ND Curriculum Initiative

Subject & Standards

Understandings & Goals

Enduring Understandings: 1. That history is exciting and we can learn from it today. 2. That they are making history. 3. That they also can interpret history. 4. That observing the world closely from different “eyes” is important. The “eyes” of a writer, scientist, artist, and historian. They all see the same thing but see something different. 5. That the Lewis and Clark expedidtion was about discovering diplomacy.
Goal(s): 1. Students will be able to use a USB Proscope and a hand held “Private Eye” Scope to enhance their ability to observe. 2. Students will record Mandan and Corps of Discovery uses of the Cottonwood tree. 3. Students will learn ot draw objects from nature using line, form, and geometric shape. 4. Students will learn to write by using analogies. 5. Students will be able to generate lists of adjectives.

Questions Answered

Essential questions: 1. What is observation? 2. How does an artist see the lines and put them on paper guided by their visual eye. 3. How do you put into your own words to describe the attributes of your observations? 4. How was the expedition a scientific adventure? 5. How were Lewis and Clark naturalists? 6. What was daily life like for the men at Fort Mandan in the winter of 1804? 7. What relationships were built between the Mandan people and the Corps of Discovery?
Objectives: 1. To explore differences in how the students visualize and interpret language. 2. To explore differences in how the students visualize and interpret objects from nature. 3. To reinforce descriptive and sequential writing ability. 4. To link active and practical learning to historical figures.

Assessment

What quiz and test items (e.g. simple content-focused questions that require a single, best answer) will provide evidence of understanding?  none
What academic prompts (e.g. open-ended questions or problems that require students to think critically and then to prepare a response / product / performance) will provide evidence of understanding?
Students will complete a Self-reflection Journal addressing the following questions: 1.What was the most difficult part of this project for you?  2. What do you think you shoud do next?  3. If you could do this task again, what woudl you do differently?  4. What did yoiu learn from this project?
What performance tasks and projects (e.g. complex challenges that are authentic, mirror the real world and require a performance or product) will you include that will provide evidence of student understanding?
1. The students will create a museum to display their work. 2. They will create a brochure for people who visit the museum. This real audience will provide validation and meaning for the new information the students will be aquiring.  3. Students will create artifacts to reflect the historical time peroid.  4. Students will write by analogy.  5. Students will create two poems using decriptors, analogies, and similes.  6. Students will complete 3 drawings with the “Private Eye” Loupe.
What other evidence (e.g. observations, work samples, dialogues, student self-assessment) of understanding will you collect?
Informal Checks and Observations will be used daily throughout the 45 minutes I am with students.

Instructional Strategies

While the students assume the role of museum planner they will be using the skills covered in Project-Based Larning. The students are to plan and create a museum of the facts of the Lewis and Clark time in North Dakota at Fort Mandan and Smith Grove. The activities are integrated and interdisciplinary. They will be conducting research, organizing activities, and pulling together what would be important for people to know about the expedition. They will need to utilize. Productive Thinking, Decision Making, Planning, and Communication. All requiring high level thought processes and real world skills.