The purpose of this learning experience is to immerse 5th-grade students in a hands-on exploration of Western settlement, fostering critical thinking and analytical skills through project-based activities. By engaging with a curated collection of texts, students will compare and contrast narratives, analyze text structures, and examine character traits of settlers. This project encourages collaboration, communication, and reflection, allowing students to connect historical insights to their own lives while developing key competencies in content expertise and effective communication. Through exhibitions and peer-led workshops, students will actively participate in meaningful, real-world learning experiences that deepen their understanding of historical events and narratives.
Learning goals
Students will develop the ability to analyze and compare text structures, central ideas, and author's craft in narratives about Western settlement. They will enhance their skills in citing evidence to support their analyses and effectively communicate their findings through multimedia presentations and exhibitions. Collaborative activities will foster teamwork, decision-making, and leadership, while reflection sessions will encourage personal connections to historical character traits.
Standards
[Kentucky] RI.5.2 - Analyze how the central ideas are reflected in a text, and cite relevant implicit and explicit evidence to support thinking.
[Kentucky] RI.5.5 - Compare/contrast the overall structure of events, ideas, concepts or information in two or more texts.
[Kentucky] RI.5.8 - Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular claims in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which claim(s).
[Kentucky] RL.5.1 - Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
[Kentucky] RL.5.3 - Compare/contrast characters, settings or events in a story or drama, using specific details to analyze their interaction over the course of the text.
[Kentucky] RL.5.6 - Describe how a narrator's or speaker's perspective influences how events are described.
Competencies
Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
Products
Students will collaboratively create a multimedia presentation comparing two texts on Western settlement, showcasing their understanding of central ideas, text structures, and author's craft. They will also construct a 'Settler's Diary' exhibit, featuring fictional diary entries that incorporate text evidence and personal reflections on character traits and historical context. These products will be presented at the 'Settler's Showcase', allowing students to share their insights and engage with the community.
Launch
Kick off the learning experience with a dynamic 'Text Exploration Adventure' at the local library. Students will embark on a scavenger hunt to discover a variety of texts and resources about Western settlement. Working in teams, they'll complete engaging challenges that focus on identifying text structures and main ideas, setting the stage for deeper exploration and analysis throughout the project.
Exhibition
Students will present their multimedia presentations and 'Settler's Diary' entries at the 'Settler's Showcase' in collaboration with the local library. This event will feature their work alongside the curated collection of texts and resources, providing a platform for students to discuss their analyses and insights with visitors. The showcase will encourage community engagement, allowing attendees to explore the central ideas and text structures while students articulate their learning journey and discoveries.
