Assumed Identities:
21st Century Students Assume the
Personnas of 1770's Virginia Colonists
5th Grade Teacher at Vinci Park School
Berryessa Union School District
San Jose, California
integrating historical research and presentation tools.
1. What were the conditions of various social groups in 1770's Virginia that led to the change from a loyal British colony to a leading proponent of Independence?
2. What was life like for people of the various social groups in that time and place?
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1. Research
Students are assigned a historical character along with the biographies of the People of Williamsburg resource materials (primary sources from www.history.org and Colonial Williamsburg materials) to research the person. They then fill in a research form.
Students do additional research on the history and culture of Colonial Virginia using print, music and internet resources. Some sources are listed to the left.
ISTE technology standards.
2. Planning
Students create a "historical fiction" character based on their research. They then plot out a 7-9 panel story board of what life was like, following a teacher created template. From that they implement the main project of the powerpoint and web page and some of the alternate activities below. Most are decidedly 21st century in nature, depending on computer technology. However, by using modern day technology, they can learn a great deal from the past.
2b) Biographies of the People of Williamsburg
3. Power Point Presentations;
Following the story board created in #2 above, students follow a teacher created template in planning and creating a Power Point presentation of their character's life
4b) Return to Williamsburg June 22, 2002 by rdcurry
(Courtesy of Ms. Nicole Moore,
Oakland CWTI 2001)
6) Colonial Photos from San Diego County Office of Education
4. Group Web Page
Each group, composed of characters of similar social groups, can create a web page featuring the members of their group in presenting their knowledge of the way of life of their assumed identities. These pages will be part of a Web Site set up by the teacher with templates for each group using Netscape Composer and saving on an established Server such as www.everyschool.org, or using Microsoft Word 2000 or Microsoft Publisher (and Saving as a Web Page).
CD-ROM
History Net at About.com
10) Yahooligans!
(www.yahooligans.com)
11) Ask Jeeves for Kids
(www.ajkids.com)
12) Slavery Image Search
13) Historical Photo Resources
National Semiconductor's Global Connections Course
Each student can create a biographical brochure for each individual using Microsoft Publisher 2000 or Microsoft Word.
Diary Entry;
A diary entry as written by the charcter. Students will write a diary entry in the role of their assumed identity and write what everyday life was like. This can be one section of the student website. Another option is for students to write the diary entries and then be published in a colonial-era facsimile newspaper for each group using Microsoft Publisher 2000.
Patchwork Quilt
Each individual will create a section for a patchwork quilt. Each section will portray something that is representative of the student's Assumed Character. All the individual sections will be sewn together, hopefully by parent volunteers. It will have, in the center, a class created central patch that states a unifying theme
Students will display their work (a VHS videotape play of their powerpoints) and display boards for the other written components. They could also take on the role of their Assumed Identity Character for a school Colonial History fair
Students will write a 1-3 paragraph essay on what they have learned while doing this activity
your sources and
writing a Bibliography
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Rob Curry
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