Social Studies 8 : The Amazing Race: Renaissance Edition

Grade Level / 8 / K-9 Topic or
10-12 Related Issue / General Outcome 8.2
Origins of Western Worldview: Renaissance Europe
Time Frame / 50 Minutes / Enduring Understanding
(purpose of the lesson) / The purpose of the lesson is teach the students the skills and processes involved to conduct research on the internet with search engines like google.
Developed By / Darren Morris
Critical Inquiry / Students will search for materials and critically assess the relevance they have to the specific challenge at hand.
Other Questions of Inquiry / Students will need to read clues and determine the question that is being asked for several challenges.
Value and Attitude Outcomes
8.2.1 – Appreciate how Renaissance Europe formed the basis for the worldview of the Western World. / Knowledge and Understanding Outcomes
8.2.4 – In what way did thinkers and philosophers influence society in the development of a humanist worldview during the Renaissance / Skills and Process Outcomes
8.S.2 – Analyze the historical contexts of key events of a given time period
8.S.3 – Access and operate multimedia applications and technologies from stand-alone and online sources(ICT Outcome)
8.S.7 – plan and conduct a search using a wide variety of electronic sources (ICT Outcome)
- access and retrieve information through the electronic network (ICT Outcome)
- evaluate the relevance of electronically accessed information to a particular topic.(ICT Outcome)
Introductory Activity/
The Hook / The students will be informed that they will be using the netbooks for the class in partners and will be competing in a Renaissance Amazing Race through the “Age of Discovery”.
Teaching/Learning Strategies and
Activities / 5 Minutes – Students will be given a sheet of paper that will describe the task at hand and will be told the rules of the activity.
35-40 Minutes – The students will be given the first challenge to work on in pairs, the next challenge will be awarded to each pair following the completion of the one preceding it. Students will share one netbook, and will share one worksheet. While one student operates the netbook, the other will be responsible to write out the answer. Students will switch after each challenge. The teacher(s) will walk around the room answering questions and approving pairs research to continue to the next challenge. Late students will work on the most recent challenge that was completed.
5 Minutes – If the majority of pairs are finished at this point, the teacher will have all the students turn in their netbooks and challenge cards. If there is time, as a class we will go over the all the challenges and answer them as a class.
Resources / Netbooks
Formative Assessment Strategies / Students will hand in their worksheets with their findings that will be looked at to assess their understanding
Summative Assessment Strategies / None
Differentiated Instruction / Students have the opportunity to work at a pace that is comfortable for them.
There are portions of this activity that cater to visual learners, auditory learners, and the hands-on learner