“Lives, Liberties and the Pursuit of Happiness”

 

A WebQuest focusing on the Impact of the Lives of

Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and

Mary McLeod Bethune

 

By Elizabeth Bond-Ray and C. Beth Pousson

EDUC 575

 

GPS Standards addressed:

 

 SS3H2 The student will discuss the lives of Americans who expanded people’s rights and freedoms in a democracy.

 

SS3CG2 The student will describe how the historical figures in SS3H2a display positive character traits of cooperation, diligence, liberty, justice, tolerance, freedom of conscience and expression, and respect for and acceptance of authority.

 

Introduction   Task   Sources   Process   Guidance   Conclusion

    

Introduction

 

Many years ago, a relatively small group of individuals chose to stand up for freedom and civil liberties for citizens of the United States. Because of the work of Frederick Douglass (1818 – 1895), civil rights were improved upon. Mary McLeod Bethune (1875 – 1955) played a part in improving educational opportunities for all American citizens during her lifetime. In addition, Susan B. Anthony (1820- 1906) worked to improve women’s rights and to secure the right for women to vote.

 

 

Task

 

Using the Web sites included in this WebQuest, you will learn more about the roles Frederick Douglass, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Susan B. Anthony have played in the history of the United States. You will learn about each of their:

  • Characters,
  • childhood and adulthood environments,
  • influences, and
  • contributions.

 

Once you’ve answered some questions, you will have an opportunity to choose a project to complete online. That project will be graded based on a rubric included in this activity.

 

Sources

 

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Douglass

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1539.html

http://www.frederickdouglass.org/douglass_bio.html

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_McLeod_Bethune

http://www.africawithin.com/bios/mary_bethune.htm

http://www.floridamemory.com/onlineclassroom/MaryBethune/

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_B._Anthony

http://www.history.rochester.edu/class/sba/first.htm

http://www.susanbanthonyhouse.org/biography.shtml

http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/anth-sus.htm

 

 

Process

 

Read the questions and the information in the Web site given. Write your answers on your activity sheet.

 

Question 1:              According to the second paragraph in the biography provided at http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Douglass, what was one specific thing Frederick Douglass believed in?

 

Question 2:              Read “Life as a Slave” at http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Douglass. He was born a __________ in what state?

 

Question 3:              When Frederick was a slave, to what was he was a first-hand witness?

                                    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1539.html

 

Question 4:              Frederick Douglass felt there were 3 Keys to Success in Life. What were they?

http://www.frederickdouglass.org/douglass_bio.html.

 

Question 5:              Based on your research, describe Frederick Douglass’s character traits. What was his major contribution to his fellow American citizens?

http://www.frederickdouglass.org/douglass_bio.html

 

Question 6:              Susan B. Anthony demanded that __________ have the same civil rights as black males. Find out who she fought for in the “Works and Achievement” section of

http://www.history.rochester.edu/class/sba/first.htm.

 

Question 7:              In that same passage, find the two organizations founded by Susan B. Anthony.

 

Question 8:              Read what Susan B. Anthony’s niece says about her aunt. What character traits does she point out in the first sentence?

http://www.history.rochester.edu/class/sba/first.htm

 

Question 9:              What were a few of Susan B. Anthony’s accomplishments?

http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/anth-sus.htm

 

Question 10:            What is Mary McLeod Bethune best known for?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_McLeod_Bethune

 

Question 11:            What were some characteristics of Mary McLeod Bethune?

                                    http://www.africawithin.com/bios/mary_bethune.htm

 

Question 12:            What are some of Mary McLeod Bethune’s accomplishments and contributions?

                                    www.lkwdpl.org/WIHOHIO/beth-mar.htm

 

Now that you’ve researched the character and accomplishments of Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and Mary McLeod Bethune, choose and complete one of the following activities:

 

·        Pretend you are a person living in the late 1800’s. Write a speech to inform the American citizens about your views on women’s voting rights and what can be done to make things better. Suggested ideas to include:

·         

Your opinion about the right for women to vote.

Tell why it is unfair for women to not be able to vote even though they can earn a living.

Ideas of how you would help make things better for women living in this time.

 

Plan your speech using an organizer.  http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/cluster_web3.pdf

 

 

·        Write a persuasive newspaper article to convince other readers that we must have justice for all citizens to have a better country. Suggested ideas to include:

 

What injustice (wrong circumstance) is happening.

Why that circumstance is unfair for any citizen.

Give suggestions (opinions) about how things should change.

 

Use an organizer to plan your persuasive articles.  http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/persuasion.pdf

 

 

·        Write a list of (?) interview questions for Mary McLeod Bethune. Refer back to the Web sites you used if you need to know more about her. The more you know about her, the better your questions will be!

 

 

Guidance

(Reflection)

Teacher Information:

Ms. Bond-Ray teaches third graders at Tiger Creek Elementary School. The Georgia Social Studies Standards are new and updated. This activity gave us an opportunity to create a WebQuest that we can use in the classroom setting which is relevant to a new third grade standard. Ms. Pousson is a special education instructor at Ringgold Elementary School. This desktop publishing product will complement instruction in the differentiated social studies setting.

 

Preceding and Ensuing Events:

Prior to using this WebQuest in the classroom, the students were exposed to an overview of the three historical figures’ lives via a United Streaming video. Additional background information was provided to assist the students in grasping the relevance of cultural and geographical systems associated with these noted figures. A timeline was constructed depicting the time in history that Frederick Douglass, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Susan B. Anthony began their impact on the lives of their fellow citizens.

 

Following the implementation of the WebQuest activity, the students will be involved in Promethean-based chart activities which wrap up and summarize this content and assess them on the information they’ve acquired. Additionally, their performance tasks, which are identified within the WebQuest, will be evaluated based on the included rubric.

 

Improving Learning

First of all, this is an interactive and engaging presentation. Students can participate in this WebQuest in peer-pairs, which addresses differentiation of instruction. Because of the multimedia nature of the activity, the students will be motivated to attend to the assignment and may be more likely to produce a well-thought-out performance task. The students will respond positively to the opportunity to learn more about history through modern technology.

 

Improvement and Expansion

The WebQuest could be expanded by including the entirety of relevant historical figures from this specific era, rather than only the three on whom we chose to focus. A more inclusive presentation could effectively show students the big picture intended: that one individual is capable of making, and has made, an impact on history.

 

Once the WebQuest is expanded, a follow-up activity could be to provide the students an opportunity to use Storyboard or PowerPoint. The students will demonstrate synthesis of prior information with an understanding of what they’ve learned. They will present their depth of understanding of time, place, feelings and actions of figures within the events in which they made an impact on history. This would expand the acquisition of instruction and the implementation of motivational technology to further instruction.

Conclusion

To create this original WebQuest, we accessed our local standards and incorporated elements of the frameworks. We worked cooperatively to locate Web sites and to formulate questions and activities appropriate for both of our targeted student populations. We collaborated to choose graphics and fonts suitable for the elementary audience and for this activity.

 

 

Rubric

 

Product Rubric for Performance Task Criteria

Does Not Meet

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectation

Exceeds Expectation

The student will use conventions (spelling or grammar) and mechanics.

There are 5 or more errors in conventions or mechanics.

There are 3-4 errors in conventions or mechanics.

There are 1-2 errors in conventions or mechanics.

Student work meets all criteria and the author’s ideas are easily understood with no grammatical errors present.

The student will produce a product that is accurately organized.

There was no clear or logical sense or organization, just a collection of facts.

Content is loosely organized.

Content is logically organized and the author’s ideas can be understood.

Content is well organized with topic sentences and supporting details. The writing piece flows easily and exhibits creativity.

The student will produce a product which includes 5 details regarding character and accomplishment.

Student did produce a speech, newspaper article, or interview questions.

The speech, article, or interview includes with few reference to characteristics or accomplishments.

Student includes at least 5 characteristics with correlating accomplishments.

Student included more than 5 character traits/events which shaped character and details with correlating accomplishments.

The product is neat and informative.

Student did not produce neat, informative, and colorful work

Student work was not neat and/ or informative.

Student work was somewhat neat and informative

Student work is neat and informative.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answer Key:

 

Question 1: Douglass believed in equal rights for all.

Question 2: He was born a slave in Maryland.

Question 3:  He witnessed brutal whippings, and was often cold and hungry.

Question 4:    a.  Believe in yourself.

b.                 Take advantage of every opportunity.

c.                 Use the power of spoken and written language to affect positive change.

Question 5:    Frederick Douglass was hard-working, determined, self-educated, and empathetic. He was an abolitionist who played a role in civil rights for blacks and for women.

Question 6:    Susan B. Anthony demanded that women have the same rights as black men.

Question 7.    She founded the International Council of Women and the International Women Suffrage Alliance.

Question 8:    Susan B. Anthony loved women and never gave up.

Question 9:    She led the 72-year struggle to win women the vote. She organized the political canvassing strategy that is still used today.

Question 10:  Mary McLeod Bethune is best known for starting a school for black girls.

Question 11:  She was popular, a leader, hard-working, and mission-minded.

Question 12:  She founded a school for black girls and was a leader in the black women’s club movement. She also won many prestigious awards.