TPACK Questions for Virtual Tour

Content:

The content for this lesson is found in the 5th grade social studies core curriculum under standard 4 objective 1b. Students are to examine causes and consequences of important events in the United States expansion such as the Louisiana purchase, Lewis and Clark expiditions, treaties with Indians, and California gold rush. This lesson will provide students with an opportunity to see how each of these factors influence westward expansion and the prices that were paid for that expansion.

Pedagogy:

Students will learn about westward expansion of the United States in a very hands on, and visual way. We will talk about westward expansion as a class and then let students go and find out for themselves what things helped the U.S. expand. By having this hands on experience and being able to discover the information on their own, students will be able to really feel like the information is theirs and it can more easily be personalied and remembered.

Technology:

The technology that this lesson will use is Google Earth. I will be creating a virtual tour to lead students through the different causes and consequences of westward expansion. This program allows easy access to resources such as wikipedia, pictures and different paths. Students will be able to retrieve all of the information they needed for the assignment and will be able to do so in a more visual and hands on way.