Website Lesson-- Men of Mount Rushmore

Written By: Greg Hager

Unit Topic: History

Grade: 4th

Specific: Men of Mount Rushmore

Lesson Objectives: 1) The student will know the basics about the Presidents on Mount Rushmore and about the mountain itself.

2) The student will demonstrate the ability to research a specific topic

3) The student will show the ability to work on a computer by finishing the assigned worksheet

Instructional Techniques: The student will work by themselves on the computer to complete the assigned worksheet. To start the class there will be a whole class discussion about presidents and at the end of class we will discuss as a class what they learned.

Instructional Materials:

Website for activity

Pencil/Pen

Computer

Printer

Worksheet

Theoretical Approach: It is important for kids to learn about Mount Rushmore as it is a national monument that was built to remember the four presidents on it. The kids need to learn about the presidents on Mount Rushmore to understand how they helped to create the nation that we live in today. Knowing how a president helped shaped the U.S. today is important to know for that we can keep the country a worldwide power. By knowing about these presidents lets us understand why we have specific laws we do and why we fight to keep freedom and other liberties of ours as a country. Understanding about great presidents may inspire a child to want to be like that president and he may one day achieve his goal and become president.

ISTE standards: 1) Students understand and use technology systems

2) Students can plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.

3) Students can select and use applications effectively and productively.

Curriculum Frameworks: Standard 1: Students will identify the basic facts and main ideas in a text and use them as the basis for interpretation.

Standard 2: Identify and describe unique features of the United States (e.g., the Everglades,
 the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, the Redwood Forest, Yellowstone National Park, and Yosemite National Park).

Standard 3: Identify major monuments and historical sites in and around Washington, D.C.
 (e.g., the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, the Smithsonian Museums, the Library of Congress, the White House, the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the National Archives, Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial, and Mount Vernon).

Procedure: 1) We will start by asking the class to name as many presidents as they can to activate their prior knowledge.

2) Next we will hand out the worksheet and explain that today they will be doing an interactive activity on the computer and will need to fill out the worksheet as they go along.

3) They will be learning about Mount Rushmore and the four specific presidents that are on the Mountain.

4) The kids will go to their assigned computers and work individually on the worksheet. If they need to stop and complete the worksheet at another time they should finish the subject (president/Mount Rushmore) they are on so next time they can pick up where they left off.

5) Once the kids have all finished their worksheets we will meet as a class on the rug and each child will say one thing that they learned from doing the project.

6) Collect the worksheets to be reviewed and graded.

Adaptations for different students: If students have a physical impairment and cannot write then someone can write the answer if the child figures it out. If a child cannot see they can listen to or be told what the question is to answer it.

Evaluation: 1) Informally we will assess how well the kids work on the computer making sure they stay on task.

2) Formally we will grade the attached worksheet with each question being worth three points (1 for the answer and 2 for a fact, except on bottom part the whole fact is 3 points) and 10 points will be assigned from the informal assessment above, that the kids worked well and stay on task during the lesson.

Concerns:

1)      Some students may really struggle with material. How do we handle it?

2)      Try to keep kids from cheating by asking a neighbor for help.

3)      If the computers are to crash we will have to create a test on paper for back-up.

4)      What if a child doesn’t know how to use a computer.