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Task 6b – Online Portfolio Overview

Cara Patterson
EDSS 620
4/20/08
Dr. Sandi Gardner

Lesson Plan #1 - Productivity Tools

Title: Expansion and Reform (1801-1850)
Objectives:
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• Students will assemble a Reformers Organizer by researching an assigned reformer in a

set amount of time determined by the teacher. Students will then share their reformers to
class and record key information in their reformers organizers.
• Students will create a PowerPoint presentation depicting a reformer and a reform
movement.
• Students will distinguish in journal entry format how society would be different today if
the reforms of this period had not occurred.
Standards:
NC Standard Course of Study:
• Competency Goal 2: Expansion and Reform (1801-1850) – The learner will assess the
competing forces of expansionism, nationalism, and sectionalism.

• 2.05: Identify the major reform movements and evaluate their effectiveness
NETS-S:
• 1b - Basic operations and concepts: Students are proficient in the use of technology.
• 4b – Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers,
experts, and other audiences.
• 5a - Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of
sources.
Topic: U.S. History
Content: Social Studies
Grade Level: 11th
Technologies Used:
• Internet
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Printer

Websites:
• http://www.biography.com
• http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/
• http://regentsprep.org/Regents/ushisgov/themes/reform/progressive.htm
• http://einstein.cs.uri.edu/tutorials/csc101/powerpoint/ppt.html

Relative Advantages:
• Creating PowerPoint presentations develops professional skills.
• Giving presentations helps improve communication skills
• Researching on the internet is fast and efficient.
• Reformers Organizers motivates students to stay structured throughout the lesson.
• Journal Entries help them express their ideas.
Description:
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In this lesson, students will be researching different reformers and reform movements from
1801-1850. Students will be determining the effectiveness and impact that these movements had
on society during that time period.
1. Project structure and goals: Research revolved around these questions.
• Who were some major American reformers from (1801 -1850)?

• How were these reformers and their movements successful?

Students will be assigned a reformer and given a set amount of time determined by the teacher to
find everything he/she can on the reformer. After the set amount of time is up, each student is to
share with the class the information on his/her reformer. As sharing is being done students will
fill in a Reformer organizer in their notebook with the following information: name, of reformer,
who he/she is, type of movement associated.
2. Learning strategies: Students can work individually or with a partner to research their
assigned reformers. They will use the Internet and their textbooks to research their reformers.
3. Presentations and assessment: After all students have shared and the reformer organizers are
complete, students will create a PowerPoint presentation on a reformer and reform movement of
their choice. Again this is another opportunity where students can be paired up based on
strengths and weakness. Students can also go through a PowerPoint tutorial if they are lacking in
these multimedia skills. Students will share their presentations to the class.
4. Follow up/Conclusion: Students will individually write a journal entry about how society
would be different today if the reforms of this period had not occurred.
5. Required resources: Internet sites to research reformers and PowerPoint software.
6. Assessment: Teacher made rubrics for reformer organizer and PowerPoint Presentation.

Lesson Plan #2- Educational Software

Title: The Great West and the Rise of the Debtor (1860-1896)
Objectives:
• Students will assemble a mock letter, using Microsoft Word, to their parents explaining
their reasons for moving west, their experiences along the way, and the conditions at their
new location.

• Students will evaluate the extent to which the settlers adapted to the new environment
and geography of the West by creating a graphic organizer.

• Students will use The Oregon Trail 5th edition software to examine the hardships and
challenges the settlers faced while traveling west.
Standards:
NC Standard Course of Study:
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• Competency Goal 4: The Great West and the Rise of the Debtor (1860-1896) – The
learner will evaluate the great westward movement and assess the impact of the
agricultural revolution on the nation.

• 4.01: Compare and Contrast the different groups of peoples who migrated to the West
and describe the problems they experienced.
NETS-S:
• 1b - Basic operations and concepts: Students are proficient in the use of technology.
• 2b – Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
• 4b – Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers,
experts, and other audiences.
• 5a - Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of
sources.
Topic: U.S. History
Content: Social Studies
Grade Level: 11th
Technologies Used:
• Internet
• Microsoft Word
• The Oregon Trail 5th edition software
Websites:
• http://www.americanwest.com/pages/wexpansi.htm
• http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/
• http://www.baycongroup.com/wlesson0.htm
Relative Advantages:
• Researching on the internet is fast and efficient.
• Using Microsoft Word to write a letter improves communication skills and professional
skills.
• Using The Oregon Trail software students will improve problem solving skills.
Description:
In this lesson, students will be writing mock letters to their parents as if they were the settlers
themselves who were on the journey west. After writing their letters, students will research on
the internet and in their textbooks to create a graphic organizer showing how the settlers adapted
to new environments. Students will use The Oregon Trail 5th edition to examine the hardships
and challenges the settlers faced while traveling west.
1. Project structure and goals: Research revolved around these questions.
• Why did the settlers move west?
• How did the settlers adapt to new environments and new geographical areas?
• What challenges and hardships did the settlers face along their journey west?
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2. Learning strategies: Students will work individually while writing their letters to their
parents. If students are uncomfortable using Microsoft Word they can go through a tutorial on the
internet provided by the teacher. They will use the Internet and their textbooks as valuable
resources to complete the graphic organizer. Lastly, students will work individually or with
partners depending on the amount of computers available and time limit to successfully complete
The Oregon Trail game.
3. Presentations and assessment: Students can share their mock letters out loud to the class.
The teacher could display the graphic organizers around the classroom to show how the settlers
adapted to new changes and new geographical areas. Students can work with partners based on
the discretion of the teacher while completing, The Oregon Trail game.
5. Required resources: Internet sites to research the westward expansion movement, Microsoft
Word, and The Oregon Trail 5th Edition software.
6. Assessment: A teacher created rubric for the mock letters to parents. The teacher will also be
able to assess students by how well they successfully completed the game.
Lesson Plan #3 – Internet Usage
Title: United States involvement in the Vietnam War
Objectives:
• Students will analyze the United States involvement in the Vietnam War by making a
timeline of events that led them into the Vietnam War.

• Students will identify and describe influential people or events that contributed to the
United States involvement in the Vietnam War.

• Students will create and assemble a PowerPoint presentation based on their research
on the United States contribution in the Vietnam War.
Standards:
NC Standard Course of Study:
• Competency Goal 11: Recovery, Prosperity, and Turmoil (1945-1980) – The learner will
trace economic, political, and social developments and asses their significance for the
lives of Americans during this time period.

• 11:04: Identify the cause of the United States’ involvement in Vietnam and examine how
this involvement affected society.
NETS-S:
• 1b - Basic operations and concepts: Students are proficient in the use of technology.
• 2b – Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
• 3a- Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote
creativity.
• 4b – Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers,
experts, and other audiences.
• 5a - Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of
sources.
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Topic: U.S. History

Content: Social Studies
Grade Level: 11th
Technologies Used:
• Internet
• Microsoft PowerPoint
Websites:
• http://questgarden.com/48/09/1/070317135916/
• http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0861795.html
• http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/modules/vietnam/index.cfm
• http://www.vietnamwar.com/
• http://einstein.cs.uri.edu/tutorials/csc101/powerpoint/ppt.html

Relative Advantages:
• Researching on the internet is fast and efficient.
• Creating PowerPoint presentations develops professional and creative skills.
• Giving presentations helps improve communication skills.
Description:
In this lesson, students will be researching the United States involvement in the Vietnam War.
Students will be determining the effectiveness that different people and events had on the United
States participation in the Vietnam War.
1. Project structure and goals: Research revolved around these questions.
• What caused to the United States to get involved in Vietnam?

• What people or events contributed to the United State involvement in the Vietnam War?
2. Learning strategies: Students will be following a guided webquest activity based on the
United States involvement in the Vietnam War. Students can work individually or with a partner
when completing the task from this webquest. They may also use the Internet and their textbooks
as valuable resources.
3. Presentations and assessment: After all students have decided on person or event from the
Vietnam War, students will find five sources based on their topic. Students will then create a
PowerPoint presentation on their topic and show why that person or event was influential in the
United States involvement in the Vietnam War. This can be a good opportunity where students
can be paired up based on strengths and weakness. Students can also go through a PowerPoint
tutorial if they are lacking in these multimedia skills. Students will share their presentations to
the class.
4. Required resources: Curriculum based textbook, internet access to research on the Harlem
Renaissance and Microsoft PowerPoint software.
5. Assessment: Provided teacher made rubrics for analyzing student information and the
PowerPoint presentations.
Lesson Plan #4 – Multimedia Projects
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Title: Prosperity and Depression

Objectives:
• Students will recall and classify the new Deal policies created by President F. Roosevelt
by playing a review game constructed by the teacher.

• Students will interpret and categorize President Roosevelt’s “Fireside Chats” by listening
to audio clips while playing the review game.

• Students will distinguish between selected political cartoons of FDR and the Supreme
Court while playing the review game.
Standards:
NC Standard Course of Study:
• Competency Goal 9: Prosperity and Depression (1919-1939) – The learner will appraise
the economic, social, and political changes of the decades of “The Twenties” and “The
Thirties”.

• 9.05: Assess the impact of the New Deal reforms in enlarging the role of the federal
government in American life
NETS-S:
• 1b - Basic operations and concepts: Students are proficient in the use of technology.
• 2b – Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
• 3a- Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote
creativity.
• 4b – Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers,
experts, and other audiences.
• 5a - Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of
sources.
Topic: U.S. History
Content: Social Studies
Grade Level: 11th
Technologies/Materials Used:
• Internet
• Microsoft PowerPoint software
• LCD Projector
• Timer
Useful Websites:
• http://www.mhric.org/fdr/fdr.html
• http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/medialist.php?presid=32
• http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/timeline/depwwii/newdeal/newdeal.html
• http://newdeal.feri.org/attic/index.htm
• http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/FDRcartoons.html
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• http://einstein.cs.uri.edu/tutorials/csc101/powerpoint/ppt.html
Relative Advantages:
• Researching on the internet is fast and efficient.
• Using Microsoft PowerPoint develops professional and creative skills.
• Having a time limit promotes working efficiently and quickly.

Prerequisite skills/knowledge: Students need to be familiar with their textbooks and

researching on the internet. Students also need to be familiar with viewing Microsoft PowerPoint
presentations in order to play the game. If students are creating stacks on their own, then basic
knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint and typing skills would be required.
Overview: Students will be playing a review game on President F. Roosevelt’s New Deal
policies, Fireside Chats, and political cartoons during this time period. Students can be divided
into teams, in pairs, or even individually based on the teacher’s discretion. Students will view
stacks created by the teacher on an LCD projector in the front of the room. The stacks will
supply a question; students will then have to find the answer using the internet on their own
computers or textbook as resources if needed. Students will have two to three minutes to answer
these questions. When the timer buzzes, students are to hold up their answer. The teacher will
reward points to the students or team who have answered correctly and keep a tally on the board.
The game will continue until questions run out and a winner is determined.

Instructional activities/strategies: The teacher can determine when slides change by setting a
time limitation on each slide transition. The teacher can set up the PowerPoint on individual
computers if he/she doesn’t want it to be a competitive game setting. If students do create their
own stacks they should go through a guided tutorial in creating PowerPoint slides. More time
should be set aside for this lesson in order for them to play each other’s games.

Assessment options: By keeping the tally on the board the teacher can determine which students
understand the material the most or what areas need to be re-taught if applicable. The students
can also keep a written record of their responses to turn into the teacher. If the teacher decides to
have the students create their own stacks then a teacher made rubric will be available for grading
purposes. Ultimately the unit test that students will take at the end of this lesson will be a
determining factor in how well students comprehended the material.

Teaching Suggestions/Extensions:
• Depending on the level and different types of learners the teacher should consider giving
more time to answer the questions.
• Have an extra question available if a tie-breaker is needed.
• Have students create their own stacks and develop their own review game. Then have
students pair up and play each other games.
• Match students up according to their strength and weaknesses.
• Graphics, videos, and animations should be used in the slides for the game.
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Lesson Plan Summary

The four lesson plans above are based on a U.S. History, 11 grade curriculum, and incorporate

technology in a variety of ways. Each lesson plan meets most NETS-S student standards and are aligned

with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

Lesson plan #1 is an example of a productivity tool based lesson. This lesson is titled, Expansion and

Reform. This lesson meets the North Carolina Competency goal 2: Expansion and Reform (1801-1850) -

The learner will assess the competing forces of expansionism, nationalism, and sectionalism. It is

also aligned with the state 2.05 objective: Identify the major reform movements and evaluate

their effectiveness (NC Standard Course of Study, 2006). This lesson also meets three NETS-S

standards: 1b - basic operations and concepts; 4b – students use telecommunications to

collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences; and 5a - students use

technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources (Bitter and

Pierson, 2005).

Lesson Plan #1 incorporates a productivity tool such as Microsoft PowerPoint and is based

on lesson formats from the CD-ROM, Using Technology to Support Learning: Third Edition.

First students will assemble a Reformers Organizer by researching an assigned reformer in a set

amount of time determined by the teacher. Students will then share their reformers to class and

record key information in their reformers organizers. Second, students will create a PowerPoint

presentation depicting a reformer and a reform movement. Lastly, students will distinguish in

journal entry format how society would be different today if the reforms of this period had not

occurred. Some relative advantages that this lesson offers to students are: creating PowerPoint

presentations helps develops professional skills, giving presentations helps improve their

communication skills, researching on the internet is fast and efficient, developing reformers

organizers motivates students to stay structured throughout the lesson, and writing journal entries

help students express their ideas.

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Lesson plan #2 is an example of an educational software based lesson. This lesson is titled, The

Great West and the Rise of the Debtor. This lesson meets the North Carolina Competency Goal 4:

The Great West and the Rise of the Debtor (1860-1896) – The learner will evaluate the great

westward movement and assess the impact of the agricultural revolution on the nation. It is also

aligned with the state 4.01 objective: Compare and Contrast the different groups of peoples who

migrated to the West and describe the problems they experienced (NC Standard Course of Study,

2006). This lesson also meets four NETS-S standards: 1b - basic operations and concepts; 2b –

students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software; 4b – students

use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other

audiences; and 5a - students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a

variety of sources (Bitter and Pierson, 2005).

Lesson plan #2 incorporates an educational software program, The Oregon Trail 5th edition.

First students will assemble a mock letter, using Microsoft Word, to their parents explaining their

reasons for moving west, their experiences along the way, and the conditions at their new

location. Next students will evaluate the extent to which the settlers adapted to the new

environment and geography of the West by creating a graphic organizer. Lastly, students will use

The Oregon Trail 5th edition software to examine the hardships and challenges the settlers faced

while traveling west. The relative advantages that this lesson offers students are: researching on

the internet is fast and efficient, using Microsoft Word to write letters improves communication

skills and professional skills, and using The Oregon Trail software will improve problem solving

skills among students.

Lesson plan #3 is an example of an internet usage based lesson. This lesson is titled, United States

involvement in the Vietnam War. This lesson meets the North Carolina Competency Goal 11:

Recovery, Prosperity, and Turmoil (1945-1980) – The learner will trace economic, political, and
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social developments and asses their significance for the lives of Americans during this time

period. It also is aligned with the state objective 11:04: Identify the cause of the United States’

involvement in Vietnam and examine how this involvement affected society (NC Standard

Course of Study, 2006). This lesson also meets five NETS-S standards: 1b - basic operations and

concepts; 2b – students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and

software; 3a- students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and

promote creativity; 4b – students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact

with peers, experts, and other audiences; 5a - students use technology to locate, evaluate, and

collect information from a variety of sources (Bitter and Pierson, 2005).

Lesson Plan #3 incorporates internet usage from a free webquest based internet site:

http://questgarden.com/48/09/1/070317135916/. First students will analyze the United States

involvement in the Vietnam War by making a timeline of events that led them into the Vietnam

War. Second, students will identify and describe influential people or events that contributed to

the United States involvement in the Vietnam War. Lastly students will create and assemble a

PowerPoint presentation based on their research on the United States contribution in the Vietnam

War. The relative advantages that this lesson offers students is researching on the internet is fast

and efficient, creating PowerPoint presentations helps develop professional and creative skills,

and giving presentations helps improve student communication skills.

Lesson plan #4 is an example of a multimedia based lesson. This lesson is titled, Prosperity and

Depression. This lesson meets the North Carolina Competency Goal 9: Prosperity and

Depression (1919-1939) – The learner will appraise the economic, social, and political changes

of the decades of “The Twenties” and “The Thirties”. It is also aligned with the state objective

9.05: Assess the impact of the New Deal reforms in enlarging the role of the federal government

in American life (NC Standard Course of Study, 2006). This lesson also meets five NETS-S
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standards: 1b - Basic operations and concepts; 2b – students practice responsible use of

technology systems, information, and software; 3a- students use technology tools to enhance

learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity; 4b – students use telecommunications to

collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences; and 5a - students use

technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources (Bitter and

Pierson, 2005).

Lesson plan #4 incorporates a multimedia project, Microsoft PowerPoint to create

instructional stacks in the form a review game. First students will recall and classify the New

Deal policies created by President F. Roosevelt by playing a review game constructed by the

teacher. Next students will interpret and categorize President Roosevelt’s “Fireside Chats” by

listening to audio clips while playing the review game. Lastly, students will distinguish between

selected political cartoons of FDR and the Supreme Court while playing the review game. The

relative advantages that this lesson offers students is researching on the internet is fast and

efficient, using Microsoft PowerPoint helps develop student professional and creative skills, and

having a time limit promotes working efficiently and quickly.

All four lesson plans can easily be incorporated into any U.S. History classroom across the country.

Each lesson is focused on significant content that every U.S. History teacher should be focusing on in

their classrooms. These lessons offer a valuable use of technology that will not only improve student

learning, but also add to the teachers’ experiences and comforts of using technology. Each lesson is filled

with rich material that makes learning fun and exciting. These lessons can also be adapted and tweaked

easily to add cooperative learning opportunities and modifications for special education students.

Therefore, these lessons are efficient and ready to be used in a U.S. History classroom today.
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Resources

Gary Bitter and Mellissa Pierson (2005). Using Technology in the Classroom: Sixth Edition.

Boston: Pearson.

Gerald A. Danzer (2003). The Americans: Boston: McDougal Littell.

(2006). NC Standard Course of Study. Raleigh: Public Schools of North Carolina. Retrieved

March 20, 2008 from