Text Summary: Chapter three of this textbook is about the Constitution. It covers the ideals of the constitution, its goals, delegation of powers, the three branches of government and the amendment process. Chapter four is about the Bill of Rights featuring a segment on each of the ten amendments. Both chapters include what words and terms students should learn and highlights them in the book. They also feature a chapter review with a summary, define and identify assignment and thinking critically questions.
 * Rationale: I selected this text because the chapters on the Constitution and Bill of Rights are short and concise.
 * Use of text: I would have the students read section one of chapter three and all of chapter four which is only twelve pages. I would have them write and define the highlighted words and terms in their notebooks and check them.
 * Attachment: http://go.hrw.com/hrw.nd/arbiter/pRedirect?project=hrwonline&siteId=2837&pageId=7392
 * Text #2:** The Bill of Rights
 * Citation: U.S. Const., amends. I – X
 * Text Summary: Commonly known as the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
 * Rationale: I selected this text because it is good for the students to see exactly how our Constitution and Bill of Rights is worded.
 * Use of text: I would either print out a copy for them or have them look in a textbook. I would ask them to call out any words they were unfamiliar with and would define them.
 * Attachment: http://www.morningconstitution.net/bill-of-rights.html


 * Text #3:** //The U.S. Constitution And Fascinating Facts About It//
 * Citation: Jordan, T. L. (2008). //The U.S. constitution And fascinating facts about it//. Naperville, IL: Oak Hill Publishing Company.
 * Text Summary: This text includes the entire Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. It has a section on the amendments, a section with short summaries on the lives of each of the founding fathers, a section on the Articles of Confederation and a section on important Supreme Court decisions.
 * Rationale: I selected this reference book because besides being a handy reference and very compact (3x6”), the fascinating facts about the founding fathers and the Constitution are very insightful, intriguing and often humorous.
 * Use of text: I would read parts of it under the ELMO or perhaps buy the book wholesale and let the students borrow them for the unit.
 * Attachment: https://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-pocket-constitution/
 * Text #4:** What the first ten amendments mean for you (a flier)
 * Citation: Carr, K. (1998). //The bill of rights// (1791). Retrieved October 23, 2010 from http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/northamerica/after1500/government/billofrights.htm
 * Text Summary: The Bill of Rights re-written in a manner that secondary students would find more relatable and easier to understand
 * Rationale: I selected this text because I think the students would better understand the Bill of Rights and what they mean for them. I think it would encourage the students.
 * Use of text: After reading or having the students read the Bill of Rights, I would pass this out for them read and keep in their folders.
 * Attachment: http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/northamerica/after1500/government/billofrights.htm


 * Text #5:**
 * Citation: Hubert, L.W. (2010). //Protect the speech with which we disagree//. J//acksonville Daily News//. Retrieved from http://www.jdnews.com/articles/lawrence-84048-protect-read.html
 * Text Summary: This is a letter to the editor in which a man argues that the first Amendment protects everyone’s freedom of speech, not just that of the majority.
 * Rationale: I selected this letter to an editor because I thought its point was a good one to remember.
 * Use of text: After teaching the students about the first Amendment, I could hand this out for the students to read for homework or we could discuss the inclusive nature of the first Amendment in class.
 * Attachment: http://www.jdnews.com/articles/lawrence-84048-protect-read.html


 * B. Media Resources**
 * Text #6:** Bill of Rights YouTube clip
 * Citation: willrupert. (2009, November 29). //Mr. Rupert bill of rights tutorial// [video file]. Retrieved October 23, 2010 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXopINJmxkE
 * Text Summary: A man narrates the story of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights while a video runs in the background of historical paintings (some doctored to humorous effect), a clip of Jim Carrey from the film “Liar Liar among others. The video runs ten minutes and features the characters from “Family Guy,” comedian Dave Chappelle and singer/comedian Weird Al Yankovic.
 * Rationale: I selected this text because it’s easy to understand and somewhat funny, it would certainly capture the students’ attention.
 * Use of text: I would play it over the projector at some point during the unit.
 * Attachment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXopINJmxkE


 * Text #7:** Photograph of the Bill of Rights (printed from an internet source)
 * Citation: The National Archives (2010). [Photograph of the Bill of Rights]. //The Charters of Freedom//. Retrieved from http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_zoom_1.html
 * Text Summary: The actual Bill of Rights written on March 4th 1789 in New York City.
 * Rationale: I selected this photo because I think the students should get to see what the actual document looked like.
 * Use of text: I would print the photo out on the highest quality printer I could find (perhaps Kinko’s) and put it under the ELMO and zoom in so the students can read where it was written, the date it was written, what it says and who signed it. For example it is signed by the president of the senate who just happens to be the president at that time President John Adams, because the President served both roles back then.
 * Attachment: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_zoom_1.html
 * C. Online interactive resources**
 * Text #8:** Bill of Rights: Matching Game
 * Citation: Mull. [n.d.]. //Bill of rights matching game//. Retrieved on October 23, 2010 from Quia- Quia Web Website at http://www.quia.com/mc/67829.html
 * Text Summary: This is a matching game for the Bill of Rights.
 * Rationale: I selected this game because it doesn’t take long to play and when you are done you can start over and it shuffles it and you get new amendments and rights to try and match.
 * Use of text: I would either have the students play the game on their laptops, or laptops provided to them, or I would hook my laptop up to the projector and play it on the screen with the students’ answers guiding my cursor to the correct or incorrect response.
 * Attachment: http://www.quia.com/mc/67829.html
 * Text #9:** U.S. Constitution Quiz: Amendments 1-10
 * Citation: Pearson Education, Inc. (2005). //U.S. constitution quiz: amendments 1-10//. Retrieved on October 23, 2010 from http://www.factmonster.com/quizzes/amendments1/2.html
 * Text Summary: This is a short online quiz on the Bill of Rights.
 * Rationale: I selected this online quiz because it is only ten minutes long and would help the students remember the material.
 * Use of text: I would have the students take this quiz on their provided laptops or I would do what I did above and have them choose the answer by a show of hands. If I knew they all had adequate internet access at home I’d have them take it and print out their score sheet for their first try and I’d tell them not to worry about how many they got wrong and give them homework credit for it.
 * Attachment: http://www.factmonster.com/quizzes/amendments1/2.html


 * D. Instructional Resources**
 * Text #10:**
 * Citation: The Bill of Rights Institute (2010). //Middle school lesson on the bill of rights//. Retrieved October 23, 2010
 * Text Summary: This lesson plan includes a small “list five rights you value the most” assignment to be given the day before for homework, a frontloading scenario, a sophisticated group activity to be done in class and a potential homework assignment.
 * Rationale: I selected this lesson plan because it some nice frontloading prompts and I liked the group activity.
 * Use of text: I would use some of the frontloading prompts and I would give the students the “list the five rights you value the most” assignment as well as the group activity.
 * Attachment: http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/teach/freeresources/borday/bor_ms.pdf

If the students are allowed to take their books home I would have them read the applicable chapters and write out the highlighted words and terms in their notebook for homework. Then the next day I would hand out a paper with the Bill of Rights on it along with the “list the five rights you value the most” assignment and give them 5-10 minutes to fill most if not all of it out. Then I would hand out my “what the first ten Amendments mean for you” flier and have them read that to themselves. Perhaps I would read some one of the particularly dry of the amendments and then say “or in other words, read this handout” and then hand it out. After that I would get them into groups of three or four and have them do the scenario card activity from the lesson plan I downloaded. If there was time left I would collect their assignments and play that amusing but accurate Bill of Rights clip for them on the projector. The next day I would show them the Bill of Rights photo under the ELMO. I would zoom in close so they would see it was written in New York City and the fact that the Amendments were labeled articles back then and that they went to twelve; the first two being about congressional pay and term length. I would tell them that over time Amendments 3-12 became known as first ten and the less significant first two all but forgotten. Then I would tell them about that handy Constitution reference guide and pass that out for them to borrow and if that wasn’t possible I would show them some parts on the ELMO. If I had enough for them to borrow I would tell them to read some of the fascinating facts and to chart down their favorite on their next homework assignment for extra credit. Then I would distribute the class laptops and have them play the Bill of Rights matching game and take the Constitution quiz. Or I would hook my laptop up to the projector and show them the matching game and have them raise their hands if they knew which one to match. The same is for the Constitution quiz. If they had laptops or shared one in a group setting I would go around and see how they were doing and check their scores on the quiz. For homework I would give them the homework from the lesson plan that has them looking through newspapers and magazines to see if they can find an article related to the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Before that I would show them that letter to the editor I found online about how the First Amendment protects freedom of speech even opinions and views that are not very popular.
 * Using these texts together in the classroom:**

** Learning Objectives: ** As the result of reading and interacting with the texts I have selected I hope students will be able to identify and explain the origins and basic functions of government [GSE C&G 1 (7-8)-1b] as well as demonstrating an understanding of citizens’ rights and responsibilities by evaluating and defending a position on issues involving individual rights such as those from the Bill of Rights [GSE C&G 3 (7-8)-1b]. Students will know why the framers of the constitution decided to add the Bill of Rights to the Constitution and why it happened that March 4th 1789 in New York City (Core Standards for SP #3). Students will read Chapter 3 section 1 and Chapter 4, writing down and defining all highlighted words and terms in their notebooks for me to check the next day (Core Standards for R&C of Student Reading D Informational Test).