Revolutionary War -Lake Champlain

created by Jan Wilkinson

Milton Town School District, Milton, VT

Introduction Task Process Resources

Learning Advice Standards Assessment Conclusion

Introduction

Have you seen the Jim Carey movie, filmed in Vermont, called "Me, Myself, and Ire....Benedict Arnold?" Did you attend the Britney Spears concert on the ship The Philadelphia? What? You missed those? Oh, I'm confused between events during the years 1775 and 2000. This WebQuest is based on the Revolutionary War, we'll discuss Britney and Jim at the end of the day. Given that, I want to know, what really happened on and around Lake Champlain, from 1775-1783?

As you know, the thirteen colonies were not happy with their mother country, Great Britain. This dissatisfaction had many causes, due to conflicts between the British government and the colonists, such as the Stamp Act crisis in 1765 and the Townshend Acts of 1767. The Stamp and Townshend Acts, among other events, led to the outbreak of war in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Your assignment, for this WebQuest, is to become a Town Crier reporting on an event or person involved in the Revolutionary War on Lake Champlain. Did you know that our small state and lake played such an important role in this war? As we study Vermont history and the Revolutionary War, you will find the answers to the following questions:

Why were the battles on the lake so important to the Revolutionary War?
What impact did people from Vermont have on the war?

We will take your Town Crier reports and create a Revolutionary War newspaper. Perhaps you will create a hyperstudio presentation to be viewed on channel 2!

Information to steer you in the right direction: Major players in the Revolutionary War on Lake Champlain were Benedict Arnold, Ethan Allen, and The Green Mountain Boys. Battles occurred in places such as Fort Ticonderoga and Valcour Island. Benedict Arnold's fleet lost many gunboats in battle. Recently, one of these gunboats was found at the bottom of Lake Champlain where it remains until various groups can agree to leave it there or raise it to be housed and viewed by the public.

Green Mountain Boys' Flag

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Task

Using the Web, encyclopedias, books, and other sources, you will gather information about an event or person relevant to the Revolutionary War. Take this information and develop a written report (see Learning Advice ), to be orally presented to our class. WAIT! Don't panic.... you will learn how to write a report during our written language time in class. In addition to your report, you will create a visual aid, a poster or overheads which clarify your presentation. You may choose to create a hyperstudio project to aid your presentation (see wow! exceeds standard).

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Process

1. Research your Revolutionary War person or event, taking notes as you go and citing all resources. Resources need to be noted in your written report and on posters, overheads, or hyperstudio project.

2. Develop your written report (minimum of two type written pages - you will have time to use the computer pods in class). This will be done during our class writing time, in which you will be given further instruction on the process of writing reports. In short, you will write a rough draft, peer edit, rewrite/revise the piece, peer edit again, and write a final copy. If you are reporting on a person, include background information (when and where born, some family life facts), his/her position or reason for involvement in the war, and the impact/outcome of this person's involvement. If you report on an event, what was it, where did it occur, who was involved, and what was the outcome?

3. Prepare your presentation and poster, overheads, or hyperstudio project and rehearse! Practice reading your report in front of your family, making eye contact and becoming familiar with your writing so you won't stumble through it during your class presentation. Have your family or a friend critique your visual aid (e.g., is it relevant, does it support your written work, can it be seen from a person sitting at the back of the room?)

4. Give presentation. You will be critiqued on whether your audience heard you, if it was evident that you practiced speaking, and did you know your person or event well enough that you were able to answer audience posed questions? Remember that the quality of your poster, overheads, or hyperstudio project will reflect on your speech (the more clearly you present information to your audience, the more receptive they are to your presentation!).

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Resources

Internet Resources

1. Lightspan.com
2. Ajkids.com

3. Encarta

4. B. Arnold

5. American Revolution Home page

6. Sonar Picture of Gunboat

7. Primary Sources This website is great, just scroll down, almost to the bottom, until you see the section on the Revolutionary War. It will provide you with actual documents from the Revolutionary War.

8. Map An old map of Lake Champlain.

9. The Patriot From the movie, "The Patriot." Great site to view replica battle scenes, dress, etc.

Places to Visit

1. The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, VT.
1:6 scale model of the gunboat Philadelphia

2. Fort Ticonderoga, Ticonderoga, NY.

3. Valcour Island (approximately 5 miles south of Cumberland Head, NY) - Accessible by boat only.

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Learning Advice

Remember to refer to the drafts: Vermont New Standards Rubric for Reports and Vermont New Standards Rubric for 5th Grade Writing Conventions: Grammar, Usage, Mechanics. These rubrics will help you formulate your written report for your presentation. You may choose to include this piece in your Vermont Writing Portfolio.

Have a peer critique your written work and provide feedback.

Always keep a written record of the websites you have visited to ensure your return visit to those sites.

Make your poster or overheads neat!

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Vermont Standards

1.15 Speaking: Students use verbal and nonverbal skills to express themselves effectively.

1.18 Research: Students use computers, telecommunications, and other tools of technology to research, to gather information and ideas, and to represent information and ideas accurately and appropriately.

1.19 Informational Sources: Students use organizational systems to obtain information from various sources (including libraries and the Internet).

1.20 Communication of Data: Students use graphs, charts, and other visual presentations to communicate data accurately and appropriately.

1.6 Writing Conventions: Students' independent writing demonstrates command of appropriate English conventions, including grammar, usage, and mechanics (G.U.M.).

1.8 Reports: In written reports, students organize and convey information and ideas accurately and effectively.

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Assessment

Criteria Lots of Work Needed
Not yet, but close...

Got it! Met the Standard

Wow! Exceeds the Standard

Information Technology 1.18 and 1.19
I used a word processor to type my report and cited one resource.

I used a word processor to type my report and cited two resources (Web and one additional source).

I created a poster or overheads to aid my presentation and cited three resources (Web, encyclopedia or book, and one additional source).

I created a hyperstudio project to present my report and cited many (4+) resources (Web, encyclopedia or book, and additional sources).

Expression 1.5 and Communication of Data 1.20
My audience could not hear me. Evidence of minimal practice. No visual aids.

My audience only heard portions of my presentation. Evidence of limited practice. Visual aids were not neat.

My audience heard me. Practice was evident. I answered most audience posed questions. Visual aids were clear and aided my presentation.

My audience heard me. Practice was evident. I answered all audience posed questions. My hyperstudio project was clear and aided my presentation.

Writing Conventions 1.6
Grammar, Usage, Mechanics (g.u.m.)

I have some control in conventions of g.u.m. Frequent errors cause confusion about my meaning.

I have better control in conventions of g.u.m., errors still evident.

Minor errors in g.u.m.

I successfully handle conventions that are above grade level.

Reports 1.8
My report lacks organization.

My report is somewhat organized and I've included a few facts and details.

My report is organized and I've included appropriate facts and details.

My report is organized in a framework appropriate to purpose, audience, and context (above grade level).

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Conclusion

You have completed the Revolutionary War and Lake Champlain WebQuest. Congratulations! Another avenue to study:

Can you find Revolutionary War flags, other than those you've seen on this WebQuest page? Who made them? What is the event or purpose that drove the design? What is the history behind the flag of the United States of America? How many flags have we had?

This has been my first attempt creating a WebQuest. I hope you have enjoyed the task, links and pictures. Please send comments and suggestions to the author

About the author: Jan is a Speech-Language Pathologist working for the Milton Town School District. She enjoys kayaking, gardening, and reading. Her two Bernese Mountain Dogs, Hannah and Theodore, can be found traveling with her wherever she goes.

Theodore and Hannah Theodore

Hannah

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Criteria	Lots of Work Needed	Not yet, but close...	Got it! Met the Standard	Wow! Exceeds the Standard
Information Technology 1.18 and 1.19	I used a word processor to type my report and cited one resource.	I used a word processor to type my report and cited two resources (Web and one additional source).	I created a poster or overheads to aid my presentation and cited three resources (Web, encyclopedia or book, and one additional source).	I created a hyperstudio project to present my report and cited many (4+) resources (Web, encyclopedia or book, and additional sources).
Expression 1.5 and Communication of Data 1.20	My audience could not hear me. Evidence of minimal practice. No visual aids.	My audience only heard portions of my presentation. Evidence of limited practice. Visual aids were not neat.	My audience heard me. Practice was evident. I answered most audience posed questions. Visual aids were clear and aided my presentation.	My audience heard me. Practice was evident. I answered all audience posed questions. My hyperstudio project was clear and aided my presentation.
Writing Conventions 1.6 Grammar, Usage, Mechanics (g.u.m.)	I have some control in conventions of g.u.m. Frequent errors cause confusion about my meaning.	I have better control in conventions of g.u.m., errors still evident.	Minor errors in g.u.m.	I successfully handle conventions that are above grade level.
Reports 1.8	My report lacks organization.	My report is somewhat organized and I've included a few facts and details.	My report is organized and I've included appropriate facts and details.	My report is organized in a framework appropriate to purpose, audience, and context (above grade level).