American Revolution Layered Curriculum
We will be studying the build up to and the American Revolution by using a layered curriculum format. Be sure to follow the directions for each section. All “mandatory” assignments MUST be completed, but they will count toward the total point score for that particular section. The last day to turn in points for this unit will be either Wednesday, October 13, 2010 or Thursday, October 14, 2010 (this will be announced by October 1, 2010).
There are some mandatory assignments that are a part of this unit that are not part of the layered curriculum. These are:
1. Event Profile – You will be assigned one of six event profiles to work on with a small group. You and your group will prepare a visual of the event that will include the key people involved, the timeline of events, what led up to the event, and what was the result of it. Also, you and your group must be prepared to create a podcast of the event on the assigned day. This podcast will be made during class time. Once that is done, you will follow the events in the years before the Revolutionary War museum-style, moving from one exhibit to another. This will be part of your “project” grade for the quarter.
2. Declaration of Independence Quiz – You must take a quiz on the six lines of the Declaration of Independence assigned. This will be part of your “quizzes and test” grade for the quarter.
3. Test on the American Revolution – You must take a test on the American Revolution, including the build-up to it. This will be part of your “quizzes and test” grade for the quarter. This will be either Thursday, October 14, 2010 or Friday, October 15, 2010.
“C Level” – In order to earn at least a “C” you must earn 80 points in order to move on to “B Level.” In order to earn the points for a specific assignment, you must make an oral defense of it. You will not be allowed to make more than one oral defense per day. In order to move on to the “B Level,” you must earn the 80 points by October 1, 2010.
1. Revolutionary Replica (MANDATORY) – You will be assigned one of the figures from the American Revolution. You must follow the directions on the sheet provided for you and make a presentation to the class on the assigned day. (10 points)
2. Read article and blog about the Boston Massacre (Boston Globe Article “The Charge is Murder” by Richard Archer from April 18, 2010) (MANDATORY) – This article will only be available for a limited time from the beginning of the unit under a link at nicenet.org and then participate in the on-line discussion at nicenet.org. You must make one original post and respond to one of your classmates’ posts. (10 points)
3. Lecture Notes – Mini-lectures will be given on a regular basis. You must take notes each day, but whether or not you choose to get quizzed on them is up to you. For each day you get quizzed on the notes, you will receive up to 3 points.
4. Similarities and differences between the colonies in the years before the Revolution. Using various maps and documents available from Mr. Boyle, create a list of 5 similarities and 5 differences among the various colonies in the years leading up to Independence. (5 points)
5. Flash Cards – French and Indian War, Royal Proclamation of 1763, Sam Adams, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, Stamp Act, Boston Massacre, Crispus Attacks, Boston Tea Party, Intolerable Acts, First Continental Congress, Common Sense, Second Continental Congress, Paul Revere, Benedict Arnold, Olive Branch Petition, The Crisis, Hessians, Valley Forge, Treaty of Paris (1783) (10 points)
6. Using timetoast.com, create an annotated timeline for the battles of the Revolution that took place in the North and post the link to it under the “link sharing” tab at nicenet.org (10 points)
7. Using timetoast.com, create an annotated timeline for the battles of the Revolution that took place in the South and post the link to it under the “link sharing” tab at nicenet.org (10 points)
8. Compare two pictures of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and list what you see in each. Links to both are available at nicenet.org and Mr. Boyle’s blog page. (10 points)
9. Examine the painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware” by Emmanuel Gottlieb Leutze and fill-in an art evaluation sheet. (10 points)
10. Jean Fritz books 8 – 10 facts (5 points)
11. List the provisions of the Treaty of Paris (1783) (5 points)
12. Read a chapter from Laurie Halse Anderson’s book Chains and summarize it. This book is available “on reserve” in the library. This means that you must ask the librarian for the book and it may not leave the library. (5 points)
13. Read Chapter 4 and answer the questions at the end of each section. (5 points each section)
If you earn between 60 – 69 points, you will earn a D for this unit, 70 – 79 points a C-. If you earn anything more than 90 points without moving on to the “B Level,” you will earn a C+ for this unit. If you earn anything less than 60 points will result in an F, from 10 – 50 points will result in an F-, and anything less than 10 points will result in a zero..
“B Level” – In order to earn at least a “B” and move on to the “A Level” you must complete and be quizzed on two of the following assignments. You may only do one from #1 – 3, one from # 4 – 6, and one from # 7 – 9.
1. Write 1-2 pages about how the event that you studied led to the Declaration of Independence.
2. Create a Google Earth Map of the events of April 18-19, 1775.
3. Create your own Boston Freedom Trail. You must select at least 7 of the sites on the “official” Freedom Trail. You should make this on a poster, diorama, Google Earth, or some other visual that will allow you to connect the sites that you have selected. You should be sure to include some information as to why this site was significant enough to make your list of 7. Also, each of the items should be related to the American Revolution.
4. Write 1-2 pages as to why did the colonists write the Olive Branch Petition, what was contained in it, and why do you think King George III did not read it?
5. Read the poem "Ride of Paul Revere" and select a stanza and turn it into a poster
6. Read the poem “Concord Hymn" and create a 3 dimensional monument to fit the poem
7. Watch movie/musical 1776 and fill out worksheet available from Mr. Boyle (10 points)
8. Listen to the podcast “Washington’s Crossing” by David Hackett Fisher available at this site: http://www.gilderlehrman.org/historians/podcasts/podcast.php?podcast_id=56 and write a summary of it. Then, compare it to the painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware,” determining the similarities and differences. The links are also available at nicenet.org and Mr. Boyle’s blog site.
9. Listen to the podcast “Myths of the American Revolution” by Carol Berkin available at this site: http://www.gilderlehrman.org/historians/podcasts/podcast.php?podcast_id=514 and write a summary of it. The links are also available at nicenet.org and Mr. Boyle’s blog site.
If you complete only one assignment, you will earn a B- for this unit. If you complete both assignments, but do not move on to the “A Level,” you will earn a B.
“A Level” – In order to earn an “A” you must complete and have a discussion about one of the following two assignments.
1. Much has been made recently about the “Tea Party Movement” in the United States. Research the goals of this group and compare them to the work of those people involved with the original Boston Tea Party, the Sons of Liberty. Then, in a 2-3 page paper, discuss whether or not the current movement is being true to the ideals of the original movement.
2. The leaders of the movement for independence from England used Parliament’s imposition of taxes on the colonies as the reason why the colonies should break away. Now there is a movement that suggests Americans are more willing to give “taxes” to specific organizations on their income tax form. Read the column at this link (http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/06/27/voluntary_taxes/?page=full) and write a 2-3 page paper on how these ideas might have changed the thoughts of the Revolutionary leaders if they had been asked to pay taxes to the cause they might have wanted to support. Be sure to use the article as a basis for your paper. (This link will be available both at nicenet.org and my blog page.)
Early Days of the Republic Layered Curriculum U.S. History I (CP)
Sophomores
We will be studying the formation of the Constitution and the early days of the United States under it by using a layered curriculum format. Be sure to follow the directions for each section. All “mandatory” assignments MUST be completed, but they will count toward the total point score for that particular section. The last day to turn in points for this unit will be either Tuesday, November 16, 2010 or Wednesday, November 17, 2010 (the date will be announced by November 1, 2010).
There are some mandatory assignments that are a part of this unit that are not part of the layered curriculum. These are:
1. “Which Founding Father Are You” - You will go to the following website http://www.constitutioncenter.org/foundersquiz/ (a link to which will also be available at Nicenet.org and my blog). Then you will create a story board that about a presentation that you would make about that person. A story board is a layout of the pictures and text that you would use in a visual presentation. This will be part of your “project” grade for the quarter.
2. Preamble Quiz – You must take a quiz on the six Preamble to the Constitution. This will be part of your “quizzes and test” grade for the quarter.
3. Quest on the Constitution – You must take a test on the Constitution, including the build-up to it. This will be part of your “quizzes and test” grade for the quarter. This will be either Tuesday, October 25, 2010 or Wednesday, October 26, 2010.
4. Quest on the New Republic – You must take a test on the early days of the new republic. This will be part of your “quizzes and test” grade for the quarter. This will be either Tuesday, November 16, 2010 or Wednesday, November 17, 2010.
“C Level” – In order to earn at least a “C” you must earn points in order to move on to “B Level.” In order to earn the points for a specific assignment, you must make an oral defense of it. You will not be allowed to make more than one oral defense per day. There are over 200 points available to you in this “C Level,” so in order to move on to the “B Level,” you must earn 120 points by Wednesday, November 1, 2010
1. Lecture Notes – Mini-lectures will be given on a regular basis. You must take notes each day, but whether or not you choose to get quizzed on them is up to you. For each day you get quizzed on the notes, you will receive up to 3 points.
2. Create a VoiceThread of the Founding Father that you are most like (you created the storyboard for this in the mandatory assignments section above). (15 points)
3. Flash Cards – Articles of Confederation, Daniel Shays, Alexander Hamilton, Northwest Ordinance (1787), Great Compromise, James Madison, Federalist Papers, Bill of Rights, republic, “checks and balances,” Federalist Party, Democratic-Republican Party, Jay’s Treaty, Alien and Sedition Acts, 12th Amendment, Louisiana Purchase, “Mr. Madison’s War”, Hartford Convention, John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, (15 points)
4. Become the leader of the Corps of Discovery and help Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific Ocean. Go to http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/into/index.html and follow the instructions along the way. It is a “choose your own story” simulation where you will be presented with information and have to choose the best course of action for the corps to follow. Choose correctly and the corps move on. Choose incorrectly and the corps could be subject to slow down, battles, and even death. This simulation will not save, so you will need to finish in one sitting. You may play as many times as you like. Print out the final page and bring it to your teacher for checking. (15 Points)
5. Read and summarize Jeff Jacoby’s column from August 1, 2010 about a National Election. (10 points)
6. Choose one person from the time period and create a facebook-style page for them. Handout with directions and requirements available from your teacher. (10 points)
7. Go to the computer simulation “Do I Have a Right” at icivics.org. You will be an office manager in a law firm that listens to potential cases of clients. You must then bring them to a lawyer with the proper knowledge and expertise to help them. If, by the end of the simulation, you gain 3900 or more points, you will earn 10 points. If you gain between 3000 and 3899 points, you will earn 8 points. If you gain 2000 - 2999 point you will earn 6 points. If you gain anything less than 2000 points, you will need to play again in order to earn any points. You are welcome to play this game more than once to try and gain as many points as you can up to 10 points. Be sure to print out your results and bring them to your teacher.
8. Go to the computer simulation “Executive Command” at icivics.org. You will be the President of the United States forced to make a number of different decisions about how to run the country, including what the most important issue your administration is going to try and tackle, how to deal with countries that want to go to war, and which departments are best suited to carry out the legislation that you pass into law. If you gain more than 30,000 points, you will earn 10 points. If you gain between 25,000 and 29,999 points, you will earn 8 points. If you gain between 20,000 and 24,999 points, you will earn 6 points. If you gain anything less than 20,000 points, you will need to play again to earn any points. You may play as many times as you like in order to earn up to 10 points. Be sure to print out your results and bring them to your teacher.
9. Go to the computer simulation “Represent Me” at icivics.org. You will be a politician listening reading through a series of bills and deciding which people they most effectively represent. Then, you will choose the three bills that will give you the best chance for re-elections based on the needs of your constituents. If you win re-elections with more than 60% of the vote you will earn 10 points. If you earn re-election with between 50% and 59% of the vote, you will earn 8 points. If you are not re-elected, you should play again until you are. Be sure to print out your results and bring them to your teacher.
10. Go to the computer simulation “Court Quest” at icivics.org. You will be a lawyer “listening” to potential clients who have been complaints before one of the many courts in the both the state and federal system. Your job is to help as many clients as you can in 15 minutes. If you gain more than 1800 points, you wil earn 10 points. If you gain between 1500 points and 1799 points, you will earn 8 points. If you gain between 1200 and1499 points, you will earn 6 points. If you gain anything less than 1200 points, you should play the simulation again. You can select the practice version as many times as you like. When you are done with the 15 minute version of the simulation, print out your score and bring it in. Be sure to print out your results and bring them to your teacher.
11. Go to the computer simulation “Supreme Decision” at icivics.org. You will be a clerk for a Supreme Court justice trying to help her figure out which side should win the case as to whether or a band T-shirt should be speech protected under the 1st Amendment. If you gain more than 530 points, you will earn 10 points. If you gain between 480 and 529 points, you will earn 8 points. If you gain between 440 and 479 points, you will earn 6 points. If you gain anything less than 440 points you should play the simulation again. You may play the simulation as many times as you like in an effort to earn 10 points. Be sure to print out your results and bring them to your teacher.
12. Create a chart that lists the leaders of the United States government and their counterparts in the Massachusetts state government. Include leaders of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. (10 points)
13. Using timetoast.com, create a timeline of the events under the Articles of Confederation that bothered leaders of the nation so much that they developed the Constitution. The timeline should include a least 6 points and a brief description about each point. The link for this should be posted under the appropriate Link Topic at nicenet.org. (10 points)
14. Watch the SchoolHouse Rock video “I’m Just a Bill” and create a flowchart that describes how a bill becomes a law. A link to the video is available at nicenet.org or the DVD version is available from Mr. Boyle. You can create a flowchart by hand or by using MicrosoftWord. (10 points)
15. Read one of Jean Fritz’s books (available in the school library) about the formation of the Constitution and the early days of the Republic. Here are the titles: Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution, George Washington’s Mother, The Great Little Madison, A Free Woman on God’s Earth, Brady. Come up with 8 - 10 facts from the books. (5 points)
16. Create a list of the people that represent you in Washington, D.C. (Representative and Senators), Boston (State Representative and State Senator) and your town (selectmen and school committee) (5 points)
17. Read Chapter 5 and answer the questions at the end of each section. (4 sections x 3 points each section)
18. Read Chapter 6 and answer the questions at the end of each section. (5 sections x 3 points each section)
If you earn between 80 – 99 points, you will earn a D for this unit, 100 – 119 points a C-. If you earn anything more than 130 points without moving on to the “B Level,” you will earn a C+ for this unit. If you earn anything less than 80 points will result in an F, and anything less than 60 points will result in an F-.
“B Level” – In order to earn at least a “B” and move on to the “A Level” you must complete and be quizzed on two of the following assignments. You may only do one from #1 – 3. These points must be turned in by November 8, 2010.
1. Create a poster that displays and explains the 3 branches of government. This should include images.
2. Create a mobile showing the Constitutional requirements of being a member of the House of Representatives, a Senator, or the President. This should include images.
3. Create a mobile of the 5 rights granted by the 1st Amendment to the Constitution. This should include images.
4. Interview a local politician about what he or she believes are the biggest issues facing your town.
5. Draw a political cartoon about one of the major issues in the mid-term election that will take place on November 2, 2010
6. Create a Google Earth presentation about either the Voyage of Discovery or the War of 1812. Each presentation should include at least 7 points of interest and a brief description about what happened at those points.
7. Using the graphic novel maker, http://www.comicmaster.org.uk/, make a one-page book about one of the following events: a. The Great Compromise; b. debate over whether or not their should be a Bill of Rights attached to the Constitution; c. Marbury v.Madison; d. support for France during their revolution
8. Participate in the kids.gov and challenge.gov contest entitled “How Do I Become President.” You will need to have your parents sign and scan the consent form. Go to http://challenge.gov/challenges/44 for more information.
If you complete only one assignment, you will earn a B- for this unit. If you complete both assignments, but do not move on to the “A Level,” you will earn a B.
“A Level” – In order to earn an “A” you must complete and have a discussion about one of the following four assignments. You must write a 2-3 page paper about the topic that you select.
1. Is the Constitution a racist or sexist document? Provide examples and reference points.
2. What will the next amendment to the Constitution be? Why will this amendment be necessary?
3. Is the current Supreme Court too powerful? Provide examples.
4. Was George Washington the greatest President EVER? Why?
