Fermilab LInC Online

Route 66

Scenario

Summary

Student Pages

Index of Projects

The 4th Grade students at Braidwood Elementary School have apparently received a letter from the Mayor of Braidwood inviting them to plan a local celebration of the historic Route 66. The actual celebration will take place this coming Fall.

Braidwood Elementary School's Curricula includes the study of all regions of the United States. This project will provide an innovative way to cover similar material and could serve as a common thread to tie various regions of the United States together. This project will focus on Route 66 in the Braidwood region. This project will emphasize engaged learning with extensive use of the Internet. It is a unit that will integrate history, geography, language arts, map studies and data collection as well as thinking skills. The unit has been planned so students can interact using telecommunications as well as personal contact. This offers an oppourtunity for students to directly affect each other's learning. This unit is designed to last 4 weeks using a minimum of 40 minutes per day.

During their research, students will gather data on local culture and geographical conditions on each stretch of Route 66 studied. Such information will involve the road's impact on businesses as well as it's impact on the movement of the population. Information on various sites of interest will also be gathered during the research. Such research may take the form of contacting students from other schools and states along Route 66.

During the first sessions the teacher will lead all of the students in developing the rubric for this project. The teacher will also lead the students in exploring the methods of research to be used in this project. The students, along with the teacher, will decide how to attack this project. All students will keep a log of all activity they do regarding this project.

At the start of each session students will gather together and go over their activity logs so that each student can react to and give recommendations to each other. The teacher will serve as a resource person and a facilitator to all of the student groups.If a student group is having a tough time with an aspect of the research, the teacher is available for a consultation if asked to do so.

As the students enter the classroom, they separate into their groups of five. There are 4 such groups. These groups were heterogeniusly placed by the teacher. Great care was used in selecting the groups so as to have all groups functionable. Two members of each group head for the Public Library to obtain a listing of books on the subject of Route 66. Another student heads for the computer where he will obtain a listing of local museums and historical societies. He will then phone those places to se what they might be able to offer in the way of resources. Another student is contacting the Wilmington Historical Society to arrange for interviews with people who have extensive personal knowledge concerning Route 66. In fact, one student has even contacted an elderly citizen that resides in the local nursing home.

During the final week of this project, the students will share their products and reports. Web pages will be linked to our BES Web Page and the Media Center will display all reports that have been created. Copies of HyperStudio Stacks will be placed on the local network to allow any teacher in the District to view their product. Invitations will be sent to all interested parties, inviting them to the local celebration of "Route 66 - Braidwood"

Learner Outcomes

• Students will develop a web page on Route 66.
• Students will learn to locate sites on the Internet about a specific subject.
• Students will keep a log of activities.
• Students will write letters of inquiry, invitations and thank you notes.
• Students will make a multi-media presentation.