Influential Individuals of the American Revolution

Influential Individuals

of the

American Revolution

A WebQuest for fourth Grade Social Studies

C. Godfrey and F. Hamilton

Introduction

You have just traveled back in time to an important moment in American history. You have been assigned by your local news station to interview key individuals in the American Revolution. The year is 1776 and the Declaration of Independence has just been signed. Now that the war is over it is time for the rest of the world to know the true story of the individuals that contributed to this great American victory. This is your assignment: you will find one important person to interview and get an eyewitness account of their contributions in this revolution.

The Task

You will:

· research the assigned individual;

· discover what made this person important during the Revolution;

· construct an interview complete with questions (asked by the “reporter”)and answers (answered by the “individual”);

· prepare a televised news broadcast where you and your partner will act out the interview;

· create time appropriate costumes to be worn during the presentation;

· create a short summary containing your findings;

You and your partner will need to choose the role of: reporter or the important person that you are researching. You will assume the role during your televised broadcast. Remember it is your job to let the world know the true account of the individual’s contributions.

The Process

In this WebQuest you will be working with a partner in class. You and your partner will use the following links to research and unfold important facts about key individuals of the American Revolution. The web pages you will be visiting are real web pages so the reading content may be challenging, so feel free to use the online Webster dictionary or any other resources in the classroom. Remember you are traveling back in time so beware of the lingering red coats.

1. First you'll be assigned a partner...

2. Then you will research one of the following people....

· George Washington

· Benjamin Franklin

· Thomas Jefferson

· Patrick Henry

· John Adams

3. Find the important contributions this person made during the Revolution…

4. Use the research to construct questions and answers to be used in the interview…

5. Decide who will assume the role of the reporter and the historical figure…

6. Determine what costumes will be needed to portray the characters during the broadcast…

7. Be prepared to be televised and show the world your good news reporting…

8. Prepare a short summary based on your research.

Your presentation should be as though you are a real news reporter. Pay close attention to the historical details, true historical accounts, and in finding the essential contributions of the historical figure. Your audience will be expecting an exciting show.

Here are some good ideas for interview questions:

What is your name?
In your own words tell me what you encountered during this war.
What role did you play in the American Revolution?
What lasting impressions have you made in American history?

Links

George Washington This website has good information about his contributions to the American Revolution.

George Washington This website has great information and photos of him.

The Greatness of George Washington This website contains a video about him and can give ideas for costumes.

Benjamin Franklin This website has great information and photos of him.

Benjamin Franklin This website has good information about his contributions to the American Revolution.

Benjamin Franklin This website contains a video about him and can give ideas for costumes.

Thomas Jefferson This website has great information and photos of him

Thomas Jefferson This website has good information about his contributions to the American Revolution.

The Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson This website contains a video about him and can give ideas for costumes.

Patrick Henry This website has great information and photos of him

Patrick Henry This website has good information about his contributions to the American Revolution.

Patrick Henry's Speech This website contains a video about him and can give ideas for costumes.

John Adams This website has great information and photos of him.

John Adams This website has good information about his contributions to the American Revolution.

Evaluation

You and your partner will be graded together. Use the following rubric as a guide to plan your assignment.

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Research	Very little of the historical information was accurate	Most of the historical information was accurate.	Almost all of the historical information appeared to be accurate.	All historical information appeared to be accurate.
Presentation showed historical significance	No props/ costumes Contains insignificant information.	Some props/ costumes Little significant information	Most props/ costumes significant Most information is significant	All props/ costumes are significant All information significant
Organized summary containing key points	Does not incorporate clear points in summary	Shows some clear points into summary	Somewhat incorporates key points into summary	Clearly incorporates key points into summary

Conclusion

Upon completing this WebQuest, you will have learned a great deal about your chosen historical figure. You have researched the important contributions made by this person that had a lasting effect on American history.

Just for thought….What would America be like today if it wasn’t for these major contributions in American history?

Teacher Resources, References & Credits

· This WebQuest was designed for fourth grade social studies. The students will gain knowledge about several of the major contributors to the American Revolution. This will serve as a engaging introduction to a unit on the American Revolution.

· This WebQuest fulfils the following GPS:

§ SS4H4 The student will explain the causes, events, and results of the American Revolution.

d. Describe key individuals in the American Revolution with emphasis on King George III, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Benedict Arnold, Patrick Henry, and John Adams.

Teacher Materials needed:

Access to computers and the internet will be required for this activity. The students will also need access to craft supplies and supplies for costumes.

All clips, graphics, and media came from Microsoft Office and is greatly appreciated!

Microsoft Office

Based on a template from The WebQuest Page