Introduction
Subject Matter:
History-Social Science
Grade Level:
Kindergarten
Common Core State Standard and/or Academic Content Standard:
K.6 Students understand that history relates to events, people, and places of other times. 1. Identify the purposes of, and the people and events honored in, commemorative holidays, including the human struggles that were the basis for the events (e.g., Thanksgiving, Independence Day, Washington’s and Lincoln’s Birthdays, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day).
Technology Standard: NETS for Students:
Standard 3. Research and information fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media
Task
Learners will demonstrate knowledge of/understanding of/ability to: Identify the purposes, people and events honored in Thanksgiving, that we commemorate.
Process
- http:// www.softschools.com/facts/holidays/
- http:// http://www.ducksters.com/holidays/kids_calendar.php
- http:// http://www.kathimitchell.com/holidays.html
Follow the links to find the answers to the following questions
Essential Question:
1.Think about why we celebrate Thanksgiving, who are the people this holiday represents and what is important about continuing to honor this past accomplishment today.
Subsidiary Questions (6-10):
2. What country did the Pilgrims originally live in?
3. The settlers named themselves the Pilgrims – on their voyage what were they originally named?
4. List two reasons why the Pilgrims chose to settle in Plymouth.
5. What was the name of the Native American Indian who taught the Pilgrims how to survive? What was the name of his Tribe?
6. Why was this relationship significant for the survival of the Pilgrims?
7. What language did the Native American’s and Pilgrims use to communicate?
8. Name three important food sources that the Pilgrims used to survive.
9. What environmental conditions effected the crops?
10. Which President was the first to proclaim Thanksgiving a national holiday? What was the year that this happened?
Evaluation
Assessment: In what ways did the use of the Internet promote student learning? How will you assess student learning with this assignment? Describe your assessment tool and list 3-4 criteria for grading this learning activity.
Students are required to find specific details about Thanksgiving within the text of the copy. The questions that are asked require students to search for information using various sources within a website.
Students will be assessed by their responses to the questions.
Students will be graded by ability to memorize facts about a specific event.
Students will be graded by their ability to formulate theories about environmental and food sources that the Pilgrims used to survive.
Students will be graded by their ability to conceptualize about life in a different time period and how it carries over into present day.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this assignment fulfills standard requirements asking students to understand why we commemorate days - by researching the people, events and places.