Thematic Unit Description Paper Jo Crowl

Teach 259 Section 007

 
 
I. Unit Context
1. Write a description of the unit theme detailing what the students will be
learning.

Students will learn about the causes of the Revolutionary War, major battles
and the significance of these battles, and the terms of the Treaty of Paris that
ended the war. The students will partake in a simulation of an argument
between Patriots and Tories in order to learn the causes of the war, make and
present posters describing the major battles, and write a letter as a delegate
from the Treaty of Paris describing the terms of the Treaty in Paris to their
friends or family members.

2. What is the target subject area/class?

The target subject area for this unit would be a ninth grade American history
class.

3. How does this unit fit into the whole learning experience of the students?

During this unit, students will learn valuable information about the founding
of the United States and have a better understanding of the events and
circumstances that contributed to and affected the country during this time
period. Students will be able to consider and understand both British and
American sentiments before and during the war. They will also learn how to
organize and present information to an audience and practice creative writing
skills as well.

4. What is the setting or situation? Describe the classroom as you see it. Include
information on what computers and other equipment are available to the
students.

The classroom has one student computer that can be used by students when
necessary. The class has access to the computer lab when we sign up to use it.
The thematic unit will require little to no computer lab work except for
possibly gathering information about the important battles of the
Revolutionary War. The classroom is also equipped with a projector, a screen,
and an overhead which can be used to present information to students.

II. Audience
1. General characteristics: Describe the learners, including the size of the group,
their age, interests, experiences, and aptitudes.
 The class is composed of twenty-five ninth grade students, ages thirteen or
fourteen-year-olds. Fourteen of the students are male, eleven are female. Nine
students are white, six are African-American, six are Asian, and four are
Latino. Ten of my students are involved in the music department. Eleven are
involved in extracurricular athletics. Four of the students are involved in a
club outside of music and athletics. Eight of my students have grown up in
relative poverty. Three are learning English as a second language.

2. Entry competencies: What specific knowledge and assumptions can you make
about them? Remember to describe their computer competence.

My students can navigate the textbook. My students are familiar with the
basic uses of a computer, such as turning it on, turning it off, and opening up
an Internet browser. My students know how to navigate the Internet, though
may not be able to distinguish a creditable site from one that is not. My
students have had some experience with creative writing at one point in their
education.

III. State Objectives

1. State Goal
The goal of this unit is to familiarize students with the causes, events, and
conclusion of the Revolutionary War. Students will learn to analyze and
understand both sides of an argument, organize information into a neat,
presentable format, and practice presenting information to a larger group.

2. State Objective 1
(A) Ninth grade American history students (B) will identify the main causes
and events leading to the Revolutionary War (C) through a game and a
simulation exercise. (D) Students will provide verbal proof of understanding
of different perspectives in the simulation.

3. State Objective 2
(A) Ninth grade American history students (B) will identify and describe the
major battles and the significance of the battles (C) using posters and
presentations to present the information. (D) Students will demonstrate
comprehension of the material through an organized presentation and
identification of major participants and the significance of the battle.

4. State Objective 3
(A) Ninth grade American history students (B) will discuss the end of the
Revolutionary War and the terms of the Treaty of Paris (C) by writing a role-
play letter discussing the terms of the Treaty of Paris. (D) Students will
correctly identify the terms of the Treaty of Paris in the letter.

IV. State Methods

 1. Instructional Strategy: Identify the instructional strategies you might use to
deliver this unit with.

a. Methods for Objective 1

Methods for Objective 1 will be Games, Simulation, Presentation, and
Cooperative Learning. Students will work in groups together to compile a
list of the main causes of the Revolutionary War and compete against
other groups to compile a complete list the quickest. I will then present the
complete list to the class and offer explanations if necessary. Students will
then be divided into Patriots and Tories with assigned roles they will use
to simulate a debate between the two groups about different controversial
issues inciting the war.

b. Methods for Objective 2

Methods for Objective 2 will be Cooperative Learning and Presentation. I
will present information from http://www.myrevolutionarywar.com and
www.pbs.org to students briefly on the major battles and then divide
students into groups where they will work together to create a poster
describing main events, key people, and the significance of the assigned
battle. Students will then present the information in groups to the rest of
the class.

c. Methods for Objective 3

Methods for Objective 3 include Discussion and Simulation. Using
www.historycentral.com and a Powerpoint, I will present the terms of the
Treaty of Paris to students and discuss how the terms solved the issues that
had caused the war initially. Students will then write letters acting as if
they are a delegate to France and describe the terms of the treaty to a
friend or family member back in the States.

Links to websites:

http://www.historycentral.com
www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty
http://www.myrevolutionarywar.com/