Freedom Trail Historian Project

Our Grade 10 Case Study on the American Revolution will be coming to a close in BOSTON, the capital of the Revolution. Our students will be performing their final Assessment of Learning on this fieldwork, along the Freedom Trail. We have been lucky enough to connect with the Freedom Trail Organization, who will help us to become expert TOUR GUIDES along the Freedom Trail through Skype interviews on 3/28 and 3/29. Each student will work with a partner to act as the ‘tour guides’ for one stop along the Freedom Trail. As we do our tour, the students will present to their audience and will be assessed on their final performance!

The Greene School is coming, the Greene School is coming!!


LT1: I can explain the road to and ROUTE of the American Revolution... literally.

3/25: Introduction of the Historical Research Project
3/26-27: Online Research and Resource Collection
3/28-29: Online Research and Skype Interviews
4/1-4/5: Synthesis of Research
4/8: Rehearsing Presentation
4/9: Freedom Trail Trip in Boston!
____________________________________________
3/25: Introduction of the Historical Research Project

Step 1: Developing a Paperwork Management System
Organization is a key factor in successful research. Our paperwork management system is YOUR GoogleDoc!  
Please use this Shared Planning Document Review to record your research.

Step 2: Selecting a Topic
Your topic is one of the STOPS along the Freedom Trail and its significance to the American Revolution. With your partner, review your options for an historical site to research and present. Be sure that you are choosing a site that is interesting to you BOTH! Preview your options in the Shared Planning Document. Use the worksheet embedded below to choose your site. (See what others have chosen already).


____________________________________________
3/26-27: Online Research and Resource Collection

Step 3: Background Reading for Historical Context
In the excitement of getting started, students sometimes skip one of the most important steps, building historical context for their research topic. Make sure you take the time to read WIDELY about your topic Look at several different resources (including the ones provided on your Shared Planning Document) about the time period in which the topic takes place. We will also continue the film, "The Story of Us" today in class to provide additional background information.

Step 4: Narrowing Your Topic
So while your topic has already been narrowed down considerably for you already, you will still need to decide what to talk about during your presentation. If the topic focuses on how your historical site had an influence on the Revolution, be sure to narrow your topic according to focus on JUST the essential information. Your presentation should be about 5-8 minutes, so be sure you have enough information as well. 
____________________________________________
3/28-29: Online Research and Skype Interviews

Step 5: Gathering and Recording Information
To be responsible researchers, you must credit sources from which you have gathered information. To begin the process, however, it is important for you to collect the critical information from each source as you read: the author's name, title, publisher, date of publication, and the urls for your quotes. You must ALSO evaluate the sources you would like to use for authority, scope, currency, purpose, accuracy, and usability. Be sure to use THIS RESOURCE to evaluate your sources used. **You must submit this form for each of your sources cited to show exemplary skills in research.

Be sure to utilize EASYBIB for your citations. If you need support, click here to learn how to properly cite your sources. These should be recorded into the appropriate space in your Shared Planning Document. You will also need to cite your Skype interview with Mr. Jones from the Freedom Trail Foundation.

Step 6: Analyzing and Interpreting Historical Sources and the Topic's Significance
Historians do more than describe events. They analyze and interpret information gathered from their sources to draw conclusions about an event's significance in history. They also evaluate whether that source is an accurate depiction of the events.

Homework Prep for Step 6: Use THIS SITE to complete THIS WORKSHEET. Due on 4/1. 
____________________________________________
4/1-4/5: Synthesis of Research

Step 7: Developing a Thesis and Writing on a Topic
Your thesis statement is usually one sentence that presents an argument about the topic. The body of the paper or website, the script of the performance or documentary, the headings and captions of an historical exhibit (and in your case, the information you share in your presentation at the site) are then used to support your thesis, using evidence from your research.
A good thesis statement narrows the topic (using info from Step 4) and explains what you believe to be historically significant about your topic.
Please establish your thesis as a pair and then begin to build what you plan to say directly into your Shared Planning Document. Be sure that you properly cite sources and if you plan to paraphrase, be sure to explain from whom your ideas are paraphrased.

Step 8: Finalizing (Quality-Checking) a History Research Project
When you have complete the research process and are ready to present your work, you will need to review it, using the Exemplary rubric (embedded in the Shared Planning Document). Please utilize that checklist to ensure that your presentation is of the highest craftsman ship and show exemplary topical understanding.   ____________________________________________
4/8: Rehearsing Presentation

Practice Makes Perfect! Practice your presentation with your partner to the point of comfort. It should flow smoothly and be ALMOST memorized. You should create supplements if needed (notecards) TODAY. Be ready for TOMORROW!
____________________________________________
4/9: Freedom Trail Trip in Boston!

____________________________________________
Sources used for this page/project:

1. Mike Ritter. Freedom Trail. N.d. Photograph. City of Boston, Boston. City of Boston. Web. 22 Mar. 2013. <http://www.cityofboston.gov/Images_Documents/FreedomTrail_MikeRittr_tcm3-2667.jpg>.

2. "Eight Steps of Historical Research." National History Day. National History Day, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2013. <http://www.nhd.org/EightSteps.htm>.

3. "Evaluating Web Resources Checklist." University of Alberta Science & Technology Library Research Skills Instruction Programs. University of Alberta, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2013. <http://www.library.ualberta.ca/instruction/science/evalweb.pdf>.

4a. America--The Story of Us. Perf. Liev Schreiber. A&E Networks, 2010. DVD.

4b. America: The Story of Us. Perf. Liev Schreiber. 2010. America: The Story of Us. YouTube, 30 Apr. 2012. Web. 10 Jan. 2013. <http://youtu.be/fiUK_TAdCuM>.

5. "Educational Resources." The Freedom Trail Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2013. <http://www.thefreedomtrail.org/educational-resources/>.

6. "City of Boston's Freedom Trail." Freedom Trail. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2013. <http://www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail/>.

7. Boston's Freedom Trail. C-SPAN Video Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2013. <http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/BostonsF>.