Social Networking
Title: Civil War Broadcast
Grade Level: 5
Content Area: Social Studies
Classes: Team 51 and Team 52 Social studies students
Duration: This activity will require four class periods: 2 periods for activity one, 1 period for activities two and three combined, (each team will present on different days).
Overview:
This activity will involve social studies students on teams 51 and 52. (two different teachers). The teams will be divided as follows:
The year is 1865, and the US Civil War is nearing its end, but the victor has not been decided. One group of students are delegates from the Union States (team 52), the other are delegates from the Confederate States (team 51). For this activity, the delegates have gathered to write their victory speech which will be broadcast around the world via the Internet (yes the Internet exists in 1865 for this exercise). The speech is a collaborative effort, and will explain the ideals and organization of this new nation. Students will use their knowledge of the civil war and slavery to support their claims
Grade Level: 5
Content Area: Social Studies
Classes: Team 51 and Team 52 Social studies students
Duration: This activity will require four class periods: 2 periods for activity one, 1 period for activities two and three combined, (each team will present on different days).
Overview:
This activity will involve social studies students on teams 51 and 52. (two different teachers). The teams will be divided as follows:
- Team 51 = Confederate Delegates
- Team 52 = Union Delegates
The year is 1865, and the US Civil War is nearing its end, but the victor has not been decided. One group of students are delegates from the Union States (team 52), the other are delegates from the Confederate States (team 51). For this activity, the delegates have gathered to write their victory speech which will be broadcast around the world via the Internet (yes the Internet exists in 1865 for this exercise). The speech is a collaborative effort, and will explain the ideals and organization of this new nation. Students will use their knowledge of the civil war and slavery to support their claims
Activity One: Create your speech and assessment
The delegates will collaborate on their victory speech using the social media application PrimaryPad. Each student will need a laptop or iPad to access the Internet. This online word processor allows students to write their speech simultaneously. As each person types, their edits appear on everyone else’s screens. Everybody can add or edit the text. Each user is assigned a unique color for their text so it is clear which student wrote it. The delegates will need to reach a consensus on the final product, much like the founding fathers of this country did with the Declaration of Independence.
Only the teacher needs a PrimaryPad account (shared between both teachers). Students access their file by clicking the appropriate link below:
Students will describe in detail their position on the following two central points of the Civil War, so the rest of the world understands how this nation will go forward. Students will explain the rationale for their position, and provide supporting details to validate their claims.
After completing their speech, students will create a five question multiple choice test that will be given to the delegates on the losing side of the war (still using PrimaryPad). Each question should have three choices, and the correct answer should be in bold text. The questions should assess if the losing delegates fully understand how the country is organized and its position on slavery. All the material needed to answer the questions must be included in the victory speech . The test will be given to the appropriate team teacher and become the foundation of the third activity.
BELOW: Screenshot of PrimaryPad: Open to blank Confederate Victory Speech
The delegates will collaborate on their victory speech using the social media application PrimaryPad. Each student will need a laptop or iPad to access the Internet. This online word processor allows students to write their speech simultaneously. As each person types, their edits appear on everyone else’s screens. Everybody can add or edit the text. Each user is assigned a unique color for their text so it is clear which student wrote it. The delegates will need to reach a consensus on the final product, much like the founding fathers of this country did with the Declaration of Independence.
Only the teacher needs a PrimaryPad account (shared between both teachers). Students access their file by clicking the appropriate link below:
Students will describe in detail their position on the following two central points of the Civil War, so the rest of the world understands how this nation will go forward. Students will explain the rationale for their position, and provide supporting details to validate their claims.
- Is the country a confederation of sovereign states, or an indivisible nation with a sovereign national government?
- Are all men created with an equal right to liberty or will slavery continue?
After completing their speech, students will create a five question multiple choice test that will be given to the delegates on the losing side of the war (still using PrimaryPad). Each question should have three choices, and the correct answer should be in bold text. The questions should assess if the losing delegates fully understand how the country is organized and its position on slavery. All the material needed to answer the questions must be included in the victory speech . The test will be given to the appropriate team teacher and become the foundation of the third activity.
BELOW: Screenshot of PrimaryPad: Open to blank Confederate Victory Speech
Activity Two: Share your message
Share your message with the nation and the world using Skype. Skype is an online video sharing service. Skype is installed on the classroom computer (icon on desktop) which is connected to the projection system in each classroom. Team 51 will present first and will initiate the call to team 52. Each team teacher will login for the students to Skype using the appropriate credentials below. Once connected, each classroom will be able to to see and hear the other room.
The team 52 teacher will also join the call with their faculty Skype account using their laptop. They will represent a foreign country such as Great Britain, since this broadcast is supposed to be seen worldwide.
The presenting team will read their victory speech created in activity one. At the completion of the speech, the losing delegates can ask questions to clarify ideas, but this is not intended to be a debate. The teacher from Team 52 will ask 2-3 questions about how the outcome of the war will affect countries around the world.
On the second day of presentations, the teams are reversed.
BELOW: Screenshot of Skype: Open to new call screen
Share your message with the nation and the world using Skype. Skype is an online video sharing service. Skype is installed on the classroom computer (icon on desktop) which is connected to the projection system in each classroom. Team 51 will present first and will initiate the call to team 52. Each team teacher will login for the students to Skype using the appropriate credentials below. Once connected, each classroom will be able to to see and hear the other room.
The team 52 teacher will also join the call with their faculty Skype account using their laptop. They will represent a foreign country such as Great Britain, since this broadcast is supposed to be seen worldwide.
- union (skype account: bmsml1)
- confederate (skype account: bmsml2a)
The presenting team will read their victory speech created in activity one. At the completion of the speech, the losing delegates can ask questions to clarify ideas, but this is not intended to be a debate. The teacher from Team 52 will ask 2-3 questions about how the outcome of the war will affect countries around the world.
On the second day of presentations, the teams are reversed.
BELOW: Screenshot of Skype: Open to new call screen
Activity Three: Do you understand?
Using the assessments made by the delegates in activity one, each teacher will create an online test using the social media tool Socrative prior to the presentations. The teacher account has already been established and a Socrative classroom has been created. Two quizzes exist (Union Victory and Confederate Victory), but the student created questions need to be copied into the body of the test. The Team 51 teacher will update the Confederate quiz, and the Team 52 teacher will enter the material for the Union quiz. Teachers will use the same Socrative credentials which will be emailed to themfor security.
After watching the victory speech, the losing delegates will individually take the opposing groups assessment on laptops, iPads, or personal devices. Students need to open a browser and go to:
The five question test will demonstrate if the losing delegates understand the rules and culture of the new society in which they will live, and if the presenters did a good job providing the necessary material and fully explained their position.
The teacher on the presenting team will login to socrative in their classroom to start the quiz and display the results of the test on the projection system, so the winning delegates can see if their message was successfully understood. The teacher can login at:
On the second day of presentations, the teams are reversed.
Socrative Quick Overview
BELOW: Screenshots of Socrative: 1. Student view, 2. Teacher view
Using the assessments made by the delegates in activity one, each teacher will create an online test using the social media tool Socrative prior to the presentations. The teacher account has already been established and a Socrative classroom has been created. Two quizzes exist (Union Victory and Confederate Victory), but the student created questions need to be copied into the body of the test. The Team 51 teacher will update the Confederate quiz, and the Team 52 teacher will enter the material for the Union quiz. Teachers will use the same Socrative credentials which will be emailed to themfor security.
After watching the victory speech, the losing delegates will individually take the opposing groups assessment on laptops, iPads, or personal devices. Students need to open a browser and go to:
- m.scorative.com and enter classroom number: 721501
The five question test will demonstrate if the losing delegates understand the rules and culture of the new society in which they will live, and if the presenters did a good job providing the necessary material and fully explained their position.
The teacher on the presenting team will login to socrative in their classroom to start the quiz and display the results of the test on the projection system, so the winning delegates can see if their message was successfully understood. The teacher can login at:
- t.socrative.com use the credentials that will be provided to you separately
On the second day of presentations, the teams are reversed.
Socrative Quick Overview
- Teachers and students can use Socrative on any device with a web browser (tablets, smartphones, laptops, iPod Touches, etc.).
- Teachers login at t.socrative.com by entering their email and password (this will be provided to you).
- Students login at m.socrative.com by entering the "virtual room number" 721501 Students will then see "Waiting for teacher to start an activity...".
- Teachers initiate an activity by selecting it on their main screen
- Students respond on their devices.
- Students' results are visible on the Teacher's screen.
BELOW: Screenshots of Socrative: 1. Student view, 2. Teacher view