jwhalen

Jay Whalen EDC 448 Diverse Text Set 2/5/09

**The American Revolution**


 * Context for using the text set:** This text set is designed for a 10th grade American History class. The current unit is on the American Revolution and the following texts and online resources will be integrated into lessons to enhance student comprehension. Texts will be used individually, in small groups, or by the whole class depending on the difficulty, learning objective, or context of the text.

Text #1: Online Textbook from Digital History Mintz, S. (2006). The American Revolution. Retrieved February 23, 2009 from Digital History Web Site: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/subtitles.cfm?titleID=53
 * Print Resources:**
 * __Summary__: This digital textbook is a very helpful and informational resource for students learning about the American Revolution. Each major theme is separated into its own section and many timelines are included to enhance the comprehension and chronology of events.
 * __Rationale__: In order to complete and understand the other primary and secondary sources, students will need the background knowledge base to understand the main events and ideas of the time.
 * __Use of Text__: I chose this text to be the basis of the reading the students will do. This text will be used throughout the unit to introduce new topics before moving deeper into critical thinking based on primary and secondary source documents.
 * __Attachment__: []

__Text #2__: Constitution of the United States of America Yale University, Avalon Project. (2008). //US Constitution.// Retrieved March 1, 2009, from http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/usconst.asp
 * __Summary__: The Constitution is one of the foremost documents in American history. It lays out the plan for governmental organization and power structure that has lasted since it was drafted.
 * __Rationale__: I chose this text because I feel it is one of the most prominent documents of the time. Not only will students see how the founders set up the government, but they can also make connections to current events or other Constitutional controversies throughout history when they have a better understanding of the document.
 * __Use of Text__: This text will be examined concurrently with the Articles of Confederation. The students will study both documents to find the changes made from the Articles to the Constitution and explain why such changes were necessary.
 * __Attachment__: []

__Text #3__: Articles of Confederation Yale University, Avalon Project. (2008). //Articles of Confederation.// Retrieved March 1, 2009, from http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/artconf.asp
 * __Summary__: The Articles of Confederation give and overview and outline of how the states first attempted to structure government, political and economic policy, and foreign relations in the early republic.
 * __Rationale__: I chose this text because I think it is important for students to see some of the major failures and problems encountered by the founding fathers. Also, by examining the changes made between this text and the Constitution, students will be able to see the rationale for why certain laws and statutes set forth in the Constitution were proposed.
 * __Use of Text__: Students will use this text alongside the United States Constitution text to examine the differences between the two. They will find the weaknesses associated with the Articles of Confederation and then examine the subsequent changes made for the Constitution.
 * __Attachment__: []

__Text #4__: //Common Sense// by Thomas Paine Paine, T. (1776). //Common Sense//. Retrieved March 2, 2009 from Constitution Society Web Site: http://www.constitution.org/civ/comsense.htm
 * __Summary__: This is a pamphlet by Thomas Paine published in 1776, in which he publicly blamed the suffering of the American colonies directly on Great Britain. The pamphlet was circulated throughout the colonies and raised revolutionary sentiment in America and united the people against the British.
 * __Rationale__: I chose this text because it is important to read primary source documents of the time period. Especially one of such importance, in which the students can really get a feel for how Americans felt on a personal level. It gives a more humane aspect for students to look at, rather than strictly textbook reading or official government documents.
 * __Use of Text__: I will have the students read sections of this document in small groups. Since it is a primary source, it can be difficult to read. I would have students work together on specific sections to pick out Paine’s main arguments and present them to the class.
 * __Attachment__: []

__Text #5__: “Rethinking the Revolution” by John Ferling Ferling, J. (2007). Rethinking the Revolution. //American History,// 42(4), 24-31. Retrieved March 1, 2009 from EBSCOhost database.
 * __Summary__: This article talks about the brutality and seriousness of the American Revolution, which is often over-shadowed by the heroic portrayals of the founding fathers. It discusses the carnage of the war, relating it to that of the American Civil War.
 * __Rationale__: I included this article because it gives the students a different perspective on the Revolutionary War from the rest of the documents they read. It also gives them a chance to read a contemporary view of what they have been studying and make educated judgments and criticisms based on their newfound knowledge.
 * __Use of Text__: This will be one of the last texts the students read during the unit on the Revolution. It requires students’ possess essential background knowledge and are able to think critically about the topic. Students will read this article then hold small group discussions about how they feel about the content.
 * __Attachment__: []

__Text #6__: //John Adams// HBO Miniseries Hanks, T. (Executive Producer), and Goetzman, G. (Executive Producer). (2008). //John Adams// [Television Series]. (Available through HBO Films)
 * Media Resources:**
 * __Summary__: The HBO Miniseries //John Adams// is based on the bestselling novel by David McCullough and chronicles the life of Boston resident and patriot John Adams from the Boston Massacre through his death in 1826.
 * __Rationale__: Parts 1 through 4 of the series deal with the Revolutionary period between 1770 and 1798. I picked this miniseries to show because not only does it do a good job of portraying the history, it also gives students a visual representation of the events. Many times students have a hard time visualizing how people dressed or what they looked like in historical periods, so this gives them a chance to see how things looked in real-life, as well as seeing the history in a more exciting format.
 * __Use of Text__: I would show different parts of the miniseries as we finished in-class learning about the events. So for instance, after discussing the Boston Massacre and First Continental Congress, I would show part one of the series, which chronicles that time. That way, students have already learned the information and can follow the story easier without becoming confused.
 * __Attachment__: No attachment available.

__Text #7__: Photo-Set of the Revolutionary War National Archives and Records Administration. (n.d) //Pictures of the Revolutionary War.// Retrieved February 26, 2009 from http://www.archives.gov/research/american-revolution/pictures/
 * __Summary__: There are links to 140 pictures from the Revolutionary period. It is divided into 13 different sections (e.g. Prelude to War, Campaign in the West, Portraits of Patriots, etc.) and complete bibliographical information is given for each photograph.
 * __Rationale__: By having all the pictures divided into different sections, students can easily sort through which ones will be more relevant to what we are learning at a particular time. It is also a benefit to see paintings of the time period by people who lived in the time period, as opposed to the real-life depictions in //John Adams,// which is a modern depiction.
 * __Use of Text__: These pictures will be used concurrently during lessons of the American Revolution. They will supplement reading and activities to give students a visual representation that matches with the ideas and information they are reading about.
 * __Attachment__: []

__Text #8__: Interactive Revolutionary War Battle Activity Teaching American History. (n.d.) //The American Revolution//. Retrieved February 23, 2009, from http://www.teachingamericanhistory.org/neh/interactives/americanrevolution/
 * Online Interactive Resources** :
 * __Summary__: This site is an interactive trip through the major battles of the Revolutionary War. Students must locate and click on different battle sites of the war and choose the winner. The students will be told whether they are “correct” or “incorrect” and then given a short explanation of the battle with links to primary and secondary source documents.
 * __Rationale__: I chose this because it is both an assessment and re-enforcer of previous information. First students will be able to test their knowledge by choosing which side (British or American) won specific battles of the war, then they will be given brief summaries and major events that affected each battle. Finally if they don’t understand something or just want to read more about it, each page gives links to primary and secondary documents related to each battle.
 * __Use of Text__: I will use this text after teaching the Revolutionary War. In the entire lesson on the road to independence, the war is actually a small part, but this interactive site will help students test their knowledge of the order and major events of battles and reinforce information they may have missed in earlier lectures or activities.
 * __Attachment__: []

__Text #9__: LIBERTY! Road to Revolution Game PBS. (2004). LIBERTY! Road to Revolution Game. Retrieved March 2, 2009 from http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/road.html
 * __Summary__: This is an interactive game where students have to navigate their way to liberty from Britain. Students are put in a situation typical of an American colonist and then are given questions about the road to revolution and each correct answer gets them a step closer to liberty. Also, after each question, a short explanation is given for the correct answer.
 * __Rationale__: My rationale for choosing this game is to give the students a fun activity to complete. The questions posed are not that difficult, but the correct answers are explained, and it gives the students a sense of accomplishment when they reach the end of the road.
 * __Use of Text__: This game could be played independently or in groups. It would come at the end of the lesson, as a good review for students. It refreshes the chronology of events and does a great job of fitting major events together in a story.
 * __Attachment__: []

__Text #10__: Teach US History Website Teach US History. (2005). //The American Revolution.// Retrieved February 25, 2009 from http://www.teachushistory.org/Revolution/
 * Instructional Resources:**
 * __Summary__: This website gives teachers access to materials for teaching the American Revolution. It has unit plans, student assessments, links to different types of primary sources documents, classroom activities, as well as other things.
 * __Rationale__: I feel like this site would be beneficial for teachers to add to their knowledge about the topic. Even if they don’t use the primary sources in the classroom, the knowledge gained from them can still be implemented.
 * __Use of Text__: To use this text teachers can adapt assessments or activities to fit the culture of the class. Also, the unit plans established can help teachers find a time frame and pace for teaching the material.
 * __Attachment__: []


 * Using these texts together in the classroom:** All of the texts listed above will be read or viewed by every member of the class. The textbook would be the base reading material for general knowledge about the American Revolution. All the others would be structured with guiding questions for written answers or groups discussions. The Constitution and Articles of Confederation would be used simultaneously. Students would not have to read each one in its entirety, but a small group would be assigned a small section from each to compare and contrast. The article “Rethinking the Revolution” would be read individually but discussed in groups. //Common Sense// would be read in small groups and discussed afterwards, since it is also a difficult text that requires higher-level thinking. Also, a full class discussion, with the teacher, would accompany both after reading. Both would be introduced into the unit when the chronology of teaching reaches that certain period. The //John Adams// miniseries would also be shown chronologically to follow along with the teaching of the content. The two online interactive games would come at the end of lessons or the unit to reinforce understanding and would be completed individually by students. The diversity of the time span of these particular documents allows students to go through the entire unit with more than the textbook to enhance each section.


 * Learning Objectives:**

Reading Expectations: R-10-5: Analyze and interpret elements of literary texts, citing evidence where appropriate R-10-5.1: Explaining a supporting logical predictions or logical outcomes R-10-5.3: Making inferences about cause/effect, internal, or external conflicts

National Social Sciences Expectations for US History: NSS-USH.5-12.3: Revolution and the New Nation -Understands the causes of the American Revolution, the ideas and interests involved in forging the revolutionary movement, and the reasons for the American victory -Understands the impact of the American Revolution on politics, economy, and society - Understands the institutions and practices of government created during the Revolution and how they were revised between 1787 and 1815 to create the foundation of the American political system based on the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights

Joyce: Your choice of television series, photos, and interactive activity were my favorites in your text set. The photos were a particularly interesting because having such a visual can make the subject that much more real for the students. I can't recall a history class where the teacher took the time to show such photos so brownie points for being unique! Your students will love it!

Jay, I really liked the fact that you used several of the actual documents of that time period. Using those along with the textbook and other resources connects students more to the reality of what they are learning. I also thought the photo set was a great tool, especially because it is so organized and has all of the relevant bibliographic information. I loved text #9-the interactive revolutionary road game. It asked multi-level questions, provided relevant links for further information and enrichment, and visually mapped out the route. I like that the player gets another chance to answer questions if they were wrong the first time, and I thought that the fact that the game is played from the standpoint of a person in that time period is a valuable way to get students engaged and connected in the material. Overall, I think your text set does a good job of using straightforward texts and more varied resources together in order to keep students' interest and motivation throughout the unit.

Kaitlin Kenneally