Historical Figures: Social Media Takeover
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Historical Figures: Social Media Takeover

Grade 4English7 days
In this project, fourth-grade students become social media strategists tasked with authentically representing a historical figure's perspective and impact. Students research a chosen figure, create a social media profile, and craft posts using accurate grammar and historical details. The project emphasizes understanding historical context, mastering grammar rules, and writing from a first-person point of view to create a believable persona. Students will also focus on using correct grammar, including irregular verbs, subject-verb agreement, and main, helping, and linking verbs.
Historical FiguresSocial MediaGrammarPerspectiveResearchPoint of View
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we, as social media strategists, authentically represent a historical figure's perspective and impact using accurate grammar and historical details?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • How can we use social media to accurately represent a historical figure's life and perspective?
  • How does understanding a historical figure's point of view help us interpret historical events?
  • What grammar rules are important to use when writing as a historical figure?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Students will be able to create a social media profile for a historical figure.
  • Students will be able to write social media posts from the historical figure's point of view.
  • Students will be able to use correct grammar, including irregular verbs, subject-verb agreement, and main, helping, and linking verbs.
  • Students will be able to accurately represent the historical figure's perspective and impact.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

A Mysterious Package from the Past

A "time capsule" arrives in the classroom containing artifacts and cryptic social media posts supposedly created by a historical figure. Students must analyze the contents to deduce the figure's identity, sparking curiosity and setting the stage for their own social media profile creation.
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Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

Character Profile Launch

Students begin by researching their chosen historical figure to gather essential information for their social media profile. This involves understanding their background, motivations, and key events in their life.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Choose a historical figure from a provided list or with teacher approval.
2. Research the historical figure using at least three different sources (books, websites, documentaries).
3. Create a character profile including: full name, birth/death dates, key life events, major accomplishments, and a brief description of their personality.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed character profile of the historical figure.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goals of creating a social media profile for a historical figure and accurately representing their perspective and impact.
Activity 2

Grammar Time Machine: Verb Voyage

Students focus on mastering irregular verbs and correct verb usage to ensure accuracy in their historical figure's posts. This involves identifying and correcting verb errors in sample texts related to the historical figure.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Review the rules for irregular verbs and subject-verb agreement with provided resources.
2. Examine sample texts about the historical figure, identifying and correcting any errors in verb usage.
3. Create a reference sheet of irregular verbs that the historical figure might use frequently.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA corrected sample text and a reference sheet of irregular verbs, demonstrating understanding of correct verb usage.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal of using correct grammar, including irregular verbs and subject-verb agreement.
Activity 3

POV Post Generator

Students craft social media posts from the historical figure's point of view, using the character profile and grammar skills they've developed. Posts should reflect the figure's personality, beliefs, and experiences.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Brainstorm a list of potential social media post topics based on key events or aspects of the historical figure's life.
2. Write at least three social media posts from the historical figure's perspective, using first-person narration.
3. Ensure posts reflect the historical figure's voice, incorporate accurate historical details, and use correct grammar.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityThree social media posts written from the historical figure's point of view.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goals of writing social media posts from the historical figure's point of view and accurately representing their perspective and impact.
Activity 4

Main, Helping, and Linking Verb Showcase

Students will identify and correctly use main, helping, and linking verbs in sentences related to their historical figure. This activity reinforces their understanding of verb functions and sentence structure.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Review the definitions and examples of main, helping, and linking verbs.
2. Write five sentences about the historical figure, each highlighting a different function of a verb (main, helping, linking).
3. Label each verb in the sentences as main, helping, or linking.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityFive sentences about the historical figure with correctly identified and labeled verbs.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal of using correct grammar, including main, helping, and linking verbs.
Activity 5

Historical Accuracy Checkpoint

Students review all their created content (profile and posts) to ensure historical accuracy. They will verify facts, dates, and details against reliable sources and make any necessary corrections.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Review the character profile and social media posts for factual accuracy.
2. Cross-reference all information with at least two reliable sources.
3. Correct any inaccuracies and cite the sources used for verification.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA revised character profile and social media posts with verified historical accuracy and cited sources.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goals of accurately representing the historical figure's perspective and impact.
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Historical Figure Social Media Takeover Rubric

Category 1

Historical Accuracy & Research

Demonstrates the accuracy and depth of research conducted on the historical figure.
Criterion 1

Factual Correctness

Information presented about the historical figure is accurate and verifiable through reliable sources.

Exemplary
4 Points

All facts are accurate and meticulously verified with multiple credible sources; demonstrates a deep understanding of the historical context.

Proficient
3 Points

Most facts are accurate and verified with credible sources; demonstrates a good understanding of the historical context.

Developing
2 Points

Some facts are accurate, but verification is inconsistent, and some inaccuracies may be present; demonstrates a basic understanding of the historical context.

Beginning
1 Points

Contains significant factual inaccuracies and lacks proper verification; demonstrates limited understanding of the historical context.

Criterion 2

Source Citation

Properly cites sources used for research, demonstrating academic honesty and research skills.

Exemplary
4 Points

All sources are meticulously cited using a consistent format; demonstrates excellent research and citation skills.

Proficient
3 Points

Sources are cited correctly using a consistent format; demonstrates competent research and citation skills.

Developing
2 Points

Some sources are cited, but inconsistencies or omissions are present; demonstrates developing research and citation skills.

Beginning
1 Points

Sources are missing or improperly cited; demonstrates limited research and citation skills.

Category 2

Grammar & Mechanics

Demonstrates correct use of grammar, including irregular verbs, subject-verb agreement, and main, helping, and linking verbs.
Criterion 1

Verb Usage

Uses irregular verbs and demonstrates subject-verb agreement correctly.

Exemplary
4 Points

Demonstrates mastery of verb usage with no errors in irregular verbs or subject-verb agreement; uses a variety of verb tenses accurately.

Proficient
3 Points

Uses irregular verbs and demonstrates subject-verb agreement correctly with only minor errors.

Developing
2 Points

Shows emerging understanding of verb usage with some errors in irregular verbs or subject-verb agreement.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles with verb usage, demonstrating frequent errors in irregular verbs and subject-verb agreement.

Criterion 2

Sentence Structure

Correctly uses main, helping, and linking verbs in sentences.

Exemplary
4 Points

Demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of sentence structure, using main, helping, and linking verbs effectively and accurately in varied sentence types.

Proficient
3 Points

Correctly uses main, helping, and linking verbs in sentences with clear understanding of their functions.

Developing
2 Points

Shows emerging understanding of main, helping, and linking verbs with some errors in usage.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to use main, helping, and linking verbs correctly, demonstrating limited understanding of their functions.

Category 3

Perspective & Voice

Effectively captures the historical figure's perspective and voice in social media posts.
Criterion 1

Authenticity

Social media posts accurately reflect the historical figure's personality, beliefs, and experiences.

Exemplary
4 Points

Posts are exceptionally authentic, capturing the nuances of the historical figure's personality, beliefs, and experiences; demonstrates a deep understanding of the figure's character.

Proficient
3 Points

Posts accurately reflect the historical figure's personality, beliefs, and experiences.

Developing
2 Points

Posts partially reflect the historical figure's personality, beliefs, and experiences, but some aspects may be inconsistent.

Beginning
1 Points

Posts do not accurately reflect the historical figure's personality, beliefs, or experiences.

Criterion 2

Point of View

Writes social media posts from the historical figure's first-person point of view, creating a believable persona.

Exemplary
4 Points

Consistently maintains the historical figure's first-person point of view with a compelling and believable persona; demonstrates exceptional writing skills.

Proficient
3 Points

Writes social media posts effectively from the historical figure's first-person point of view.

Developing
2 Points

Attempts to write from the historical figure's first-person point of view, but some inconsistencies are present.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to write from the historical figure's first-person point of view.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

How has your understanding of the historical figure's perspective changed throughout this project?

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Question 2

What challenges did you encounter while trying to accurately represent the historical figure on social media, and how did you overcome them?

Text
Required
Question 3

To what extent do you agree with this statement: "I have a strong understanding of how to use grammar rules when writing as a historical figure."

Scale
Required
Question 4

Which aspect of the project (research, grammar, POV writing, accuracy check) did you find the most challenging, and why?

Multiple choice
Required
Options
Researching the historical figure
Mastering grammar rules
Writing from the historical figure's point of view
Ensuring historical accuracy
Question 5

What is one thing you would do differently if you were to complete this project again?

Text
Required