Description of Instructional Activity:

A Power Point presentation will be used to introduce students to the activity. The class will discuss attributes of a good leader and then students will read the text and using web-based links to analyze President Jackson’s administration. Click here to go to WebQuest.

Click here to go to Power Point Introduction

School Improvement Need:

E. Brooke Lee has emphasized the need for improvement in reading and writing. The scores have remained below the satisfactory level. The need for students to uncover the essential information in reading is a major goal for the staff. Efforts are being made to introduce students to a more varied source of information. Technology will be used as a research tool to help students develop interest in the subject matter.

Curricular Objectives and Enduring Understandings:

Montgomery County objective 2.8.81. Students are to explain the importance of Jacksonian Democracy and how it represented a change in American social, political, and economic life.

Technology Standards: Identify, evaluate and select specific technology resources available at the school site an district level support coherent lesson sequence. (II, III)

Create and implement a well-organize plan to manage available technology resources, provide equitable access for all students, and enhance learning outcomes. (II, III)

Design implement, and assess learner-centered lessons that are

based on current best practices on teaching and learning with

technology, and that engage, motivate, and encourage self-directed student learning. (II, III, IV, V)

Guide collaborative learning activities in which students use technology resources to solve authentic problems in the subject area(s). (III

School Initiatives:

Lee has emphasized expository reading and writing skills to meet the standards as measured by MSPAP. The goal is to raise MSPAP scores y 10% per year to meet the satisfactory level.

Assessment Programs:

Assessment programs will be in the form of CRT and MSPAP scores.
 

Technology Skill Instruction: Prior to the activity students will be taught to use the web, to follow links and to use Power Point. They will use a template to fill in a cause and effect graphic organizer. Students also need to be able to save and print appropriate sections from an article on the Internet.

Authentic and Performance Based Learning: Students look at attributes in leaders. They will look at the new president and discuss the attributes of a leader. They will discuss questions such as, ‘ What makes people choose one person for a leadership role over another?’

Best Practices: Power Point as a teaching device will be modeled. The lesson will begin with the presentation and a student will be used to type in responses. Students will work in pairs to brainstorm and then share their responses with the class. They will learn how to share access to the computer and how to search for information using prescribed links.

Opening: Students will pair, share, and discuss the attributes of a good leader. They will first think in terms of leadership qualities for the classroom and then those for the country.

Active Learning: Ask students to picture dinner in the white house. What scenes come to mind? Now ask them to read George Bancroft’s description of the scene in the White House in 1831 on page 327 of their text (American Nation, Prentice Hall, 1998). Discuss the following questions:

Arrange students in heterogeneous groups of 4 or 5. Have them choose a leader who will be their editor. Assign other tasks such as reader, illustrator, typist, and resource specialist. Each group needs to work at a computer. They are to complete the unit by following directions on their assignment sheet. Essentially they are to follow the links on the web and take notes on these themes: Jackson’s popularity, his economic policies such as the spoils system, tariffs, closure of the bank and his attitude towards minorities.

Links will direct them to the articles on these topics. They should first skim through the articles for relevant information. Their textbook will also be used as a resource. The worksheet should be completed after reading pp. 330 and 331 in their text.

After reading all the articles they should make an outline of their design for their slide show. They are to regroup for the presentation.

Activity closure:

After the presentation give each group an index card. They are to discuss among themselves and then rate President Jackson as a leader based on their original criteria for leadership, on a scale of 1 —10. They then write the number on one side of the card and the reasons on the other side. Place a long strip of tape on the floor. On one end put an index card marked 1. In the middle of the tape, place another index card marked 5, and at the end of the tape place another one marked 10. One member from each group takes the card and goes up to the tape and stand in the appropriate position. They should explain to the class, the groups’ reason for the placement on the line. Have a class discussion on, ‘President Andrew Jackson man of the people’.

Students are now directed to write their persuasive essay individually on, ‘Andrew Jackson, man of the people’.

Assessment:

Students are to turn in:
The completed graphic organizer.
The two worksheets
The slide show
The essay