S. Danielle Radford Famous Americans Lesson Plan 1

Introduction Lesson Topic: Famous Americans

5 periods of 60 minutes each VA Standards of Learning History and Social Science

2.11 The student will identify George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony,

Helen Keller, Jackie Robinson, and Martin Luther King, Jr., as Americans whose

contributions improved the lives of other Americans.

Cognitive Objectives

Students will:

Create a small group video in the form of a newscast, interview, documentary, or video

reenactment that shows the important contributions to American life that were made by

either George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Helen Keller, Jackie

Robinson, or Martin Luther King, Jr.

Materials/Technology and Advanced PreparationVideo RecorderComputer with video editing programPremade video example Amelia EarhartTeacher selected books and websites for student research

Teaching and Learning Sequence Day 1Introduction/Anticipatory Set

Ask students to raise their hands if they have heard of any of the following people-

George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Robinson, Susan

B. Anthony, Amelia Earhart, or Helen Keller.

Encourage students to tell what they know about these people.

Ask what these people have in common. Famous Americans

Lesson Development

S. Danielle Radford Famous Americans Lesson Plan 2

Explain that in order for everyone to get more familiar with each of these famous

Americans, we are going to divide into small groups and make a video about each one.

Play the teacher prepared video about Amelia Earhart for students to see what their

videos might look like.

Discuss what was learned from the Amelia Earhart video, especially her contributions to

American society.

Brainstorm different ways that students can do their own videos, such as interviews,

reenactments, newscasts, or documentary styles.

Divide students into small groups and solicit volunteers to research the following famous

Americans-George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, Jackie Robinson,

Martin Luther King Jr., and Susan B. Anthony.

Give each group a handout outlining the video requirements.

Instruct groups to fill out the handout and turn in at the end of class.

Direct students’ attention to the available books and websites for their research.

Write on the board and verbally instruct students to include facts about that person’s

contributions to American society.

Allow students to work in their groups to research their famous American and decide

how they want to set up their video.

Ask students to write facts they want to include in the video and how they plan to show

this information in the video.

Walk amongst the groups to help as needed.

Closure

Go to each group and collect the handout with the written notes they have taken thus far.

S. Danielle Radford Famous Americans Lesson Plan 3

Discuss with each group what they have learned and how they should proceed during the

next social studies class.

AssessmentFormative-Teacher will go to each small group to offer suggestions and see if each group is

completing the research needed for the video.

Summative-Final small group videos will be evaluated based on completeness, accuracy of facts,

whether or not the video presents some contributions to society made by their assigned famous

American, and creativity.

References

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/history_socialscience/next_version/stds_history2.pdf