Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)

Lesson Idea Name: The life of a historical figure

Content Area: Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 1st

Content Standard Addressed:

SS1H1 Read about and describe the life of historical figures in American history.

1. Identify the contributions made by these figures: Benjamin Franklin (inventor/author/

statesman), Thomas Jefferson (Declaration of Independence), Meriwether Lewis and William
Clark with Sacagawea (exploration), Theodore Roosevelt (National Parks and the
environment), George Washington Carver (science), and Ruby Bridges (civil rights).

Technology Standard Addressed: 3- Knowledge construct

Selected Technology Tool: Timeline

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-

interactives/timeline-30007.html

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☐ Remembering ☐ Understanding ☐ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☒ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): This activity addresses Universal Design for Learning by giving students
the opportunity to show their knowledge of the historical figure they choose to research through an
interactive timeline. Students have their choice of researching through videos, books, or their own notes.

Lesson idea implementation: Students will be assigned to a historical figure; they will then use their
Discovery Education accounts to research videos, articles, and pictures of their assigned historical figure.
More than one student will be assigned to each historical figure, so I will pull each set of students to
conference with. This will help me see what preliminary knowledge they have, and what direction and
scaffolding they will need. Individually the students will research the life of their historical figure. I will have
them make sure to hit high points such as: birth, education, beginning career, achievements, career high
points, and death. These dates will be put on their timeline along with a description of why the event was
important. Each timeline will be printed out and graded based on accuracy and the detail of the dates,
descriptions, and pictures.

The students will then be grouped to where there is one historical figure in every group, and each student will
present their timeline and tell about their life. The timelines will then be copied and distributed to the class as
study notes. The students will be able to spend one day researching and creating their timeline, and the
second day will be spend presenting their timeline. I will sit on the two group meetings to listen to the
student’s presentations and give verbal feedback, and then again when I receive their hardcopy of the
timeline.

Spring 2018_SJB
 Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)

Reflective Practice: This activity is designed to be a introduction to the unit about these historical figures and
their impact on America. These get students interested in the topic, and can allow me to draw on their
knowledge during my lessons. Depending on who I am teaching on that day I can have the students who did
their timeline over the certain figure help me teach the class. Getting students involved in the teaching
process gives them a new exciting role in the classroom.
To extend this lesson I could have students dress up as the figures and have a tea party discussing issues that
would have been a part of their time period in America. This would call for the students to speak from their
historical figure’s perspective.

Spring 2018_SJB