Proud to be an American!
by Cindy Strother, cinstrother@bellsouth.net

Content Area(s)
English/Language Arts
Social Studies

Grade Level(s)
6, 7, 8, 

Overview
In this lesson, the students will be placed into numbered groups. (Group size will depend upon the number of students in the class. You will want, if possible, to have eight groups.) Each group will use the Inspiration program to create a web of the first eight Constitutional Amendments. Each group will then use Memo, on the handheld, to write a short paragraph explaining an assigned Amendment. Each group will then Hot Sync the paragraph, in numerical order, on a specified computer. The finished product will then be printed for revisions and editing.

Software
Inspiration
Memo

Technology
Desktop computer
Printer
"The American Journey" textbook (pgs. 242-243)
Internet search engines

Objectives
TLW read textbook pgs. 242-243.
TLW gather into groups for a set of eight groups.
TLW interpret the first eight amendments.
TLW create an outline, of the first eight Amendments, on the handheld Inspiration program.
TLW write a paragraph summarizing and explaining an assigned Amendment.
TLW edit and revise the completed essay.

Procedures
1. Students will be assigned into groups.
2. Students within the group will decide the
job assignments.
3. Students will then read textbook pages 242-
243. Students will also read the
attached doc - "Bill of Rights"
4. Students will orally discuss the meaning
of each Amendment. (Students may refer
to other sources to gather more inform-
ation.)
5. Students will then, using the handheld,
complete an outline of all eight
Amendments on the Inspiration program.
6. Students will also create a web of the
Inspiration outline.
7. Students will hot sync end results to a
file on a specified desktop computer.
8. Students will then receive an assigned
Amendment to be read and orally
discussed within the group.
9. The group recorder will, using Memo on
the handheld, write a summarization
of that Amendment.
10. The group will then hot sync, in
numerical order, the summarization
to a file on a specified computer.
11. After all groups have added their
summarization, each group will
receive a hard copy to revise and
edit.
12. If any changes are made, a group may
beam the changes made to the group
who wrote the paragraph.
13. Final changes will be made on the
specified computer.

Other Supporting Material
Bill%20of%20Rights

Submitted on: 7/25/2005 4:11:57 PM