XMSS LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE: Using ICT in Teaching and Learning

SUBJECT AREA: History

Name of Teacher: Carol Ann Martin

GRADE LEVEL:

Secondary 3 Express

LESSON TITLE:

Authoritarian Regimes: Case Study of Nazi Germany

TIME ALLOTTED:

Two Hours

LESSON DESCRIPTION: (Write a concise description of what occurs in this lesson.)

Grounded in Constructivism, this ICT lesson aimed at enabling students to construct their own knowledge and formulate independent opinions. As self-directed learners, students were tasked with examining events and phenomena of a new chapter – the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany. The various discussion forums on Xmoogle provided students with platforms to reason about cases, debate convincingly by selecting relevant information and offer constructive feedback on their peers' ideas.

Also emphasised in this lesson was the concept of causation integral to the study of history. Through the use of a digital timeline, students were made to draw connections between events of preceding chapters and those of their new topic. This emphasis on causation granted them a more holistic understanding, especially of the long-term causes of Hitler's rise to power.

CLASSROOM LAYOUT AND GROUPING OF STUDENTS:

(Where will the learning take place? How will the room be organized with the computers? How will the students be grouped (class group, individuals, pairs, small groups, etc…)

The learning took place in a computer lab.

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:

(Identification of the specific learning outcomes expected to happen based on Competency Standards.)

By the end of the lesson, students are to:

1. Create a digital timeline to identify patterns and causation across multiple chapters.

2. Analyse, evaluate and provide justifications whether Hitler's rise to power accrued more from favourable circumstances or his own talents.

3. Offer constructive feedback on peers' arguments while developing flexibility in accepting and/or synthesising alternative opinions.

4. Emphathise with certain aspects of Hitler's childhood and analyse whether one's social environment predetermines

XMSS LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE: Using ICT in Teaching and Learning

or even justifies one’s character and actions.

Creativity and InnovationStudents demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:

a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.

Communication and CollaborationStudents use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:

a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.

Research and Information FluencyStudents apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:

b. Locate, organise, analyse, evaluate, synthesise, 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.

Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision MakingStudents use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:

a b c d

Creativity & Innovation □ □ □ □Communication & Collaboration □ □ □ □Research and Fluency □ □ □ □Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making

□ □ □ □

Digital Citizenship □ □ □ □Technology Operations and Concepts □ □ □ □

XMSS LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE: Using ICT in Teaching and Learning

c. Collect and analyse data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.

d. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.

Digital CitizenshipStudents understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:

c. Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.

Technology Operations and ConceptsStudents demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:

a. Understand and use technology systems.

MATERIALS, RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. Materials and Resources for this Lesson (special devices) Xmoogle with embedded websites Instructions on creating a digital timeline

2. Technology Components for this Lesson Computer with internet connection

3. Web Site for this Lesson

Timeline website: http://www.timetoast.com/

Websites on the factors for Hitler's Rise: http://www.johndclare.net/Weimar1.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtG7Wa188dg

Websites on Hitler's childhood: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/adolf_hitler.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/hitler_01.shtml http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/success.htm

4. Computer Software for this Lesson Nil

STUDENT’S PRESENT LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE AND KNOWLEDGE:

( Do the students have the adequate knowledge to complete the lesson successfully? What pre-requisite skills must the students have to complete the lesson content? Include technology skills.)

Students should be able to:1. Access the internet (to create the digital timeline) - Browser and Google search engine.2. Have basic typing skills - to post their comments on the discussion board. 3. Understand the basic features of Xmoogle - "posting" and "replying" a discussion thread.

XMSS LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE: Using ICT in Teaching and Learning

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES / LESSON FLOW:

Students are prompted to login to their individual Xmoogle accounts.

Step 1: Creating a Digital Timeline

Students accessed the step-by-step instruction guide embedded on Xmoogle (Figure 1).

They then proceeded to create the timeline in pairs. One student's computer was be used to screen the instructions while the other's to create the timeline.

Students referred to Chapters 2 and 4 of their textbooks, selected poignant events and plotted them on the digital timeline (Figure 2).

Students published their timelines on Xmoogle and could access each other's products to identify similarities or information gaps.

Students can choose to view the timeline as a "list" that can be printed out for revision purposes (Figure 3).

Figure 1: Instruction Manual for Creating Timelines

Figure 2: Sample Timeline created by Students

Figure 3: Timeline viewed as a List

XMSS LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE: Using ICT in Teaching and Learning

Step 2: Analysing patterns and Causation from Timeline

In order to scaffold students in making meaning from their timelines, they were provided these guiding questions:

(1) Look at your time-line. What were the most tumultuous years in German history and why? (2) Look at your time-line. Which were the relatively more peaceful years (1918-1933) in Germany and why? (3) Did designing the time-line help you understand the content of Chap 2 and 4 better? Explain why or why not.

Despite not having been taught Chapter 4, all students were able to identify and explain the patterns

of peace and instability in German history (Figure 4).

Figure 4: A student's response identifying patterns and trends from the timeline

Figure 5: Reflections from students demonstrating their understanding of causation from the timelines

XMSS LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE: Using ICT in Teaching and Learning

-

Step 3: Self-directed Research & Evaluation

Students were given an outline of the chapter on Xmoogle, highlighting the key concepts and issues.

Students were also given a guiding question to provide focus to their search: "Was Hitler's rise to power due to luck and favourable circumstances or due to his talents and abilities?"

They were then tasked with exploring the various pre-selected websites embedded on Xmoogle to find out more about the reasons for Hitler's rise to power (Figures 6 and 7).

The websites were varied in media types ranging from print sources, podcasts to videos.

Figure 6: Print website embedded on Xmoogle

Figure 7: Video embedded on Xmoogle

Figure 8: Student’s post on the discussion forum

XMSS LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE: Using ICT in Teaching and Learning

Step 4: Peer Editing

Thereafter, students responded to their peer's posts (Figure 9).

It was heartening to see how students provided in-depth and very useful feedback to their peers, either by

Improving one another’s essay structure or identifying loopholes in reasoning.

Step 5: Emphatise with Hitler's childhood and discuss the idea of one's character being predetermined by the social environment.

Students had to piece together aspects of Hitler's childhood by exploring three pre-selected websites

embedded on Xmoogle (Figure 10).

Guiding questions were posed to focus their research: 1. How did his childhood experience shape the man he eventually became?2. When, where and why did he start hating the Jews?3. What are your feelings towards him after knowing his past and why?

Students then posted their answers and thoughts on the discussion forum (Figure 11).

Teacher's role was integral in this forum in terms of drawing parallels to moral values and character education, especially in response to Question 3 above (Figure 12).

Figure 9: Students’ feedback on their peers’ responses

Figure 10: Embedded websites on Hitler’s childhood and relationships

XMSS LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE: Using ICT in Teaching and Learning

SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITIES:

1. Additional activities to expand the lesson Students can be tasked with identifying other key questions on the topic and initiating their own discussion threads. For instance, one student started a thread on whether Hitler's signature moustache had any bearing on his charisma (Figure 13).

Figure 11: Students’ responses to Question 3

Figure 12: Teacher’s feedback to Question 3 - on whether Hitler’s troubled childhood justified his future actions

XMSS LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE: Using ICT in Teaching and Learning

Later, upon further research, the class discovered that Hitler's "toothpaste" moustache was in fact a form of social resistance. In the past, German aristocrats would sprout long, flowy beards as a sign of their nobility. Hence in the 1920s, working class Germans started having "toothbruth" moustaches to show their resistance against the upper class. What started as a cheeky thread turned out to have a greater sociological significance.

2. Remediation activities for the student needing more instruction and practices Students can pose their questions in the forum specially set up for this purpose. Peers and teachers will then contribute to answering these questions.

“Clinic” forums were also set up for Source-based and Structured-Essay Questions for students to pose any queries on Xmoogle. These forums will be available online the entire year.

3. Assignments As homework, students were tasked with writing a Structured-Essay question on a modified version of the same discussion topic:

The following factors were equally important in allowing Hitler to rise to power: (i) Legacy of the Treaty of Versailles (ii) Hitler’s charisma (iii) The Great Depression

Do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer [12 marks].

Figure 13: Student-initiated discussion thread on the significance of Hitler’s moustache

XMSS LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE: Using ICT in Teaching and Learning

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION:How will you measure the student’s success? Formally or informally? Formal evaluation of student work requires that a grade is taken while informal might be monitoring of work, or class discussion. This section should contain a description of the assessment process, the criteria for achievement, and performance levels. The criteria should directly align to objectives and instruction. Describe your plan for providing feedback to your students.

1. Feedback via Discussion Forums Teacher can monitor students' progress on the discussion forums and respond with feedback and suggestions for improvement.

2. Structured-Essay Question Assignment Upon submitting their essays, the teacher can then assess the extent to which students have rigorously thought through the issue and synthesised the competing views articulated by their peers. Students will be given a formative mark.

STUDENT PRODUCTS:What artifact(s) or products will result from the lesson? (such as a report, newsletter, diagram, slideshow, drawing, etc.)

1. Digital TimelinesStudents can continue to add on to the digital timeline for all future chapters. They may choose to print out the timeline in a list form for revision purposes.

2. Forum PostsAs seen in the sample of forum posts earlier, students can participate in continuous discussions on the topic or even initiate new discussions. The various posts can be compiled by students and kept for revision purposes especially for novel perspectives on the topic.

3. Structured Essay Question AssignmentThis essay serves as a culmination and synthesis of all discussion ideas and perspectives on the topic.