Debby+Lawson's+6-C-1+Lesson+Plan


 * Grade Level ** : 4
 * Topic: ** [|Thomas Edison] (video link)
 * Purpose: ** To view primary source video clips that show a day in the life of one of our country’s greatest inventors
 * Essential question:** How did Edison’s inventions contribute to economic change in the United States?
 * Demonstration of Learning: ** KWL chart ; oral presentation of ideas to the whole class
 * Student Grouping:** Pairs (Teams of three as needed, or one student willing to work alone
 * Time: ** Two 45-minute time periods

**4.B.2a** Present oral reports to an audience using correct language and nonverbal expressions for the intended purpose and message within a suggested organizational format. **C. Understand the development of economic systems.**
 * // Illinois //****// State //****// Standards: //**
 * LANGUAGE ARTS STATE GOAL 4: Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations. **
 * B. Speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience. **
 * SOCIAL SCIENCES STATE GOAL 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations. **
 * 16.C.2b** Explain how individuals, including John Deere, Thomas Edison, Robert McCormack, George Washington Carver and Henry Ford, contributed to economic change through ideas, inventions and entrepreneurship.
 * Background Knowledge: ** Students have already read a biography passage in their social studies texts about Thomas Edison, so they are aware of his inventions, particularly the light bulb, the phonograph, and motion pictures. Paired students will complete the K and W parts of the Edison KWL chart in their classroom before coming to the library. Their focus will be on the essential question listed above.

After viewing selected clips, students will complete the L portion of the KWL chart and construct an answer to the essential question, drawing on new learning and background knowledge.
 * // Period 1: Librarian will discuss the topic of primary resources and present several of the video clips from the American Memory site’s original motion picture, “A Day with Thomas Edison”.* //**


 * // Period 2: //** Students will demonstrate their learning through oral presentations to the class.

Note: I find the American Memory video playback feature extremely cumbersome, so I am experimenting with downloading the Edison movie clips to my laptop before this lesson. Other, more accessible versions of these video clips exist on YouTube, but contributors have added background music, or narration, which I think alters their “primary source” status. Additional versions of “//A Day with Thomas Edison”// : [] [] []


 * My plan is to download the clips from American Memory well in advance of the lesson, then to narrate the text portions of the video clips as they occur. This will help my students who read at below-grade level and my auditory learners better comprehend the video clips.

Debby, Your lesson's cross-curricular subjects of language arts and social sciences work well together. I like that the students will give an oral presentation rather than just submitting a written work. That you will narrate the text is thoughtful for differentiating the lesson for those who are less able to read. You have well-thought-out plans to playback the videos by downloading them. You will be better prepared in the event of technical difficulty, especially knowing about the youtube versions. Very nice lesson, Debby :) ~Jen

Debby, How will you narrate the text portion? Will you use software to put it together? I would love to be able to put something like this together but wasn't sure if you would use audacity or another program and how would you put it together? Shirley