All Men Are Created Equal

Overview

Students will research an Internet web site (WebQuest: All Men Are Created Equal) to gain a better understanding of the experiences of the Cherokee, Japanese, and African-American people during their struggle for respect and tolerance. Students will then create a newspaper containing a news account and an editorial about one of the three groups.

Concepts

• Develop research skills of extracting information from several sources and using it in a newspaper format.
• Increase their comfort level using ClarisWorks.
  

Indicators

• Research and locate pertinent information.
• Identify examples of discrimination.
• Gain a better understanding of how intolerance has shaped the events of history.

Precomputer

• Study the history of the Declaration of Independence using the textbook and other school media center resources.
• Conduct class discussions on intolerance and discrimination in our society.

On the computer

• Using the Internet, students will use the WebQuest site (http://topcat.bridgew.edu/~kschrock/ED560/lamb) to research one of the three time periods in All Men Are Created Equal.
• Students take notes from historical accounts to create news stories and to write an editorial about one of the time periods.
• Students use the attachment, “ClarisWorks in Social Studies” (File: Heroeswork) to create the newsletter. The activity includes the opportunity to experiment with importing Clip Art.
  

Postcomputer

• During a subsequent class, students will present and exchange their newsletters .

Related resources

• ClarisWorks Manual - creating a newsletter.
• File: Heroeswork.