Name: __________________________ |
Subject: Reading as a Historian |
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American Spirit
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Introduction: |
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The Reading as a Historian : Connecting Past
to Present web quest examines and analyzes the American Spirit
as reflected in historical fiction.
The following "Banner Questions" are discussed for each piece
of literature.
1. Is the literature an accurate representation of historical
event(s)?
2. Is the literature relevant to young people today?
The reader will analyze the text in order to understand the
author's historical portrayal of the culture, motives, and the
traditions of the ethnic group. Ultimately, the reader should
come to a recognition as to why the group came to America, how
they reflect the American Spirit, and make connections to their
own lives.
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Task: |
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How does your self-selected text illustrate the
American Spirit?
1. Select a novel, read and discuss it in literature circles.
2. As a group, select a project that illustrates the determination
to survive seen within the ethnic group represented in your
novel. |
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Process: |
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Step One:
Select a novel based on your personal interests from the following:
Lyddie by Katherine Patterson
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Nory Ryann's Song by Patricia Reilly Giff
Roll of Thunder by Mildred Taylor
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdich
Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen
Pacific Crossing by Gary Soto
Novel of your choice with teacher approval
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Resources: |
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Atlantic Slave Trade
http://www.infoplease.com/timelines/slavery.html
http://cghs.dade.k12.fl.us/african-american/europe/slave_trade.htm
http://www1.american.edu/ted/slave.htm
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/topics/Time-American_Slave_Trade.html
Secrets of the Dead: Slave Ship Mutiny - PBS Video
http://video.pbs.org/video/1637171040
Westward Expansion
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/texas/westward-expansion.htm
http://www.snowcrest.net/jmike/westexp.html
http://www.history.com/topics/westward-expansion
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4narr4.html
Manifest Destiny
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/manifest_destiny_overview.
html
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h337.html
http://www.historyonthenet.com/American_West/manifest_destiny.htm
http://www.ushistory.org/us/29.asp
Industrial Revolution
https://www.msu.edu/user/brownlow/indrev.htm
http://americanhistory.about.com/library/charts/blchartindrev.htm
http://inventors.about.com/od/indrevolution/Industrial_Revolution.htm
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/2/81.02.06.x.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/4132/info.htm
http://public.wsu.edu/~dee/ENLIGHT/INDUSTRY.HTM
Civil War
http://www.civilwar.com/
http://www.historyplace.com/civilwar/
The Civil War A Film by Ken Burns A PBS Video
http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/civil_war.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war
http://americanhistory.about.com/od/civilwarmenu/a/cause_civil_war.htm
Civil Rights
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/civilrightstimeline1.html
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart9.html
Irish Immigration
http://library.thinkquest.org/20619/Irish.html
http://www.kinsella.org/history/histira.htm
http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/famine/america.htm
http://www.america.gov/st/diversity-english/2008/February/20080307131416ebyessedo0.6800043.html
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAEireland.htm
Chinese Immigration
http://www2.needham.k12.ma.us/nhs/cur/kane98/kane_p3_immig/China/china.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/20619/Chinese.html
http://rs6.loc.gov:8081/learn/features/timeline/riseind/chinimms/chinimms.html
http://www.goldenventuremovie.com/Chinese_Immigration.htm
Mexican Immigration
http://migrationinformation.org/USfocus/display.cfm?id=767
http://www.pbs.org/itvs/beyondtheborder/immigration.html
http://international.loc.gov:8081/learn/features/immig/mexican.html
http://mmp.opr.princeton.edu/
American Indian Removal Act
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Indian.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html
http://academic.udayton.edu/race/02rights/native10.htm
http://www.enotes.com/major-acts-congress/indian-removal-act
http://www.synaptic.bc.ca/ejournal/jackson.htm
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/7402
ALL GROUPS MUST READ:
http://www.authorama.com/american-spirit-in-literature-1.html
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Evaluation: |
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Choose ONE of the following as your final product.
Write and illustrate an original picture book.
Create a museum exhibit.
Write a research paper.
Create a Power Point or Prezi presentation.
Create an I Movie.
Create a display board.
Each product must meet the following criterion:
Answer the Banner Questions about the novel you read.
Is the literature an accurate representation of historical events?
Is the literature relevant to young people today?
Make connections between oneself and people group characterized
within the chosen novel.
Illustrate how this novel exemplifies the American Spirit. Read
the "The American Spirit In Literature" (see last link under
resources). Address each of the following:
Has the culture you have researched "long endured"?
Are they "...strangers in an inn, but passengers in a ship"?
Are they "venturesome"?
Are they "physically and morally daring"?
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Conclusion: |
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Email your teacher with the following reflection:
Discuss the three most important facts or lessons you learned
from this unit.
Discuss two ways these lessons have or will impact you now and
in the future.
Discuss one thing you would like to have added to this product
to make it better. |
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This Web Quest is available at
(www.teacherjet.com)
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