Lesson #3



Lesson #3

Vickie Schrage

Teacher’s Challenge

Final Draft

17 April 2008

Overview

Writing to learn can be a beneficial way in which teachers can teach new things to students. In this lesson, the students will be writing journal entries of a real, famous, historical figure of the 20th century. They will pick a person from a list and research them. Instead of the student writing a research paper on this figure, they will write ten journal entries as if they were this historical figure. The entries must contain key pieces of information about the figure and a creative, colorful title page. The students will do three days of library research, but will be limited to using only books, newspapers, and encyclopedias because those were the only forms of information that were available to the people of the 20th century. There must also be at least one picture of the figure or thing they are most associated with accomplishing in their lifespan. This lesson teaches research skills, important 20th century figures, and creative writing. The students will add in the figures’ feelings and pseudo journal entries, but only true facts will be presented within the content of the journal. The entire three week unit will take place in-class, so no part of this assignment will be homework. Also, all work will be typed in the library, with the exception of the title page. When the journals are completed, they will be hole-punched and tied together with string, presented to the class, and put on display in the library. After the display period, the students will be allowed to take their journal projects home with them.

Student Handout

Historical Figure Journal

Here is your chance to get into the mind and become one of the greatest, most famous, historical figures of the 20th century! You will choose your historical figure and write what, you think, would make-up their personal journal. You will only be able to use books, newspapers of the day, and encyclopedias for your sources because they are all the people of the 20th century had for informational sources.

Your Historical Figure’s Journal MUST include:

• 10 journal entries; this is an in-class assignment and library/ computer lab time will be provided

• A creative, colorful title page

• At least one picture of the figure or what they are most well-known for

• What you think he/ she would feel

• True facts on the pages

▪ 1: Birth and death dates; nickname

▪ 2: Place(s) lived or traveled

▪ 3: Family life

▪ 4: Family life

▪ 5: What he/ she is known for with examples

▪ 6: What he/ she is known for with examples

▪ 7: The era in history he/ she fall into

▪ 8: Inspiration of the figure

▪ 9: Followers/ admirers

▪ 10:Famous quotes of the figure

Fifty Fantastic Figures to choose from:

Adolf Hitler

Albert Einstein

Anne Frank

Audrey Hepburn

Babe Ruth

Cary Grant

Cesar Chavez

Charlie Chaplin

Clare Boothe Luce

Eleanor Roosevelt

Elvis Presley

Ernest Hemingway

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Fidel Castro

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Georgia O’Keeffe

Hank Aaron

Harry Houdini

Harry S. Truman

Helen Keller

Henry Ford

John F. Kennedy

John Steinbeck

Joseph Stalin

Katharine Hepburn

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Louis Armstrong

Mae West

Malcom X

Margaret Thatcher

Marie Curie

Marilyn Monroe

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mother Teresa

Muhammad Ali

Neil Armstrong

Oprah Winfrey

Patty Hearst

Princess Diana

Richard Nixon

Robert Kennedy

Ronald Reagan

Rosa Parks

Sandra Day O’Connor

Susan B. Anthony

Thurgood Marshall

Walt Disney

Winston Churchill

Zora Neale Hurston

Writing Lesson Plan

Creative Writing Lesson Plan

Coincides with the Historical Figure Journal

Adv/ English II

10th grade

Have you ever wanted to be someone else? To know how they feel? To know how they think? Or to tell their story? Well, all of these things can be done when you write creatively.

We will begin with these funny characters and you will write a statement you believe they would write, if they were real.

Monkey Matt

Jumping and climbing is what I love to do.

I hate bananas.

I live in California.

Happy Harry

I love being in the water.

I weigh almost a ton!

I have a toothy grin.

Debby Downer

I hate working.

This game is stupid.

Why do I have to do this?

Your Journal Entries. We will do these together on the board.

They key to creative writing is to know you can go anywhere with your writing and still present the facts in a fun manner. Examples of creative writing in a historical context are the American Girl book series. (show class the books). Are there any further questions?

Teacher Version of Calendar

Three week unit.

|Monday |Tuesday |Wednesday |Thursday |Friday |

|Lesson plan and Handout; |Research in Library on | | |Work on Title Page in class |

|Questions |Figure | | | |

|Write rough draft journal | | |Peer editing and commenting | |

|entries in computer lab | | |on rough draft journal | |

| | | |entries | |

|Begin writing final journal |Continue writing final | |Put together journals/ |Presentations of journals to|

|articles in computer lab |journal articles in computer| |add-in pictures |the class and take to the |

| |lab | | |library for display |

20th Century Figure Journal Rubric

Ten Entries (1/2 pts/ entry) 1=1/2 2=1 3=1 ½ 4=2 5=2 ½ 6=3 7=3 ½ 8=4 9=4 ½ 10=5

Photo(s) 0=0 1=3 2=5

Used only encyclopedias, books, and newspaper articles no=0 sometimes= 3 yes=5

Met all deadlines 1=1 2=2 3=3 4=4 5=5

Points if you put your journal on display 0=no 5=yes

|Requirement: |1= plain |2= fair |3= good |4= great |5= outstanding |

|Colorful, creative Title | | | | | |

|Page | | | | | |

|Entries with detail | | | | | |

|Entries with true facts | | | | | |

|and information | | | | | |

|Entries with feeling | | | | | |

|Used class time wisely | | | | | |

Total________/50

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