To War or Not To War?

[Ellen]

Fourth graders

Topic: American Revolution (or any other topic)

Kids work in small groups of 3-4 students

Tools; Wiki, voicethread, google custom search engine

Teacher sets up search engine with vetted sites on Amer Rev
Teacher posts assignment on class wiki (each student has a page, each group will have a section)
Teacher sets up a voicethread and poses the question: What aspects of your life are worth protecting to the point of going to war?
Task: Research the causes of the American Revolution – assign each group an aspect of pre-war society and government. Students will gather information, post to wiki, peer edit and then post a response (with additional visual material to be uploaded by teacher to voicethread)
Students will also respond to the essential question: What aspects of your life are worth protecting to the point of going to war? with regard to their own lives. Students can collaborate and within each group create an ordered list reflecting what they value most in their lives and what they would protect at all costs.

[Michael Streiker]

There's a fungus among us! Is quartering armed troops in your home on your list to Santa? I didn't think so. We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore! Get tough actin'. Get Tinactin. Get those fungi out of here. Fight! Fight! Fight!

[Ellen]

Subject area: Social studies (tieds into ELA)

[Michael Streiker]

The fourth grade bully is extorting your lunch money every day. Is it worth fighting over?
One of the things that was worth fighting against, during the American Revolution was, taxation without representation. Citizens had to fork over taxes (money) to the king but what did it do for them? Would this incite you to war?

[Jodie Weder]

NETS Standards

Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:

apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
identify trends and forecast possibilities

Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:

interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:

identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions