Engaged Learning Project Template

Title of Project: Online Textbook

Subject(s): U.S. History
Grade Level(s): 10th & 11th
Abstract:
This assignment for the students to create their own on-line text book about World War II. I will divide the class into 6 group
topics and those groups will collaborate with the same groups from my other classes using Google Hangouts on Air, Google
Docs and Wikispaces. Each student will be creating their webpage and searching for the best resources to use to help
educate their fellow students on their topic. My role is to guide the students through their experience in Wikispaces, Google
Docs, Google Hangouts on Air and the content area.
Learner Description/Context:
Chestatee High School has 1,133 students and 74 teachers and is made up of 63% Caucasian, 31% Hispanic, 2% Black, and
4% other. I teach 3 U.S History Honors, 1 U.S. History and 2 Resource History courses. For this purpose of this project as
a trial run I would test it with my honors students. This project will occur in my classroom using our laptop cart (with 30
laptops). Using both the laptop labs and personal computers in which 95% of my students have we would be able to
collaborate out of school and the students who cannot can perform their tasks during class.
Time Frame:
This would be a three week process in which I would have the students perform the project. \

Week 1: I would introduce the projects to my students and have the class groups start collaborating on their project.
The 2nd day I would have the students from all of my classes get together with their similar groups either in an
afternoon meeting at our media center in our think tank (room with whiteboards all over the walls) or via a Google
Hangouts on Air conference. The rest of the week using Google Docs students will introduce their shared vision of
the project. Throughout the week I would be presenting material to the class via lecture but the last 10 minutes
every day I would have the students continue to work on their project. In the evenings the students would start to
work on their wikis but only one student at a time so it saves at the most recent update and using the blog feature to
keep in contact with each other.
Week 2: As I continue to progress through the unit I would still give the students time at the end of the class, I would
continue to give the students time to work on their project. However this week I would go to each group critiquing
their projects and giving them feedback and advice to make their projects flow better. Then I would again have the
students sign up for another Google Hangouts on Air or whiteboard session. During this week students would focus
their work on Google docs as they can update in real time and see each others work and share their ideas. I would
also set it up for the students to contact either a historian to discuss their beliefs on the subject and / or a war
veteran so they can help explain the war through their eyes.
Week 3: I would sign out the laptop cart (30 Laptops) in which I would have the students each period sign out their
own individual laptop. Each student would take the progress they made and update the next class via the blog
feature on wiki page. I would be sure to have the students be constructive with their feedback and be sure to explain
why they updated the wiki page so each group can be on the same page. At the end of the week we would present it
to the class.

Standards Assessed:
o SSUSH19: The student will identify the origins, major developments, and the domestic impact of World
War II, especially the growth of the federal government.
o

SSUSH20: The student will analyze the domestic and international impact of the Cold War on the United
States.

ELACC9-10RL1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.

ELACC9-10RL2: Determine a theme or central idea of text and analyze in detail its development over the
course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an
objective summary of the text.

ELACC9-10RL5: Analyze how an authors choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within
it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery,
tension, or surprise.

Jo Williamson, Ph.D., Kennesaw State University

Engaged Learning Project Template

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ISTE 1: Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and
develop innovative products and processes using technology.
a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes
b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression

ISTE 2: Communication and collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate
and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the
learning of others.
a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital
environments and media
b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and
formats
d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems

ISTE 3: Research and information fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use
information.
a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry
b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources
and media
c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks

ISTE 4: Critical Thinking, problem solving and decision making: Students use critical thinking skills to
plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using
appropriate digital tools and resources.
a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation
b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project

ISTE 5: Digital Citizenship: Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology
and practice legal and ethical behavior.
a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology
b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and
productivity

ISTE 6: Technology operations and concepts: Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology
concepts, systems, and operations.
a. Understand and use technology systems
b. Select and use applications effectively and productively
c. Troubleshoot systems and applications
d. Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies

Learner Objectives:
o ELA Objectives
o Students will be able to cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis
o Students will be able to determine a theme or central idea of text and analyze in detail its development over
the course of the text.
o Students will be able to analyze how an authors choices concerning how to structure a text, order events
within it, and manipulate time create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
o

Social Studies Objectives:

o Students will be able to understand what caused WWII.
o Students will be able to understand why the U.S. became involved in WWII.
o Students will be able to understand the impact of WWII on the U.S.
o Student will be able to understand what events lead to Allied victory in WWII.
o Students will be able to understand the impact WWII made on history.

Technology Objectives:
o Students will be able to work with google docs to collaborate with their groups and share documents.

Jo Williamson, Ph.D., Kennesaw State University

Engaged Learning Project Template

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Students will be able to use wikispaces to create and update a active online textbook.
Students will be able to use skype in order to communicate with groups in other classes.

The hook or Introduction:

This learning experience will start off by breaking the class into groups (each group is decided by putting higher and lower
level learners so they can help each other). Once in groups I would ask them: Do you like taking your book to and from class
every day? Do you like having your material you need one step away on your phone or computer? From there we will
discuss that we are making our own textbook that we can use a reference for the rest of the school year. You can create the
outline of the website and you can pick the resources that best explain the standard. Also you will not only have your group
working on this project but you will be collaborating with my other classes and their groups to give you multiple minds to
continue to mold this assignment.
Process:
Teacher
1. Explain the goals, objectives and outcome expected for the project
2. Explain the various technologies and how to properly use them while using netiquette. (Wikis, Google Docs,
Google Hangouts on Air)
3. Explain the grading rubric and expectations for the project.
4. Divide the students into groups based on topics the students are expected to research
5. Monitor and provide feedback to individual projects.
6. Review the projects and check to see if they made adjustments from the teacher feedback.
7. Evaluate students using this rubric and provide constructive feedback
Student
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Listen to instructions and ask questions on items that are unclear

Once in groups divide into roles to help with cohesiveness
Brainstorm on the format of the website and the main topics that need to be discussed
Decide the order of events and what are the important facts that must be displayed
Decide the important media to support their facts
Decide on critical thinking questions for their readers to ponder and provide a blog for students to post their
answers.
7. Communicate information through the blog on the Wikispaces page and through the google docs
8. Prepare their dialog for the websites on google docs so every student can collaborate and share their ideas on the
document.
9. Only 1 student at a time work on the wiki pages and use the blog feature to inform everyone that they are working
on it
10. Make sure to be constructive with their criticism and provide ways to help their feedback.
11. Make corrections after the teacher reviews the materials
12. Provide video technology, pictures and reference materials on their website.

Product:
The end product will be a functioning on-line textbook in which they and students in my upcoming classes can reference
throughout the school year. My students can use it to prepare for the test or to review for the EOC. Especially since our
school has gone away for purchasing new textbooks, now as we continue to add various units eventually we will have our
own living breathing on-line textbook. The technology used in this project would be: Wikispaces, Google Docs, Video Maker,
and Skype. I would assess the students using the following rubric.
Technology Use:
Computers: will be used for web based research, to use the web tools wikispaces, to use google docs and
Microsoft tools
Webcam: will be used for skype and any self-made media
Moviemaker: will be used for editing any videos that are made
Google docs: will be used to share, collaborate and edit the dialog for the website
Wikispaces: will be used to host and create our website as well as our live blogging updates and post the
final project
Microsoft tools: to construct the original draft
Google Hangouts on Air: will be used for communicating with the other members of the team

Jo Williamson, Ph.D., Kennesaw State University

Engaged Learning Project Template

Standards Based: All of these technologies help each student guide their way through the course content.
Challenging: Making the wiki on-line textbook is a daunting task as well as deciding what material should
or shouldnt be on the webpage.
Authentic/Meaningful: using all of these tools would give each of these students knowledge of how to use
these resources for application in the real world.
Student-directed: students guide the direction of the online textbook using wikispaces and google docs.
Explorer: They explore the new technology and all the nuisances of the subject area.
Producer: Each group would be responsible for producing their online textbook on wiki spaces
Guide: Teacher helps guide the students through the newer technology and the content area.
Collaborative: Students would use Google Hangouts on Air, Wikispaces and Google Docs to work with
their own groups and groups for other classes.
Seamless, Ongoing: Students would receive constant feedback over the 3 week period using the wiki blog
feature
Performance Based: students would create an online textbook using Wikispaces.com
Generative: As students will reflect on other projects and help guide other students are ways to make their
projects batter using the blog feature on Wikispaces and the note features on Google Docs
Multi-Disciplinary: students will be responsible to perform English standards while working on the
projecct

References and Supporting Material:

Classroom textbook: America: Pathways to Present. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005. Print.
Think Tank in Media Center: a room with white boards so students can meet and brainstorm ideas
rubric
Wikispaces.com
Google Docs
Google Hangouts on Air
Coach Richs Teacher Pages
Coach Richs On-line Texbook

Jo Williamson, Ph.D., Kennesaw State University