Tom Jones
(Manchester - United States)I am a retired high school principal in my 3rd year of post-retirement re-employment teaching high school English.
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- Contributed By: Abby Sigoda
Revolutionary War Assignment
A WebQuest for 4th Grade Social Studies Designed by Kayla Smith, Abby Sigoda, Tom Reilly
ks631870@wcupa.edu, swimmy100fr@aol.com, tr625957@wcupa.edu
A WebQuest for 4th Grade Social Studies Designed by Kayla Smith, Abby Sigoda, Tom Reilly
ks631870@wcupa.edu, swimmy100fr@aol.com, tr625957@wcupa.edu
 |
The second letter will be written back from the family member, friend or lover to the soldier or person in the war. This letter will include things like your living conditions at home, hardships you are facing because of the war, and the food you are eating. As a group you will then present your letters (each student will read one letter) to the class portraying (with the clothes provided) either the writer of the letter or the receiver of the letter.
Task
The T
ask
The end product will be two letters
dated back to the Revolutionary War. One letter will be written from
someone involved in the Revolutionary war (a soldier or nurse) written
to a family member or friend. The second letter will be written back
from the family member or friend to the person in the war.The letters must both contain proper letter writing format including the heading, greeting, three body paragraphs, the complimentary closing, and the signature line. The three body paragraphs should address one topic with three supporting details. If you choose to write one paragraph on how Robert E.Lee lead you into battle, you should include in your paragraph what the job of a general was, what he said to you, etc. The letter must be factual, and it also must look authentic (like it’s been through a war).
Process
Some examples of information to look up are: living conditions, food, battles, generals, weapons, places traveled, living conditions at home, and hardships at home.
Here are some websites you can use to find information: Life of a soldier
American Revolution Biographies of soldiers
The Revolution
Woman in the War
Battles
Weapons Main Events Living Conditions
4. Once you have done research on what it was like to be living in the Revolutionary War or fighting in the Revolutionary War you and your partner should pick three main ideas you want each paragraph to be about in the letter being written from the soldier.
5. After you and your partner have picked three main ideas you need to pick 3 supporting details to go along with each main idea.
6. After the details have been decided for the first letter the same proccess should be done for the second letter.The first body paragraph of the second letter should be a response to the information that was presented in the first letter. The second two paragraphs should be about what life is like at home.
7. After you have picked what each paragraph will be about for both letters each person should write the rough draft of their designated letter.
* To find information on the correct letter writing format you can go to these websites: Letter Format 8. AFter the rough drafts are written each group should switch their letters with another group for a peer evaluation. The papers should be read for spelling errors and factual errors.
9. After the rough drafts are written each partner should get a plain piece of white paper and begin to write the final copy of their letter.
10. Once the final draft of each letter is written (on the paper provided), students should then make their letters look authentic (like it has been through the war). To do this you can choose from materials provided such as dirt and tea bags (Teachers and volunteer parents will be available the day students antique their letters). 11. After the letters are made authentic looking the group should pick out their costumes from the box of costumes in the class. 12. Once the costumes are picked out the group should practice reading their letter allowed because the letters will have to be read allowed to the entire class.
Evaluation
The
rubric for this project is below. Before the letters are graded the
class will participate in a peer review and correct each others rough
drafts. This rubric is for the final draft. It is out of 200 points.
Both group members will be graded together on both of their letters.
This will be 184 of the 200 points. Each student will then be graded
individually for the presentation of the letter, which is the last 16
points.
Rubric for Revolutionary War Letters and Presentation (200 Points)
Letter 1
Heading (2 points each/ 12 points total)
____ Correct indentation (top right side of the page)
____ Address
____ Date
____ Date and address correspond with proper time period (1 point for each/ 2 points total)
____ 2 lines skipped in between heading and greeting
____ Heading is 3 lines long
Greeting (2 points each/ 6 points total)
____ Ends with a comma
____ Formal (Dear) or Informal (Hi)
____ 2 lines skipped between greeting and body
Body Paragraph 1 ( 5 points each/ 20 points total)
____ Addresses one factual topic relating to the Revolutionary War (food, living conditions, a battle, generals, etc.)
____ 5 space indentation at the start of the paragraph
____ At least 3 supporting accurate details relating to your topic
____ 2 lines skipped between paragraphs
Body Paragraph 2 ( 5 points each/ 20 points total)
____ Addresses one factual topic relating to the Revolutionary War (food, living conditions, a battle, generals, etc.)
____ 5 space indentation at the start of the paragraph
____ At least 3 supporting accurate details relating to your topic
____ 2 lines skipped between paragraphs
Body Paragraph 3 ( 5 points each/ 20 points total)
____ Addresses one factual topic relating to the Revolutionary War (food, living conditions, a battle, generals, etc.)
____ 5 space indentation at the start of the paragraph
____ At least 3 supporting accurate details relating to your topic
____ 2 lines skipped between paragraphs
Complementary Closing (2 points each/ 8 points total)
____ Salutation (example: Your Friend)
____ Ends with a comma
____ Indented to same spot as Heading
____ 1 to 3 spaces between the closing and the signature
Signature Line (2 points each/ 4 points total)
____ Indented to the closing
____ Your signature in Cursive
Appearance of Letter (1 points each/ 2 points total)
____ Letter looks old (example: ripped or stained)
____ Letter is legibly hand written
Letter 2
Heading (2 points each/ 12 points total)
____ Correct indentation (top right side of the page)
____ Address
____ Date
____ Date and address correspond with proper time period (1 point for each/ 2 points total)
____ 2 lines skipped in between heading and greeting
____ Heading is 3 lines long
Greeting (2 points each/ 6 points total)
____ Ends with a comma
____ Formal (Dear) or Informal (Hi)
____ 2 lines skipped between greeting and body
Body Paragraph 1 ( 5 points each/ 20 points total)
____ Replies to Letter 1 about the food, living conditions, a battle, generals, etc.
____ 5 space indentation at the start of the paragraph
____ Includes at least 3 accurate details relating to letter 1
____ 2 lines skipped between paragraphs
Body Paragraph 2 ( 5 points each/ 20 points total)
____ Addresses one factual topic relating to the Revolutionary War (food, living conditions, a battle, generals, etc.)
____ 5 space indentation at the start of the paragraph
____ At least 3 supporting accurate details relating to your topic
____ 2 lines skipped between paragraphs
Body Paragraph 3 ( 5 points each/ 20 points total)
____ Addresses one factual topic relating to the Revolutionary War (food, living conditions, a battle, generals, etc.)
____ 5 space indentation at the start of the paragraph
____ At least 3 supporting accurate details relating to your topic
____ 2 lines skipped between paragraphs
Complementary Closing (2 points each/ 8 points total)
____ Salutation (example: Your Friend)
____ Ends with a comma
____ Indented to same spot as Heading
____ 1 to 3 spaces between the closing and the signature
Signature Line (2 points each/ 4 points total)
____ Indented to the closing
____ Your signature in Cursive
Appearance of Letter (1 points each/ 2 points total)
____ Letter looks old (example: ripped or stained)
____ Letter is legibly hand written
Presentation for Student 1(4 points each/ 16 points total)
____ Volume (Speaking loud enough so everyone can hear you)
____ Fluency (Speaking clearly)
____ Rate (Speaking at a steady pace. Not to fast, but not to slow)
____ Eye Contact (occasionally looking at the audience, while reading letter)
Presentation for Student 2 (4 points each/16 points total)
____ Volume (Speaking loud enough so everyone can hear you)
____ Fluency (Speaking clearly)
____ Rate (Speaking at a steady pace. Not to fast, but not to slow)
____ Eye Contact (occasionally looking at the audience, while reading letter)
Conclusion
Upon
completion of this project you and your partner should have learned
what it was like to live and fight in the Revolutionary War.
Specifically you should have learned about some specific battles,
generals who led the Revolutionary War, living conditions for those
fighting in the war and living at home during the war, the clothes
worn, food ate, and weapons used. You also should be skilled at writing
a letter using proper letter writing format.
Students will meet the NET*S standard 1b which
states that students demonstrate creative thinking, construct
knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using
technology; they will create original works as a means of personal or
group expression.
To further your knowledge about the Revolutionary War you can go to
Further your learning!
Credits & References
American Revolution Biographies of soldiers
The Revolution
Woman in the War
Battles
Weapons Main Events Living Conditions
Teacher page
This lesson was developed as part of the West Chester University Educational Technology Web Quest Project.
This lesson is about the Revolutionary War as well
as how to write a letter using the correct letter writing format. The
students will research information on the Revolutionary War, research
information on how to write a letter using correct letter writing
format, and will write their own letters, and they will then present
their letters to the class. This web quest will involve multiple
intelligences including: linguistic intelligence because students will
be writing and reading,interpersonal intelligence because students will
be working corroboratively with another student, and intrapersonal
intelligence because students will be actually writing their letter by
themselves. Students will be using a higher level of thinking because
they are not just memorizing information learned on the Revolutionary
War they are using what they have learned and putting the information
into a real life situation.
This lesson is anchored in a fourth grade Social Studies and involves
language arts to a lesser extent. The lesson can easily be extended to
additional grades by either adding help by the teachers to younger
grades or adding more information needed for older grade levels.
Learners will need to know prior to beginning this lesson how to find research in websites on the internet.
| PA.R.1.4.P.B | > Use early forms of writing, dictation, or illustrations to inform (e.g., lists, letters, labels). |
| PA.SS.H.8.1.9.D | __Analyze and interpret historical research; Historical event (time and place); Facts, folklore and fiction; Historical questions; Primary sources; Secondary sources; Conclusions (e. g., History Day projects, mock trials, speeches); Credibility of evidence; Author or source of historical narratives' points of view; Central issue |
| PA.SS.H.8.2.6.B | __Identify and explain primary documents, material artifacts and historic sites important in Pennsylvania history from Beginnings to 1824; Documents, Writings and Oral Traditions (e. g., Charter of Privileges, The Gradual Abolition of Slavery Act of 1780, Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer); Artifacts, Architecture and Historic Places (e. g., Conestoga Wagon, Pennsylvania rifle, Brig Niagara) |
| PA.SS.H.8.3.6.D | __Identify and explain conflict and cooperation among social groups and organizations in United States history from Beginnings to 1824; Domestic Instability (e. g., Salem Witch Trials, Shays Rebellion, religious persecution); Ethnic and Racial Relations (e. g., cooperation between and among Native Americans and European settlers, slave uprisings, 'Colored troops in the Revolution); Labor Relations (e. g., early union efforts, 10- hour day, women's role); Immigration and Migration (e. g., western settlements, Louisiana Purchase, European immigration); Military Conflicts (e. g., American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Native American opposition to American expansion) |
By
the end of the webquest the students will master letter writing using
the correct letter writing format and they will master understanding
what life was like during the Revolutionary War. They will master these
tasks by researching how to write a letter and what life was like
during the Revolutionary War and then using the information to actually
write a letter. They are also meeting the NET*S standard 1b which
states that students demonstrate creative thinking, construct
knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using
technology; they will create original works as a means of personal or
group expression.
You as the teacher will know that this lesson was successful if the end
project results in two synchronized letters that contain information on
what life was like during the revolutionary war. When it comes time to
grading you will be looking at two written letters for information,
synchronization, correct letter writing format, and their presentations
to the class. You will be sure that each member of the group has
contributed equally because each student is in charge of their own
letter. You will be able to see that each individual has a satisfactory
understanding of the content and is competent in the skills learned by
reading their letters for correct information and the amount of
information used.
