Foreign Language/Culture: World War II: Navajo Code Talkers.
Lesson One: Introduction to Navajo Code Talkers.
Students will be split up into groups of varying abilities. They will set up a blog account at EduBlogs.org and will choose a group name.
Discussion: Who are the Code Talkers? Why were they involved in WWII?
Brief history of Code Talkers
Students will then be split up into centers (staying in the same groups for blog).
Students will be given a fill in the blank fact sheet for homework. They will have to go on the Blog to find the fact sheet and fill in the blanks. Students will be encouraged to look at the blog and posts that have been posted already. This will give students an opportunity to explore the blog.
Lesson Two: A Writing Prompt. Students will learn about the language and culture of the Navajo Code Talkers.
Short Video Clip will be watched
Write a newspaper article on the Navajo Code Talkers
An organizer web on Who, What, Where, When, Why? Questions, to help them organize their thoughts. Individual work time.
Students will use information from previous lesson. Work in partners, share information with each other.
Write a newspaper article independently.
Rubric will be used for grading.
Students will be encouraged to go onto the blog again to blog about their ideas/thoughts on class and watch videos on the blog.
Lesson Three: A student centered Blogging activity. They will decipher a secret message posted by the teacher and create their own message in the Navajo Language. Students will use technology to enhance their understanding of the Navajo Code Talkers during WWII.
Students will be asked if they know what a secret code is or if they have ever used a secret code. Why would you need a secret code?
Go over the Navajo Code Fact Sheet from first lesson homework.
Introduce the Navajo Code Talker dictionary.
Split students into groups. Show the students the blogging account. Give students some time to explore the blogging page.
Have students decipher a secret message. Then have students work in their groups to come up with a secret message of their own and post it to the blog.
Other groups will get the opportunity to decipher the message.