Friday, July 6, 2012

CEP 800 Module 5 Lesson Plan


Lesson Descriptors

Instructor: Mr. Gary J Brumbelow

Subject Area(s): Social Studies – U.S. History and Geography         Date Developed: 07/02/12

Lesson Topic: World War II: The Road to the Cold War                        Grade Level: 9th – 12th

Objectives: The student(s) will understand the relationship and underlying factors of how World War II changed the political, social, economic, and military landscape of the global community and how these factors lead to the transition from post-WWII to the beginnings of the Cold War.

Standard(s) and benchmark(s):  Michigan Department of Education High School Social Studies Content Expectations, V 10/07

U. S. History and Geography Content Expectations
1.      K1 General Knowledge – embedded in USHG standards and expectations
a.       K1.2 – Know that each discipline is subject to criticisms and limitations; be aware of the primary criticisms of history and geography.
b.      K1.4 – Understand historical and geographical perspectives.
c.       K1.5 – Understand the diversity of human beings and human cultures.
d.      K1.6 – Analyze events and circumstances from the vantage point of others.
e.       K1.7 – Understand social problems, social structures, institutions, class groups, and interaction.
f.       K1.8 – Apply social studies concepts to better understand major current local, national, and world events, issues, and problems.
g.      K1.9 – Integrate concepts from at least two different social studies disciplines.

2.      Social Studies Procedures and Skills – embedded in USHG standards and expectations
a.       P1 Reading and Communication – read and communicate effectively
                                                                          i.      P1.2 – Analyze point of view, context, and bias to interpret primary and secondary source documents.
                                                                        ii.      P1.3 – Understand that diversity of interpretation arises from frame of reference.

3.      Disciplinary Knowledge – embedded in USHG standards and expectations
a.       Historical and Geographical Knowledge and Perspective
                                                                          i.      Know significant periods and events in world history; social, religious, and political movements; and major historical figures who influenced such movements
                                                                        ii.      Identify and define specific factual information, themes, movements, and general principles operating United States history and geography to deduce meaning and comprehend patterns
b.      Historical and Geographical Analysis and Interpretations
                                                                          i.      Distinguish value judgments in historical and geographical information, weigh evidence, synthesize information, apply knowledge, make judgments, formulate generalizations, and draw conclusions.

4.      USHG Era 8 – Post World War II United States (1945-1989)
a.       8.1 Cold War and the United States – identify, analyze, and explain the causes, conditions, and impact of the Cold War Era on the United States
                                                                          i.      8.1.1 Origins and Beginnings of Cold War – analyze the factors that contributed to the Cold War including
a.       Differences in the civic, ideological and political values, and the economic and governmental institutions of the U.S. and U.S.S.R.
b.      Diplomatic decisions made at the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences (1945)
c.       Actions by both countries in the last years of and years following World War II (e.g., the use of the atomic bomb, the Marshall Plan, the Truman Doctrine, North American Treaty Alliance (NATO), and Warsaw Pact) (National Geography Standard 13, p. 210)




Materials needed:      Multi-media Projector and Screen
                                    Computer Lab
                                    PowerPoint Presentation
                                    Video Montage from previous lessons
                                    Individual and Classroom Blogs
                                    Mindomo Accounts for teacher and students
                                   



Instructional Phases


Phase 1:  Focus
           
            Initiating Activity and Prior Knowledge Assessment
        Video Montage Presentation and Creative Writing Assignment
        Prior Knowledge Discussion Questions at Beginning of PowerPoint Presentation

Explanation: The students will be given a short scenario by the teacher and then have 5 minutes to free write, describing their responding feelings to the given scenario. The students will then watch a short historical video montage from the previous lessons of World War II and discuss their feelings from the creative writing scenario and compare to how the U.S. servicemen and American society may have felt during the European and Pacific Campaigns. After discussion of this activity, the instructor will engage the students in an open classroom call-and-response activity over prior knowledge information covering World War II. This immediately engages the students on the subject matter of the day, brings them together in an open classroom atmosphere, allows the instructor to gauge the students level of prior knowledge, and the time limit keeps the students in a challenging and engaging atmosphere.


Phase 2:  Construction

            Acquisition of new knowledge from instructor
        Interactive Classroom Discussion and PowerPoint presentation
o   Teacher will introduce students to the facts of how the ending results of World War II and the shift in the global community socially, economically, politically, and militarily ultimately led to the beginning of the Cold War. This lesson will cover the facts of the events from Japan’s attack on America to the beginning of the Cold War.
o   Students will openly participate in the classroom discussion and follow along with the PowerPoint presentation. Students will also take notes on what they feel are the key points or aspects that led to the evolution of the Cold War. This will allow the students to actively participate and freely express their views and ideas, see the information through the PowerPoint presentation and actively synthesize the information through the note taking process.


            Processing Declarative Knowledge
        Organizing and storing Knowledge through classroom activity
o   Students will be broken into small groups. They will then use their individual notes, as well as the class list of key factors created via the discussion, to create their Mindomo mind-map. Students will be given class time in the computer lab to work collectively on this project, as well as, access to the Mindomo site to work outside of the classroom. The instructor will circulate the classroom assisting or guiding groups as needed.



Explanation: The information will be presented through a combination of call and response questions, classroom discussion, and corresponding PowerPoint presentation. This will allow the student(s) to see and hear the information being presented. Secondly, the student(s) will take notes that follow along with the presentation highlighting key points of the discussion and presentation. Students will then work collaboratively to construct a detailed, comprehensive, and well-organized mind-map.



Phase 3:  Assessment

            Completed Group Maps
-          Each group will complete their mind-map and make a short presentation to the class. Grades will be given based on observed group dynamic, as well as, the project rubric given to all students outlining the project expectations.
-          The class will then combine each groups map to create one overall comprehensive class map and ensure that all key factors are recognized and identified.


Explanation: By having each group present their map to the other groups, the students will be able to recognize key components that are repeated or that were not identified in each map. This will allow them to then work together as a class to combine their projects into one comprehensive collection that represents all aspects and factors resulting from post-WWI that led to the Cold War.






Content: This lesson is designed to engage students in recognizing and understanding how the outcome of World War II and key factors of post-WWII society led to the beginnings of the Cold War.

In social studies, we often work with concepts or ideologies that lead to historic world events. The identification and understanding of these factors is crucial for students to build upon in order to see and grasp the evolution of society as a whole. Therefore, it is often critical for students to understand the relationship and underlying factors of how one event can change the political, social, economic, and military landscape of the global community and how these factors can lead to the transition of society and trigger a global event. Unfortunately, while this is a crucial concept for students to master, it is one that they often struggle with.

Pedagogy: This is a constructivist style lesson, where the instructor will use pointed questions and a PowerPoint presentation to guide the students in a class-room discussion of the key factors and ideologies the students need to recognize and understand. By calling upon prior knowledge and scaffolding the lesson, the instructor will move from a guiding role to that of facilitator of the discussion. The lesson will then take on a stronger social-constructivist role as the class is broken into small groups to work on the Mindomo project.

Content and Pedagogy: When teaching a concept that relies on students recognizing and connecting ideas and factors, it is imperative that they discover and make the connections themselves. If I was to just give them these ideas on a handout, or model the map and then print it out for them, they would have the facts. However, the student would not have achieved a deep understanding of the lesson. By connecting the content with the social-constructivist method in instruction, the students are the facilitator in their own learning and achieve a greater depth of knowledge and understanding.

Technology: I am using a variety of technology from the PowerPoint presentation, the computer lab, the student’s individual Blogs for the creative writing assignment and the Mindomo site for the mind-mapping project. While this lesson could be completed free of this technology, the tools used strongly enhance the overall effectiveness of the lesson and work to engage the student in the learning process.

Technology and Pedagogy: Each of the technology tools allows me to scaffold my lesson and transition the learning process into the control of the students, while maintaining an observational and guiding role in the learning process and the outcome of the projects. By using Mindomo, the students are able to work collectively in a small group setting, yet still work when it fits their schedule outside of the classroom and independent of one another.

Technology and Content: With the technology used in this lesson, it allows for the class to work collaboratively to identify the outlining factors that led to the Cold War. They are then capable of creating the mind-map and work in small groups to organize, identify, and connect how the factors affected society as a whole while working online outside of the classroom. While this lesson could be completed minus the technology tools used, the instructional process would be more difficult and less effective.

Assessment: Each group will complete their mind-map and make a short presentation to the class. Grades will be given based on observed group dynamic, comprehensiveness of their map, as well as, the project rubric given to all students outlining the project expectations. The class will then combine each groups map to create one overall comprehensive class map and ensure that all key factors are recognized and identified. By having each group present their map to the other groups, the students will be able to recognize key components that are repeated or that were not identified in each map. This will allow them to then work together as a class to combine their projects into one comprehensive collection that represents all aspects and factors resulting from post-WWI that led to the Cold War.

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