The Road to Freedom
 Teacher Page

A Webquest for 3rd Grade on the American Revolution

Designed by

Jill Crabbe, Angie Mulligan, Mary Strong and Pat Steen

Introduction | Learners | Standards | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Credits | Student Page

 


Introduction

This unit was developed as a project emerging from the ISTE: Leading with the NETS Institute.  Both 7th and 3rd grade students study the American Revolution.  For 3rd graders, the Revolution is an introduction to this era in American History starting with the French and Indian War and ending with the Constitution.  For 7th graders it is a more in-depth study of this topic. 

This project was originally designed as a cross-grade project involving 3rd and 7th grade students. Seventh grade students developed the final webquest to be used by 3rd grade students in their study of the American Revolution. Please refer to the link below under Process, to learn about the 7th grade role in the development of this webquest. The remainder of this teacher page will focus on the implementation of the webquest in a 3rd grade classroom.


 Learners

This unit is anchored in 3rd grade social studies content and involves the integration of technology into Social Studies and Language Arts.

In terms of technology, learners will learn how to access network drives, navigate a website, and find and use information to complete a webquest. 

Curriculum Standards

National Education Technology Standards Addressed:

  • Use keyboards and other common input and output devices (including adaptive devices when necessary) efficiently and effectively. (1)
  • Discuss basic issues related to responsible use of technology and information and describe personal consequences of inappropriate use. (2)
  • Use general purpose productivity tools and peripherals to support personal productivity, remediate skill deficits, and facilitate learning throughout the curriculum. (3)
  • Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, Web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (3, 4)
  • Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities. (5, 6)
  • Evaluate the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and bias of electronic information sources. (6)
     

Illinois State Standards Addressed:

Social Studies:

  • 14.A.2   Explain the importance of funda­mental concepts expressed and implied in major documents including the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and the Illinois Constitution.
  • 16.B.2b (US)  Identify major causes of the American Revolution and describe the con­sequences of the Revolution through the early national period, including the roles of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.

Language Arts:

  • 1.B.2a  Establish purposes for reading; survey materials; ask questions; make predictions; connect, clarify and extend ideas.
  • 1.B.2d  Read age-appropriate material aloud with fluency and accuracy.
  • 1.C.2b  Make and support inferences and form interpretations about main themes and topics.
  • 1.C.2d  Summarize and make generalizations from content and relate to purpose of material.
  • 1.C.2f  Connect information presented in tables, maps and charts to printed or electronic text.
  • 3.B.2b  Establish central idea, organization, elaboration and unity in relation to purpose and audience.
  • 3.C.2b  Produce and format compositions for specified audiences using available technology.
  • 5.B.2a  Determine the accuracy, currency and reliability of materials from various sources.
  • 5.C.2a  Create a variety of print and nonprint documents to communicate acquired infor­mation for specific audiences and purposes.


Process

  • Link to the Seventh Grade Teacher's Page to see how we developed this unit as a cross grade curriculum unit of study.
  • Administer the Pre-Test on the American Revolution.
  • The focus of the timeline activities below is to develop the students' understanding of how to read and interpret a timeline. 
  • Print or create pictures of the major events of the American Revolutionary Era. * * Suggestion: Laminate pictures and attach Velcro to both pictures and timeline in order to make the timeline interactive. You may also want to color-code this timeline to correlate with the timeline on the webquest.* *
    • Excel was used to create the blank timeline, and a Canon Designjet printer was used to print an enlarged version of it.  Adaptations could include drawing a timeline or enlarging this timeline with an opaque projector.
  • Introduce the concept of a timeline using the blank timeline and the pictures from above to create your large timeline. Attach pictures to the timeline so that students can see the sequence of events.
  • Have students access the Road to Freedom Timeline.
  • Allow students to become familiar with the timeline on the webquest by giving them time to explore the important events of each year. Explain to students that the timeline is divided into 4 categories (by color): The French and Indian War, Pre-Revolution, American Revolution, and the Signing of the Constitution.
  • Have students complete the American Revolution Timeline activity (Timeline Worksheet and  Event Stickers). Using the webquest timeline, have students click on the links for the appropriate years noted on the timeline worksheet and affix the correct sticker of the event in the proper box.
    • Avery 5160 address labels were used to create the stickers. Adaptations could include having students write events on the timeline worksheet or print "stickers" on paper, and have students cut and glue them onto the worksheet.
  • Administer the Timeline Quiz allowing students to use the timelines they completed as a resource in responding to the questions on the quiz.
  • The Scavenger Hunt can be completed in sections using the color-coded timeline as a guide.  In conjunction with the Scavenger Hunt, other materials, such as textbooks and trade books, can be used to develop an understanding of this period in American history.
  • Introduce the Scavenger Hunt to the students.
  • Have students work in cooperative pairs to begin the Scavenger Hunt starting with the section about the French and Indian War.
  • Direct the students to click on the link to the appropriate year, take turns reading the information, and then use this information to complete this section of the scavenger hunt. Explain the reading strategy of reading a question first, and then looking for the correct answer. As students complete each section of the scavenger hunt, reward them with a sticker affixed to each circle. Provide assistance as needed to insure answers are correct.
  • Have students complete the remaining 3 sections of the dated portions of the Scavenger Hunt.
  • Have students access the Famous People section of the webquest to complete the final section of the Scavenger Hunt.
  • To begin the creation of the word processing document, assign individual topics to each student to read about and summarize.
  • Give students note cards on which to record information on their topic. Direct them to find 3 important facts about their topic and create 2 to4 sentences that summarize what they had learned in their own words.
  • Using the Directions for Creating the Word Processing Document, guide students through the creation of their word processing document. 
  • Have students check their documents using the Student Checklist for Road to Freedom Final Product.
  • Evaluate documents using the Rubric for the Road to Freedom Document.
  • Check that each square is correct prior to printing.
  • Print word processing documents to create a final product, such as a book, a paper quilt, or a newspaper.
  • Administer the Post Test on the American Revolution.
  • Have students complete the Reflection Sheet.


Resources Needed

  • 3rd Grade textbooks and trade books
  • Various non-fiction resources
  • Other Internet Sites
  • Computer Lab
  • Webquest
  • Timelines
  • Included activity sheets
 


Evaluation

Assessments Include:

 


 Credits & References

Ms. Mulligan, Mrs. Strong, Mrs. Champ, Ms. Pollard, Mrs. Sigourney, Mrs. Sultanian, Mrs. Steen, Mrs. Crabbe

American Revolution Multimedia CD by Paul Gardner and Jamie Wu Liu.

Last updated on August 15, 1999. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page