Amy Reep
LESSON TITLE
Diversity in America’s Military Service During World War II- Jigsaw Activity
GRADE(S)
5-7
LESSON TYPE
Standard Lesson
LEARNING OBJECIVES
Collaboration, Inquiry/Research, Multicultural Awareness, Oral Communication
THEMES
Nonfiction, Social Studies/History
KEYWORDS
World War II, Japanese Americans in military, women in military, Tuskegee Airmen, military, Puerto Ricans in military, minority service members, military diversity, Jigsaw activity, cooperative learning
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Students will research military diversity found during World War II through jigsaw groups. Using the jigsaw strategy, the groups will compare the role various minority groups played in the war.
OVERVIEW
Collaborative groups will read information about various minority groups from World War II from books and internet resources, then report elements of their group to the whole class. Students add information to a collaborative, whole-class diversity in America’s military service study matrix that summarizes all the diverse service groups. In a final activity, students create a Venn diagram comparing two of the minority groups of their choice. Support for English Language Learners (ELLs) is embedded in the guided collaborative process, while the content of the research information adds to all students’ knowledge of American culture and history. The focus groups used in the lesson include lesser-known diverse military groups.
FEATURED RESOURCES
Research Resources- This is a list of resources for the teacher to compile before activity aiding student research for each minority group.
Research Guide for Notes- Students will use this guide to focus their research in their home groups.
Diversity in America’s Military During World War II matrix- Students will complete this matrix as the traveler journeys to other expert groups to share their information on the other various minority groups.
Group Discussion Worksheet- A Planning tool that the groups will refer to in order to help focus and distribute research jobs to individual members of the group.
Self Assessment- Students will reflect and access their participation in the collaborative jigsaw process.
FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE
Glasswell, K., & Ford, M. P. (2010). Teaching Flexibly With Leveled Texts: More Power for Your Reading Block. Reading Teacher, 64(1), 57-60. doi:10.1598/RT.64.1.7
The authors suggest that reading teachers can be flexible with assigning books of different reading levels in order to promote reading development in below-level readers. The article describes how reading teachers can use leveled reading in various types reading. Teachers are encouraged to provide a variety of texts with varying difficulty, use individualized instructional formats, and integrate the use of alternative texts.
In this collaborative group lesson, a modified jigsaw technique, with various leveled texts, is used in a reading lesson in which students compare diverse minority groups during World War II.
STANDARDS
1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
RESOURCES
Materials and Technology
· Teacher should locate materials (books and internet articles if computer/internet not available) for student research before groups (see Research Resources)
· Computers or Computer Lab with Internet Access and Photo Story program(extension activity)
·
Interactives
· Venn Diagram comparison-Venn Diagram, 2 circles - ReadWriteThink http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/venn/
· T-Chart discussion during whole group- http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/printouts/T-Chart.pdf
Printouts
· Copies for each student of matrix (Diversity in America’s Military During World War II matrix)- This matrix is used for whole-class discussion and group study.
· Copies for each student of research guide (Research guide for Note Taking)- Students use this worksheet within their groups to plan and understand their roles.
· Copies for each group of group discussion worksheet ( Group Discussion Worksheet)
· Copies for each student of group self assessment- (Self-Assessment)
ESTIMATED LESSON TIME
Seven 50-minute sessions
STUDENT OBJECTIVES
Students will
· read and discuss non-fiction informational texts, with particular focus on diversity, details, and settings.
· work in collaborative groups to summarize key points and characteristics of specific groups.
· work in collaborative groups to post research information onto a multi-group matrix.
· Compare and contrast two groups of diverse populations using details.
· assess their own participation in the collaborative process.
PREPARATION
1. Gather books that reflect diversity in military during World War II, using the Research Resource list or by downloading and printing stories from websites like those on the Research Resource list.
The selection of non-fiction books and articles should be chosen to enhance student reading. It should be varied according to reading levels within the group. You will need enough copies of each selected story for each person in each group. Each group will read about a different group of military members.
2. Prepare the Diversity in America’s Military during World War II matrix. One can be done for whole class using large butcher paper as example. Label the columns across the top as follows:
· Title (Left-hand vertical cells, under Group Title. Note: If possible, make the whole-class group study matrix example is large enough so that each cell is the size of a regular sheet of copy paper.)
· Left row going down should be the name of the diverse military group each collaborative group will research.
· Top columns should be labeled with required research material groups are reporting on:
Members of the Group
Jobs during World War II
Differences from other soldiers
Why this group is important to remember
3. Create heterogeneous, collaborative student groups with five members in each group.
4. Make copies of the Jigsaw Research Guide for Note Taking and Jigsaw Group Self- Assessment sheet, one copy for each student.
5. Bookmark the Interactive Venn Diagram.
6. Bookmark the pdf of T-Chart.
SESSION ONE
1. Post the prepared whole class example of Diverse in America’s Military during World War II matrix in view of all students.
2. Read aloud a picture book about a group of citizens that helped out during World War II. I suggest John F. Kennedy and PT109 (ASurvivor) by Philip Abraham, but it is your choice. Just make sure that it will not be read by any of the student groups. To model what students will do in their groups, discuss the story by asking the following questions, referring to the related columns on the whole class example matrix as you ask the questions:
· Who is this group of people?
· What was their job during World War II?
· Where were they stationed?
· How were they important to the war effort?
· Why are they a usually forgotten part?
· Describe one famous participant from this group.
· Two other important details about this group:
· How can you compare this group/person with any other character(s) you’ve read about recently?
· What other comments do you have about this story?
3. After the discussion, inform students that they will be working in groups using a special strategy called a Jigsaw, where everyone in the group will read a story about the same group and each person in the group will be responsible for reporting on a different part of the story to the class. Explain that each group will read different stories, and that they will discuss the group’s actions and accomplishments, then write and post the details of their group on the diverse military service matrix before reporting on their group to the class. Also explain that later, they will compare, in writing, any two groups from any of the stories.
4. Discuss with students the Jigsaw Group Self-Assessment that will be used to assess their group work on the project.
SESSION TWO
1. Refer to the Diversity in America’s Military during World War II matrix and review the labels. Review with students the story that was read aloud to demonstrate what students will be asked to discuss about the texts they will read in their groups. Inform students that they will be filling in the group study matrix after each group has become experts on their topic. Each group will elect one traveler to share and teach the other groups the important facts of their home group.
2. Explain the Jigsaw strategy: everyone in each group will read a text about the same group and each person in the group will be responsible for reviewing with the group. They will share this information they have chosen to record on their matrix for their group with other groups. Refer to the character study matrix to remind students of the details they will be asked to report on.
3. Show students a sample of the Jigsaw Group Research Guide. Explain that each person will fill out one of these. Point out to students that the labels on the character study matrix correspond with the discussion topics:
· Group Name/Members
· Setting
· Supporting roles they played
· Main event they can be remembered for
· A key member of the group
4. Assign students to collaborative Jigsaw groups. Hand out the books or copies of the articles from Internet or allow them access to read articles online that each group is to read, and one copy of the Jigsaw Group Discussion Worksheet or each group. Remind students that each of them will report on one element of the texts, and that they will record on the Jigsaw Group Discussion Worksheet who will be responsible for reporting on each part of the story.
5. Give students time to read and discuss the information in their groups, using the questions on the Jigsaw Group Discussion Worksheet. Groups should be given the responsibility for deciding how they will read the information (i.e., independently, partners, orally, etc.). As they read, circulate among the groups to ask and answer questions about the stories and assist students as needed.
6. Students who finish reading first should be asked to refer to the Jigsaw Group discussion Worksheet to individually review the story until all are finished. When all reading is finished, refer all groups the character study matrix and ask them to make sure they have covered all aspects of the story in their discussions.
7. Have student groups turn in their completed or incomplete Jigsaw Group Discussion Worksheet. Tell students that during the next session they will have more time to complete the assignment or begin filling in the character study matrix.
SESSION THREE
1. Allow students more time to read informational texts and complete Jigsaw Group Discussion Worksheet from previous day.
2. Collect all completed Jigsaw Group Discussion Worksheets .
3. Tell students that during the next session they will begin filling in the Diversity in America’s Military during World War II matrix.
SESSION FOUR
1. Distribute matrix sheets to all groups. Tell students they can discuss and decide what to write as a group, and then each person will be responsible for writing about the part of the story they are signed up for on their discussion worksheet.
2. Have students get back into their Jigsaw groups. Hand back the Jigsaw Group Discussion Worksheets to students.
3. Give students enough time to review and discuss their information and do the writing on the group study matrix. When the Diversity in America’s Military during World War II matrix is complete, collect their matrixes and quickly review each group’s information and make sure all groups agree that their information is complete.
4. Each group will then select their traveler, the person responsible for moving to the other groups and sharing information about their military group the following day. All students will assist the traveler in creating what to tell other groups so that they can complete their matrix about the unfamiliar group.
SESSION FIVE
1. Each traveler will move to another group and share about the military group they learned about. Remind students that each group read about diverse group, so they will need to include enough details so that the rest of the class will learn about their diverse group and the difference they made in World War II. Refer to the matrix and point out that it can be used for reference.
2. Explain to students that they will be reporting to the other groups through the traveler, and that each person remaining in the expert group will record facts on the matrix for that traveler’s group. Then when their original traveler returns they are to share the new information with them and help them record the information on the traveler’s matrix.
3. Allow the student to get into the expert group and then instruct the travelers of their first station ( I have them rotate to the right).
4. Give travelers about ten minutes to relay the information about their group’s finding about the minority population that fought in World War II. During this time the listeners should be recording the information for that group on their individual Diversity in America’s military during World War II matrix. At the end of the time allotted, have travelers move to the next group.
5. Continue having traveler move to all groups sharing their information until they return to their original group.
6. Collect all materials from each group to redistribute the following session.
SESSION SIX
1. Pass out collected materials from the previous session and put students back into their expert groups.
2. Instruct non-travelers from the expert groups to inform the traveler about the other four military groups. Each of the four non-travelers should tell about one group.
3. The traveler should record the facts onto their matrix with the assistance of other members of the group.
4. After all groups have had ample time to share with traveler, bring groups together whole class. Guide them through matrix by having them fill out whole class matrix example from Session One. This can be done orally and having children write the information on the large matrix with markers or teacher can do it. Instruct students that did not have time to complete their own matrix in groups to complete it with the class now.