Major Concept: Texas Revolution

“Remember the Alamo!”

Major Concept: Texas Revolution

Grade: 4th

Review:

· Yesterday we learned how to make a PowerPoint presentation, who remembers what a PowerPoint is made of?

Anticipatory Set:

· Today each group is going to make a presentation to show the whole class!

Learning Objectives:

1. §113.6. Social Studies (A): Analyze the causes, major events, and effects of the Texas Revolution, including the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto.

2. §113.6. Social Studies (E): Identify leaders important to the founding of Texas as a republic and state, including Sam Houston, Mirabeau Lamar, and Anson Jones.

3. §126.3. Technology Applications (A): Apply appropriate electronic search strategies in the acquisition of information including keyword and Boolean search strategies.

4. §126.3. Technology Applications (B): Use presentation software to communicate with specific audiences.

Input:

· Break in to the 6 different groups (Heterogeneous learning groups)

· Assign topics (Decided by interest survey conducted at the beginning of Texas history unit)

· Explain that the presentation needs to provide background information of the person or battle (events leading to battle), tell why it is important to Texas history, Explain how it changed Texas (What happened after because of it?)

· Everyone will be researching on the internet using the search strategies.

· Each group will need a KWL chart to direct the research

Modeling:

· Create a KWL chart as a class.

· Focus on the K section so that each group has a starting point.

· Demonstrate searching one topic to remind the class of good search strategies

· Make a title slide and regular slide.

Checking for Understanding:

· Ask class how to make a new slide?

· What is a good word to use when searching for two subjects?

· Does every group have a person or event to research?

· What are the three main points your PowerPoint should explain?

Guided Practice:

· Walk around to each group to make sure they are on the right track.

· Monitor the research process.

· Observe the creation of the presentation.

Closure:

· Presenting the PowerPoint to the class.

Independent Practice:

· Red Group: (Gifted)

· Write a story as if Texas was still a republic.

· Explain how life would be different.

· Would anything in your life be different? Would we speak English or Spanish? Would we join Mexico instead of the United States?

· Blue Group: (EL’s and Learning different students)

· Create a timeline of events of Texas’ Revolution.

· Include the important people and battles all the way to the annexation to the United States.

· White Group: (Low SES)

· Describe a person your age during the Texas Revolution period then compare them to you.

· How do you think they felt? What did they do around the house? How was school for them?

· What are the similarities between you and the Texas Revolution child? Differences? Which time period would you prefer to live in? Why?

Assessment:

Evaluations of the following:

· Group Evaluations (Work well together? Everyone involved? Research?)

· PowerPoint (Does it contain all components? Answer the three questions? Provide quality information? Demonstrate good research skills?)

· Independent practice portion. Does it demonstrate an understanding of the Texas Revolution?