Wagons Ho Power Point Lesson
VITAL INFORMATION
Subject(s): English Language Arts, History, Social Studies, Technology
Topic or Unit of Study: Westward Expansion
Grade/Level: 4-5
Objective: Students will develop a thorough understanding of the westward movement. Emphasis will be on how the country grew as a result of moving west, and how it affected the individuals involved, i.e., the pioneers, Native Americans, railroad promoters, even the Buffalo. Students will research the Westward Expansion from the perspective of either a Pioneer, an Indian, a Buffalo, or a Railroad Promoter via books, video, or the internet. Students will use their technology to create a Power Point presentation using text, graphics, buttons, sounds, animation. Students will present their presentations to the class, thereby teaching what they have learned. Subject Areas: Language Arts: develop guiding questions to plan the research portion of the project read expository text and elicit main/supporting ideas for the assigned topic write summaries of information for the multimedia presentation Social Studies: identify themajor influences and motivations for westward expansion identify th eproblems and hazards of westward expansion identify and describe how people moved west including the mode of transportation and ife on the trail Technology: successfully navigate the web to gather information in both text and graphic form correctly create a multimedia presentation of the material successfully present a multimedia presentation of the material
Summary: Students will learn about the Westward Expansion from the different perspectives of Pioneers, Indians, Buffalos, and Railroad Promoters. Students will be expanding their current knowledge of the Westward Expansion learned in 3rd grade to give them a better understanding. Students will use a multimedia program (PowerPoint or HyperStudio), on-line Internet resources, multimedia encyclopedias, and print materials to develop their project. The project is student directed and driven in format. Students will teach the rest of the class what they have learned from their chosen perspective.
IMPLEMENTATION
Learning Context: We are working on a unit on the Westward Expansion, expanding on what students learned in the fourth grade. We are learning about the effects of the Westward Expansion from the different perspectives of the Pioneers, the Native Americans, the Buffalo, and the Railroad Promoters. We are learning that not everyone benefited from Westward Expansion.
Procedure: *Allow at least five class periods for this lesson - one for review of prior knowledge, one for research and set up, two for creation, and one additional day for presentations. 1. Students will be shown examples of PowerPoint presentations done by other students to show them the possibilities. 2. Teacher will conduct a class discussion reviewing Westward Expansion from the differing perspectives of the Pioneers, Native Americans, the Buffalo, and the Railroad Promoters. 3. Students will be given instruction on developing a basic PowerPoint presentation that will include review of cutting and pasting graphics, word art, and text wrapping, and how to create "buttons" to move from one card to the next. 4. Students will be given a brief review on conducting research via the internet using the web addresses provided by the teacher. 5. Students will work collaboratively in groups of two. 6. Each group will choose from the following perspective choices: a. Pioneers b. Native Americans c. Buffalo d. Railroad Promoters 7. Students will then expand on prior knowledge gained from initial PBS video on Westward Expansion and in-class discussion by researching websites provided by the teacher and other research materials provided in the classroom and in the school library. 8. Students will summarize their findings in the form of a PowerPoint presentation that they will use to teach the rest of the class about Westward Expansion from their chosen perspective. a. In the first session, students will create storyboards or large cards showing how the multimedia slides will look. Any buttons, graphics, special effects, etc., should be noted on the cards. b. In the second session, computer lab session, students will create the presentation, make all the slides leaving them blank, save it in their folder and maybe get backgrounds on each slide, if time permits. c. In the third session the students will put titles and pictures on each slide. ii. Students will type in their title with graphics on the first slide with subtitles and graphics on their remaining slides. c. In the fourth session the students will add their text objects. iii. Students will add descriptive text to each slide to accompany the title, subtitles, and graphics. 9. Students will present their PowerPoint to the class as a teacher, teaching the rest of the class their view of the westward movement and thereby reinforcing what they have learned. **Those not on computers can be working on their cards, creating their own graphics, researching from printed texts and keeping a journal of their progress. *note: When grouping students, group students with varying levels of technology skill together so that they can learn from each other.
Sample Student Products: Attachments:  1.  Westward Ho - Plains Indian Westward Expansion from the perspective of a Plains Indian
Collaboration: Students will work collaboratively. Students will work in groups of 4.
Time Allotment: 4 class periods. 35 Min. per class.
Author's Comments & Reflections: Students at this grade level have been exposed to computer technology so they will most likely not need a lot of assistance with this aspect of the lesson. They may need a brief lesson in creating a Power Point presentation. They may need a lesson in skimming documents of length, and selecting proper information to include. The research and creation of the journal newsletter on the computer should keep them interested and on track. They may even find that writing from the differing perspectives will be an interesting challenge.
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
Instructional Materials: Books: Steel, Christy; A Covered Wagon Girl – The Diary of Sallie Hester (1849-1850); Capstone Press, Minnesota (2000). Streissguth, Thomas; The Transcontinental Railroad; Lucent Books, Inc., San Diego, CA (2000). Stein, Conrad R.; The Transcontinental Railroad – In American History; Enslow Publishers, Inc., Springfield, NJ (1997). Links:  1.  Indian Uses of the Buffalo  2.  Plains Indian Culture  3.  PBS Gold Rush Kids Site  4.  Oregon Trail Map
Resources: The number of computers required is 1 per 4 students. Technology resources: HyperStudio, Paint, PowerPoint, Software titles required: Internet Explorer, msWord, Color Printer. Materials and resources: This will be implemented within my classroom. It is within the unit we are currently studying. Students will complete during Social Studies activity time, as well as during free times as they enjoy working on the computers. Students Familiarity with Software Tool: Most students are familiar with the computer, some will need assistance with the Internet and creating a HyperStudion or PowerPoint presentation.
STANDARDS & ASSESSMENT
Standards: CA- California K-12 Academic Content Standards • Subject : English Language Arts • Grade : Grade Four • Area : Reading • Standard 2.0: Reading Comprehension Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They draw upon a variety of comprehension strategies as needed (e.g., generating and responding to essential questions, making predictions, comparing information from several sources). The selections in Recommended Readings in Literature, Kindergarten Through Grade Eight illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students. In addition to their regular school reading, students read one-half million words annually, including a good representation of grade-level-appropriate narrative and expository text (e.g., classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, online information). • Concept : Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text  Benchmark or Example 2.2: Use appropriate strategies when reading for different purposes (e.g., full comprehension, location of information, personal enjoyment).  Benchmark or Example 2.5: Compare and contrast information on the same topic after reading several passages or articles.  Benchmark or Example 2.6: Distinguish between cause and effect and between fact and opinion in expository text.  Benchmark or Example 2.7: Follow multiple-step instructions in a basic technical manual (e.g., how to use computer commands or video games). • Area : Writing • Standard 1.0: Writing Strategies Students write clear, coherent sentences and paragraphs that develop a central idea. Their writing shows they consider the audience and purpose. Students progress through the stages of the writing process (e.g., prewriting, drafting, revising, editing successive versions). • Concept : Organization and Focus  Benchmark or Example 1.1: Select a focus, an organizational structure, and a point of view based upon purpose, audience, length, and format requirements.  Benchmark or Example 1.3: Use traditional structures for conveying information (e.g., chronological order, cause and effect, similarity and difference, and posing and answering a question). • Concept : Research and Technology  Benchmark or Example 1.6: Locate information in reference texts by using organizational features (e.g., prefaces, appendixes).  Benchmark or Example 1.7: Use various reference materials (e.g., dictionary, thesaurus, card catalog, encyclopedia, online information) as an aid to writing.  Benchmark or Example 1.9: Demonstrate basic keyboarding skills and familiarity with computer terminology (e.g., cursor, software, memory, disk drive, hard drive). • Area : Listening And Speaking • Standard 1.0: Listening and Speaking Strategies Students listen critically and respond appropriately to oral communication. They speak in a manner that guides the listener to understand important ideas by using proper phrasing, pitch, and modulation. • Concept : Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication  Benchmark or Example 1.7: Emphasize points in ways that help the listener or viewer to follow important ideas and concepts.  Benchmark or Example 1.8: Use details, examples, anecdotes, or experiences to explain or clarify information.  Benchmark or Example 1.9: Use volume, pitch, phrasing, pace, modulation, and gestures appropriately to enhance meaning. • Subject : History & Social Science • Grade : Grade Three • Area : Continuity and Change Students in grade three learn more about our connections to the past and the ways in which particularly local, but also regional and national, government and traditions have developed and left their marks on current society, providing common memories. Emphasis is on the physical and cultural landscape of California, including the study of American Indians, the subsequent arrival of immigrants, and the impact they have had in forming the character of our contemporary society. • Standard 3.3: Students draw from historical and community resources to organize the sequence of local historical events and describe how each period of settlement left its mark on the land.  Benchmark or Example 2: Describe the economies established by settlers and their influence on the present-day economy, with emphasis on the importance of private property and entrepreneurship.  Benchmark or Example 3: Trace why their community was established, how individuals and families contributed to its founding and development, and how the community has changed over time, drawing on maps, photographs, oral histories, letters, newspapers, and other primary sources.
Assessment Plan: Students will be assessed by informal observation and using a 4-point rubric scale. The assessment will be based on the students' ability to assess, apply, and interpret information from the internet and other resource materials. In addition, students will be assessed using a 4-point rubric scale on their ability to collaborate and create and present their presentation. Self-assessment can also be used: Help students set up a simple rubric of what they think would be in a good presentation. Show them the Multimedia Rubric in this lesson plan as an example. Have them assess theirs and others' presentations and then give positive feedback.
Rubrics: Westward Ho Power Point Rubric  Westward Ho PowerPoint Oral Presentation Rubrick   Links:  1.  Multimedia Rubric