Nick Ranallo
Learning Units
Learning
Unit #1
American History
Grade 8 Standards:
Topic: Colonization to Independence
2. North America, originally inhabited by American Indians, was explored and colonized by Europeans for economic and religious reasons
Colonial America Project
You will be researching the three different geographic regions of Colonial America. The New England colonies, Middle colonies, and Southern colonies. To stay organized while researching the three different regions of Colonial America complete the 13 Colonies Graphic Organizer. You will be using the assigned pages in your textbook, the primary sources, and the following website, National Repository of Online Classes. You will view each short film clip and read all the text from unit 1, chapter 2, and lessons 4, 5, and 6.
After you have have finished brainstorming, you will create an interactive page on Glogster using short film clips and photos with captions to show what you have learned about the New England colonies, Middle colonies, and Southern colonies.
Now you will be going into more detail on the colonies. You will select ONE of the 13 original colonies and create a 1 page comic representing the following: How the colony was founded, the major political system, the major economic system, and demographics of the colony (national origins).
At this point, your research should be done and in depth. You are going to use all of your resources such as the graphic organizer, the textbook, the website, Glogster, and your comic to put together a historical timeline of the 13 colonies. This assessment will provide you a visual timeline of when the colonies were founded. You are to create a timeline starting with the earliest colony to the last of the original 13 before independence. Create your timeline at prezi.
When you are done with these tasks, you will publish all of them on my site in edmodo, the group code is 77t3va. View at least 2 of your classmate's work. Respond to your classmates projects with what you liked, what you learned, and any connections you can make with the colony and/or regions.
Here is an example for your Glogster task.
Here is an example for your Comic.
Here is an example for your prezi.
Here is the rubric for your project.
American History
Grade 10 Standards:
Topic: Foreign Affairs from Imperialism to Post-World War I (1898- 1930)
15. As a result of overseas expansion, the Spanish - American War and World War I, the United States emerged as a world power
World War I Project
During this assignment you will be introduced to World War I and the impact of it at home and abroad. Before you begin your research, I would like to you to click Bubble.us and create a free account. After you have created your account, view the World War I Mind Map I want you to create clicking here. Once you have created your World War I Mind Map, identify at least four key terms/concepts/phrases of World War I in the following areas: New Weapon Technology, The United States Homefront, Trench Warfare, and Propaganda. It is ok if you cannot fill in all four bubbles.
Task 1:
Your first task will be to select ONE of the two topics on World War I. I recommend a topic that you were not able to identify at least four key terms/concepts for in the World War I Mind Map. You will select either New Weapon Technology or the United States Homefront. After you have selected your topic, go to wordle and design a word collage identifying key terms/phrases/concepts that represent the topic of World War I you selected. You are to generate at least 8 key terms/phrases/concepts for the topic in which you have selected.
Task 2:
Everyone now is going to work on propaganda during World War I. Propaganda played a vital role in gaining support in the war when it started and when the United States entered. The directions are to locate a World War I propaganda poster and create a voice over of what each symbol means as you provide detail on them. Please make sure to include the government agency responsible for the poster and explain the intent of the poster during World War I. You will have to download the app Showme. This is a FREE download to which it can be done on your ipad or android tablet.
Task 3:
The third part of the of project is to compose a video on trench warfare using Animoto. As you analyze trench warfare, develop a presentation using images, audio, and/or video that depict what trench warfare was like for all soldiers. The FREE version of Animoto only allows 30 seconds of recording, so you need to add only import key terms/phrases/concepts.
Lastly, after ALL tasks have been completed, refer back to your World War I Mind Map. Your task is to add/modify four new key terms/concepts/phrases your learned from the World War I project.
Publish your work on Edublogs and comment on each others assignments. Your comments should include what you learned about each one your classmates assignments.
Here is an example to a descriptive word collage in Wordle.
Here is an example for your Showme propaganda assignment.
Here is an example for your animoto trench warfare task.
Here is the rubric to your project.
American History
Grade 8 Standards:
Topic: Expansion
9. The United States added to its territory through treaties and purchases.
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American Expansion Project
During this project, you will be researching several aspects of the United States in regards to expansion. You will be conducting various tasks examining several treaties and purchases creating the United States borders we have today. The United States started with the 13 colonies turning to states and overtime expanding into the Pacific Ocean. In order to start this project, complete the following survey.
Task 1:
In the first part of the project, research one of the following treaties: Adams-Onis Treaty, Oregon Treaty, or the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. While you are researching one the the treaties make sure to take notes on the who, what, where, when, why, and how. After you have completed your research, go to google maps. You will log into you account and design a map based on your treaty. Draw the boundary line in which the treaty created and/or if apart of the treaty label the territory in which the United States acquired.
Task 2:
The next task in your project will be to summarize one of the following purchases: Louisiana Purchase, Gadsden Purchase, or Alaska Purchase. You are going to complete your summary through a podcast. Go to Vocaroo and summarize your podcast. In your podcast summary, report who the United States purchased the territory from, what year it was purchased, why, and how it was purchased.
Task 3:
You are going to compose a screencast using Jing. In this screencast, you are going to teach your classmates the Webster-Ashburton Treaty. Create your screencast using both audio and visual. You may use any style of presentation in your screencast. In your teaching, include the background information, and the most important aspect the cause and effect of the treaty.
All three completed tasks need to be published on your website you need to design using Wix. The first page needs to be your homepage relative to our class. Additionally, you need to formulate an answer to the following question on your website at the end. Describe how the United States added to its territory through treaties and purchases.
Example of the podcast on Vocaroo
Example of the screencast using Jing
Learning Unit #2
Learning Unit #3