Lesson Overview

  Exploring American Literature Over Time - A look at how American literature has been consistent with the political and social issues in American history.  The purpose of this lesson, is to allow students to relate and classify authors surveyed in Amercian literature, with the time periods studied in American history.  This lesson will allow students to continue to make connections between content studied in both history and literature classes the junior year, and by breaking each time period into groups, the students can gain an expertise in an area, as well as share and compare information studied with others in the class.

Student Characteristics

    During the 11th grad year, students take both American literature and American history.  Students also take the Leap21 graduation assessment in social studies (primarly American history content).   By the end of the year, students should be knowledgeable of the time periods of American history, as well as have knowledge of the authors and works in American literature which brought to life the birth and rise of the United States of America.  Students should be able to find some relevance to the artistic contribution and conscience of authors during particular time periods in American history.

Learning Objectives
 

•  Students will be able to group authors into a particular time period giving a detailed description of the political, social, and major historical characteristics of the time period.
• Students will do research using various primary and secondary sources.
• Students will use word processsing to create a report on one particular author.
• Search the web for interesting facts about author to share with the class.
• Use Kidspiration to create a slide representing your author.
• Use a presentation software (Hyperstudio) to collaborate group presentation slide for authors in the same time period.
• Participate in creating a class database on authors presented by each group.
• Use database as study guide for end of the year exam.
• As a semester project, each student will put students in groups according to time periods and students will create a newsletter using presswriter that reprots on that particualr timne period in American literature.

Resources and Materials
    Students will need:

• American Literature text
• Reference materials (access to library time)
• Internet
• Word Processing Software
• Kidspiration Software
• Hyper Studio
• Database Software
• Presswriter Software

    1.  Select an author or poet from your text, that has been studied this year.
     2.  Using various resources and references (must include the internet, cite websites), type a  two page report, double-spaced,
          (using word processing) on the artist.
          chosen, describing him or her, as well as the characteristics of the time period in which his or her work was published.
    3.  Using Kidspiration, create one slide that represents the author in your report.  Your slide will be added to a class slide
        show; therefore, your name, the author's name, and the time period should be on the slide.

    4.  Using the database created by the class, enter your artist's information into the database:  Name, time period, title of
         major works, and helpful website.
    5.  Select groups by time periods, create a card that presents information on the time period studied, and the artists studied
         by each member of the group.  Incorporate graphics, text, etc.
    6.  Groups should also publish a creative newsletter in Presswriter, that brings to life, gives a lively story of the time period
         and how the writers contributed.  Each person in the group should contribute, and create stories that animates this time
         in American history and helps your classmates to understand it more clearly.

Variations
    The lessson plan may be done following the various  time period units over the course of the year, instead of at the end of the year.  Also, the database can be extended to further classify authors by regions, gender, content, genre, etc.
Assessment
Click here for writing assesment rubric.

Click here for multiamedia assesment rubric.
Sample Student Product
Click here for Sample Database Entry
Click here for Sample Hyperstudio
Credits & References
Glencoe McGraw-Hill "The Reader's Choice Literature Series, 2000