LESSON PLANS 

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OBJECTIVE: The students will create a campaign poster as if they were running for President.

MATERIALS:
    · computer
    · Kid Pix drawing program
    · digital camera  (optional)

PROCEDURE:
    1. The students will view a demonstration of the Kid Pix program.  The teacher will explain the functions and tools of the program as well as provide an example of a campaign poster.

    2. The students will utilize the program to create campaign posters as if they were running for president (digital pictures of students can be taken and used in the program).

    3. The students can take turns sharing their posters, convincing the audience as to why they should be elected.
 

POSSIBLE EXTENTIONS TO THE LESSON:
    The students could create a multi-page slide show regarding the presidential election or any other concept/idea.  This can be used as a introduction or culminating activity in any subject area.
 

EVALUATON:
    The student's were evaluated on their participation and creativitity.
 

SELF-EVALUATION:
      The students really enjoyed this.  They were very creative.  Many students enjoyed using the digital pictures in their posters.  This lesson might need 2 computer sessions.  I felt that students were rushed with their 25 minute computer session because of the introduction.  The introduction could have been done in our classroom on the T.V.  monitor and then we could have moved to the computer lab for the students to work.

SAMPLE POSTERS

OBJECTIVE: The students will use the Internet as a resource to search for information about the candidates running for President.

MATERIALS:
    · computers with Internet access
    · Netscape
    · worksheet
    · pencils

PROCEDURE:
    1. The teacher and students will have a brief discussion about the election:
            · Who are the candidates?
            · What are the major issues of the election?

    2. The students will be given an Internet worksheet to complete with the use of the computer. This can be done as an individual or a group project.

     OPTIONAL: give a prize for the 1st person or group to be done.
 

POSSIBLE EXTENTIONS TO THE LESSON:
    The students could use the Internet to research more about the election and write a report on an issue or candidate.
 

EVALUATON:
    The students were evaluated based on the number of questions they got correct.  Those who really had trouble (my special education students) were allowed to work with a partner or I helped them.
 

SELF-EVALUATION:
   The students seemed to enjoy this.  They did run out of time in the first computer session.  I should have planned for a little longer computer session.  Some of the computers were rather slow getting into the sites.

SCAVENGER HUNT FORM

OBJECTIVE: The students will practice writing skills by completing the journal topic: "If I became President, I would…."

MATERIALS:  computers with word processing program, The Writing Center

PROCEDURE:
    1. The students will be given 15 minutes to complete the journal topic "If I became President, I would…."

    2. The students will print the journals and can share them with the class.
 

POSSIBLE EXTENTIONS TO THE LESSON:
    The students could continue writing on other topics related to the unit
                1. "3 things I would change as President would be…"
                2. "As President, the White House would have…"

    The students can write letters to the White House and E-mail them.
 

EVALUATON:
    The jounal entry was evaluated for grammar, but overall was just given a check for being completed.
 
 

SELF-EVALUATION:
  The students did well with this.  Some students wrote a little, while others wrote with greater detail.  I like this lesson because it gave me insight into the writing ability of my students.  I noted some common grammatical errors that I addressed with the entire class at a later date.  It also clues you in to what the students value as important in their lives.

SAMPLE JOURNAL ENTRIES

OBJECTIVE: The students will practice graphing skills by creating pie graphs with the election results.

MATERIALS:
    · computers with graphing program, like Excel
    · election results (I used Macomb Daily 11-9-00)
    · paper
    · crayons

PROCEDURE:
    1. The teacher and students will have a brief discussion about the election and its results.

    2. The teacher introduces results of each state located in the newspaper.

    3. The teacher uses a state as an example and teaches the students how to create a pie and bar graph.

    4. Students are given the results of 2 states and asked to graph the data on paper.

    5. During computer time, the class can use the program Excel to graph the results. (time was short, so I did this as a demonstration.)

DEMO EXCEL GRAPH

POSSIBLE EXTENTIONS TO THE LESSON:
    The students could practice graphing other results (ex: test scores, spending of an allowance, etc.)
 

EVALUATION:
     The students were evaluated on how well they constructed their graphs, based on labels, accurate information, neatness, etc.
 

SELF-EVALUATION:
     The students did well, but needed a great deal of assistance.  This was the first time that they had been exposed to creating pie graphs.  I might have introduced graphing with a topic that was more meaningful to the students first (allowances, etc.), then worked towards the results of the election.  The chapter on graphing in the math textbook might have been done before this unit.

SAMPLE STUDENT GRAPHS

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