Grade Level: Grades 4-5
This is Like, Uh, English?
Grade Level: Grades 4-5
Subjects: Language Arts, Computer Literacy
Learner Outcomes:
Students will:
1. Gain an understanding of the
changes in the English language in America from the 1800's to the
present.
2. Examine documents, personal
writings, and penmanship of the colonists of the 18th century.
3. Rephrase selected passages to
make them more "modern."
4. Research the origins and meanings
of selected common, everyday sayings.
5. Students will initiate correspondence
with a key pal using More
Than Just Pen Pals, Key
Pals and
Correspondents
Exchange, or e
pals Classroom Exchange with
other students in Virginia, Kentucky, and
North Carolina
and ask for assistance in finding other "passed down" phrases and what
they mean.
Time Frame: Ten 45-minute class periods
Materials: A copy of the
Declaration of Independence
Copies of personal letters and gazetteers from colonial times
A copy of Thomas Jefferson's Rules of Conduct and
other Jefferson documents, some of
which can be found at Thomas
Jefferson Online Resources at the University of Virginia and
at Texts by or to Thomas
Jefferson from the Modern English Collection
Copies of McGuffey's Readers
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
Technology Tools/Courseware: Internet access, CD-ROM encyclopedias
Teacher Notes:
Since this lesson involves student
email activity, a note home describing key pals and their use as a resource
may keep parents abreast of what we are doing on the Internet.
Procedures:
1. This lesson begins with a light,
lively discussion of how we speak today. Students rarely get
through a sentence
without saying, "like, uh," or "cool." Talk about the difference
between what
is generally
called formal English and slang. It will also be necessary to bring
up some discussion
of the lack
of standards in education in colonial times. (Some went to school
more often and
longer than
others. Some were educated at home using the Bible for most of their
lessons.)
2. Either go to an Internet connected
computer and bring up a site that shows the Declaration of
Independence
or distribute copies of other documents and personal letters. Read
aloud parts of
these examples
and let students hear the unusual phrasing and vocabulary. Ask several
students to
"translate" or rephrase what you have read. Continue doing this until
you think they
understand what
you will be asking them to do next.
3. The next activity will center
around two exercises. All students will be given a list of 18th century
examples
of writing. Divide the class into groups of 2-3. According
to the number of Internet
accessible computers
available, have some go to the Internet and have the rest work in their
groups using
reference books and other provided materials. Their assignment is
to explain the
meaning of each
one, using their own words.
4. Start with a whole class discussion
again. Ask if anyone has heard the phrase "puttin' on the dog"
or "flip your
wig." Explain that "puttin' on the dog" referred to a time when frugal
and thrifty
colonists recycled
the hide of a dead dog into a good pair of shoes. These dog leather
shoes were
softer and more
supple than those made from cow or calf or steer hide. Anyone wearing
these
shoes was considered
"puttin' on the dog." Also, when shoes became uncomfortable, colonists
would complain
that their "dogs were killing them."
Wigs were a fashion that began in France and was brought back to England
by Charles II. The
colonists brought
this fashion with them when they immigrated. The only thing that
held a man's
wig in place
was a tight fit (and a lot of luck). Men frequently "put their best
foot forward" when
bowing to a
lady in order not to "flip their wigs," a very embarrassing moment for
such vain
personalities.
At the end of this motivational activity, give additional
phrases and have students
continue to
research their origins and how we use them today.
5. Finally, introduce the concept
of key pals. Rather than give every student his own email address,
for this activity
use your own (the teacher's). As this progresses, student email accounts
can be
set up.Students
will "talk" to their pals about our project and try to learn new phrases
and
meanings to
ones we still need to know.
Modifications:
Students who have not signed the
acceptable use policy will not be participating in the keypal segment of
this lesson. Perhaps an "old-fashioned" pen pal could be found for
these students.
Enrichment Activities:
Many grandparents are wonderful
sources of old language patterns and phrases. Students who want to
pursue this further could "interview" them and organize some of their findings
into a PowerPoint presentation. Another option would be to ask a
parent to videotape the student interviewing his grandparent and showing
this to the class.
Evaluation/Assessment:
Sharing information from key pals
with the class and keeping a record of replies would be one way to assess/evaluate
this lesson.
IGO's and Other Standards:
Language Arts Listening
5.13, 5.14
Reading Comprehension 5.30, 5.34
Study Skills 5.164
Computer Technology 5.186
West Virginia Instructional and Objectives
References:
Encyclopedia.Com
Bartlett's
Familiar Quotations
The History Net
More
Than Just Pen Pals
Key
Pals and Correspondents Exchange
Pitsco's Ask An
Expert
e pals Classroom
Exchange
Merriam-Webster Online
Ask Jeeves for Kids
Comments:
Created By:
Deborah
Lamp
Deborah
Thomas
Blennerhassett Elementary
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