introduction
This lesson was developed as a part of a cross curriculum program for mathematics, history and science to incorporate higher level thinking in middle school.
During this activity students will be in small groups of 4-5. They will have open access to the Library of Congress website using classroom computers and lab time. Student's will prepare a presentation explaining how they would cross the Louisiana Purchase had they been traveling with the explorers during the 19th century. The idea is teach students skills in subjects such as history while touching on math and science. By doing this assignment, students will have to deal with hurdles just as the Lewis and Clark did without the use of any 21st century luxuries. Students will be expected to use their imagination and be creative with their ideal journey.
During this activity students will be in small groups of 4-5. They will have open access to the Library of Congress website using classroom computers and lab time. Student's will prepare a presentation explaining how they would cross the Louisiana Purchase had they been traveling with the explorers during the 19th century. The idea is teach students skills in subjects such as history while touching on math and science. By doing this assignment, students will have to deal with hurdles just as the Lewis and Clark did without the use of any 21st century luxuries. Students will be expected to use their imagination and be creative with their ideal journey.
learners
This lesson provided is anchored in eighth grade social studies/ history class while touching on areas of science and math.
Some essential things that students will need to understand before this lesson is they will need to have a basic understanding of math to an eighth grade level. The students will need to know how Americans got to America and why they want to explore the area. Lastly, the students must have knowledge of topography and geography and the basics of what weather is.
Some essential things that students will need to understand before this lesson is they will need to have a basic understanding of math to an eighth grade level. The students will need to know how Americans got to America and why they want to explore the area. Lastly, the students must have knowledge of topography and geography and the basics of what weather is.
standards
Students will work on critical thinking as they plan the expedition and creative production as they think about what to bring to trade with. Students will be working in groups of four to encourage teamwork and collaboration.
Mathematics Standards Addressed
Mathematics Standards Addressed
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.1
- Compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractions, including ratios of lengths, areas and other quantities measured in like or different units.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.2.A
- Decide whether two quantities are in a proportional relationship
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.F.A.1
- Understand that a function is a rule that assigns to each input exactly one output. The graph of a function is the set of ordered pairs consisting of an input and the corresponding output
- SS.G3.6-8.MC
- Evaluate the influences of long-term human induced environmental change on spatial patterns of conflict and cooperation.
- Evaluate the influences of long-term human induced environmental change on spatial patterns of conflict and cooperation.
- SS.EC.2.6-8.MC
- Explain how changes in supply and demand cause changes in prices and quantities of goods and services, labor, credit, and foreign currencies.
- SS.G2.6-8.MC
- Evaluate how cultural and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people in both nearby and distant places.
- SS.CV.1.6-8.MC
- Evaluate the powers and responsibilities of citizens, political parties, interest groups, and the media.
- MS-LS2-1
- Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
- MS-PS1-3
- Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
- 5-ESS2-1
- Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
process
- ,First you'll assign the class into groups of four students. The students will be given two days to complete this assignment. Each group will be responsible for creating a two page report which focuses on the science, math and history involved in the journey that Lewis and Clark made across the United States. (You will use a one to four numbering system)
- The group will have to decide which team members are responsible for different sections of the project. (You will need to explain to the students that they will need to split the work up evenly throughout the group.)
- The students will be responsible for creating a list of supplies according to the length of the journey and different climates you will encounter. They will collect data on the terrains the expect to encounter throughout their journey. They will use a graphic organizer to organize their supplies which will consist of clothing, food and transportation. After discussing the intended route, food and supplies, the groups will be required to create ratios that relate their supplies to the individuals participating on the journey.
- The journey to Oregon will be a long and enduring road. The supplies that the students take at the beginning of the journey will not last for the entire trip. The second step of the journey will require you to identify each biome you will travel across. The groups will need to determine the species of plants and animals you will encounter on the way. The students have to determine when they expect to run out of supplies and explain how they plan on replacing the rations they use during the beginning of their journey.
- The last section of report will require groups to analyze where they can find the resources to buy, manufacture or trade for boots.
- After the data has been collected the students will organize their data in a two page report that will be presented to the class on the last day.
The project is designed to be an online group assignment. The students will be required to research their data by utilizing the Library of Congress website. It will cover two class periods over two days. It only involves one class and students will be divided up into groups of four. It will be taught by method of interdisciplinary learning which will cover math, science and history.
The students will number off from one to four. After the students reach four they will start back at one and repeat this sequence until there are no students left.
Common stumbling blocks can be the pure visualization of the materials and tools that were used when Lewis and Clark were traveling, also with the cost of the materials and the inflation. Students may be confused on why things were so cheap or why certain things were traded for other things. With a quick explanation these issues can be overcome. This lesson should not have many issues or stumbling points.
A teacher who has the basic level skills will be able to teach this lesson, they will need to have knowledge on who would work well together and potentially make the groups for more on task working. This lesson will be able to be taught by a novice teacher, there is no unusual things that a novice teacher would not know how to do.
Variations
If it is possible the students could go outside to look at the environment and how it could relate to the topic of Lewis and Clark. Also if there is a museum near the school the students could go to a museum to learn more about native tribes and their way of life also, they will be able to learn more about environments and geography in better detail. Also plays a nice role of getting students out to the classroom and into a new learning environment.
If the classroom is not fit with the correct technology for the project then the class could go to a lab to get the essential technology.
resources
These are some of the resources students will need to design their project.
During this project teachers in history and science will prepare lesson that will help students accomplish this assignment. Because it is such a large assignment and requires many different subjects, history teachers and science teachers will explain to their colleagues what they expect of their students. Students will be able to talk to any of their teachers for help with the assignment. A class field trip to the school library will be used so the librarian can help teach the students how to use The Library of Congress. The assignment will remain inside the school but will encourage students to use all of their available resources.
- Class sets of history, mathematics and science books
- E-mail accounts for all students
- Internet
- Classroom set of computers and/or time in a computer lab
- Reference material in the classroom such as maps and textbooks
- Library of Congress website
- loc.gov
- Sites that help students make references for their project
During this project teachers in history and science will prepare lesson that will help students accomplish this assignment. Because it is such a large assignment and requires many different subjects, history teachers and science teachers will explain to their colleagues what they expect of their students. Students will be able to talk to any of their teachers for help with the assignment. A class field trip to the school library will be used so the librarian can help teach the students how to use The Library of Congress. The assignment will remain inside the school but will encourage students to use all of their available resources.
evaluation
Each group's performace will be graded using the following rubric. The entirely of the assignment is a group grade. You will be walking around the classroom ensuring that all students are on task and working collaboratively with their group. Students will be deducted points if one member of the group is doing most of the work. Students need to balance the work load and work together to complete the Webquest.
ete_371_webquest_rubric.pdf | |
File Size: | 95 kb |
File Type: |
conclusion
This lesson is viable because it allows for the students to put themselves in the shoes of a member of the expedition. This lesson challenges the students to think about aspects of the expedition that they might not have thought of before. Since this lesson is cross-curricular (math, science, and history), it enables the students to apply what they have been learning in multiple subject fields to complete a single task. The students must also apply their learning in ways they might not have before, for example, a student might have only thought the Lewis and Clark expedition was a history topic, but this lesson shows that math and science were needed in order to carry out the expedition.